No Divine Command

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 10, 1911

No Divine Command

A Military Order Is Used in Its Start

NEWSPAPER reports say that the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, through Mrs. Christine Armstrong, superintendent of Sunday observance, has sent a letter to the aviation committee protesting against holding flying exhibitions on Sunday, and quoting army regulations issued by Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt to support the contention that such exhibitions are in violation of military duty if participated in by United States army officers.

In her letter to Lieutenant Paul W. Beck, U. S. A., who has been detailed by the Government to conduct military tests during the meet at Tanforan, Mrs. Armstrong says:

Since you are to assist at the aviation meet in San Francisco by order of the Secretary of War, your attention is called to "Army Regulations," paragraph 202, issued by President McKinley, which is as follows:

"An orderly observance of the sabbath by the officers and men in the service is enjoined. Military duty and labor on Sunday will be reduced to the measure of strict necessity."

President Roosevelt issued the same near the close of his administration, and it is the substance of Washington's, Lincoln's, and others down through our history.

Lieutenant Beck's response reads:

Replying to your communication of the 13th instant, I am instructed by the committee to inform you that we appreciate your writing us on the subject of sabbath observance, and we are heartily in accord with the views expressed—that is, that the sabbath is a day for rest and recreation.

We add "recreation" advisedly, based on the familiar line, "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do." On this account our desire is, to entertain the general public and prevent the mischief which these "idle hands" might otherwise "find to do."

It is to provide for the continuance of "clean hands" among such as the employees of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway and the United States Steel Corporation, etc., of which you so wisely speak in your letter, that this committee has arranged to hold meets on the only day of the week on which they could obtain such opportunity—that is, Sunday—and for which reason the price of admission is made very low. We should be very glad to have you with us on one of these sabbaths to show how happy, orderly, and contented the working people may be made by rational, clean, healthful, out-of-doors amusement.

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