Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-05-19
Why Should the Columbian tx
position be Closed on Sun
daU

In the HERALD of May 18th, an ar
ticle appeared mot on Sunday" cop
led from an eastern exchange.
This question of closing the Worlds
Fair on Sunday is quite largely agi-
tated at present But we ask, what
right has anyone to say it should be
thus closed. or that the government
should not give just as much if it be
opened? From what source does this
one and one half million dollars come
Is it made up alone by those who OBJ
serve this day? Does the speaker
know that there are millions of tax
and revenue payers that do not re-
gard Sunday above any other work
ing day? The speaker says he will
not vote one dollar unless the Sabbath
be observed by the management" Is
not the boycotting spirit manifest in
this? To be sure the Sabbath is sa-
cred, hallowed by the great Creator,
but where, Mr.. Speaker, do you find
any sacredness attached to the first
day of the week, the venerable day
of the Sun, any more than Monday, a
day set apart for moon worship
| Would you not remember the golden
rule, and allow thousands of good
people of this commonwealth, who
labor through the week, to receive at
least one days benefit from these
world wide exhibits on the only day
which they can attend9 Or would
you close its gates and deprive these
oYer-worked laborers from enjoying
their rights in a free country, and by
so doing throw thousands of people
into the hands of the saloon-keepers
and the merclless clutch of the gam
bier? Could not those conscientious
Sunday keepers go to church if the
gates were opened? Or must We
close the gates to compel christians
to carry out their religious convic
tons? We seem to forget that i'm
| mense sums of money are paid each
year by non-christians to support
churches, both directly by their OWL
free will, and indirectly by rent on
lands set apart for the support of the
mInistery. And if the state thus helps
the church, why should not members
of the church do their part in sustain
ing an institution which IS for the
benefit of all the people, no matter
what their faith may be? Surely
christians should not object to help
sustain such an instructive and bene-
fetal institution as the Columbian
Exposition. Who ever told man OF
corporation to close business on Sun.
day? The law of God is silent, the
constitution of the United States il
silent. The state has nothing to Ok
with religion or religious institutions
except to protect all in their equa
rights. The constitution of the Uni
ted States, the red, white and blue
(the emblems of our civil and relig
ious liberty with protection granted
by our fathers who gave their live
{ for our freedom. These have caused
millions to flock to our shores. No
simply the observance of the first da.
of the week There IS not 1.-THE o
5 the people of this commonwealth, VIII
= keep Sunday sacred. A large pc
cent. of our taxpayers do not keel
any day; therefore, we ask, why tn
Columbian Exposition should not b
J. opened to all classes who will atten'
from every nation on the globe, o
every day of the week and let all re
ligious persons remain away on an
7 day they choose to worship.
. For RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.