The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1926-04-09
MINISTER'S ATTACK THE
E. c. COUNTRY CLUB
The Effect May Easily Lead to Breach Between
The Pastors and Many of Their
Influential Members

"'NoiS VI WV IhEho>th
City churches romped on the
Elizabeth City Country Club /
n their church bulletins last
sunday and the directors of the
'lub are wondering if this is
but the beginning of organized
ministerial opposition. a'"''.
The Rev. James Henry Thayer.
TIL. d.. pastor of Blackwell Memo
rial Baptist Church. said: I'VE are
coping that our people will remem-
her that this Is the Lords Day and
that the invitation so graciOusIy OK.
tended by the Country Club to visit
and inspect their property will he
as graciOusly refused. We trust
also that our people will stayraway
from the dance to he given by the
club Wednesday evening. 1t does
moi look well for any Christian to
he seen tagging after the world and
again visiting the flesh pots of
Egypt. A person with backbone and
re ligiOn can easily turn these things
down."
The Rev. +. :. Love. pastor cf
First NJ. +. Church South. said -
''The Pastor of this CHURCH Is
glad we have country club but it
would make him feel more like this
was town where he could with
peace of mind trust his children. IL
the club management would Use an
ether day than Sunday and especial
Iy Easter Sunday to stage an At
Home
Mr.. Love then took Il dig at We'd
nesday nights affair at the Club in
the following words:
Suppose the church members Of
Elizabeth City decided to 20 to
Chu.ch on next Wednesday night
what would be the effect Oh the Ball
and Fashion Show"
The attacks Of the ministers were
i'm pired by the fact that the direc-
tors Of the Country Club opened the
club grounds last Sunday for the
inspection of visitors. Sunday was
chosen as a day for giving the peO-
pic an opportunity to visit the club
grounds. because Sunday is the only
day thousands of working people
| in Elizabeth City have an Opportun-
itvsto see anything or to get out
into the open for little sunshine
anit IL breath of fresh air y
Almost everybody ih EliAhfth
City who can get out on Sundays
usually go seine place and the direc-
tors of the Country Club couldn't
see that there was ANY more narm
In folks riding around the, club
grounds than In riding up and down
| the same old roads around Ellz-
abeth City.
1t was the opening of the club
grounds on Sunday that brought
| the broadside from the ministers
and provoked the ministers also 10
: attack the monthly social -tevehiny
at the club. which this time fell on
/ Wednesday night. which is PRAYER
meeting night. The ministers did
not make any allowance for the
/ fuct that the affair at the Country
Club did not get under way until
after the prayer meeting hour ana
did not prevent any one frohrat-
tending prayer meeting If they were
prayerfully inclined.
The immediate effect of the min
iSterial attacks, if any. was 10 ad
yprtiSp tile fact that the Countr!
Climb grounds were open to visitors
and thousands visited and inspected
the club house and grounds on Sun
day.
The ultimate effect Of the minis,
tprial attacks may mean lot cf dl
/ cc ri i'm the churches. The membe
shin of the Country Club Is mad
M mostly of substantial and il
fluential members of the church
uuripht men and women who ar
faithful to the church and support
II generously with their contrlbii'
tinns.
If is pOinted out that there may
be some wild young folk connected
with the club. but they are In many
cases the product Of so called
Christian homes and members OF
the churches. The Club does NOT
assume responsibility for the moral
training Of its members and thus
set itself up in opposition TO me
churches.
And If the tongue of scandal re-
Iates that certain immoral persons
defy the rules of the Club to engage
In immoral practices on the Club
grounds, il is 10 more than these
same persons do Oh the grounds or
| every rural church in PasquOtank
County.
The directors of the club can no
more prevent such things than the
Nh .tor of a rural church can pre-
yo,t his cburch grounds being U =