The Washington herald., 1910-04-11
WASHINGTON AND ITS
OBSERVANCE OF SABBATH
Statement by Rev. DR.. Guthrie.

oLdLtmeHL Dy htF' IL UuthAiO'
As a prelude TO his sermon yesterday,
Rev Charles e. Guthrie said to the con-
gregatiOn of Hamline NJ. E. Church;
Il beg your indulgence for few min
utes that l may speak on what might be
called a personal matter. l have just
returned from the 18th session Of the
Baltimore conference, and was surprised
TO find in one of our morning papers an
editorial reference concerning me ana
statements alleged TO have been made by
me at the conference.
THE statements had to do with the OBJ
servance-or, rather, the nonobservance-
of the Sabbath in Washington. was
charged with saying that Washington Is
wide open.
This editorial was followed by one
the following night of similar character
in the Baltimore Star These statements
were never made by me. and l heard or
said nothing like that which was printed.
If the papers feel that they have the
liberty TO credit such statements to a
public man, the public man has the right
to answer or explain them
1.-The facts of the case are these: In
the Baltimore Conference we have a
committee on the Bible cause and the
Sabbath observance. This committee Of
fered a report to the conference, and
while II was being read a minister Sit
ting near me called my attention 10 the
fact that there should be some mention
Of the Johnston Sunday observance bill
A. g~afr % EnNr a
reference TO the bill inserted in the re-
port. but was too late, as the report
was said to be finished,
Later I got the eye of the chairman,
and rose to express my regret that no
thought was given Washington in the
report. felt that I had this privilege,
as Baltimore and washington occupy the
same positions In the conference. and
the members seemed to agree with me.
A special committee was appointed TO
get expressions from the people Of Wash
ington IN regard 70 a better observance
OF the Sabbath in the Capital and for
ward these expressions to the proper au-
thorltles
las to speaking i'll Of the city outside
OF its limits. I do not believe that an
apology or explanation is required, ex-
! cept. perhaps, to the newspapers OF
Washington.
Those statements which I did make.
and which were quoted, are admitted by
the newspapers to be true. but are given
a different Interpretation than intended.
/ deplored the uninterrupted operations of
moving picture shows and so-called sa-
cred concerts on the Sabbath. as we'll as
the other commercial transactions on sun
days
when I said that Washington was
wide open, the term was not used in
the sense that the sporting world would
accept it. as I was not speaking TO that
| point The town is wide open. how
ever, in the sense OF Sunday entertain
ments, and to that end ! had reference
These editorials clearly show the diff
| ference in standards between newspapers
and the church is irreconcilable. The
standard Of the newspaper is not accept
| able as a standard for the church.
There was no Islander OF Washington
| in my remarks. and none was intended
! You, my congregation. had the right to
| hear an explanation OF these newspaper
: articles. and / took this opportunity &c
set YOU right in the matter. II such &C
/ ton was necessary"