, 1876-05-28
TEE CENTENNIAL.
SHALL IT EE OPENED suSDAY3

CHICAGO, May 96.-The opening Of the Ccnten-
NAL Exhibition OIL Sunday Involves important con-
siderations rcligious!y and pccnniarily Religious
bodies, US the Y. n. C. !. of this city, have seen
fit to take action commencing the action Of tile
authorities in the matter Of keeping the Exhibition
closed on Sunday. This is on tho basis OF the
sucredncss Of the day. There can be no question
that the rights Of conscience should be respected,
Init 1t is questionable how far Individual conscience
may control Others II the Commissioners, from
their own conscicuces, decide that the day
shall not be dcsecrntcd by opening the
grounds to the public, they may hc justified In
their decision. When they listen 10 the pleas OF
conscicncc, and should hear all sides. II, on re-
LECTION, ttcy decide open the Exhibition to all
whoec consciences allow theln to nae sunday Iof
such purposes, they interfere with no mans con
science. No one will be required to visit the
grounds against his own conscience. 10 mans
Conscience bind an"es her N obers
Grounds y ads Oh n'ssd snnday will hive any spc;al
sxpeet f. for bua the viii 1et eel Of that ' Lis
aabridsed by the conscicncrs OF Others The gen
cral eifcct will he to increase the disrcgard io5
he re;roactiyc, placing Sunday sacrcdness at q
rreat dis,dran:egc 1esinS it Mt greater discount
than when it commenced the movement
not the l. NJ C. \. OF this city, or some earnest
friend OF Sunday sacredncss, show from sacred
records the authority for the sacrcdncss! 5neh au
thority would give general satsfactton ana Woulo
1T least bc an Acceptable Justification Of the
act Of closing the Exhibition: The occasion is an
opporune one for such an an g" t .ma Mi o
more for the progressive WORK o. esansezat!oha l 2
than onr city evanEcsts are doing At % nome anu anu
IN th;s citv Of reform abo1ess that can do this work
as we'll as it cal, be done by any.
In pccunary SENSE the opening o. the E5n,ol-
Thnrc nre MANY thOuknNd llboreTs ana
moor people in philadelphia and adjacent
Cities and in manufacturing towns +;ao wno
rnn11,,t well afford both the money and lofs 0! LING
during the week TO visit the Ezhbtlon. Ihousahas
viii y.it tue city and be compelled to limit thelt
VISIT a nav 1 m open ae:tio
| whether Sunday would OF would nut be 1a'orltc
,iay for the greatest number Of yis'toIs Ine eEl &
ticnccs are strongly in favor OF tac al1Hal1on L'
| :;unuay would be the better dny.
Ii II we'll known that ! large portion OF our loF-
| cisn population 90 not 1el1erc IN ounuas as
sacre;i daY Large multitndcs Of Americans arc
drifting in the same direction. Sunday chnrcn-
.ocrs and Sunday sanctiGcrs dnrns the last Iwen
ty-fve years have not kept up win tne lherc.se
pur.T pptrass These wonld joyfully seek the Exhibit
lion On Sunday for its instructions nnd pleasures,
Many of th,sc who wouit & .,s't n Luz saencs 1ikev
| IL iclio.alike and duu,ase tAcn. ,,
Thut pccuniary succcss is eagerly desired: even even
tn cost Of aa1s az !" arre ee'se to ss arden
| c no question tat the cute fees VI oahuay "onau
In. largely in excess of tie license fees. Ihe pc
cnniafy success .: Sunday exhibitions IL thus &c een5 NJ,
! T'hr morality question was oycftarown ny tns
license fees. Il now remains for tue friends oi
sae!caess and The s'15 M o, 1s o4 1he
clos,re On stronger grounds thau the friends o.
temperance opposed 10 the quort traffic Unless th's
~ done r!,v Exhibition should have IL Sunday open
| ing This would b. ). pecnnary Success, and At,
foTl vast mnItitutes the pleasures % c,,a
| day not found Ey them elsewhere. iht
Of sose Who eonseen'o1sS oD so,sIst Sat
wou;tl Lc comparatively small, hut, when Guaca u
thc number Of who wonu v,s1t n ,t
| rhc urbitrary decision to close the grounds Q:
Sunday, unsusiaincd by sacred authority. wi9 S1ss
;: qcf ref',sal to iccnsc the rule Of liquor on tht
I grounds. Ind that been done. Here are pracitGa
s,;tc,,itcs that ou.ht to be settled and must ot
WIN gsoa Of oa thi.
ti1nr Sunday sacrcdncss is yndicatcd. II It ~ no
donc thousands will II their eafts e ersS .1 ~
ccccsiastica authority, iustcad of charity 70 ai'