The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-12
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

lines. Why? The question should not have been made unless made literally.
 He does not even attempt to meet the claim that religious legislation with the purpose of enforcing any religious ob- sers ance upon the people is of itself wrong, unfair and unjust. And this is ell that there is to be said from the pub lie point of view in regard to that first, aspect of the question.
 His argument in regard to the deleteri- ous effect of innocent amusements Sunday on the public morals consists
 largely of matter immaterial and irreve- lent
 What has the adjournment of Congress over Sunday to to with iamusements or that day? Absolutely nothing. If Con gress has ever seen fit to rule that all amusements are barred on Sunday it would be interesting to know when this act was passed and why. and where iigious freedom was sojourning at that time.
 The next item is the opinion of a mur- derer whom Daniel Webster defended, to the effect that evil amuse ments on Sun- day and neglecting the house of prayer led to his downfall. Does the reverend gentleman contend that l advocate evil amusements either on Sunday or any other day? If so, he is vastly mistaken. My contention is that Innocent amusements help people to avoid evil ones. Doubt
 less this poor wretch would have fallen just as low had his evil amusements been pursued on any other day of the week.
 Do l want a continental Sabbath? What is continental Sabbath, please? Presum- ably, in Europe, as in this country, Sunday is spent differently by the people of di- verse localities according to their vary ing tastes and opportunities. However, while l do not know to what particular kind of continental Sabbath he alludes. I have seen the general effect of continent al Sundays on character. I have often met mel of other nationalities who have experienced such Sundays from the day of their birth until they reached manhood and after. and I have found them as desirable citizens .as good husbands and fathers as much gentlemen and good fel- lows, as those who had never been ex- posed to this terrible blight of the conti- nertal Sunday.
 If neglect of the proper observance of Sunday by Frenchmen caused the troubles of 1871 in Paris, was it the same cause that brought the civil war into being in the United States? And l observe the sug- gestion that lack of Sunday observance 1 caused the great European war Are all was caused by this?
 i And Dr. Joseph Cook, one of America s greatest lecturers, said: Give to America from sea to sea the Parsan Sunday, and l in POO years all our greatest cities will be l under the heels of the feather heads. the
 rouehs, the sneaks and the money gripes "
 l Well, that is prophecy. In 200 years we will not be there to see it proved true or false Is all civic corruption, as we'll as all war. caused by people amusing | themselves on Sunday? I think not. And Is 1t not a great blessing that none of
 our greatest cities suffer at this time from such dire calamities as those set l forth above.
 l Remember the Sabbath day to keep 1t
 holy" The Seventh Day Baptists and our Jewish fellow citizens alike claim that Saturday is the Sabbath day. and the only day to be kept holy. And what is keeping the Sabbath day holy? Some will say one
 thing some another, and every man must
 decide for himself what Is keeping the Sabbath properly and what is not, as,well
 as which day to keep. No man is wise
 enough, or great enough, or good enough
 to legsate as to any other mans religion. | Yours truly, A. E. LEISEMAN. l Ensley, July 10, 1915.