St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-18
The Opening of the Worlds
Fair on the Sab
bath.
Rev. w. S. Wallis Pertinent
Remarks on This Sub )95
ject.
How the Problem Should Be
Viewed by Sabbatarians
and Others.
No Harm Will Be Done by
Running the Fair Sum a.
day. n

Rev. w. S. Vail. in his sermon yester-
day morning before the First UNIVERSAL
ist society at the Grand opera house,
touched upon topic of national inter
est at the present time-the question of
closing the worlds fair on Sunday. He
said:
As the time for the opening of the CoIum.
blan exposition draws near we are more and
more impressed with its importance, and the
mind, by natural movement, recalls the
past and forecasts possible future, the re-
suit being the study of many questions that
bear on our national life. The glance of re-
troSpection carries US backward to the time
when the world was shaking off the lethargy
of long sleep; when it was looking for
something as through mist, and yet lacked
any certainty of vision; when Its best minds
were cropping for something. but had found
no adequate conception of what they hoped
to find. 1t was followed by the age of am
bition, which produced a Phillip IL, and the
long and bloody contention that ended in
the establishment of the Dutch republic. the
overthrow of the invincible Armada the re-
formation. a little later, of Luther. 1t was
the period When men we're preparing them
selves for the mighty movement in the name
of liberty that have since been made. With
its face toward the future it is considering
the problems that are being driven home by
the conditions of the present time. 1t is
bordering the problem of our national life.
1t is wondering whether we shall be able to
digest all we have taken into our national
stomach, and whether we shall be able to as
simulate it with ease. 1t is listening to the
call of distress. 1t is observing that our rapid
growth has developed methods of morality
that are in every way questionable. And it
sees in our success the greatest
Triumph of All Ages;
for il we succeed, the representative Ameri-
can will be the ideal citizen of the world
But of all the thoughts pressed home to the
minister today, there Is none of more i'm
portance than the subject of opening or clos
ing the exposition on sunday.
For those who would close it have the
highest regard generally speaking. l believe
them to be actuated by good Intentions 1
think they number section of the best peo-
pie we have, and are in the main persons
who are to be respected in their opinions, OF
those who would open it much may be favor
ably said. Some of them want to show an
independence of spirit Some of them are
simply indifferent. But many of them also
are men of the highest class. As an example
to the world it would depend entirely upon
the way people behaved themselves on the
decency and order with which the place was
carried on. And then if all the representa-
tiyes they send are like many of them they
would think it exceedingly prim under the
most open policy. al
But consideration of the theme is very
practical. Three questions seem to me nee-N
essary to bring it before the mind Where
will the 10000 people who would attend be
on sunday II the exposition is closed? In
choosing between two imperfect things, thea
what must decide US? Cannot a quietness
and order be insisted upon, and music and
even z
Preaching BE Introduced,
that will make the place the best place out
side of few others TO spend the day? And j
this is TO be remembered as measure of ex-
pediency, considering the possibility of an
alternative that may be worse. Besides the
a hu hn1f nf 0F 81
preacher that the exposition will be opened.
protest or no protest.
Before going another stepI want to saySj
that do not think a moments attention
should be paidto any argument that is SIM
ply produced because it represents a. Jradi--l
t1onal belief. The reason why Sunday should
be observed at all is that man is in some wav
be Melted thereby; and then we are to settle
the further question of what man is and
what we mean by benefit to him, when we
shall have foundation on which to build.
The only reason then why Sunday is OBJ
served at all is that il is for the benefit of
man. This strikes directly at the theory that
it is for the glory of God in any other sense
than as the glory Of God is fostered by the
best development of man.
What then, should we make a Sunday at
the exposition or elsewhere? | think we
may say that it should be day of rest. of
stimulating thought on noble themes of ex-
ample that will lead those who might initiate
to do something that will help instead or
harmlng themselves Iwould make it day of
rest for more than one reason, and chiefly
because l think that most men need it in
every way. There is a physiological law that
is to be thought Of The hotelsin California
and Florida are filled with men who might
have been saved had they rested in time
And then most OF US have the feeling of
being
Chased and DriVen
from the beginning to the close of the week.
| have seen the fox, hard pressed by hunters i
seek moments rpftIpa the riiOn hQfnra
he chose his future course; than hurredly
taking an account of the situation he was of
again Most of us have a consciousness of
having all we can do to keep away from the
dogs during our business experience 1t
may not be quite SO bad with us as with poor
Reynard, but II is bad enough. So on Sun
day we need to relax. We need to go and be
where 1t is quiet We want to be by the
lakes and the streams: among the flowers and I
under The trees. We should 60 to church
where we can see men and women. where
We can sing and listen to music. We should
sit at home quietly. If 1t is to mean rest, all
bo1sterouSness and ali undue and noisy dem
onStration, all amusements that take away
the rest feature, will distract from the value
OF Sunday. But it should be q rest with n
promise of thoughtfulness
presume the exposition will be open
Sunday. And am sure that it can be opened
IN such way as TO make it rest day 10
most people. There may be music in the
various buildings that will awaken noble
sentiment. There may be an atmosphere
about it all that will lead men to forget Them
selves for the hour. We can hardly expect
it to take on the atmosphere of church.
but We may at least expect the two features
OF which have spoken-quietness and good
music And while have no disposition 10
demand the Puritan day. | think we may ask
to see things done in such way that the
lives OF the young may not be harmed DIV the
action of the management
Twenty-First at the .sPlymouth,'
n