The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-18
Sabbath Morality.

Sabbath Morality.
The opening OF the grdun.s and buildings
Of he Worlds Fair at Chicago TO the gen.
ersl public on the Sabbath day, as on
other days, practically means great in-
crease in the amount Of actual labor per
formed on that day, as the natural ana ne
cessary consequence OF such policy. IL
means an immense crowd OF people coming
into and going out OF Chicago on the SAD
bath during the continuance OF the fair, 70
be accommodated and provided Tor by the
toll of others. " als0 means the running OF
extra railroad trains during the day md In
the evening, TO furnish the requisite facili-
ties for transportation 10 and IRON the city
IL means an extensive system OF trading
and traffic going on in the Fair grounds on
The Sabb nth as on other days. II means
the serious disturbance OF the good order
and general quietude Of the Sabbath In
Chicago, contributing largely to impair the
character Of the day, even as day OF rest,
and making the city for the time being q
sort Of second Paris on the Sabbath Day, or
/. ROckaway Beach on huge scale.
Such is about the spectacle that for seve-
raj months would be presented to the peo-
pie of Chicago. and also TO the country, IN
the event that the grounds and the build
lngs OF the great Fair should be kept open
In visitors on the Sabbath-dAy. The hotels
and grog.shOps in Chicago, and alse rail.
road companies, would doubtless profit BY
the policy; but their profits would be at the
expense Of gcc i order and a proper regard
for the sanc1. y Of the Christian sabbath,
and pr0lohgued misuse and demoraiika-
ton Of the day in the city OF chicago. No
one can pretend that the policy, in any true
ana proper sense, can be justified on the
ground of either necessity" or mercy"
and If not, then II would be a decoration OF
the sabbath, offensive TO the conscience OF
Christian people, and would, as We believe,
he an open and defiant violation OF the Sab
batical law OF God.
The American people are greatly debtors
le the elevating and purifying influences Of
the Christian Sabbath for their genera
character aud also for the political and re-
ligious institutions which are alike theiI
common inheritance from the past ans theil
common blessing In the present. A day
| that in It's m'nistratiOn, and by the grace o.
! Cod. has done so much for them, and which
moreover, commentaries the resurrection
| of our blessed Lord. and which, for this rea
son. Is in the bible.designated as "the Lord'I
| DayO ought not TO be thus perverted anC
dishonored. There is absolutely no necessi
~ for such course, except that which
human deprayity creates, but cannot poe
sibly Justify. 1t would be better to have NJ
fair at all than thus TO prsfane 1.-THE Lsrd''
Day"
we have already made our protest on thi'
subject, and should those who have the di
rect control OF the matter decide TO open thu
| Fair Grounds on the Sabbath we shall con
time the protest. We call upon the Chris
iian pulpits and presses Of the country u
! sneak out on the subject, and to do so II
season 10 make their influence felt In thu
right sc ttlement Of the question. They will
lind some excellent texts for stirring dis
courses In the letters Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives elsewhere published. TIT
"higher law" Of God should furnish the rul
for its decision. There is no danger, not tn
least in the world, that the American peo
ple will be too stringent in regard 10 tn
sanctity of the Sabbath or the obligation o
lis religious observance. Their great dan
ger lies in the opposite direction.-Nev