The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-13
MANY DEFEND
 AN OPEN SUNDAY
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 If there were more symphony concerts in this city there would be fewer divorces and fewer cases for the police court. From any stand point there can never be found any just objection to clean music. Of course jazz is a different thing. That should be eliminated because it tends to stir up everything unclean in hu- man emotions. If crusade is started against music 1t would be best to di- rect it against that kind rendered at several dance halls in the city. Ut is a good thing to try puriflca- tion in any community, and this I approve of as good citizen. But there should be some discrim-na ton ed"
 Pierce V. Gahan of the Recreation board was emphatic in his position. II am empaaticaily for Sunday rec reation after church hours under proper and heatlhful supervision" he l said. '1 can safely say that since the bars were let down, in Bridgeport on Sunday sports there has been a decided falling off in the number of | minors who have been hailed into the | police court for various infractions of | the law. An idle brain 4s the devils | workshop, according to an old saw. and an idle set of muscles will aid and abet the idle brain to do things I that would not be done if that set of muscles belonging to the average 1 AeaIIy boy ana young man are Deing afforded an opportunity to throw off l the cooped-up energy which is crying | for action.
 i Good music has always an e1evat- l ing influence and 1 am decidedly for I Sunday concerts where such music as | rendered yesterday is afforded. | Il nave talked to many of the pas tors of the larger churches of this city. They are all in favor of health 1 full Sunday recreation such as are i conducted under the S1lnarViSi0n of the Recreation board where we use every effort to make the sports clean, constantly urging upon those en- gagged to steer clear of violations of good conduct"
 MT. Edwards declared his belief in universal Saturday half-holiday so | that those who were trying to pro- tect Sunday from dissertation would no longer be met by the popular cry t'sunday is the only day we have'' l He declared that he believed there should be more legislation for Sun day enforcement in addition to such laws as are already on the statutes
 "here are millions of people, he said. 'twho won't live the life of Jesus Christ. If their choice were observed they would tear down all restraints AS a protection against these people there should be some legal safe guards thrown about Gods holy day. l Seated in his home this morning g surrounded by numerous evidences o1 wealth and comfort, MT. Edward: talked at length to The Times abou his sermon which has aroused sc much comment and strong criticism from the public.
 T announced the principles SC forth in the scriptures which should
 govern the observance of the Sab
 bath and then stated that if the Sab
 bath observed according to sucl
 principles is a Puritan Sabbath, the1
 may God hasen a Pritan Sabbath
 My plan was merely to draw iron
 thes criptures the principles and no
 to presume to go into details as t
 activities on the Sabbath. I think
 is no minister's business to prepare
 list of things that should not be don
 on the Sabbath but to proclaim tn 1 teachings of the book and commen | them to the tender conscience of tn l individual.'
 This last statement of Rev. Ed
 wards was made in reply to. the quer
 as to his position on the question c
 Sunday motion pictures. A declara
 ticn on that point was avoided by tn | foregoing statement.
 MT Edwards prefaced his sermo
 with the declaration that the nauo ishan never have Sabbath reform s
 long as the administration of affair
 is in Catholic hands," He. said ths
 he believed that Protestants shoul
 enter politics tc see that laws al l observed and that if they do not q
 that then they, the 'Protestants, a1
 to blame.
 Speaking of the concert. MT. Et
 wards said:
 Shame on Bridgeport that allow
 it!"
 o Mr Edwards proceeded to pl ;, upon New Haven a halo of righteous r ness and place that city on an exalte
 pedestal of virtue by declar1ng:
 "God forbid the public sentimel e that permits lack of enforcemel e of the law. It isn't a question of a. l. Or culture, or anything else but
 question of enforcing the law ,f would not be permitted in New Hi e ven. I have been informed. and WI Il then is it permitted in Bridgeport? D love Bridgeport, but my hat comes o al to New Haven when it .enforces tf d ,aw.''