The Key West Citizen Newspaper, April 21, 1951, Page 5

*l SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1951. MINISTERS - “THE OPEN CITY” i ; Those Cooperating In Movement + - Will Use ‘You Can’t Do That Here’, ~~ For Subject Sunday Morning . Sunday morning the ministers of Key West will preach on city” from a religious point of view. The sermon agreéd upon at the mornin worship service will be "You Bo That Here.” ms F : : the. “open Can't Any of the city officials o next Ministerial Association me at ll am, “While that with - meeting, the ministers said today. The meéting will be held inthe Fleming Street Methodist Church ‘ Monday, May 7. Thy are invited to express their views regarding the “open city” at that time. Said one of the ministers today: " gambling might not be stopped overnight ,the opin- ions of some seem to revolve about two others are invited to attend the points of view. One is Senanee oe REPLY NE le ng tense terete TO other American way. Just look at what our generation is mak- ing! “Wide Open City, indeed.” Wouldn't it be nice if Key West could steal fram Miami the reputation, and profit, of being “the underworld’s winter home”? YOU CAN'T DO THAT HERE By Rev. W. J. Ashworth, Pastor, Fleming Street Methodist Church The church and __ its have since time immemorial, been called upon to take a stand and speak out boldly against the evils of the time, and whenever the church and its ministry of present laws prohibiting gambling, which includes} teaching and preaching fail in bolita, bribery and corruption result when clever and powerful) deing this, they are making a gamblers funnel out a portion of their ‘take’ for protection. The other plan is to lift the lid on with the’ 'wide open city,’ the officials would be lily white, rev- | enue could be liberally distributed back to the unlucky victims and their families, and all would be ‘jake.’ *.*. “Perhaps the poor, weak, protection, this latter plan would afford, but there might be a que.tion as to the amount given isters*are interested is whether it is right or wrong.” y Other: ministers had the follow- ing to say on ‘the subject of ‘open’ gambling: : THE OPEN CITY ‘By Ralph Rogers, Pastor, First’ Presbyterian Church « It's: Hardly. conceivable in the light of-recent revelations ‘by the Kefauver Committee that any- tne’ would haye the enfrontery to advocate an “Open City.” The tie-up of gamblers with corrupt ‘ity, state and national officials, the bribery of law enforcement officers, the brazen “forgetful- ness* of income-tax evade has| ‘Y who advocate the open city. prejudiced the public against There may be some gravy in) gambling — which — statement is} most, even innocent officials, and tends to weaken the basi¢ frame- work ofa republic which denends oh the integrity of its chosen representatives. The dictionary makes no dif- ference . between betting and gambling. As far as Webster is eon¢erned, they are synonomous terms, Since gambling _ infrings on the moral calibre of the indi- vidual it falls naturally into the religious framework of the nation and therefore is within’ the prov- ince’ of the clergy, regardless of what some may say about “min- ister’ Messing ‘th politics.” The corrupt politician would like fo: the elergy to stay out. The. sin- cere seeker after truth and the good life, gladly accepts the coun- cil of good men and might be shocked and embarrassed if he blindly followed the corrupt poli- tician painted’ by the Kefauver Committee, * We hear the question, “What's wrong if I bet my own money and have a little fun?” First, it is nol your or my money. God says, “The silver is mine and the go is miné.” We are only stewards of what we tempora poss Not So long ago a minister con- @ucted a funcral of a suicide Who had been a betting man and left his widow and several children penniles: The law gives the family an interest in the assets of the house. Pure love declares as much. . The man then is risking money that is not altogether his when he bets. i A small town in the midwest banks. Men in each of two banks held responsible positions and were reared in good ‘The: problem in which min-» certain forms of gambling and vascillating officials need the to ‘welfare.’ athletics. The contaminating tluence of these gangsters pre an ugly picture. Over the television and in our magazines we can look upon the faces of the most highly polished products of gambling. They look as hard as nails and their hearts are probably harder. They could “rub you out” without batting an eye. They are the ones who dom- inate the gambling world and too large a part of the political world in-/ sent in these United States. Th would not be the choice of the some cighty million church peo- ple for public office. They are the questioned when the full cost is} entered. Some offer that as sop in the way of supporting welfare agencies. About a year ago the then Mayor O'Dwyer of New York advocated a change » in the constitution to. Jegalize, gambling in the state. Governor Dewey loosed a blast which quieted the gambling parasites | for a ‘spell when he said, “The entire history of legalized gambling’ in _ this country and abroad shows that it has brought nothing - but: pov- erty, crime and corruption, de- moraiization of ethical Standards, and ultimately a lower standard of living and misery fo rall the people.” Laws must be stiffened to punish the corruptérs of morals ather than license them, The book of Proverbs is gup- posedly tHe meditations of a wise! man. In it he says, “My son, if! sinners entice thee, consent thou not... walk not thou in thé way with them; refrain thy foot from jtheir path, for their feet run to evil.” Decent people do not want | an open city. | “A WIDE-OPEN CITY” By G. Leon Wells, Pastor, First Methodist Church | | (As A Private Citizen) | | We have recently heard some- ‘thing about a de-ire for a Wide- Open City. A lawless city is another way of saying it. | A lawless city is not a city” without law; but, rather, it is a \city where law is not respected. ! I do not hear anyone advocating the doing away with but nly the disregard of it. law, ffamilics. Those* men contended The law on the statute books that-it was not wrong. to bet.:C8" be of great advantage to ‘used their own and their S0me of our fellow citizens. It y's funds and finally used the bank's funds. They were dis- covered and both did prison terms. If there is no harm in bet-} can sometimes be very profitable to close the eyes to it while it is being broken. There is nothing very original about that kind of of evil This must motion that the pow step in and take over. never happen here!” As a. result of the own state, and elsewher has been said, many and magazine and newspaper much newspaper articles: written, articles having | their origin in our own city have! been written and answered. These articles should have stirred every right thinking citizen re- garding the proposed “open city,” as a declared open city . would serve as an engraved invitation to the “hoodlums and racketeers,” who should never have a place in this beautiful nd of the semi- tropics which so many of us are proud to call home. This writer thinks that the time has arrived when every Christian, regardless of denomin- ational preference, Protestant, Catholic and Jew boldly his conviction and practice them. We quote a reer The Key West Citizen, written by a prominent leader in ci civic affairs. “If the town were closed and if the laws were strict- ly enforced, (and there are many of us who still believe that is wh. a law was made in the first place all this would have to stop.” The quotation is in reference to the churches and charitable organi- zations raising funds by raffle, cards and bingo. If these practices are connected with frmbling, they are in violation of the, law, and should be stopped. The churehes of Key West are on, the move against. corruption, “hoodlums and racketeers.” The ministers have voiced ‘their pro- test and now’ calt upon. every citizen to stand firmly with them, and with those officials who still believe that our city should stay within the bounds of the law, in a united effort to make our com: munity that ideal paradise, ‘fdr nt article in which nature has so lavishly fur: |) nished her. Our first and greatest job is to lead our people passion- ately to desire a Christian order that will forever place a ban on illegal practices: Could we not learn a lesson from many mod- ern cities that have been over- run by the mob rule made up of individuals who do not know what it means to earn an honest dolar? “Let's not let it happen here!” A SYSTEM OF FREEDOM By Eldon Simmons, Pastor, Ley Memorial Methodist Church The people of Key West are a part of the greates stem of freedom — the ever known. These people are proud of that freedom, and justly so. They know that their