The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-19
Bishop Busch of Lead Calls Attention
to the Conditions That initiate
Against the Religious Observance Of
the Sunday in That City.

LAS the Catholic Bishop of the juris-
diction having it's official headquarters
at Lead, beg leave to call attention
to subject that is of vital import
ance to us all, though it's significance
fear is not fully realized by many
of those whose influence in the COM
munity is very considerable. / mean
the observance of the Sunday.
In broaching this subject l wish
to declare my absolute impartiality
and personal disinterestedness in the
matter and to insist that my sole mo-
tive is a supreme sense of duty and a
sincere desire to promote the best in
terests of all concerned.
'tThe lack of Sunday observance,
still so general in the Hills, is no
doubt largely a relic of pioneer days,
and escapes the notice of many of
our oldest and best citizens because
they have grown accustomed to it.
I'm the days of the wide open sa-
loon and gambling house there was
little question but what Sunday work
was the lesser evil, but now that the
mining camp is fast giving place to
the permanent city, our Sunday is
becoming social as we'll as re-
ligious necessity. Indeed, after more
than two years of careful study and
considerable experimenting, l am per
sonally convinced that the Sunday is
our greatest present need. And be-
lieving this as I do, feel it my duty
to do all I can for the proper observ-
ance of the Sunday.
From a purely civic standpoint,
Sunday as day of rest and inspira-
ton is an imperative need. A man
who works every day without inter
ruption becomes more animal than
human, and therefore an undesirable
or dangerous citizen; without the
Sunday, especially for the laborer,
family life, except in it's most rudi-
mentary elements, becomes next to
impossible, the members of the family
are estranged from each other and
their interests become divided; with
out the Sunday our young men and
women find their opportunity for So
cial intercourse limited to the night
and the dance hall, both a special
source OF danger in community so
congested as is this; without the Sun
day the moral tone of the whole COM
munity is lowered and the sense of
the brotherhood gives place to selfish
individualism.
Il am both grateful and proud to
be able to testify to the very high
standard maintained by the Home,
stake Mining company towards it's
employees and the community at large
Wages are most generous, a free hos.
pital service of high quality is main.
tanned, Relief Society is literally
subsidized by the company. A Free
Library and a Free Kindergarten are
evidences that the principal owner OF
the company's stock is interested in
more than the mere physical we'll be.
ing of our citizens. The new Recrea-
ton Building now in course of con.
struction is added proof that the com.
pany wishes to make ample provisions
for the social needs of it's men.
But, splendid as all this is, it will
not make Lead a desirable place to
live, unless provision is also made
for our religious needs The very
substantial contribution on the part
of the Homestake Mining company OF
two hundred dollars annually to.
wards the support of each of the fit
teen or more churches in this i'm
mediate vicinity is it's recognition OF
the influence of religion to make men
dutiful and happy, but were these con
tributions multiplied and increased in
definitely, we could not hope to Sc
cure the desired results, to any appre
ciable extent, as long as it requires an
! extraordinary effort for many to &C
to church on Sunday And it does re
quire an extraordinary effort for a
great many in Lead, in spite of any
thing that the church has done and