Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-10-04
This Is The Question In The Minds Of Annapolis Women
Knitting For Soldiers And Sailors Gone To Fight
For Home And Country, Need Warm Cloth
ing To Make Them "Fit" Fighters
WHAT THE CLERGY s THINKS
Opinions Of Many Local Ministers On Question Agitatng
Minds Of Patriotic Women Of Present Day-Opin-
ions Vary-Priest And Preacher Quote
Scripture To Back Up Their Opin-
ions---"A Matter OF Conscencept

IOnS-.-A Matte
Many women of Annapolis and
Anne Arundel County being guided
by their own opinions in the matter,
have, throughout the summer, been
knitting on Sunday OH sweaters, mdf-
fiers, wristlets, socks, and helmets Tor
the soldiers and sailors who have
gone to fight for their country and to
defend these women.
Other women who have wanted TO
do something in the way of helping
the cause have demurred, lest knit
ting on Sunday destroy sacred tradi-
tions of keeping the day holy, and
laying waste Puritanical ideas.
Is it a sin to knit on the Lords
Day or is it to be regarded as a com
mendable act, so long as it is done
for sweet charity's sake?
That is a question which is just
now agitating the minds of many
women who are active in Red Cross
work, and the ministers of the city
are being kept busy stating their
opinions.
AS in everything else, opinion on
the subject is divided There is
another question, also, that has
arisen, but this one, on its face, seems
so far-fetched, so little worth while,
that small consideration is given to
it by most people "Is it proper to
knit in church during service?"
However, these two questions have
been propounded to the local clergy
by The Capital, with-the following
result:
Chaplain Evans.
When asked whether he approved
of knitting on Sunday, and of knitting
in church, Chaplain Evans, of the
Naval Academy, said:
why do people go to church any
way?
Is it merely to attend a social ga
thering or even primarily for instruc-
ton? Or is the entire service an op-
portunity for a new dedication, SOL
emn act of worship of body, mind and
spirit, time for special concentra-
ton in prayer and praise and COM
munion with God, the emphasis be-
ing on the giving to Him rather than
on the getting from Him.
would a woman knit if the Presi-
dent of the United States were speak
ing to her or she to him? Surely our
Creator and Redeemer is entitled to
the courtesy of her undivided atten-
ton while she is in His House. And
if she gives it she is quite competent
to decide for herself whether she
shall knit at any other time on Sum
day or not.
However, it may be taken for
granted that the ladies who attend
Divine Service at the Naval Academy
Chapel do not knit while there"
DIR. :. :. Sewers.
The Rev. Dr. Sewers, minister of
College Avenue Baptist Church, when
asked his opinion by The Capital
representative. said
IF knitting is matter of necessity
on Sunday. if our soldiers and sail
ors will be benefited by garments
knit on Sunday because the need de-
mands it. do not believe it is wrong.
If knitting on Sunday is a fad then
| heartily disapprove. but if it be an
act of mercy and necessity | approve.
If knitting on Sunday is along the
line of administering to the needs OF
our fellowmen. in the way our Mas
ter approved the healing on the Sab
bath Day, of feeding the hungry on
the Sabbath Day, then ! heartily
approve.
''As for knitting in church l most
emphatically disapprove of any such
thing. Women are in church but lit
tie over one hour I maintain they
cannot work with their fingers while
knitting. count stitches. purl, and do
all the rest that knitting requires, and
worship the Master with their heart
and mind at the same time.
"No, do not think knitting in
church is necessary, and it certainly
is not worshipful | heartily disap-
prove of this"
Rev. Edward ID. Johnson.
When the Rector of st. Anne's
Church, the Rev. Edward Darlington
Johnson, was asked for his views OF
knitting on Sunday and knitting in
church. he replied:
You ask, Is it right TO knit on
Sunday for the men in military and
naval service. Decidedly. yes. As
suming that the Christian duty and
privilege of common worship have
been accepted, such beneficent occu-
patton during the rest of the day is
quite permissible, because quite con-
genial to the spirit of the day.
"You ask further. should one knit
in church Absolutely, no The
church is a place consecrated to the
worship of God. There is no magical