The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-04
Ministers, However, Believe
Soul Saving More Essential.
objection Made to Open Thea
ters Every Night.
DIRECTORS ARE GIVEN A SLAP
DIR. Henderson Says They Do
Not Go to Church.
Pastor of Redden Chapel De-
tends Sunday Service.

Saving souls is of more real value
to the community than the saving of
coal. at least that is the sentiment that
seemed to run rampant thru the meet
ing of the Ministerial union at the
Chamber of Commerce this morning.
1t was the sentiment of the meeting
but no. the action, for in its official
vote on the question of keeping the
churches open for Sunday night meet
ings and meetings thru the week, the
Ministerial union went on record as
being in favor of the fuel order.
Perhaps the hottest fight was put
up on the presumed injustice of clos
ing the churches on week nights when
Il c theaters are allowed to run. The
assembled preachers were of the opin-
ion that il would be only just to allow
the churches to have Sunday night
meetings if the theaters were to have
the privilege of staying open on diff
ferent nights during the week. This
argument injected the spiritualist en-
tertainment of last Sunday into the
fight Doctor Sheldon holly declared,
II count my church worth more than
all of the theaters in this town" DR..
Arthur S. Henderson asserted that,
I'VE have fuel directors in this state
who don't go TO church and who know
nothing about churches
= Doctor Henderson Makes Plea.
in the face of this statement. Doc
tor Henderson was on the floor with
an earnest plea for the continuation
of the present order of things in the
fuel fight for the reason that ''if we
stay in line on this proposition of
closing our churches during the week
and on Sunday nights. the moral eff
feet will be a great weapon to use in
case there is an attempt to close our
churches on Sunday mornings also.
All of the above statements were
greeted with loud applause from those
present at the meeting. and it was
often possible to hear few fervent
amens, especially when some refer
ence was made to the ungodliness of
the theaters and the paganism of the
fuel dictatorS.
]. w. Hart. pastor of the Presby-
terrain Redden chapel, found oppor-
tunity at the meeting to air the anger
he felt at being criticised for holding
Sunday school at his church at
o'clock on Sunday afternoons.
hold but the one service a Sun
day." said the Rev. Mr.. Hart. land
that is the o'clock Sunday school.
However, l will say that it seems un-
fair that must abolish that too" In
eidentally. it takes as much coal to
heat the building for the Sunday
school as it would for both the after
noon Sunday school and the evening
service.
Another statement that seemed to
be a favorite with the ministerial
union was 1.-The churches have been
cruelty and unjustly criticised by the
newspa pers."
Every time a significant remark
was passed taking shot at the news
papers, Doctor Maggart, president of
the union. would turn to the reporters
and snap Get thati"
The only way that the members of
the Ministerial union could criticise
the State Journal would be for them
To resent a statement of facts. The
State Journal always has recorded the
fsei situation as it existed. If this is
Sufficient to draw down complaints.
the State Journal will have to admit
that these complaints will fall on bar
rem soil