Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-17
OPEN 1T ON SUNDAY.
REV. C. o. winners SERMON ON THE
SUBJECT or THE WORLDS FAIR
He Opposes the Petition Against ciosi"e
on the sabbatb-Day-Aiiow TO Others
the Same Rights You EuJoy.
fsnoc,,.I ,e,.eram 70 tho Dispatsn.l

JYSoHBuRo, Va, January 16.-Rev. y. b.
Wilmer, rector of the Epiphany church.
preached sermon in Grace-MemoE'hi
church last night, in which he took strong
grounds against the petition tnat was
gotten no here last week opposing the
opening Of the Worlds Fair on SUNDAY
Mr.. Wilmer said seldom. If ever. have
the people of this country been confront
ed with as grave question as tine one
now being discussed. To some people " is
a very simple question, and they explall
ii by saying that the Lord mas iorDluuon
IL il that were so II should settle the mat
Ter for all Christian people. They claim
that IL is in direct contradiction TO the
fourth commandment: but the covenant
which was made on MI. Sinai was after.
wards revoked and another covenant
made and we have no more TO 90 Win
thai Sunday law laid down then than We
have to do with the law forbiddipg tho
Jews to eat pork.
no LAW AGAINST T..
SO there is no law against the opening OF
the Worlds Fair on Sunday. But the
Christian SUNDAY does not rest on Una
fourth commandment (the covenant OF
which that formed part having been re,
pealed). but under law OF liberty
upon grounds of practical, expedtency-
the need of physical rest and spiritual eA-
ercise. Christians are forbidden 70 )uoge
others in such matters, and arc required
both bv Christianity and the spirit OF
American institutions to allow TO others
the same rights of conscience they them-
selves enjoy. IL is proposed bv inc
WorId's-Fair managers to shu- down Gil
machinery on SUNDAY; have services con
Quoted on the grounds by the best preaGE-
ers in every denomination open all gdlie-
ries of art have the finest music IN the
land. and have everything that pertains 10
the DEVELOPMENT of not only mans soul,
but his physical and mental welfare as
we'll and to assist building up clVillza-
ton which will stand prominent before the
world as O civilization Of soul ana Dody'
TO TORCy OTHERS.
The question il not how yOu should
spend Sunday. but whether you should
force Others to spend II III your way; 10
do this IS trampling under foot the loer-
ties of the people. and IL an outrage under
hioh Heaven Were the union OF State
and Church proposed II is safe TO say that
all in favor Of closing the fair 90 SUNDAY
would attack IL az If II had come from the
evil one. and vet they propose TO do some
thing which has no other logical founda-
ton. ,,,
II is claimed that Sunday is the bulwark
of Christianity.
NO SUNDAY LAWS.
How about before there were any laws
about Sunday observance, and that was
not until 321 A. D. And still before that
time were the days when the Christians
stood Grmest TO their faith and never
flnched under prosecutions of every KIND.
Christianity did not depend upon Sunday
laws then, because there were none.
Mr.. Wilmer hopes that If possible mass
meeting will be held during the present
week and a petition gotten up TO ask Cen
gress TO repeal the Sunday-closin condl-
ton attached to the Appropriation.