The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-03-02
BAPTIST.

The First Baptist Church, Marble
Hall, will hold its usual Sabbath
services tomorrow. The Pastor,
Rev. G. F. Pentecost, is still absent,
laboring, with much success, with his
brethren at New Albany. His pull
pit in this city will, however, be sup
piled.
CHURCH FAIRs.-We notice a
lengthy letter from Rev. Geo. F. Pen
tecost, in the Baptist Times, on
Church Fairs, from which we. extract
the following points: 4.
l. Experience teaches that as gen.
eral rule these fairs are failures, so
far as the desired end is concerned.
In other words, the pecuniary recom-
pense has not been adequate to the
outlay, in time, labor and money; and
it is this fact--that fairs have not paid
which has made it necessary to in
troduce lotteries, F" e rafting" " grab
bags, voting of pitchers, walking
sticks, etc., to the most beautiful wo-
man, the most popular man in the
city, etc." 6et05qo - ia
2. Every pastor who has had any
experience In these matters, has found
that the effect of such fairs consequent
upon the excitement, rivalry, jealous
les, envyings, and strife, alaoays at
tending them to greater or less ex-
tent, tells sadly upon the. spirituality
of his flock.
3. For the most part the pretense
both upon the side of the getters-up
of the fairs as well as on the part of
the patrons, is false. Fairs are said
to be in behalf of the cause of Christ,
and are fesorted to (this is theasup-
positiom only when the more regular,
legitimate, and scriptural means of
raising the desired funds have been
exhausted. This is rarely, if ever.
true. Step into the fair-room of sone
OF our city churches. What do you
see? o.
Our eyes are dazzled with the gilt
ter OF Jewels, our ears are greeted with
the rustic Of silks, and our taste is
charmed with the admirable style with
Which the hair is braided and the cos
time worn. One is forced to Conclude
that it is not because these church
members are SO poor that they resort
to fair to raise money. Some other
motive must be at the bottom of it.
Ii Paul could step in at one of
our fairs, he would say to the
good sisters, (for it is the sisters
who get up the fairs) "Oh ye women
In Christ if you would adorn your-
selves IN modest apparel, and not with !
braided hair or gold, or pearls or
costly array, but (Which becometh
women protesting goodliness) with
good works, q Thes. ii 81 you would
have far more to give unto. our bless
ed Master than We can gather by this
means. OF course such means as
these do not have to be resorted to to
induce Christian men to give. But it
is the worldly mans money you want,
and you think thus to win him to
your fair, and then induce him by
smile and a woman's sweet persua-
sion" to spend his money, not for
value received, for that it is not pro-
posed to give; but then it is for the
church, you know. Peter could tell
you better way Win them to
Christ, and not the fair, then will
you save their souls, and the church,
for Christ's sake, will get their sub
stance not through THE subtle arts
love # Christ Viii icon tonstrain the them lnS
a, They (the fsirs} encourage and
foster eoyetousness, if they arednot
theffruita Of nit.a So much money is
needed, Brother A says, I'm Older
! to raise that sum, l must make