Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-09
CLOSE UP ON SUNDAY
OPPOSED TO OPENING THE WORLDS
FAIR ON THE SABBATH.
Strong Speeches Made by Drs. Hogo and
Newton and Resolutions Adopted by
tho Evangelical Alliance.

tho Evangelical Alliance.
A meeting of the Christian Evangelical
Alliance was held last night at the First
| Presbyterian church. and despite the fact
that the weather was unusually bad the
main auditorium of the edifce was well
filed. Rev. DIR. W. V. Tudor presided,
| and among the ministers who occupied
seats on the pulpit we're Rev. Drs. Hoge,
Kerr, Landrum, and Newton, and Rev.
Messrs. Jabez Hall. L. A. Cutler. and l.. B.
Turnbull. Mr.. b. NJ. Quarles acted as sec
| retary.
| After the devotional exercises and be-
| fore the regular business of the meeting
| commenced DR.. Kerr offered O resolution
| of respect 20 the memory OF Rev. Dr.
| Joshua Peterkin. II was adopted by
| rising vote.
DIR. Tudor expressed his pleasure at the
| good attendance and spoke briefly con-
| cerning the objects of the alliance. lie
also referred 10 the frequent violations of
the Sabbath and stated that the subject
OF the evening was The Columbian Ex-
position and the Sabbath Observance in
| Connection Herewith"
DE-. NEWTON DISCUSSES SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.
He stated that Bishop Randolph, who
was expected to discuss the subject, had
| been unavoidably prevented from attend
| ing the meeting, and introduced Rev. Dr.
! John Is. Newton in his stead. The speaker
said that God had emphasized the law that
| the Sabbath should be kept holy, and that
! in oil the history of Israel there WAS not
| an evil more constantly rebuked than the
| failure 70 observe Gods holy Sabbath. All
| through Christian ages Gods people have
| honored one day IN seven, and there Is no
| country on the globe which has more truly
| observed His holy ordinance than this.
Even in Colonial days the religion OF
| Jesus Christ was the prominent feature OF
our political social. and domestic work
| God had blessed this country as he has
| blessed only few, and now we invite the
world TO attend our Exposltlon-to see
| what we have done and to view our achieve
ments.
shall we present ourselves in our great
| est possible aspect, and yet be but little
| better than savages in that which Is spirit
ual 7" asked the speaker. think you Will
say nay. Instead of keeping the Exposi-
! tion open on the Sabbath, tabernacle or
| tabernacles ought to be erected IN Chicago
and Sunday services held.
DIR. Newton said that he did not believe
| the statement that there were many labor
| ing people in Chicago and nelghborlng
cities who could not attend the fair unless
II was opened on Sunday, but even II this
| were go we should hear God and not men,
and the few so affected should not be con-
sldered. The managers of the Exposition
should be made TO bow to the Will OF the
great American citizens, for the Christians
| were the great citizens.
THE SABBATH DIVINE IDEA.
DR.. Tudor next introduced Rev. DIR. III.
| D. HOge, whom be appropriately styled
''the Nestor of the Richmond pulplts."
| DIR. Hoge said that there was divine ar
Cument in the tact that from the begin
nIng of time man had observed one day
out of every seven as an occasion OF rest.
| There was nothing, as far as nature was
concerned to distinguish the Sabbath
from any other day; therefore, 1t followed
| that II could not have been human ne
| cessity, but was necessarily divine idea.
| The Sabbath IS the great prop OF every
| thing good IN religious and domestic life.
| IL Il the base, the column, and the
capital of the pillar that supports
righteousness. 1t is the agent and
| instrumentality through which the
| Church performed its great functions.
Without il the great enterprises OF Chris
| tian beneyolepce cannot be executed.
| Therefore We recoil from everything that
| Is against its observance. II the sanctity
| OF the Sabbath is destroyed the churches
| might as we'll be shut, and the influences
| of the Sabbath schools would be oblite-
rated. lake away the Sabbath and the
strongest prop of civil law will fall az
once. for il 3 the basis upon which civil
government rests. For this reason our
SUNDAYS have the protection OF the law.
DIR. Hoee said there would be $4,000 en-
ployees in the Exposition buildings, and
| should the Sabbath be violated these would
| be kept working seven days In the week.
| Even minorities had rights. But It Is not
| a small minority concerned in this great
question. There are 100000 professed
| Christians i'll this country, and 1t needs
| nothing but cooperation and unity on
| their part TO control that Exposition and
prevent national disgrace. Though
there were 1000 English-speahng e1hiol-
| tors at the Paris Exposition, less than 100
| displayed their wares on the SABBATH.
Should these precedents be abandoned
| The Lord forbid.
The speaker said that mono but the dis
reputable would visit the Exposition on
| Sundays. He then pictured the terrible
mepace which such state OF AFFAIRS would
| bring into Chicago. and III conclusion
| added :" Let US love. cherish, and defend
| the day connected with our dearest asso-
Citations, which carries us back TO Eden,
and forward, onward, upward to the place
where happier flowers than Eden's bloom" "
STRONG RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
DIR. Kerr offered the following resolu-
| tious: -.
| lovers of the Christian sabbath that the Column
| bian Exposition TO be held IN Chicago next year
NAV be opened to the public on the Lords DAY,
| and whereas we believe that 10 open the h1posi-
ton on theday Of rest would DO sin against the
great number OF employees TO De connected
| herewith, against the Christian sentiment OF the
| nation, and the INV OF God
Il fhrfa all
| assembled for the purpose, without regard TO
| denomination, earnestly aud respectfully beg
| the authorities having charge OF our natlonai
| celebration Of the 400th Anniversary ot the dls'
| coyery OF America TO close the doors OF the
| great Exposition this one day IN seven out OF re-
gard for tho best interests OF man and for the
glory Of God. ,,
Rcsoirsi, That a copy OF this resolution be
| furnished the papers OF this city and that the
resolution itself be sent to the directors OF the
| Columbian Exposition.
DIR. W. w. Parker said that it would be
hest not to hold the Exposition ct all If the
Lord's-Day was to be profaned. lie sug,
pested that the resolution be SO amended
as to express tbs sentiment on the part OF
the meeting. DIR. Landrum opposed the
amendment, which, he said, was unneces-
sarv- He added that he saw in the papers
that the Legislature of Kentucky had de
! c,ded that even should the doors OF the
| Fxposltion be open on Sundays the build
inc of their State must be closed. If II
came car TO the worst the Old Dominion
could follow the example of Kentucky and
refuse to allow their building to be KEPT
open on the sabbath.
The resolution was adopted. and after
the discussion OF several routine matters
the meeting adjourned.
Animal, Tea at the Woman's Exchange.
. The parlors of the Woman's Exchange
presented a striklngly pretty scene las