Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol 1, No. 11, August, 1920: America's Magazine of Wit, Humor and Filosophy — John Shaqi
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol 1, No. 11, August, 1920: America's Magazine of Wit, Humor and FilosophyVarious
History
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol 1, No. 11, August, 1920: America's Magazine of Wit, Humor and Filosophy
Various
American wit and humor -- Periodicals
Roland Parks, a young man 17 years old, a resident of Tangier Island,
was wicked and audacious enough to cut church service one Sunday and to
take the air on the porch of his house while the meeting was in
progress. Officer Connorton got on the job and ordered him to come to
church. Young Parks refused, Connorton tried to arrest him, Parks fled,
Connorton drew his revolver and shot Parks, dangerously wounding him.
The inhabitants of the island regret the shooting, but hold that it
would be better for such as Parks to be shot and killed rather than the
law, which they approve, should be violated.
Among the other Puritan blue laws of Tangier Island are those
prohibiting music anywhere during church service, even though the
instrument may be far away and no sound come through the walls; playing
ball at any time on Sunday, etc.
It may be a shock to learn that such archaic conditions exist anywhere
in the world, let alone in our own country. True enough, we are the most
backward people on earth to control landlords and profiteers. But it
seems that the same may be said of us in regard to religious tyrants and
persecutors.
Admitting, for the sake of argument, that things taboo on Tangier Island
displease God, why can’t his agents safely leave it to Him to enforce
His will and punish those who violate His law? God needs no human
avengers. It is an axiom that the only call for human legislation is
tangible wrong or harm to some member or members of society.
Just here we stopped to look over some exchanges, and find that the
ministers of Lynnbrook, near New York City, have forced the Sunday
closing of a local amusement park. This will not be allowed to open on
Sunday, not even at hours that do not conflict with any church services
of the day. Give these reverend gentlemen credit. They did not find
shooting necessary in the process. But give them debit for a senseless
piece of business. With Coney Island and Rockaway Beach near by, the
Lynnbrook people will simply take a short trolley ride and get what they
want much better. What was accomplished, what could have been
accomplished, to help keep the Sabbath day holy? A zero with the circle
erased. Any sensible man could have seen this in advance. But who has
less sense than a tyrannical religious fanatic? Only a man who expects
one such to have any sense at all.
* * * * *
Woman is creation’s best and last work and should be the most attractive
thing in the universe.
Clothes are the index of character. A woman is known by the dress she
wears. A standard of a country’s or century’s mind and morals is known
by its fashion-plate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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