Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-08
MINISTER'S SPLIT
IN ARGUMENT OVER.
SUNDAY BASEBALL
WrangIe Results in Discussion
of Measure Before House
Committee.
From a star correspondent.l

From a STAFF Correspondence
TRENTON, Feb. S.-The so-called
Sunday baseball bill was given a pub
lie hearing at the House late yester-
day afternoon. The bill legallzes Sun
day baseball, tennis, golf, cricket, row
ing and other sports. The judiciary
committee, of which Colonel Edge is
chairman, heard the arguments for
and against the bill, which is fathered
by Assemblyman dwell.
The Hey. DR.. It. w. Johnson, OF
Washington, president of the Lords
Day Alliance of New Jersey, was the
first to address the committee.
He said: I'VE have before us u
bill which seeks to secularize our
Christian Sabbath by legalizing
baseball and other games on that
day. II this bill should be reported by
your committee, passed by your legis-
lators and then signed by the Governor
it would be a direct stroke at Christian
ity., W. = hould be extremely careful,
gentlemen, bout thus undermining u
Christian foundation. True, we Ia
no union of church and state, but we
have next to it. The State pays chap
lains in our prison and other State in
situations and thereby acknowledges
the fact that the State has regard for
the moral and religious interest of her
people.
I'VE have six days a week in which
to play ball, sell goods and pursue
pleasure. One cay has been set aside
for devotion to God. That day must
be kept sacred if we are to conserve
the moral and religious welfare of this
State. This bill is not fathered or
mothered by people who have the in
terests of our children at heart. 1t
simply represents a greed for gold and
glory on the part of persons who are
not. toilers in the interests of our
young"
The Rev r. j. Kulp, representing the
New Jersey Conference of Methodists
and the. Camden Methodist Preachers
Association, commended that the passage
of such a measure would mean the
Equalization of a business with millions
of dollars behind it.
The Rev. Hervey Wood, superin-
tendent and financial secretary of the
temperance committee of the General
Convention of Baptists of North
America, was extremely caustic in his
opposition.
b. Il. Kneeland, of Trenton, presi-
dent of the New Jersey Seventh-Day
Adventist Conference, said: 81 wish
to speak particularly of the principles
which are involves in Sunday laws.
The arguments which have been pre-
scented before this committee by those
who favor strict Sunday laws show
conciusively that the real reason why
these people are so anxious to force
the. observance of Sunday is because
they regard it as a sacred religious in
stitution. Now / wish to submit TO
you, gentlemen, that the Legislature
of this State has no right to force
people to keep Sunday, or any other
day as the Sabbath, any more than it
has a right to force citizens to be
baptized, take communion or contrib
ute to the church. l believe in and
practise all the ordinances which the
Bible prescribes for the Christian
church, but ! protest most ~enlphatical-
1y against any attempt to force them
upon people by civil law. In taking this
position / stand on the same ground
as the honored fathers of our gres
republic.
mo reason but a religious one can
be brought for making honest labor
or innocent recreation a crime on Sun
day. IL a man wishes to observe re-
ligious customs he can do so without
being compelled by law. If he does it
because he is compelled by law he be-
comes a hypocrite, which makes him Il
poor. citizen"
Assemblyman Sullivan and Samuel
Wilson enlivened the hearing a lit
tie later. Mr.. Wilson, who is general
superintendent and secretary Of Civic
Righteousness Federation of Hudson
County, had confined his remarks large
ly to a criticism of the department of
the crowds which patronized the base
bali games on Sunday in Jersey City
last um1ne He had just expressed
the opinion that it was professionals
n not workingmen who wanted sun
day baseball, when Assemblyman Sui
Ivan Interrupted him.
A vigorous advocacy of Sunday base
ball was delivered by the Rev. William
r.. Mclaughlin, a Catholic priest from
Union Hill. Father Mclaughlin K
planned that he was not present as a