The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-10-17
City Has First Serviceless
Day In History, But, Min
listers Offer Prayer for
Freedom from Disease.
CHURCH HEADS SEND LETTER
Ministers Advised Compliance With
Health Board Order Must Be Full.
Many Blue. Jackets Come to
Kenosha Regardless Of Order.
Kenosha added MUSCLES, churchlegs

Kenosha added MUSCLES, churchless
and showless to its Sunday list
yesterday and the day came as
near being a closed day as Keno
sha has ever known. At that
Kenosha was not a deserted city or
anything Of the kind. People took to-
the open air and there were hundreds
in the parks along the lake shore and
in other parts of the city. There was
no amusement offered for the Blue
Jackets from Camp Logan and the
Great Lakes station, but hundreds Of
them came to Kenosha just the same.
They lowered about the closed canteen
and went down to the empty country
club. They loitered in the corridors
of the hotels and thronged the places
where soft drinks were sold, but these
places were mighty careful to avoid
crowding and the boys and their girl
companions We're urged to hurry along
and keep moving. Many of the boys
who came from the navy posts went
out and called on friends in Kenosha
who were i'll with Influenza There
did not seem to be any great lack of
people on the streets and most of the
Sailors found something to enter
tain them.
It was probably the first Sunday in
the history of Kenosha that there had
not been some sort of church services.
At 6 o'clock in the morning forget
full ianitor in some church rang the
bell as the call to early services, but
the early and late services were elm
mated.
devout prayers were offered. Ministers
and priests stood in their accustomed
pulpits and chancels and offered devout
prayer for the delivery from the pesti-
lence which has overtaken them and
in hundreds of homes in the city de-
voutpeople knelt about family affairs
and offered prayers and songs of praise.
Both Bishop Webb, Of the Episcopal
diocese Of Milwaukee, and Archbishop
Messmer, of the Catholic Archdiocese
Of Milwaukee, sent letters to the clergy
urging upon them the fullest compG-
ance with the orders Of the State,
Health Department. In his letter
Bishop Webb said:
"My Dear lBrother:-Tn respect to
the order to close churches on Sunday
on account of the influenza, I would
suggest that at the regular time you
have your celebration Of the Holy Eu-
charist or whatever service is usual.
In the church, with one person to make
the responses, letting the people know
by notice on the church door or in
some other way that there will be no
public service at which there might be
a congregation.
"And would appeal to the people
to unite their intercessions and prayers
in their own homes, in family worship,
with their clergy, and that they espe
cially remember those who are sick in
clC166 anu Cdlupo, anu play LUZ Jul SO4-
diers and sailors that Cad may grant
victories to ourselves and our allies.
William Walter Webb
The letter of Archbishop Messmer to
the priesthood was as follows:
"Rev. Dear Sir:-You are already
aware, no doubt, that the civil author
tiles have ordered all places of public
gatherings, among them churches and
schools, to be closed SO as to check the
spreading of Spanish influenza. Al
though this details a great religious
sacrifice upon the Catholic people, we
must obey the order.
Offence, until the order is recalled,
there will be no public services in our
churches Sundays or weekdays. The
main doors of our churches will be
locked. Bells may not be rung except
for the Angelus, but funerals may be
held and marriages performed in the
churches, with low mass, provided
only near relatives of the parties be
present. The priest will also be ready
to hear confessions and give holy COM
munion whenever asked to do so, Fro
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