Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-06
WANT THE FAIR OPEN SUNDAY.
The German Evangelical Protestant Min
listers Formulate Petition.

The German Evangelical Protestant Min.
listers Formulate q Petition.
The German Evangelical Protestant Min.
fsters' Association, of the United States, has
issued a petition to the Board of Directors
of the Worlds Fair, asking that the Fair be
be kept open on Sundays from / P. N. This
petition has been indorsed by the ten
churches of that denomination in Pittsburg,
the officers OF the churches signing for the
churches and the members of the congreea.
tions also attaching their signatures The
grounds upon which the petition is based are
five in number. It is held that 1t is but lust
that the laborer, whose care for the main.
tainence of himself and family occupies six
days of the week and on these days makes q
visit to the Fair impossible, without great
pecuniary loss, such as the loss Of a davis
labor involves, should nave an opportunity
of seeing and studying the development Of
art and industry. The evening finds him
too tired to enjoy this privilege. For the
laborer. therefore. Sunday is not only the
best, but the only day for such visit.
The opening Of the Worlds Fair is not, as
has often been said, contrary to religion and
Christianity. Sunday is in no wise holier
than any other day in the sight Of the
eternal GOD. but every day is and should be
Christians celebrate in grateful acknowl-
edgement of the great truths Of salvation re-
vealed unto them, they should gather to up.
lift their hearts and minds to the Eternal
and to renew their aspirations. But not
religion alone, which when performed in a
perfunctory manner but lulls the conscience
into sleep and makes the affections super.
fetal, not religion alone inspires and en-
mobiles man, but the contemplation of the
creations of God AMI His greatness in art
and science rs we'll. In art and in the spirit
OF progress in all things beautiful should we
study the workings of Gods spirit and its
nrOQreSSiva deVeIOnm0nE
It is also held that the closing OF
the Worlds Fair on Sundays would
be violation Of the spirit of the
Constitution of the United States of Amer
ica, In which an observance of Sunday as .
holy day is no wise provided for. Our Con.
stitution does not intend to favor any re-
ligious opinion or any religious dogma un.
less indeed they coincide with the general
requirements of humanity. The Constitu.
tion never intended this. 1t would therefore
be as just to grant unto the disciples of All
non Christian religions the request to have
the Fair closed on that day which their re.
ligion makes a holy day. Our national and
State officials are bound by the Constitution
it may be in numbers and influence, to the
detriment OF the smaller and less influential
bodies of believers. Opening the Worlds
Fair on Sundays will promote virtue, while
closing it will probably have q tendency to
promote licentiousness. The crowds that
will no doubt gather at Chicago during the
OF the Fair would no doubt
easily be led to vice, while an open Fair
would give them opportunity for other and
nobler occupation and entertainment and r..
move much temptation.