forebears were stalwart soldiers of freedom and that their integrity could not be questioned. They know, too, that freedom still needs soldiers with which to fight its battles. There are those among us who recent ;, |Kefauver investigations in our} should speak} y and} ‘ aid vice more rHeE KEY WwW sessions. No man willingly gives pensate for the increasingly sorid}ousness are not dealt with. Satan up his money. It creates false illusions of pow- er and grandeur through easy gain. Character bows to chance, the winner is t, and the loser lis despised. It is a paralize {human initiative and the develop- ment of creative power and skill ' It tendeth to poverty and breeds the disease of hatred. It stunts the development of great ness of character and demoralizes i those who engage in the activities of chance. It thus becomes the mother of many sins and iniqui- ties usually accompanying _ its false thrills of chance { It therefore becomes a chief ‘enemy of organized society, in ‘stymying hindrances to healthy development to any com- munity ’ ministry , | THE “EASY MONEY BOYS” By the Rev. Fr. John S. Armfield, !ease of the evil over against the! St. Paul's Church Attempts to make Key West an “open city,” with thrown wide open to gambling and vice, may well be viewed with anxiety and trepidation by | Rector, gates all seriou i minded citizen: Ww trying ‘strenuously to avoid both olier-than-thou” attitude and an undue moral emotic it might be well worth 0 to! tal, spiritual state of man is] consider, calmly and soberly, eVidenced by his habits and his ‘some aspects of the situation. | {blindness against what truly is] {In letting down the bars of law, Ponorable and lasting enforcement, there are two times?) ‘His:sense of right and wrong is worn a ments which may al- ways be anticipated from the $0-+ called “e money boys.” One argument is that people have al- ways gambled and always will. One may as well say that people have always died of cancer and always will, or that w have a!- !ways had slums and always will or that we haye always had Gin gome states) ‘inadeq chool always d in the facilities and jeynicism expres tate- | ment so frequently heard that \“People will always gamble }matter what,” is every bit as de- plorable as the cynicism one en {counters in these other areas of {human thinking. If this statement j be true then let us close all our churches and all our and top trying to do anything about man and his plight The other time-worn argument is that by winking at gambling revenue will ac- crue to the city. Here is involved the old fallacy ‘that the end justi- fies the means. Certainly ‘one of the cardinal principles of Chris- tian cthies is that the means must be consistent with the end. One is reminded further of the Bibli- cal passage, "What shall it profit, aman if he gain the whole woyld + and dose his own soul?’s) Further still, one may rightfully que whether all the — increase@ 9 nue would in any’ measure» schools no, 7 FAT CITNZRN atmpsphere in which local citi- zen§ would be forced to rear their children. The foregoing thoughts are of- fered for the sober of all thinking city. consideration citizens of our dake “THE OPEN CITY” By, Rev. George M. Ray. Pastor,| Ff: t Baptist Church, Key West In every man_ there good. That good needs only to be ¥ leased. In every man there is e That evil needs only to be isolated and destroyed like the roots of a cancer. Paul had this same battle within himself. Said he, “the good that I would do, I do not; the evil is the I'would not do, I do.” The prin-| ciple of right and wrong has al- {ways been the constant inner war with men. The tragedy of this stems from temporary re- good in man ' Little by little grow and outgrow evil the begins to forces of good within man until victory is! achieved by the life. When this occurs the con- lence and is stayed its full re such a men- do is not permitted ‘ase. The result of weakened. His attitudes and. dis. played efforts bespeak his inmost self. He ached the place in his thinking where Satan would have him. Not being satisfied with lus victim, Satan urges him on as a crusader fcr the very things he believes is right | This inward force carries him into all areas of right, pushi has re him here and there with his ie blind versions of what is right jMurder, robbery, adultry and other cardinal signs of unrighte- THE CHURCH of GOD 909 ANGELA STREET Sunday School, 10 A.M. Morning Worship, 11:00 o’Clock 6 P.M., Women’s Missionary Band SINGING CONVENTION SUNDAY. 