Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-22
Ministers Will Visit Shows on
Sunday to Secure Evidence
for Grand Jury.
|aPPEAL TO THEATERS
TO CLOSE FRUITLESS
Boycott Also Proposed Should
Sabbath Law Be "Evaded
by Subterfuge."

The Evangelical Ministers ASSOtld-
zion announced to-day, through DR..
r,bn r White, that it would ask for
Indictment of the owners Of moving
A .ict,,ra houses which operate to-mor-
row claiming a violation of the state
stante covering Sunday amusements.
we shall make a tour of the NOV
Inc nicture houses tomorrow said
20, John e. White pastor of the Sec
ond Baptist church, and gather evil
dsrca TO present to the grand jury
next week We shall ask the indict-
meDt of the house owners, if their the
arers are being operated. claiming they
4 have violated the state law.
We are thoroughly convinced that
q raese theater owners are in league with
otber powers that seek to destroy the
,arctitv of the Sabbath. They have
\ .fused 10 listen to appeal Now we
4 viii call in the law"
Declare Plea Was Ignored.
The I'VE members of the Ministerial
n Association who appeared before rep
A resentatives of the moving picture
houses Yesterday and presented resolu-
q ions requesting the closing of the
\ houses ON Sunday to-day declare their
appeal went for naught.
The ministers told the moving pic
tore men that if they operated without
the Law they would be prosecuted, but
Il they operated within the law through
some subterfuge 100000 church peo-
pie of Atlanta would be asked az once
o boycott the movies even on week
days.
We shall endeavor to attract such
moving picture house owners to this
city said DR.. White to-day, that will
not oppose our plan to keep the Sab
bath sacred in this city. These men
viii be supported by our congregations
II the picture men insist on opening on
Sunday"
The warning factions will get to-
sether again late day, at which time
The last word on the part Of the pic
lure men will be spoken. They nave
already framed their answer, according
TO Frank Hammond, spokesman for the
picture house owners.
More Men Are Defiant.
We shall open our houses to-mOr-
TO" and conduct them the same way
as NE did last week" declared Ham
mond to-day.
The request of the ministers is not
"iJmn reason. We do not seek to
leseerate the Sabbath. All we ask is
n
whom the Sabbath is a day of rest and
VINO have no other time in the week
10 seek innocent diversion"
Zoe presentation of the resolutions
'a7 d'mmed by the discussion which
'loEed their introduction
DR.. John L. White, in presenting the
papers. said in part:
We do not wish to appear in the
Ole of straight-lsced Puritans, nor in
me light of trying to enforce our opin-
i'ns upon those of a different attitude.
we represent southern ideals and the
safeguard of southern moral stand
afaS, We have no blue Sunday in the
south, but free, kind, neighborly
sunday. with rest from daily business
pursuits
Your shows have been good.
nave personally attended them.
must say, however: Sabbath breaking
'' compel US to withdraw our pa
tronage.
We therefore hope we can reach an
'"''caoie settlement of this question.
Churches Pay Choirs."
frank Hammond as spokesman for
V'= picture men said in part:
me interest of the moving picture
men In Sunday shows has been one Of
purely business nature. We have the
me highest regard for the church and
e'4glouS beliefs We do not wish to
appear to censor you for the stand
-'o take. We merely contend that ev-
Ll man has right TO his own opIn
''. ana that We have our opinion"
sunday moving picture shows are
''l lhe worst evil that besets Atlanta.
every Sunday the cycIorama Of the
-'al'ie Of Atlanta, with all its scene
w. mage is exhibited to the public
Grant Park and admission is
own churches pay Your a'"irs
as regularly as the SUNDAYS