St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-09
FAVORS OPENING.
Senator Stevens Delivers a Tren-
chant Address on the Com
ing Exposition.
Not Being a Church Affair, II
Should Be Viewed and En-
joyed by Everybody.

Hon. II. +. Stevens made one OF those
seasODable addresses for which be is
celebrated at st. PauPs church, corner
of Ninth and Olive streets, last night, TO
very appreciative audience. on the
question of Sunday opening OF the CO.
lumbar exposition. Mr.. Stevens, while
allowing the greatest liberty of opinion
to other people in regard to this ques
ton, is strongly in favor OF having the
exposition open to the public Sunday.
He said. in effect, that this should be
called a talk from a hereto. For
$500 years there was no mention
of the Sabbath in the Bible.
1t was spoken of first IN
the account of the journey of the Is
raelites from Egypt to the promised
land. When the showers or mamma were
sent to feed the people, they were COM
manded to gather on the sixth day
enough of the heaven-Sent food to last
over the seventh day. so that they might
be able to observe the seventh day as
day of rest in memory of the long cap
tivIty in Egypt, where they had done so
much hard work with never season of
rest. But it was the seventh day that
they were told to keep, and the Jews
still keep the seventh day, not the first.
This was 1891 Is. c.
The apostle Psul speaks often of the
Sabbath and its obServances. He says:
Let no man judge you as to the Sabbath,
but let every man be guided by his own
conscience in the matter, or words TO
that effect. If the exposition were an
affair of the Christian church it would
be different. but it is not. 1t is an eX-
al fn of
growth and prosperity and wonderful
development of our country, its progress
in liberty as well as in manufactures
and other things. | would be in favor
of the largest liberty in religious matters
at the fair. | would have every form of
religious belief represented there, from
the Chinese joss house to the highest
and most intellectual form of religious
belief the world knows, and | would
present TO the world a spectacle Of per-
feet religious liberty.
But it seems to me the proposition to
shut the doors in spite of the wishes of
very large part Of the citizens of the
United States is all example of religious
Intolerance that we should be very slow
to exhibit TO the world. 1t has been
said that if the fair is kept open on Sun
day. it should be kept open Sunday
night as well, il the people are to be
kept out of evil by its influences on that
day. do not know how it will be with
others, but as for myself, after being
there only half day viewing all those
temples that are erected to the glory of
God as much as any that ever were
built, though they have not been eSpe-
cially dedicated to His service, and view
ing all those wondrouS works of art that
He has put it into the minds of men
to execute, rest at home in bed was the
only attractive thing TO me. All the
faculties of mems minds will be so en-
ployed that rest will be all that they
desire. The decision in this matter
should be left to the state Of Illinois. 1t
is her jurisdiction, and she should con-
troll it. 1t is to be hoped that this queS-
ton that has been agitating the minds
of our people so long, and that congress
has adjourned without fully settling,
will be left to the conScienceS of the
people. as il should be.
The rector, Rev. John Wright, after
thanking Mr.. Stevens tor his address,
said that the church was divided on this
question, Bishop Gilbert and large
part of the church people thinking the
fair should be closed on Sunday, and
Bishop Potter and another large part of
the church thinking it should he OPP
ened. He thought that it would be
well to have the exposition open in the
afternoon, but TO have the machinery
stopped. The church, however, leaves
this question to the conscience of the
people, only hoping that, no matter
where they were, they would remem-
Der that they were church men, and act
accordingly.