Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-02-20
OTHERS VIEWS.
CATHOLIC CHURCH IN FAVOR OF
DECENT SUNDAY ADJUSTMENTS.

ing contrary or controversial, the pas
tor Of little St. Paul's Church wishes
to make a most respectful suggestion
to the leaders of the movement, in
Henderson, towards Sunday without
amusements. We hasten to request
that the women's societies of. the
several Churches who are protesting
against Sunday amusements in gen.
eral' reconsider their purpose, and
weigh the effects of their action, be-
fore carrying the petition to the city
officials.
I am very glad to read, in last
evenings Dispatch, that the Hender-
son Ministerial Association found
that there was no law under which
the picture shows could be closed up
Any man who observes faithfully the
natural law, the divine laws, and his
church laws, is very good man. Why
should be add prohibitive legislation
to all this, as if life has not enough
privations, restraints, and a million
things we must do without?
A little thought will make 1t clear,
and l know that the esteemed minis
terS of Henderson will take no slight
from this, that a Priest sees into the
consciences of his congregation tar
more than a minister can. This on ac-
count of the Sacrament of Penance,
or Confession. Let me say therefore.
in general. that in a city like New
York, where there~is q vast variety
of inexpensive decent amusements, on
Sunday, there is less tendency to
sin than i'll a town like some small"
Blue Law towns In Pennsylvania,
where there is no legitimate pastime
or pleasure for young people on q
Sunday. People work six days in the
week. They haze one day only to
themselves. to worship God, to give
some thought to their souls and to
their families. and to go out for an
afternoon of decent pleasure and re-
creation. Any churchman Catholic Pro
testalit. or Jew, who forbids that
which the Son of God did not forbid.
is making 4 very special divine mes
.enger Of himself. He will harm his
Church. Every human heart demands
some pleasure and joy. and many IL
man and woman have rejected the
Christianity of their parents because
it was made unreasonable to bear.
Read through the entire Bible, and
see what thought the Savior repeated
oftenest. BE of good cheer!" he ut
tered more often than any other adj
monition. True Christianity is not
morbid. melancholy, or long-faced,
but rather it makes the heart light,
merry, and joyous. The command
ments Of God, to a virtuous man, are
but the divine traffic ordinances to
keep up on the safe road to eternal
happiness. The signals flashed to ali
aviator at night do not cripple his
freedom of flight, but help him safely
and contentedly on his course. Now,
what benefit or glory to God to make
sinful by legislation" few hours Of
fishing, of hunting. Of card-playing,
Of motoring, of movies, Of baseball, on
a Sunday? The State cannot make IL
sinful. 1t can be made only an OdiOus
penal law. The throngs of people at a
baseball park are surely committing
no sin while there, =6unless you want
to count the little "cusses'' at the UNI
pireD But, where would many of
those tens Of thousands be, on a Sun
day afternoon, and how entertained
il all amusements were closed? Par
ents, think! We pastors have enough
to do trying to have the Ten Com
mandments universally observed and
fostering the virtues. Why manufac-
ture trivial duties, while the big OBJ
legations Of family and virtue still
need much attention and incessant
preaching? Do the children of all
these women know the Ten Com
mandnents?
Morality Is not planted in the hu-
man heart by State legislation. It just
cannot be done. If any Church at
taches al Importance to one obser
vance. such as prohibition, no base
ball, no Sunday movies that Church
will find itself walking with clutches
when the legislature fails to get re-
sponse The terms of salvation taught
by Christ are not in need Of altera-
ton nor augmentation by statecraft.
state and parents learn what is right
and what wrong, from God and His
Church, and neither the State nor par
cnts have right or authority to add
new burdcnSome conditions to saliva
ton. The strictcst religious Orders III
the Roman Catholic Church would
never dare to make it q sin for q
member to take moderate drink Of
liquor occasionally. By what authority
can anyone on earth make it an evil?
Legislation which goes counter to
mans natural rights will fail. and it
will fail for the very reason that
neither the STATED nor government,
nor parents, nor the Church, is above
God Hc gave us natural rights. And,
among these is my natural right to
enjoy amy lict amusement and plea
sure on any day III the week.
With utmost respect, therefore, |
would cOurteOusly and earnestly sug~
gcst 10 the wcll-intcntioned ladies
that they direct their activity to pro-
vide Sunday movies and baseball for
the decent paStmc and pleasure of
our young people. 1t will promote vir-
tue to furnish, not forbid. pleasures
above rcproach. There should be ade-
uuatc provision for these i'll every
toWn--On SUNDAY afternoons especial
ly This will be more to their good
purpose than the midnight show and
the extremely late hours. Since only
"Servile work" is unlawful on Sun
days. we fail to see how anyone ever
conceived the idea to spoil Sunday
games and pastimes. Let the morning
lie reserved, and, if you will, from