3:00 P.M. Evangelistic Message, 7:30 P.M. Young People’s V.LB., Wednesday, 7:30 P.M. Bible Study and Band ‘|’ Meeting, Friday, 7:30 EVERYBODY WELCOME Pastor, Phenia Qdom \SOCIETY. 327 ELIZABETH STREET Sunday School, 9:30 A.M Sunday Morning Service at 11:00 o’Clock " Wednesday Evening Meetings at 8 o’Clock | i ' { | |] Reading Room in the Church ‘| Building will be open Tuesday | and Friday from 6 to 8 P.M. ,/;Cuban: Baptist” Mission 1122 WATSON STREET Dr. Ismael Negrin, Pastor Q. Esquinaldo, Sunday School Superintendent Preaching Service In Spanish Sunday and Thursday Nights at 7:00 o’Clock SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 10:00 A.M. EVERYONE WELCOME forces of evil in| | F. H. ZUCKER, Pastor stymied} a When the good that man would! t .| ways begins with “ | || Poinciana Baptist Church Sunday School, 9:45 A.M. PREACHING, 11 A.M. Dr. Ivey ‘You Can't Do That Here” Jail 4 ts Colored Home — | | conscience about the { || B.P.U. PAGE FIVE knows his victim need not a these. He must lead his along with small, ‘insignificant things that most people are on the fence about anyway. Satan begins with the small end of the horn for} he knows the small end always: leads eventually to the large end. Then comes inevitably that! blindness to large things. Then it} is that man does not have a . . First Congregational Church 527 WILLIAM STREET MINISTER. REV. HARRY P. ROC Chorister: Mr. Gerald Saunders Organists: Mrs. W. R. Dean and Mrs. Pau! Archer Sunday School Superinte:.dent, Mr. Victoz “SUNDAY, APRIL 22 Church School with Cla’ses for All Age significant Satan al A.M hicken feed.” 4 ‘ ‘ (Continued On Page Eight) | Morning Service of Worship, 11:00 A.M. ; : Sermon Subject: “The Seeds Tell” GRACE LUTHER AN Evening Service of Song and CHURCH Praise at 7:30 P.M. Sermon Subjegt: .“"You Can't Do That Here” Divine Service at 7:30 P.M. - Our Answer To A .“Wide-Open.” City Poinciana Community Bldg. Inner TLEMING STREET METHODIST CHURCH Corner FLEMING and WILLIAM Streete JayCee Clubhouse REV. W. J. ASHWORTH, Pastor gns of righteousn at 9:45 CHURCH SCHOOL, 9:45 A.M. MERRILL T. FELTON, Sunday Schoo! Superintendent Morning Service 10:50 @’' Clock SUBJECT: “YOU CAN’T DO THAT HERE” Youth Fellowship, 6:30 P.M. Song Service, 7:10 P.M. Evening, Worship 7:30. o’Ulock SUBJECT: “VITAL RELIGION” au ~~ 6:30 PM, PREACHING, 7:30 P.M. Dr. Ivey “Forgiveness and - Retribution” - ——- - — : Youth Fellowship Hour After Preaching—Hymn Sing Tuesday, White Home on Stock Island, 6:30 P.M. Mid-Week Prayer Service, .. Cuban Mission Will Have Charge of Prayer Meeting Wednesday, 7:30 P.M. Sr Service Men and Visitors Welcome FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH t eee at arate SUNDAY SCHOOL, 9:50AM...) , John Archer, Supt: Adult Dept. ‘Morning Worship. 11:00 o'Clock SUBJECT: “YOU CAN’T DO THAT HERE Organist—Mrs. Thomas Whitley Nursery Qpen During Morning Service -Youth Fellowship, 6:45 P.M: of ' Evening Worship, 7:30 P.M. 0 i ‘ * Subject: | ’ GOSPEL | SERIES. at the Church ASHBY and VON PHISTER 2 Blocks West of First” GOSPEL SERMONS sag ecmeET "Corrosive Forces In Christianity” ; Tey Memorial Methodist Church : “Phe Church with & Weleome'::)) uo." by Evangelist e) Scot, ||] | CG-NER of TRUMAN AVENUE snd GEORGIA STREET — WEE HP oi od oS CHURCH SCHOOL, 9:45 AM... 6 uous }) ) "Cohgregatibnal Singing.» ||}, ~: ‘Mis$ Miriam’ Carey) Supt. a No Collections 7:30 O'CLOCK NIGHTLY NOW UNTIL APRIL 27TH Radio Sermons On WKWF 9:15 A.M. Sun. and 9:30 A.M. Tues. . 10:50 A.M., Morning Worship SUBJECT: “YOU CAN’T DO THAT HERE (Nursery Provided During Morning Service) 6:45 P.M., Methoilist Youth ‘Fellowship 0 P.M, Evening Worship SUBJECT: “IT’S LATER THAN YOU THINK” and Thurs. ° Wednesday, 7:30 P.M., Mid-Week Prayer Service SUNDAY SERVICES é "DON’T WASTE WASTEPAPER” ° Bible Study, 10:00 A.M. : ua Morning Worship, 11:00 A.M. A Key To Salvation. “He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.”