The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-19
gAMAhGE WARNS
AGAINST NIDEOPEN
SglgAlMgNEMEAT
tcontinued ron paEo cneo

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as.fhought II was an afterthought, he
added: The preachers are the police
men OF the morals OF modern times
there is nobody left to take q stand
u they tail 70 act
The evangelist had hardly got
launched on his sermon when he OBJ
served that he wanted to get to q
point suggested to me-" going on to
say we, nave . F.-.fight" on hands at
this time regarding sunday baseball.
He explained the word fight and in ex-
pianations took occasion to observe
that he did not think baseball wrong;
that he did not see any harm in toss
ing baseball He made it plain that
minister's might not agree with him
and then repeated that he could not
see any harm In tossing baseball on
Sunday II there was no gambling, but
qualified this statement 0y saying That
there was a principle inyolved-that
IL the bars were let down for baseball
other things would follow. He EN-!
phasized that he was against baseball
because other things would follow and
declared that there was nationwide
movement TO get the bars down for
Sunday baseball which was fathered
by show people. He concluded this
part Of his sermon by saying: IF the
picture shows ever open on Sunday
IN Fairmont goodby to the churches"
(Applause.)
There are many good people in base
ball but none in the show business,
according TO Billy LaMance. He has
been in both games, he says, and
knows. In speaking OF shows he
means travelling troupes with people
performers lie says that he run the
curtain for four or five years at a
show shop and that he often saw wom-
en- come out before the curtain and
bring tears to the eyes Of old Brother
So-and-So and old Sister So-and-So and
then return back stage and jump into
the lap of some old rounder who was
no relation and there speak so vulgar
ly that It would be shocking, when
asking for a cigarette.
Now in baseball 1t is different. II
Is a great game. The evangelist con-
fesses TO being a fan. He told about
great baseball pitchers who would not
play on Sunday. He cited an instance
Of one who consented to play over in
France ito win the war" but would not
DO SO again now that the war is over.
you will misunderstood me-" the
evangelist feared as he weaved his
denunciation and explanations into
such combination that the fear was
well grounded. II don't mean that all
pictures are corrupt" he explained,
though condemning people shows un.
qualifiedly. 81 go to picture houses
occasionally and get splendid relief
when tired or nervous He then took
occasion to advocate good pictures
and made reference to picture showb
in basement Of a church which at.
tracted him there SO that his children
might see them.
In this connection he roasted Nat
Goodwin for having several wives and
for having his eye on another when
he died; Charlie Chaplin, because his
wife was getting divorce; Mary
Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, be-
cause they We're married sixty days
after she got her divorce. "And they
had been playing together for three
or four years.. he cried out. "You no.
tice mention the big. ones" he said.
I know EN-, for I helped run hotel
C-4@S 90 OGAA7 DO ndN1uS+ experience III
a theatre. You will never see a show
bunch willing to stand with the church
people on a Sabbath question"
The evangelist declared that the
amusement question was the biggest
one before the church since it dealt
with booze The question is not set
tied, he declared, or the announce.
ment that he would preach on it would
not have attracted such big crowd.
He said he would not claim that he
was absolutely right on the subject but
that he wanted to be fair" He first
discussed show business, which he
condemned unqualieiedly, then took
ling at pictures. but stood out for
good ones, and then came to card play
ing. II seems that the evangelist has
had wide experience in amusement
for he said that he had run a poker
room. too. He condemned gambling,
Including stock markets and card par.
ties, and was especially severe on
mothers who teach their children not
to gamble and yet play cards for mon
~ prizes. He told story Of a won.
n who sal dthat she belonged to the
Episcopal church because it permitted