The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-06
FESTIVALS IN CHURCHEs,
Are They RightS-A Minister Gives some
Pronounced Views.
M Ihs P,allio.snftLs I,l,llk1s.n,,

Are They Right9-A Minister Gives Some
Pronounced Views.
40 ts Esili@'OfUIt 4nislIigRn4,
SIR;-We are commanded to do good
and to communicate, forget not, for
with such sacrifices God is well pleased,
l therefore wish by your permission to
saga few things in reference to the
modern festival. / am opposed to all
such means resorted to in order to raise
money to advance the Kingdom OF our
Lord and Jesus Christ, for ] believe 1t is
morally and religlously wrong, and | am
glad 70 know that am not alone In my
opinion, Some OF tho best men and
women now living are opposed to oil
such things. II has q tendency and
has had to lower the standard oil
Christianity and vital religion in the
estimation OF some Of our best citizens
who make no profession OF religion, and
yet who are known to be liberal in their
gifts Of charity, A church building is a
sacred place, cOnsecrated to the worship
ola pure and holy being and should be
kept for that purpose alone, and yet
they are deseCTated by the introduction
Of the modern festival, made o
place Of feastlng, gossiplng, Of
jest-a DISTINGUISHING establishment, The
Savior asked the question; "liaYe ye
not houses to cat and drink inY He
also said; ut Is written that my house
shall DO house Of prayer, but 20 have
made II den Of thieves" He again
said: holiness becometh my houses"
and God commanded Moses on a GER
tain occasion TO take of his shoes or
sandals, reminding him OF the fact that
the ground on which he stood was holy,
There Is, therefore, no divine argument
that can be adducel upon the part OF
those who favor the modern festival In
holding them In their Churches, II they
must have such things to llqlidate
debts or other church purposes, let them
holI them In public hall or soma other
place, And yet, Mr., Editor, 1t Is Ques-
tlonable in my mind whether money
raised In chat way, where you have 70
reach mems appetites in order to get II,
ever did or ever will meet with the
divine appreciation, Let those who
manage festivals or attend them, II they
have anything 10 give the church, give
II for the love they have for the cause,
and lot them eat their strawberries, Ice
cream and oysters In restaurant or at
their homes. have lived to see sixty
years pass over my head and | have never
attended but two festivals in a church.
Then, in less than ten minutes after
| entered the house, became thorough
ly Disguised with what | saw and heard ,
and promised God then that / never
would lend my influence or presence to
keep up any such things. Think Of
such proceedings in church one
night, and the next night souls
crying for mercy where but q few
h6urG ago tho rafting OF dishes was
heard aud the ribald jest Not long
since festival was held In certain
church up north, where they had q
beautiful canopy erected in which was
PLACED up easy chair for a beautiful lady
10 occupy while sAo was being kissed
at the rate Of twenty-five cents a klss,
and that money is to DO appropriated 10
the cause OF our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh
shame, where Ia thy blushP May we
not add, oh, shades Of the Apostles and
OF Wesley what would they say to us II
they could speak 10 US ip reference to
such conduct In tho name OIL religion
II is no wonder to inc that the churches
which favor raising money in such a way
are losing their influence upon the un-
converted. Dir, spurgeon, OF England, Us
we'll as Mr., Moody, grand and great
as well as great revivalists, call snch
gatherings, | think, by their proper name,
''les.deyils.h There will DO one held
In this part Of the State before long with
which will DO connected q species Of
theatrical performance under the name
OF a Japanese Wedding" all OF which
Is to DO held In Gods sacred and holy
temple. Now, Mr.. Editor, have given
my honest convictions, hoping under
God that they may do some good, Itany
one can show What I have said is not
true, and that 1t is divinely right to hold
such performances In a church, let them
do SO, but let them not beg the question.
Let them give argument and facts, and
not slang and abuBe upon those who may
differ with them. Wlshing the Gauge Of
God prosperity in all the churches, ! am
yours truly, W. II. WILEY.
PaIatine, ~. Va, June s.