Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-06-11
LAW OBSERVANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT Monsignor Lucey of Catholic Church Breaches Strong
 Sermon on the Subject
SUNDAY B BASEBALL
Not the Worst Evil He Says-,W0uId Have Creed Unite For Moral
 Uplift.


 per- took up the mater of baseball public amusements on the Lords day and also law enforcement. In par1 he spoke as follows:
 The gospel according to St. Luke which is read today, recites the par able of our Lord in reference to a great supper Which had been prepared by princely man for the entertain- lnent of specially invited quests Many stand that the parable refers to the banquet of the Lord supper, or haiy ucharis. and the extraordinary number of those who excused them selves from attendance as represent ing the large number of those who with one excuse or another absent themselves from the table of the Lord on Sunday and even from divine wor- shipa Absence from mass on Sum days is an ever recurring subject for sermons, especially in summer time, when church pews begin to have a lonesome appearance and many peo- pie are conspicuous by their absence and the question is discussed, what is the cause of this disregard of Gods law, Remember Thou Keep Holy the Sabbath Day. Public. amusements, especially our great American game of baseball, are given as a chief cause by some people not merely for the empty pews on Sunday but also for a general demoralization of religious influences. According to the Catholic schurch, Sunday possesses a double character. 1t is a day of the Lord to sbas kept shely forsHim and alsaaaxday of the Lord for the relaxation and rest of His human family. Six days are tot 4abor andson the seventh to takeatheir sres.t.@ As the first fruits on earth were always the choice of God, the morning of the Lords day belongs specially to God and the morning hours of Sunday should be dedicated to his service For this season the mass,e which is the chief divine ser vice of the Catholic church, is put in the morning of Sunday at convenient hours and Catholics are clearly told that if they miss mass on Sunday without a grave reason, the commit capital crime against God, or mortal sin
 In places where Catholics are in a large majority and the church has complete control over her children, ar amusement like baseball could very consistently be permitted on Sunday afternoon. At Fort Smith over fifty wears ago, when LeXinson avenue was merely a country roadway leading ul to an humble church edlfice, former lyi the post headquarters of old For Belknap when Zachary Taylor Wal 4 commander of the department tn young men of the Catholic congrega ton and others who wished to be con sidered young men assembled on tn green to enjoy a game of Bando play or better known under the name Shinney. But the first thing alway was the vesper service in the church Father Pat O'Reiffy, Vicar General o the diocese and pastor there and after wards Father Phillip Shanahan, woul' freuuently hear, as the crowd was ell tering the the church, hurry Ill Father" but he could never catch tn culpr.t in the act. After service an' for three or four hours the play wa fast and furious, priest and peopl minalina in the contest and the matcl makine, matrons and the most beau tiful girls ill the world acting as en thusiastic fans. During the seasol the attendance at vespers was yer large and the collection was in propor tion. it was to the interests of religion to keep up the hall play.
 "But these good old times are n { more. No city of the size of For Smith, Little Rock, or Pine blu'l could attempt similar action at tn present time with a prospect of sim ilar result. reason for this chang in public sentiment arises from tn Z faet { hat Protestant ideas. about pupl a1la,isements on Sunday differ in seV eral respects from those of Catholic and from the further fact that Protest ants have more than a three-fourt numerical majority over sathoiic Throughout Arkansas and the entir Soutb. Public morality receives it tone and guidance from them Wit rome exceptions Catholics and Jew ha5e very little to do with shapin .3 lalation or moulding public opin