The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-15

sABBATARIANS STRIKE a sNAG.
Meeting as which worlds Fair Sunday Clos
Ing Resolutions Were Voted Down.
CHICAGO. Dec. 14-The American Sab
bath Union suffered q defeat last night at
one of it's meetings. which so surprised the
leaders present that the incident was q
yeritabis sensation. 1t was an unexpected
blow, and the more grievous because IL was
administered BY n Of the most Sab
batarian of all Christian denominations.
lie Is a national convention, and arrange
ments were. made for four mass-meetings
throughout the city last night TO forward
the movement. One of these meetings was
held at the M. +. Church. South Park ave.
nue. and Thirty-third street. It was q small
mass-meeting. but everything went on
smoothly for q time. and the American Sab
bath had everything Its own way. DR.. IL.
II. George. q leade in the movement.
Dir. Locke and others advocated
Sunday. and vigorously denounced the eff
forts of the directors and the Mayor and
the Council TO have Congress open the fair
On Sunday. These were not unanimously
approved by "aTens," and clappIng OF
hands. No one looked for any opposition
10 q long set of resolutions which were be-
ing offered for Sunday closing. When the
reading was concluded. Rev. H. n. Axtell
put the resolution to q vote. To his sur
prise the yeas anc nays seemed equal The
chairman then said that q rising vote would
seem to De IN order. and he requested all in
favor of the resolution TO stand mp. They
~recounted 30 on their feet. All opposed
will arse SAID the chairman. The rest OF
the audience with the exception of four,
who seemed TO have no opinions on the
-. ~. .nA $ka noaror1 t0nE-
Sng around at the evident majority. paid
little attention to counting heads and de-
clared there were at least 50 against the
resolutions and. what seemed stranger, was
that many of them were women.
After o moment of wonder, the chairman
sald he would like to have some explana-
tion for she action of the majority, and
then the Rev. A. ID. Jones, editor of the
American Sentinel. of New York. the organ
of the ~Seventh-day Adventists, stood up.
and. despite Interruptions and questions,
made q long and aggressive speech. Per-
BDnaliy, he said. be would not turn over his
hand TO determine whether the fair should
be opened or closed on sunday. but he was
opposed 10 the resolution because it con-
demns the effort to have the fair opened on
theological grounds. and because Congress
had nc right, In the first place.. TO say
whether it should be opened or closed. The
action was unconstitutional because no
power on the subject of religion had been
delegated to Congress. The Fourth Com
mandment, he said. had been sent
mp for reading by Senator Quay
of the act, aud senator PETER was right
when he said the Senate was engaged in o
religious discussion as to whether the first
or seventh day should be observed as Sun
employment Of cbaplsins in Congress and
the army was unconstitutional, and Con-
eress could not IN any way establish or le-
gallze q Sunday law.
Then you are an inidel.n some one in
terrnpted.
mo. sir; I am q Christisn." Rev. Jones
replied. God never gave his pledge in ia
vor of Sunday. He always said the seventh
day was the Sabbath, and when you say
lie meant tie first day, where is your
tIr. Locke, DR.. George and others replIed
90 him, and the Rev. Mr.. Jones came back
with other argumenta-
The closing session of the union was held
to-day. In the morning q telegram wa
prepared and sent to. Washing ton urging
Congressman, and especially the committee
on the worlds fair. TO take no action TO re-
peal the Sunday closing provision of the
worlds fair bill. At the afternoon session
n resolution was adopted, and ordered sent
10 Samuel Gompers. president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. The resolution
Sid that the sabbath Union believed itself
representative of the Christian sentiments
OF America IN planting itself firmly upOn
the command of God TO remember the Sab
bath. Assurances were given of the unions
sympathy with the Federation of Labor
IN any wise move which had for its object
the elevation of labor. and the promise
was given that the union would not cease
until all leb0ring mon have received one
DAY in seven for rest. just before adjourn
ing. TO meet next year at Columbus. o., q
collection was taken to pay the expenses
OF the convention. A resolution was
adopted. IA the sense of the meeting, that
she sum of IS, 0U0,0 C0 be raised during the
coming Year for the purpose of carrying
on Sabbath work.
The following officers were elected: Pres
ident. Elliot +. Shepard, of New York;
general and corresponding secretary. Rev.
j. H. Knowles. of New York; general field
secretary. Rev. HI. II. George, of Pennsyl-
vania; treasurer. r III. Perlee. OF New York.