The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-07
Concerning Church Fairs.

concerning Church Fairs.
For this season, church fairs are mainly
over, and, therefore, few words about
them may be more patiently received
than they could have been while hun
dreds of ladies were toiling to prepare for
them. They have, of course, some STRONG
reasons to present on their own account
They promote sociability in the church.
They unity the efforts of the members
and enable them to raise large sums for
specific purposes. Nobody is asked to
give money at fair who is not in some
sort remembered. The fair is itself a
testvlty, and combines business and
pleasure agreeably. Finally, large num-
bers of outside people, who have no
special sympathy with churches, chart
ties, or missions, are attracted by the
novelty and excitement the gayety, or
the social pressure of the affair. The
church-net is let down into the deep sea
OF the world and comes up laden with
multitude of fishes presumably ready to
pour coins into che church treasury.
The argument against fairs as benevo-
lent agencies has equally strong points
to present They frequently include
very Objectionable methods, which have
a perllous trend toward gambling and
the lottery. They often allow side-shows
and amusements which are puerile and
absurd. When neither of these stumb
lng-stones are permitted, and the fair
proclaims itself to be rigidly a straight
forward sale of desirable goods for
commendable ultimate benefit there re-
main many aspects which provoke criti
clsm The fancy tables floral bowers.
and Rebecca' s wells, which are common
to all fairs, are presided over bv voung
graceful, and beautiful girls, whose duty
for the hour is to bend all their charms
OF look, voice, and manner to the coaxing
OF money from the pockets of gentlemen,
and of ladies, too, provided the ladies
manifest desire to be liberal. AS a
matter of fact, the largest proportion of
the many small sums, which aggregate
large amounts at the close of the fair, are
obtained from generous gentlemen, who
do not like to refuse the request of pretty
lips. A majority of the gracious matrons
who dignity the scene by their presence
have already spent as much as they can
well afford, in contributions to the sale.
Were there no other thing to be de-
Precated, this conspicuous setting forward
OF young women, to the detrimeht of
that modest shyness which is young
woman's fairest adornment, would be a
sufficient objection to many minds
The fair, however is usually held near
the holiday season, when people indulge
in purchases for loves sake. In the
same towns where the churches annually
open their parlors and display their
artistic wares, are many struggling
radespeople-women with little ones
to support, and men with families to
educate-and these, rightly or wrongly
survey the fairs with disfavor-
True, they utter their censures un-
der-breath, and guardedly, for they
dare not offend good customers in the
churches; but they feel, all the same.
that their short harvest-ti.ne of profits is
hopelessly shorn by the competition thus
brought into the field The fair papers.
too, which solicit advertisements from
merchants, often obtain these at the cost
of an unspohen but understood menace
The lady who asks for the mans business
notice implies that she and her friends
Will give him their patronage, in liberal
measure, if he consent to her plea If
not-well, he co1nprehehds that-she and
they will go a little farther for what they
wish to buy.
In behalf, too, of authors, artists, and
professional singers and performers, it is
quite safe to say that church fairs make
upon all this class Of workers demands
which are unreasonable, but which are
frequently made with the smooth and
gracious air Of comforting favor, con
veying a compliment, or granting an OBJ
portunity. The person who presumes to
decline the service sought is considered
churlish and unkind, the idea being that
he or she refuses to assist good cause
which he could aid at a small cost com.
paratively, Of time and thought.
Finally, the spiritual interests Of
churches, the prayer-meeting, the home
happiness, and the health of wearied
women-all suffer from the strain and
fatigue and over-excitement of these
tirna-11cfuor rorvyo 1oef e.. T.