St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-09
This Is a Season OF Church
Fairs, Bazaars and Fancy
Sales.
Attractive Schemes for Allur-
ing the Coin Of the
Country.
Overlooking Sunday Schools
"A Growing Vice Among
~
Young Boys.


manipulate the thousand and one attrac-
tions for alluring the coin of the country,
from the majestic silver dollar down to
the humble but nimble nickel, out of
the pockets nf the holiday-0bselving
throng. Nearly every church knows
what it is. at some time or another, to
need little ready money. There is
debt to be paid, or some interest to be
met, or repairs to be provided; and
what more feasible, and at the same
time delightful, way of raising the
needful can be imagined than
fair, with all its numberless feat
ureS. held i'm the weeks which
precede the Christmas holidays? The
DAYS are short, the afternoons close in
early. making it temptation to turn
out of the dark gloomy street into the
brilliantly lighted and gayiy decorated
bazaar. Here are to be found in one
corner the counter grooming under It's
load of dressed doilS-dOllS big and lit
tie, blonde and brunette, but all of them
paragOns of loneliness i'm the eyes of the
little girls who are gazing wistfully at
the piled up treasures. Then, i'll an
other corner, is the tishpOnd, where one
can sink many nickel and get never
bite. The candy booth. with its wealth
of homemade confectionery, whole
some as well as attractive, has trem-
endOuS fascination for the children,
big and little, as well as for many
''sweet TOOTH of older growth. Here
near the door are Christmas cards, and
little souvenirs of novel and bewitch-
ing design. Over there in that alcove
is the art studio, with its paintings and
etchings and curios; and, in the midst
of all, the busy artist, turning out the
numberless improinptu orders which
come pouring in. Over all this temple
of grace and beauty lovely women pre-
side, and lend to the scene its greatest
| charm. There is hum of musical
| voices, and, perehance, the aroma of
| fragrant coffee in the air. Man, the
Wilton lord of creation, but now re-
| dueed to the condition of an abject serf,
! wanderS about in daZed condition.
| pausing ever and anon to plunge his
| hand Obediently into the depths of his
| pockets i'm search of Elusive small
| change Fairs and bazaars are reign
| ing merrily now in the the SANITY City.
| Success to them one and all, and health
and prosperity to the bright-eyed ladies'
| to wnOSt unwearying, accomplishing
| toll the churches owe so much.
There are not many persons nowadays
| foolish enough to object to church fairs
an entertainments as q means or raiS-
| ing needed funds. If there is one thing
| in this exceedingly practical age ON
| which all denominations seem to be
| agreed, it is this that churches cannot
| hope to derive all their support from
| their own membership. If the churches
| were crowded, as, in theory, they should
| be, by acttve-wOrking members, all of
whom contributed literally towards
| the expenses, then extraneous efforts
| would not be needed. But experience
has SHOWN that but few churches. com
| paratively, are composed of wealthy in
| dividuals; and even where there are
| few of the moneyed class found in
| church, it is not usually the case that
! such persons give in proportion to their
means. The expenses of carrying on
| church usually fall on the many per-
| sons of very moderate incomes, and
while these may cheerfuliy give
| as much as they can afford, it
! is often found thai some additional
| source of. revenue is necessary under
| the pressure of special calls for money.
| Hence it is that appeals must be made
| to non-church members. to that large
| class who rarely attend church, or, if
they do, are not imbued with any feel
| ing of responsibility beyond casual
| coin dropped into the aims basin. Such
! persons, when asked for special cOntri-
buttons. are often generous in response,
| but it is generosity of fitful character.
| and is not to be relied on as regular
! thing. This is where the necessity for
| a quid pro quo comes into prominence.
| 1t is all very we'll to reason that people
| ought to give without expecting any re-
| turn, but we have to take human nature
| as we find il. and church people cannot
| in fairness expect that nOn-members
| will see the Importance of making lib
! eral contributions in just the same light
as they see it themselves.
| $
Reports received from various Sunday
schools in the city indicate that the at
| tendance is rapidly increasing, and that
| within couple of weeks the classes
will he crowded to the extent usual at
| this festive season of the year. 1t is
| wonderful how Conscientious the aver
aye boy becomes just before Christmas
| how careful he is to allow nothing to
keep him away from Sunday school, no
matter how BAD the weather is; how
particular he is not to hurtthe superin-
tendent's or teachers feelingS-in fact.
some boys have been known to make up
for opportunities wasted during the
year by suddenly discovering that it is
their duty to belong to at least two
separate and distinct Sunday schools at
the same time. OF courre, the Christ
mas tree. and Santa Claus, and the
candy and the gifts have nothing to do
with this spadmodic thirst for religious
instruction.
The preparations which are even now
| in prog ess point to more than usually
| Jolly time for the youngsters in many of
our city Sunday schools. The Christ
mas tree, with its mvrIads of twinkling
| tapers and boughS laden with pretty
meinentOs for each and all. is becoming
more and more of an institution. The
| holidays would lose nearly all their Zest
were it not for the pleasure given to
| the little ones: and so it comes to pass
| that eyerybody-old and young, grave
! and gay-gladly contributes time or
| money, or both, to ensure joyous treat
| for the children. Especially is Christ
mas the time TO remember the children
| of the poor. Does any one want to ex-.
| perience q feeling of genuine, unal-
loyed pleasure? Let him or her help
| to arrange bright Christmas festival
| for little ones to whom holiday treats
| are rare. The recollection of the bright
eyes which sparKled as tiny fingers
| closed over some much-cuveted treas
ure, will shed radiance over many
| dark moment throughout the coming
| year. Superintendent and teachers
| will be taking counsel this week and
next with view to giving the children
merry time during the joyful Christ
| mas holidays. Let them, in the name
of the Christ child, make the poor, the
humble and the neglected their first
and principal care.
| The Catholic News is one of the ablest
| organs of the Roman Catholic church in
| this country. While entirely devoted
| to the interests of the church. it is COLI
| Quoted in broad and liberal spirit, and
! keeps thoroughly abreast of the times.
| The new editor-in-chief is DR.. John
| Culinary Shea, who is well known as
| critical historian and distinguished man
| of letters. In his salutatory article DR..
| Shea says: "A Catholic paper can
y xa0iifi..aI fsoaty