Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-24
Church Fairs.
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Among the many plans proposed how
to meet the expenses of Church and
Sunday -school debts, festiyals, or church
fairs seem To be the leading objects.
| No doubt the first one, as well AZ the
last, was met with much opposition by
some people but such authority has
been laid aside As erronous and absurd.
! The object Of this article il TO uphold
the latter, and show some Of the un.
soundness OF the limits 10 which church
fairs or festivals have been carried. Mr.
Moody in his opening address in Brook.
/ lyn said "lf you want revival OF re.
ligion you must put aside all those dis.
tracting church fairs" In reply to
question asked at the Hippodrome con.
vention, "Can two cxcitements exist at
the same time in the same town" he
said, "Yes, il one il revival and the
other political caucus for the polti
clans will attend 10 their own business
and the Christians TO theirs; but IL one
is Il church fair, i, will kill every bit Of
religion there is" Again ado ap.
prove of church fairsg You shouldn't
ask me such questions If you don't want
strong answers. believe the devil has
a hand in every church fair" Now, 10 all
these characteristic utterances and a
great many more in which the energetic
spcakc showed the evils Of those popu.
lar nuisanccs what are the objections to
church fairs among those who oppose
them! They are numerous well.iound.
ed and based upon good principles
and few Scripture declarations will be
sufficient 10 show that such fairs in
their represented forms, are not in nc.
cordAnce with the Laws of God. The
word fair" itself means gathering Of
buyers and sellers, with their merch.n.
. disc at "a stated, regular, or appointed
time; aud festival has a kindred
meaning. All lovers of Gods truth will
admit that the Church Of God il a house
Of worship and not for merchandise
We read lisa. Lvi: = that II is house
Of prayer for al. people. We have two
illu.trious examples Of Christ where hc
rurifes the Temple: One in the begin.
ming of his ministry, and another near
it, close. John II: 1919, Matt 1yI:l2-
II, Mark N:ljl j., Luke xix:4j.47.
Upon what occasion, and for what pur.
pose, it is clearly stated simply, bc.
cause they made his Fathers house a
house Of merchandise. J. il not reason.
able to believe if Christ was yet walking
this earth in human form, he would be
present at some Of our church festivals
and cleanse the House Of God as he did
the Temple at Jerusalem But the next
lime a new carpet is wanting for the
vestry, new cushions for the pews. On
furniture for the parsonage, how j. the
money to be raised! II the ministers
salary Is not entirely forthcoming at the
end OF the year, the money TO pay the
choir not all raised. the repairs and i'm.
provements not fully paid for, how i
the deficiency going TO bc met! Some
one interested will be sure TO suggest
fair. viii the minister have the cour.
age 10 resist, and say. Better devote the
church's energies TO saving the masses
and preach to them in a grove, or in
the street, il need be, than use for the
Lords service money polluted by lis
passage through a church fair? Alas.
We fear again and again will the same
old scene be enacted. What is it7 A
notice will be given out from the pulpit
and Immediately the working members
Of the congregation, the women cspe-
cially, will commence a course Of beg.
ging, toiling and preparing; money
which would 60 far towards the re.
quircd fund will be spent in worsteds,
silks, patterns, aud the like. and time
which might be profitably employed in
ministering TO the sick, or caring for
those poor of whom ouf Saviour says,
they are "alwsys with you will be
wasted in fashioning these materials
into useless articles, thus taking tho
bread out Of the mouths Of those whose
legitimate work IL is, and who would do
it much better than any novice, while
all the time there will be an undercur.
rent of disqualification that somehow
the voluntary workers are serving the
Lord. After that will come days of
preparation, putting up tables, mailing
up greens, arranging and the like; doors
will be opened, draughts felt, regular
meals omitted, and colds taken promis.
cously. And then the fair. When at the