The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-06-19

iNSh com.
munications are published by
The Times-News. All letters
must be signed with the real
name of the author. No com.
munications signed with a fic.
titious name will be published.
EDITOR.
Editor, Times-News,
Hendersonville, N. C.
1t is inconceivable to me as it
must be to every right thinking
person, that in this day of en-
lightenment, with such wonderful
advancement in our mode of
living, in our mode of govern
ment, in our ideas Of ones rela-
ton to another, in our precious
gift of liberty, Of free speech, of
freedom to worship as our con
science dictates, that this COM
munity should hearken back to
the dark ages, to the days of the
inquisition, to the days of oppres-
sion. This is just what has hap
pened in this good town of ours.
Professionalism was born as a
protest against the oppression Of
the people; it demanded and
gained the freedom and the right
for all persons to worship as their
consciences dictated. Yet, we see
today a clique of protestant de-
nominations resorting to the same
practices that engendered their
birth.
Our Constitution guarantees us
liberty, freedom of thought, free
dom to worship or not to worship
as we choose; but what good are
these guarantees when a mere
handful of people can nullify
them. -, ,
Through an ordinance that
passed two favorable readings, the
people of this community sought
the right to indulge in innocent
amusements on Sunday. A howl
of protest was then heard, a howl
which eliminated in the election,
Saturday, June 9.
But let us take dispassionate
view of the matter. Was there
ANYTHING in the ordinance de,
signed to hurt any of the people
Was it proposed to take away any
of their rights? Any right think
ing person will answer ono" On
the contrary, it sought to give to
the people greater freedom,
freedom they were prohibited
from enjoying under an old, OPP
preSSive law.
Without comment, | am enc:os'
ing an article written by a Bap'
fist minister of good standing, or
the Sunday law issue. Most OF
those who did all the bowling anc
the bowling leader are BaptlstS;
Please publish this article wltf
this letter. You will notice thai
the name of the magazine is LID
erty," and that it STYLES itself g:
"a Magazine of Religious Free
DOM" In any crisis, in any trol
BILE, HOPE is the sutaining FAC
tor. NV hope is that these unlio
eral persons will soon see the
light. You have had the wore
."LIBERAL" quoted to you so OF
ten you say that you are tired o,
hearing it. l would suppose thai
my friend, Roy Bennett, feels th'
same way about it. Nevertheless
this word and its meaning hrough
this nation into existence. Th'
disregard of this word and IT
! meaning caused the World war
Think it over, you, Mr.. Editor
and YOU, Roy Bennett, and YOU
crowd People who are not liberia
and not consistent. Examine your
conscience and with help iron
Above you will some day see the
light. ,,ou,re
The letter to which Mr.. bur
rowes refers follows:
VIEWS OF A BAPTIST MIND
TER ON SUNDAY ISSUE
Rev. DR.. Arthur C. Baldwin
nastor of the Chestnut STREE
Baptist church of Philadelphia
wrote a letter to the editor of the
Philadelphia Public Ledger, which
appeared January 81, 1888, a.
follows: 49,,
"Sir: As a churchman and lover
of the real Christian Sunday,
am hoping that the present
archaic Sunday laws in Pennsyl
vania will be changed by the leg
islature.
"This is not because | want an
open Sunday. consider that tc
be a real peril. I do not believe
that this nation can give up re,
ligion, it's worship, quiet, and resi-
without a great irreparable loss
I urge a right observance of Sun,
day openly, and wish to use all
the influence l possess to promot3,
the observance of a quiet, helptul
day.
"The right sort of Sunday, how
ever, can only come from the de-
velopment of an inner spirit. we
do not do well to rely on the
state for that which only religion
in the heart of man can produce
flavor a liberalization of our
Sunday laws for the following
reasons:
"First, because we don't any OF
us obey the laws as they are. 1t
is time for church people to 90
some cleaia thinking on this s iulb-
ject, We know that the literal en-
So -, :. -.