New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-13
Sunday OPENING OF TIE TORLDS FAIR

In his article in the October Forum" Bishop
Potter gave it as his opinion that majority
of the Christian people of the country are prob
, ably not in favor Of opening tho Worlds Fair
On Sunday II that statement Is correct-and
the opinion Of 50 intelligent a man as Bishop
Potter is entitled t. great weight-hs sug-
gestions in "Tho Forum" and In the current
Century can have only speculative interest.
He does not indeed urge the opening of the
Worlds Fair on Sunday. On the n'rary. he
saws: IF it is TO be a question between the
complete closing of the Exposition and such a
surrender Of il 10 secular Uses on Sundays a~
makes no discrimination between sundays and
weekdays then. for one should be in favor
of tho most rigorous closing Of every door"
But he thinks that the Fair might be made
to minister 10 the artistic moral and religious
education of the people on Sunday To most
Of u.s. he says, that day Sunday stand,
SlIpremcly IL an institution OF religion. But
for what is religion, if it be not for the rcvcla
ton and incubation of moral ideals? IL may
have, most surely it has other uses but this, no
less surely, is prc-cmincnt among them. And
so if. when Sunday came 10 the Exposition in
Chicago il could be assumed that in some great
hall in the midst of it there would be some
worthy and impressive presentation of these
if the Nation should summon it3 ablest and
most eloquent teachers, and bid them do for
us the Prophets work amid such profoundly
interesting and suggestive surroundings, it
would hardly summon them in vain" And then
he draws a graphic picture of tho multitudcs
from hamlet and village and prairie" lifted
for little while on the wings Of grand and
majestic harmonies," as they listened 10 the
great masters Of melody.
Now, as to all this there arc Just two things
to he said. First, if majority of the Chris
tan people does not want the Fair open on
Sunday for any purpose, the wishes Of the
majority should be respected, even if we think
it mistaken. Indeed, Bishop Potter himself
recognizes this principle. In the second place
the Bishops scheme could not be practically
carried out. Doubtless the eloquent teachers
and prophets he speaks OF could be Obtained
if the remuneration was sufficiently liberal: but
crowd is crowd the world over. whether il
is in Trafalgar Square, Concy Island or Chi
cago and it would be simply impossible TO get
the crowd at the Worlds Fair on Sunday 10
listen intelgently 10 Bishop Potters eloquent
teachers and prophets, especially if they be-
came at all "preachy," As they naturally and
properly would, when the subject demanded it..
A few seasons ago some of the Concy Island
hotel managers hired number of "crark"
preachers TO preach % the crowd on Sunday
mornings in the rotunda. They supposed that
everybody would flock to hear these cloouent
and well-known men. But In this tA,y were
utterly mistaken, and the scheme was soon
given up as failure.
SO it would be at the Worlds Fair The
Bishop means well, and his suggestion might
be uscfully carried out in some form on week
days in connection with the Fair for the benefit
of the comparatively small number Of thought
full people who could appreciate it, But il
would be utterly thrown away on the average
crowd which would patronize the Fair ON SIM
day, most of whom would not care in the least
to be educated and others of whom would be
too hurried and absorbed in the task Of slght.
seeing to sit down calmly and listen to the
academic instructions of any teachers. preach
ers or prophets, however inspired or eloquent
they might be. The proposition to open the
gates of the Fair to the public on Sunday. but
not to allow any business to be transacted or |