The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-01-14
BILLY SUNDAYS INTERVIEW
ON THE BLUE LAWS.

ON THE BLUE LAWS.
81 am frequently misquoted with
reference reform movements and re-
form legislation. The open saloon l
began to fight as soon as | could get
hearing, and | gave it no quarter
until the end, when the American peo-
pie sent it back to hell" said Evange-
list W. A. Billy Sunday in Fair
mont, w. Va, last Friday.
"But recently | read an article
crediting me with a movement to
abolish tobacco. This was not true. /
never have been a crank about tobac-
co. | don't use it myself, but have
known some mighty good men who do,
and the fact they do never will keep
them out of heaven. A man can be
a Christian and use tobacco, but it is
my private opinion he would be bet
ter one if he did not.
'Nor have | ever attacked the the
atre as an institution. deplore and
condemn some of the licentious things
they permit, and it is for the sake of
the theatre, as we'll as the public, that
/ plead for less rottenness back of the
footlights and cleaner plays.
II don't like the expression blue
Sunday and blue laws because it
suggests in the minds of the public
the stringent and arbitrary exactions
of an earlier period, which, however
much they may have needed them,
could not be tolerated now.
"But the movement for better OBJ
servance of the Sabbath in America /
commend with all my heart, and I'll
fight with every ounce of blood in me
! the spread of the so-called "continen-
(. tai Sunday "
No foreign bunch can come over
here and tell US how we ought to OBJ
serve the Lords day. The United
States at heart is a God-fearing and
God-loving nation, and most Of our
laxity on this point / lay at the door
b hose elements which are part Of
our population, but are not yet assim-
Hated.
1t is hard to distinguish between
the law of God and mans desire when
it comes to the question of the Sab
bath. All of our civilization is woven
about the railroad train and the troll
ly car and the automobile. When
Christ was on earth transportation
was represented by the donkey. He
did not forbid donkey riding on the
Sabbath. The matter of the use Of an
automobile on Sunday depends on cir
cumstances. If it We're possible to
draw line between automobile riding
that is for health and recreation and
in touch with Gods out -of-doors and
automo5iling for JOY ride, would
favor legislation to forbid the latter.
] do not think stores should keep
open on Sunday. | am opposed to
Sunday baseball and golf and tennis
and kindred other sports. The Bibil-
cal injunction is to remember the
Sabbath and keep it holy. Press and
forum in every part of the country
today voice the plea for revival of
old-fashioned religion in city and
country, offering this as the only an
tedote for the spirit of unrest and dis
content and moral laxity which has
permeated every walk of life.
! thoroughly believe that to be the
only cure for the Ills of the day and
there is no more effective way to pat
it into practice than by a better OBJ
servance of Sunday. Followers of the
Christian religion need not be in
structed how to be more faithful in
their observance of the day Citizens
who acknowledge no God, if unwilling
to par respect to the custom of the
civilized nations, if only as matter
of courtesy, should be compelled to do
so by statute