Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-19
SABBATH CLOSING.
OPPOSITION TO THE MOVEMENT TO OPEN THE
FAIR ON SUNDAY.
A Fairly Well Attended Mass Meeting al Inc
Fourth Street NJ. E. Church, Addressed BY
Mr. George and Others.

The mass meeting OF citizens OF
Wheeling, who are interested In the
opposition to the movement to open the
Worlds Fair on Sunday, which was
held at the Fourth Street NJ. E. Church
yesterday afternoon at three O'CLOCK
was fairly well attended. No tormai
action was taken, the time OF the meet
ing being devoted to discussion OF the
subject.
Rev. A. B. Riker, President OF the
Sabbath Association of West Virginia.
presided, and at the ope ming outlined
the purpose Of the meeting Rev. d.
J. II. Mcclure, pastor OF the United
Presby terrain Church, led in prayer
after which music was rendered. ). A
George, Of New Castle, Pa, Secretary
OF the American Sabbath Union, was
then introduced. Mr.. George talked
for three-Quarters Of an hour, and had
the sympathy Of his hearers thoughts.
He stated that the present movement
to secure the opening of the gates OF
the Fair on Sunday has drawn the
lines very closely in the matter. The
opposing forces are arrayed more clear
~. Those favoring the continental
idea are the railroads, the American
Liberty League, the Seventh Day Ad-
ventists, large portion OF the Roman
Catholic Church, and 'some other pro-
Tossing Christians" and the whisky
power. Opposed are the great bulk OF
the Christian people, and some patrlotlc
people, who are not professed Chrls-
tians, but are lovers Of good order.
He referred to the Sunday opening
association, organized In Chicago, with
Headquarters at the National capitol.
He quoted one sentence from a publica-
ton issued by them-''the question Is
of greater import than the Fair Itself"
and showed that the purpose OF the
organization was not simply 10 secure
the opening of the gates on the Sab
bath, but the breaking down OF the
American Sabbath. He referred to the
vote of 81 to 4, by which the directors
decided to keep the gates open, and
asserted that great many exaggera-
lions have found their way INTO print.
Mr.. Baker, the eX-president OF the
directors, said that nine-tenths OF the
people want the Fair open on Sunday,
and the New York Tribune says: ITO
close the gates will be contrary TO the
wishes OF a great majority OF the
people" On the other hand Senator
Hawley states that petitions have been
received by Congress representing 49,
600, 600 OF people, in favor OF Sunday
closing.
Mr.. George then took up the argu-
ments Of those who favored Sunday
opening. One was sympathy for the
working man. This' he regarded as a
mere ruse. 1t is estimated that be-
tween $4,000 aud 10000 men will De re-
quired to run the Fair, and they would
have to work on the Sabbath, that a
few thousand of their fellow-working-
men might be enabled to see the Expo
sition. To open, and Lot run the ma
chinery, would be a cheat-half
rations for full pay. The proposition
to have religious services on the
grounds is worse than the others. An
other argument is that If the gates are
closed the crowd would be thrown into
the saloons and upon the streets. The
speaker answered this by the assertion
that the people who remain in Chicago
over the Sabbath, are not the class who
frequent saloons, while on the other
hand the cheap Sunday excursions
would bring them to the city.
The fight, he said, is not simply one
for closing the gates of the Exposition
on Sunday, but it is fight for Gods
law, formulated in the Fourth Com
mandment. He quoted from Horace
Greeley's description Of the continental
Sunday in Switzerland, and stated that
the result would be the same in Amer
lea. He thought IL very important that
Congress should adhere TO it's action al
ready taken, because the Fair matter Is
a national one, and II the directors see
fit to defy Congress and open the Fair
the burden will rest upon them.
Some person asked Mr.. George what
course he advised in order to defeat the
movement to ask Congress TO reconsider
It's action. He replied that business
men who favor the closing Of the Fair
on Sundays, should address Hon. Nelson
Dngley at Washington, d. c., and all
their Congressman and Senators from
the State.
When Mr.. George had concluded,
Rev. Or. D. a. Cunningham, pastor OF
the First Presbyterian Church, spoke
briefly bat very earnestly. He ex-
pressed the conviction that the Fair Is
a national institution, and whether the
Chicago people want it open on Sunday
or not, majority of the people OF the
nation have a right 10 voice in the