Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-07
MINISTERS PRY
FLU Lid LOOSE;
CHURCHES TOBE
OPENEDSUNDAY
Health Board Favors Allowing Serv-
ices and Council viii Alter
Ordinance.

The ministers of Americus, through
their own personal efforts, today sue
ceeded in having the influenza ban
lifted for next Sunday, insofar as the
churches are concerned, excepting for
Sunday school services.
Feeling keenly the disorganization
that the protracted closing has
brought to the churches, and believ-
ing that the condition no longer war,
ranted their continued closing, DR..
Carl w. Minor, of the First Baptist;
Rev. George F. Brown, of the Central
Baptist, and Rev. Guyton Fisher, of
the First Methodist, presented to a
majority of the members of the city
board of health paper which they
asked the board members to sign, sig
nifying Willingness for the churches
to be opened Sunday M. N. Edwards
S. r. Heys, J. T. McLendOn and DR..
d. B. Mayes. city physician, signed
the paper. Other members of the
board of health could not be found,
the ministers stated They also in
,.teryiewed DR.. B. F. Bond, commits
sioneF of public health; who was found
favorable to them holding services
Sunday. =
- The problem then arose of dispos-
ing of the drastic city ordinance
which was passed by the city council
at a special session called to deal
with the epidemic emergency few
weeks ago. Mayor Sheppard was con-
suited and, being willing to follow the
advice of the constituted authorities,
agreed to call special meeting Of
council between now and Saturday
night, for the purpose Of modifying
the ordinance so that the Sunday ser
vices would not be in conflict with the
law. A majority of the members of
the council in the meantime had been
consulted and found to favor the re-S
opening.
The pastors having succeeded in ar
ranging for the re-opening of the
churches Sunday, asked the Times
Recorder to announce morning SER
vices Sunday at II O'Clock and evening
preaching at 7:15, instead of o'clock,
as formerly, and to state that there
would be no other church services un-
til the restrictions were fully lifted.
The determination Of the pastors
TO make an effort to reopen Sunday
was reached after the return early
this morning from Atlanta of Dr.. Mi
nor, who attended there yesterday a
meeting of two Baptist organizations,
amt where he consulted men from va
rious parts of the state.
"Americus is the only town or city
/ could discover that is still closed,
he said, "and its condition of health
is the best There rs nothing like it
anywhere else. The ban has been lift
edabya ell the. cities, except ours.
While in Atlanta / CHANGED to meet
Clifford Walker, our attorney general.
I asked him this question: What right
have the authorities. to close the
churches when the constitution gives
every man right to worship God as
he sees fit? Mr.. Walker stated that
the authorities had no right whatever
10 prevent the churches from holding
services"
ghe,churches' have l,eenshard hit by
the regulations. hebMetho..
= dfstsahave had campaign on for.the.
raising of large fund since in jan
nary. The Baptists inaugurate next
Sunday a Debt Paying campaign in
which the members of that church in
Georgia are expected to raise $3.50
900. 1t was to attend meeting Of