—Heb. 5:9,, “Si, Paul's Episoupal Chart’ \Corner'6f DUVAL and, EATON STREETS’ ———~ '{ Church Of God | 1008 OLIVIA STREET KE. M. BEARD PASTOR SUNDAY SCHOOL, ting there is no sensible man who' Americanism, however Some would want to make deposits in' Americans have been seeking a bank where the president hangs! personal gain that way ever out at a roulette wheel or gam-} bling joints, It is morally wrong’ and hefore. to gamble. Just study the record | Recently I saw a large group_ of embezzlers and one will soon’ 4 Monroe County draftees in since the days of Benedict Arnold be-justified in questioning the in-| tegrity of the gambler. ' The heathen have had a sense; of right and wrong down through the ages. None of us are ignorant when it comes to choc from wrong. serve as deacon of his church and refused on the ground that he gambled, played poker now and then, Noither he nor anyone else. €ahi reconcile the indulgence of @ gambler with God's work. He, Was at least honest in constiefce when he refused the church ap- pointment. 3 It might be, “just a drop in the bucket,” if the gambler alone is taken for a loss. Our statutes are cluttered with provisions to regu- late gambling. Our legislative as- sembly right now is working on more legislation. Despite all such precautions, we find loop-holes: wheteby the public can be fleeced, individuals corrupted, and seve- nues diverted from their proper channels. The world series in baseball was thrown a few years ago by gamblers. The same cor- ruption has crept into our college eration of Americans makes an- voluntarily to part with his pos- front of the Post Office. They} were a pretty fine looking lot of; too. They are being read- boys, save us from a foreign foe. Fighting against them, from! jthe xear, will be some of their own ity aad caunty dads, and % Ydrge percegtage of their’ fel- low citizens, who will be break- ing, down law and order at honie (for their own profit. Stalit? is Saving a lot of money by having such a large number of willing helpers who are not on his payroll. But nobody serves him more effectively. All right, send the boys out to fight and aie while you stay at home to sabotage, for the almighty dollar, the government they would save. “The Good, Old American! Way.” I hear that often. But! it is plain that every new gen-| 10 A.M. have accepted this freedom, but . shi they are using it as a license to'| Mrning Worship sin. Some of them would go so 11 A.M. far as to disregard the laws of Evangelistic Service, cur community and to declare it 7:30 P.M. “an open city.” Apparently they = ne co not realize that the laws which they so blithely disregard|| Pt8¥eF Meeting. Tues., 7:30 p.m. are a vital part of the structure that guarantees their freedom. Young People’s Endeavor, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ied to save their country from a cerminrsx ote - aise Pigs a ~ , 8 g for ac is nder ne Communim. Some of them) Co tree. The cigs are interested (ft Everyone Weicome -:- jwill, ‘probably, lose arms, legs,| only in finding acorns. in the!“ = eyes, and even their lives, to 1 The First Methodist Church EATON and SIMONTON STREETS G. Leon Wells, Pastor SUNDAY SERVICES 9:45 A.M., Sunday School 10:50 A.M., Morning Worship SERMON’ “YOU CAN'T DO THAT HERE” 6:30 P.M.—Methodist Youth Fellowship Meetings 7:30 P.M., Evening Worship “THE HIGH COST OF LIVING” SERMON: THE REV. JOHN S. ARMFIELD VEQS 3, C% 418 7:90: AM.—Holy. Eucharist 9:30: A.M.—Chureh School’ = 10:15 A.M—Rector's Adult Class’ tie iw Sermon. ! (To Be Broadcast Over Station WKWE) 6:30 P.M.—Young People’s Service Leagues. 2 Uae ECAR SEE sas WES Held i | ’ -> f ee search they carelessly “root” up the ground and roots around the oak until the tree is killed. The cbvious result is no more acorns from that tree, | GLAD TIDINGS TABERNACLE “Assembly Of God” || Cor. Georgia and Petronia Sts. i] Tune in “Assembly Time,” s|| WKWF, 9:00 A.M. Sunday Sunday Services Suriday School. 10:00 A.M. Morning Worship, 11:00 o’Clock A FEEDER OF LAZINESS By Rev. D. T. Newman, Pastor, Glad Tidings Tabernacle Proverbs 14:34: Rightco exalteth a nation; but sin is a proach to a%y people. Gambling is a feeder of laziness. It seeks to eliminate a just reward in pro-} portion to effort and skill, It; promises something for nothing A . and entertains false hopes. It Evening Worship, makes stealing legal and there- 7:30 o’Clock fore takes from another against the givers will. It also enslaves the one who gambles. The turn of a wheel, the flip of a card, the. throw of dice forces a person in-} MIDWEEK SERVICES, TUES. and FRI., 7:30 P.M. D. T. NEWMAN, Pastor All Are Welcome Youth for Christ Rally Tonight at 7:30 O'Clock Testimonies By Several Young People El Salvador Methodist Church CORNER VIRGINIA AND GRINNELL STREETS Come... Bring A Friend . INSPIRATIONS