The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-10
Local Dsh
SHALL SUNDAY BE DAY OF WORSHIP
 OR DAY OF GLOOM? !?

Shall Sunday be day of worship or a day of gloom? This is the ques- tion asked by Roy E. Osborn. chafr- man of the committee in favor of Sum day movies yesterday who made public his first statement in regard to orer- ation of Sunday picture shows. Nil. Os- born is a well known citizen of West End and is prominent in local fra- ternal circles. Mr Osborn's statement follows:
 .1n assuming charge of the cam- paign for innocent recreation Tor tho c:ople of Birmingham on Sunday, do so knowing that the people are en- titled to and should be given as much innocent entertainment as IS posslole' particularly. at this time of world ue- pression As to the observance or the Sabbath day, I believe there are few who favor observance of Sunday more than l. think Sunday should be a day of worship, of rest and innocent amusement and recreation. l think Sunday should be a day of joy and happiness and not day of gloom. The true light of religion and Sunday ob- servance casts a ray of sunshine and happiness and not ray of despond- ency and gloom. A small but willful set of ministers in Birmingham, in starting the campaign at political meeting on Sunday in a church, shout ed loud about Sunday observance. They no doubt prefer to try and make peo- pie think this is an issue in the cam- paign, but it is not. The issue in this campaign is whether Sunday is to be day of gloom or day of worship and happiness.
 .I do not believe that the people of Birmingham who believe in such inno- cent entertainment on Sunday as mo- ticn pictures and community sings provide. will tolerate the self-appoint- ed guardianship of small set of min :. isters who declare they will tell them what they shall do and what they shall net do. I think the people of our city, an intelligent and Christian citZenship, trying as best they can to live true and Christian lives, who know right from wrong, and in their own humble way are living good lives. think they resent the inference that they are Sab bath breakers just because they pre- fer not to be told by a certain few, You must do as we say; if you don't you are lawbreakers.'
 Among the people in Birmingham whc believe in innocent Sunday enter ta:nment are most~o of the good church people of the community; people who are living upright lives and who are doing as much good IS possible in their own way. They do not stand in high and public places and declare, T am judge of my fellowman, and say you shall not do this and you shall not do that; am better than you arc, and you don't kno wright from wrong, but I do, and I am the one to tell you what you shall do and what you shall not do on Sunday
 The people of this community are to vote in an election to be held on May 6 as to whether motion pictures are to be operated on Sunday. And the real issue they will decide by their ballot on this day will be whether Sunday is to be day of worship and happiness or a day of gloom; they will also decide whether they win continue to be judges of their own conduct in seeing innocent amusement or submit to a guardianship of a small set of wi1fu1 men.
 "On the committee favoring motion pictures, the community sing and other innocent entertainment on Sunday are m inisters and 1aymen"