Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-05

NO One Accepts Miss divers Chai.
lenEe-AlI ON The Same Side.

NO Onc accepts Miss divers Chai.
lense-AlI ON the Same Side.
When the Rev. Miss Anna Oliver took charge
OF the Willougby avenue Methods Episcopa
church, In Brooklyn, two years ago, she an
nounced in her opening sermon that she was
utterly opposed to the holding of church fairs
and similar projects to aid Christian
churches financially, and that her chur,h
would get along without money gaiued
IRON s ,n;a rs sources. A good many
without such entertainments and her friends
gave her one year in which to kill the
church. The reverend lady has con.
the church is not yet dead Some
time ago lt was announced that a debate would
be held Is Miss Oliver church last even
G ing on the .,Sa gestionwIs it Right 70 Hold
such things were Invited to take the
aihrmatlve, and the Willoughoy avenue
church was to take the negative. The meet
largely attended. After number OF Sunday
school songs had been sung. Miss Oliver invited
any ministers that might be present to take
Oliver then announced that the Simpson, the
Observation-Disclosures, and the Park-Avenue
Methodist churhes had been specially invited
TO oe pate N favor OF fairs. because they mad
Just been holding such entertainments, and it
was naturally supposed they upheld them. But
when committee was sent to the auJnorieies
OF the Nostrand Avenue church they were Ia
=,
and could not advocate them, although they
were holding one. Very much the same an
sWer was received from the simpson church
and the Park-aven church. all dec,in-
ing TO take the affirmative Oh the question TO
be debated, The Wllloughby Avenue church
vas greatly astoniShed 10 find fair holding
churches declining to support their own prac.
tees, and beSitated about having the debate.
But as the newspapers had announced the de
bate, and as 1t was TOO late 20 send out contra
0lchon, 1t was decided TO go ahead and see
pastor. Il don't see a single one OF our side
VINO agreed to take part In the debate tonight,
SO II there are any persons here who would
ike 10 speak In the Affirmative on this queS-
ton, they have fair Held and not single
prepared speech against them But we believe
we are IN the right and are ready TO meet any
arguments In favor OF fairs. We will have a
free discussion, but will take no vote so that
each one may form his own conclusions from
tne arguments. l ought to say" added Miss
OlVer, after long pause. that ii ws have no
lengthy DEBATE we Will have spelling bee and
give prize TO the best scholar. We have had
several such bees In our church and they have
greatly improved the spelling OF our yonng
Miss Oliver sent a young man out to get a
dictionary, and then renewed the Invitation 10
any one desiring to support church fairs. No
one responded. - 1t ought to be understood"
said the pastor, after waiting some time. s,Fh3t
we Include, under the term fairs oyster sue.
perS, festivals, necktte soctalS, leap year par
tieS cnarades, tabeauX, cantataS, wax works,
theatrical entertainments, and the like IN
churches-tn churches only. Now, any one In
the Affirmative, don't hesitate to speak" There
was another long season or silence. Miss Oliver
went about in the audience and whispered TO
several gentlemen, but each one shook his
head: Finally, an elderly gentleman, who
said his name was William Brown, or the
Dutch Reformed church In Twelfth street,
rose up. Il think" said he, we're pretty
well united In thinking our sisters side Is
correct, and, If our sister has no objection,
l mink we had better slug the DoXOlogy and
turn THIS meeting into a prayef-m citing. i
want to bless God that there are so many here
10 Brooklyn who haven't bowed the knee 10
Baai." Mr. Brown began an earnest exhorta-
ton to the audience, but Miss Oliver INTERRUPTED
MN. Before we sing the Doxology," she said,
i want TO ask again II there Is no one on the
afhrmatlye side. Is there any one? II there IS
only one present we would like to helr him. for
II the falrs are right we want to be convinced"
This invitation was greeted with the usual
silence, and then Brother Montign&nl or the
Park avenue Primitive Methodist church, asked
permission to talk against church fairs, and did
SO. He argued that such fairs did not promote
holiness; that they drew young people away from
the church, AID drew the church into such world
illness that 1t was hard to distinguish between
God's house and places OF amusement. Ibid
Christ die, said he, Leaving us the example
Of fairs, lce-cream parties and tea parties to
support His church," He read an original
poem against fairs, and then the Rev. Mr.
woodruff, OF the Free Methodist church. said
the word OF Gcd settled the question, for it
said: Ie cannot serve God and mammon.' -
fair was just the same whether 1t was got UP
to serve the church or to sell rum. II We loved
these sensual fairs We could not be Christ's
disciples. Fairs fed the carnal heart and
worldly mind, and We're antagonistic to God
and His work. Mr. Brown held that churches
ought TO have faith In God for money to run
them, and then Miss Oliver said she was glad
they were all opposed to church fairs, =" [
have given my reasons so many times, >
said she. that it Is not necessary to repeat
them now. We will sing the DoXology, and
then we VIII have our spelling bee" The spell
ing bee proved quite as Interesting 10 most OF
the audience as the discussion had been.-N. +.
Times.