Correspondence
Mr. Editor,-
DEAR SIR, - My attention has been called to an anonymous communication appearing in your issue of July 7th, signed Reader.
Ordinarily, I should not pay any attention to a person that hides his or her identity whilst making slanderous attacks on others, but as this person has rushed into the lime light and belched forth a mass of lying statements I would be unworthy the confidence and patronage of the public, were I to let the matter pass.
Not only has this self appointed guardian of the morals and welfare of the people of Kings County, maliciously slandered this resort, but has insulted some of the very best people of the county when he or she classes them as "promiscuous company."
There never have been any dances at Sea Side Park, either on Saturday night or any other night, and if there had been, is it any business of this moral reformer?
There never has been a Saturday night since this resort was first opened, that the illuminations, music, etc., have not been discontinued long before the hour that ushers in the Sabbath day, the hour that doubtless finds our righteous brother on his naked knees, praying that the Lord might be pleased to forgive the wicked wretches at Sea Side Park, who have been guilty of the heinous sin of breathing God's pure air at the sea shore, whilst enjoying the beautiful illuminations, and other attractions that make tired men and women forget for a few brief moments the toil and labor of the week. No, I am wrong, our friend would be calmly sleeping the sleep of the just, because there would be no audience on hand to applaud.
Then this horrible Sunday travelling. Does our Puritan friend really think it sinful to take his wife and children out for a drive on the Sabbath Day? I guess not, but I will take a chance and say that the real reason that he does not do so, is because he is too miserly and mean, would rather let his horse remain in the stable, and rest, and make the poor, tired wife walk, if she wants a breath of fresh air. And if this Sunday traveling is so demoralizing, and hurts our brother's feelings so much, why don't he pull down his blinds, and live in the darkened surroundings, that seem to me to be so thoroughly in keeping with the kind of religion he appears to have.
Reader has evidently never visited Sea Side Park on the Lord's Day, because if he had, I have charity enough in my make up to say right here, that he would never have written the letter he did. Surely a holy man like he wants your readers to think he is would not have made such false statements had he ever visited Sea Side. He probably got the idea from the sermons preached by one or two Berwick clergymen last summer, who also attacked this resort without any personal knowledge of the facts, but who at the same time utterly ignored the invitation extended to the clergymen of Kings County to send one of their number to Sea Side Park each Sunday during the season, to hold Divine Service. Perhaps they thought there would not be enough money in it. The invitation still holds good.
I should like very much to know who Reader is so that should he ever visit Sea Side Park, I might be in a position to detail a special man to keep an eye on him, as any experience has been, that a man who is so busy sticking his nose into other people's affairs and attempting to regulate their way of life, is so everlastingly busy, as to be unable to look after his own, and needs watching.
Take your Bible, brother, and your Commentary, and study what the Master of men really meant when he said "On the seventh day, thou shalt do no labor, etc."
Pardon me, Mr. Editor, for I have taken up more of your space than I intended doing, I only hope that this letter will not lead up to a religious controversy, for I am too busy trying to build up and recuperate the tired out bodies of the men, women and children of our beautiful Valley, so that they may the better worship the Creator, who has laid upon all of us that first commandment; the preservation of the bodies that he gave us.
E. W. KAPPELE,
Manager Sea Side Park.