Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-10-04

endowment as result OF which peo-
pie can take part in a sustained and
united act Of prayer and worship
while thus engaged And as to the
parts of the church service devoted
to instruction, there is need for more,
rather than less, concentrated atten-
tion on the part of Glisteners."
Rev. DIR. w. !. McKenney.
When asked for, his opinion in the
matter of knitting on Sunday, the
Rev. DR.. William l. McKenney, pas
tor of Maryland Avenue Methodist
Episcopal Church, gave the following:
Is it a sin to knit on Sunday?
might answer this question with the
one monosyllable Yes But a word
of explanation Ii is a violation of
Gods commandment, Remember the
Sabbath Day to keep it holy. In it
thou shalt do no work | am not un-
mindful of the fact that moral
philosophy excepts works of necessity
and mercy But it is not necessary
If women who want TO knit on Sun
day will cut out lot OF useless things
that some of them do between Sun
days, such as attending card parties,
dances, and a hundred and one other
things, and will systematic and econ
omize their hours on week days, they
will have more time to knit socks and
sweaters for our soldier boys in
France than they will ever put in on
Sunday. Then it is the camers nose
iEthe teptsuk woman who Knits on
StNday win soon find excuse for
dressmaking or other needless things
on the Lords Day. 1t is lowering the
standards of the moral law and life
and Sundays will soon be to them as
other days The Almighty conse-
Grated the Sabbath Day as day of
rest and worship. Let us keep His
command This we can do and not
leave the other undone"
Rev. DIR. George s. Bell.
The pastor of the First Presbyter-
ian Church, the Rev. DR.. George S.
Bell was most emphatic in his de-
nunciation of the right and propriety
of knitting on Sunday as we'll as knit
ting in church Dr. Bell said.
Shall women knit in church?
No. The church hour is for medita-
tion and worship, taking heed of the
Word of the Lord, that we may learn
Of His ways and walk in His paths.
Shall women knit on Sunday? To
this | also answer no. The Fourth
Commandment is as binding upon us
as any other one of the Decalogue
We have no right to break one link
of the chain of the moral law These
are Gods precepts, not mans; there
fore, / hope that our noble women
whose sympathetic hearts are glow
ing with patriotism, will hesitate to
give too broad an Interpretation to
works of necessity on the Lords
Day Let me suggest, that in place
of the sacred hours of this day, they
substitute some pleasure hours of
the week"
Rev. John L. Walsh.
When interviewed this morning the
Rev. John L. Walsh. pastor of the
Eastport Methodist Episcopal Church.
said:
Knitting on Sunday for our SOL
diers and sailors is a question of
conscience.
conscience may be perverted,
blinded, paralyzed, and under such
conditions it is not a safe guide.
Saul of Tarsus prosecuted the Chris
tians of his day. and in so doing
though. he did a righteous thing.
As Paul, the Apostle of Jesus
Christ. he knew he had blundered
and sinned against the Lord.
One may conscientiously work in
knitting for our soldiers on the Lords
Day, and al the same time do wrong. -
The Rev. Mr.. Walshs first point on
knitting on. Sunday was a question of
conscience, his second was a question
of ethics. He said further:
Conscience is involved in ethics. of
course, but standards or living. ac-
cording to the New Testament, must
also have consideration.
is the work of absolute necessity? ?
Is the Lords Day magnified in the
work? Or, shall we say. and be con-
tent with the decision. The end justi-
fies the meansg'
Again said the preacher, ''the sec
ond question you ask. DO approve
of knitting on Sunday in the Lords
House@ | would say. The tendency
of our times is toward irreverence in
His Sanctuary. Knitting in church on
Sunday would interfere with the dig
nifty, order and sacredness of public
worship The influence of example
in such work would not be eievating,
and it would open the way for letter
writing, making Of clothing. packing