Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-17
WILL LAW BE OBEYED?
OR WILL CITY SIDE STEP
Opinions Of Various Clergymen On
the Strict Enforcement Of the
Sunday Law Which Begins
May Fl.
WORKS HARDSHIP TO SOME.
1t is for Majority Of People to Say
Whether Law Will be Enforced---
Will They Do il?

In following out the orders of the
grand jury just adjourned, to enforce
| the law in regard to closing all places
of business, stopping the sale of mer-
chandise of all kinds. the officials are
confronted with problem that seems
| to grow more difficult with further
consideration.
While it is the natural opinion of
every right minded citizen that while
the law remains on the statute books,
1t should be enforced, there are many
who consider the law too stringent
1t has been customary for certain ar
ticles to be sold on Sundays, and while
it is possible for the people to meet
any requirement of filling their wants
during week days, there are some to
whom this may prove a hardship.
1t seems to be the old case of few
taking advantage of leniency. until in
some parts of the city, it is said. there
are merchants who had oecou4e to CON
slider Sunday as much trade day as
any of the other six days of the week
The law, when enforced, will prevent
the sale of newspapers, gasoline. etc
What is TO become of the automobiles
who strikes town with a nearly empty
tank? Will he have to stay over until
Monday to get a supply of gas? The
Mayor says he will.
is ii possible for the City Council to
pass a new ordinance along conserva-
tive lines without conflicting with the
State laws? This would perhaps, be
the easiest solution of it possible
Opinions gathered by the Evening Cap
ital from representative citizens vary,
but all seem to stand solid i'm the mat
ter of having the law obeyed as long
as it remains on the statute books
Some of the clergy expressed them
selves as follows:
Rev. DR.. George S. Bell, of the Pres
byterian Chuch:
"Very glad to hear IL; think II
ayery good thing"
Rev. Haas of St Martins Lutheran
Church:
81 am very much pleased. i
think the law is satisfactory with
perhaps the delivery of the sun
delivery OF the sunday morning
papers,"
Rev. Dr. Joseph p. McComas, of St
Anne's, said;
81 have known OF the existence
OF the city ordinance for some
years. and ordinances like all other
laws, should be enforced or re-
peaIed. Iii il works hardship, the
people should see to il that ii Is
repealed"
The Rev. James l.. Smiley, assistant
| to the rector of st. .Anne's. said:
"The Bible is the one guide book
for solving all questions. In the
mater of Sunday observance the
Bible teaches:
81. Every man and beast must
have one days rest I'm every seven.
80. The Sabbath was made for
man. not man for the Sabbath.
| ''3. SUNDAY, 'The Lords Day. is
purely Christian institution.
"These three principles. intelli-
gently applied, viii solve the ques-
| tiOn of Sunday observance. The
| Civil Law recognizes the Divine
principle of rest .and accordingly
| makes one day I'm seven a Sabbath.
| Ii has the right to select sunday,
| because that is the rest DAY OF the
| mai0rity-the Christians.
| "But Christians, as such. have
| no more right to compel non-
Christians te observe Sunday reg
ularly. than to enforce Baptism or
| any other Christian institution. 1t
is the civil authority alone which
| must enforce the Sabbath prin.
ciple.
| "And this Sabbath observance is
not to be n burden. but blessing.
| The sabbath was made for man
Therefore he should he allowed
reasonable liberty i'm its use. con-
siStent with the rights OF other
citizens. His pleasure must not
compel others to relinquish their
Sabbath rest.
"There are certain works of ne
eessity and mercy permissible on
the Sabbath. Take. for instance.
the dairy Cows must be MIXED.
an0 the milk must reach the con-
Sumers I'm fresh condition. There
fore milk wagons must run on
Sunday morning. But. 10 observe
the Sabbath principle. the dairy
men and horses should be arrang-
ed i'm shifts, so that each may have
one whole day of rest each week.
The same principle applies to the
hotels. lunch-rOoms. railroads, etc.
.4s for the Sunday newspaper.
il Is entirely unnecessary. and Is
rather demoralizing. 1t fills the
mind of the average reader with
extrayagant worIdiiness.whi.e the
comic supplement poisons the
mind of the young. Coco. stand
ard literature. replete with lofty