All Right To Fish Sunday, Says Pastor

1920

But Go to Church First, Preacher Qualifies Advice

SALINA, Kan. — Salina has a preacher whom every fisherman in Kansas can praise. He is Rev. Arthur Dillinger, pastor of the First Christian church — and he believes it is all right for a man to go fishing on Sunday if he first goes to church.

"I fail to see where we get the idea that the man or boy who goes fishing on Sunday is going straight to perdition," he says. "It doesn't say it in the Bible, and for my part I think there is not as much harm sitting on the bank of some quiet stream fishing as there is rushing over the road at a furious rate of speed in an automobile and burning up good money for gasoline.

"We have worked up a lot of useless theories about the observance of Sunday and this idea about never going fishing or indulging in any other legitimate enjoyment on Sunday afternoon, after church worship in the morning, is one of them."

Once Rigid Rules for Sabbath-Keeping at Harvard

1916

OLD TIME SUNDAY LAWS.

Rigid Rules For Harvard Students Two Centuries Ago.

In "The Story of Harvard" Mr. Arthur Stanwood Pier gives an account of the strict regulations formerly set down for the guidance of the Harvard undergraduates by the president and the fellows of the corporation. The old laws, intended to enforce upon the undergraduates a more religious and studious life, would be considered repressive and tyrannical today.

"All the scholars shall at sunset in the evening preceding the Lord's day retire to their chambers and not unnecessarily leave them, and all disorder on said evening shall be punished as violations of the Sabbath are. * * * And whosoever shall profane said day — the Sabbath — by unnecessary business or visiting, walking in the commons or in the streets or fields, in the town of Cambridge, or by any sort of diversion before sunset, or that in the evening of the Lord's day shall behave himself disorderly or in any way unbecoming the season, shall be fined not exceeding 10 shillings.

"That students may furnish themselves with useful learning, they shall keep in their respective chambers and diligently follow their studies, except half an hour at breakfast, at dinner for from 12 to 2 and after evening prayers till after 9 of the clock. To that end the tutors shall frequently visit their chambers after 9 o'clock in the evening and at other studying times, to quicken them to their business."

It does not seem that under such a system of vigilance and visitation the students could fall into very dissolute ways. But a few years later George Whitefield, the famous evangelist who so stirred up New England, visited Harvard college and expressed his displeasure at the dissipated habits of the young men. He declared conditions at Oxford were no worse, a charge so damaging that it greatly disturbed and incensed the college authorities.

Women Fail to Gain Voice in Presbyterian Assembly

1921

By CARL VICTOR LITTLE,
United Press Staff Correspondent

WINONA LAKE. Ind., May 20.— Women must keep their seats in the "amen corners" and remain Without a voice in church government.

The hand that rocks the cradle may rule the temperate world, but the authority in the spiritual world must remain with the men.

Agitation for women's rights which has placed them in the legislative halls and allowed them to don the black robes of the judiciary, has failed thus far to make an impression in the conduct of ecclesiastical affairs.

Returns from the plebiscite taken among the million and a half members of the Presbyterian church, and reported to the general assembly here today, showed that the movement to allow women to sit as commissioners in the assembly was beaten decisively.

—Oakland Tribune, Oakland California, May 20, 1921, page 11.