Rock Island daily Argus., 1893-06-17
THE SUNDAY FAIR.
Discussed from the Standpoint
Of the laynan.
VIEWS OF ADAIR PLEAsANTs

Practical as Well as Conservative
Manner An Interesting Communica-
tion The Fair Worth Seeing as a Means
of Instruction At All Events.
Rock ISLAND, June 17.-Editor of
THE ARGUS: In your last Saturdays
issue several of the ministers of our
city churches expressed their views
upon the question of opening the
Worlds fair on Sunday. These have
been called to my attention since my
return from a visit to the great fair
where l enjoyed two of the most pro-
fitable and happy Sundays of my life.
NV only apology for offering further
contribution to discussion which
may perhaps have grown wearisome
to the public is. first, that l do not
think discussion of this matter should
be left entirely to the clergy as if it
were a theological or doctrinal ques-
ton. and their views of the subject
ONLY were valuable or should govern;
and. second, that having an expert
mental knowledge of the actual infiu-
ence of an open Sunday fair upon
those who attend it, / may fairly
claim some advantage over those
who have formed and expressed their
views without such knowledge. sun
| day observance is practical ques-
| ton, and not a theoretical one. This
| was conclusively established as to
| anv day recognized as day of rest
| two thousand years ago by the great
| est of teachers when he plainly told
| the Pharisees .sthe Sabbath was made
| for man. not man for the Sabbath
| 1t is difficult therefore, to see how
| this practical question can be settled
| bv arguments a priori or why the
| views of those whe have never at
| tended the fair on Sunday nor per-
! haps on week day should be entitled
| to much respect. They are. indeed,
in very much the same position as
| that OF the respected clergyman OF
this city who few years ago in
dulged in public denunciation of
that among the most delightful and
innocent of earthly pleasures. dane
ing. The many who had been in the
habit from childhood of dancing with
the girls with whom they had grown
| their own sisters and other boys,
| sisters s-w without thought of wrong
or the faintest imagining OF lndeh-
cacy or impurity, felt that the rev
erend gentlemen. while undoubtedly
sincere and led by the highest mo-
| tives, was nevertheless talking about
something. he knew nothing about;
that lacking experimental knowledge
of the subject he had rendered hls
verdict upon hearsay evidence alone
| and that. too, from sources unworthy
OF respect. Either this was true or,
| supposinr him to have had a person
al experimental knowledge OF the
| subject. he confessed his mind and
l. TO al
| of impuritv of which his friends and
| admirers were loath to suspect him.
OF the two alternatives, both he and
his friends would prefer the former
| Advantages of Personal Observation
Those who having never attended
| the fair. either on week days or Sun
day, assail its opening on the hrst
day of the week as vielative of, and
| destructive to the Christian Sabbath,
would do well to put the matter TO
the test of a personal observation OF
the influence of this most wonderful
and beautiful exhibition upon those
who seek its wonders and beauties
| on the first day of the week, COM
lmonly called Sunday. Conceding
| entire conscientiousness and sinceri-
ty to those who oppose Sunday open
inu (which. however, be it said, is
more than many of them concede, to
us who favor it) believe they are
mistaken in their premises, and pre-
dict that they will change, or partial
Ilv modify, their views after they have
learned what the fair really is. On
| both Sundays of my own visit, there
were perhaps $4,000 people on the
| grounds OF this vast throng | saw
| not single person under the lnfu-
| ence of liquor, nor did | witness the
least boisterous conduct on the part
| of man, woman or child. The peo-
| pie were, on the whole, quieter and
less inclined to laugher or conversa-
| ton than people generally are IN go
inc to or returning from church.
The majority of them were evidently
hard working men, belonging to the
| class who could ill-afford to lose
dav's wages They were there III
| their best clothes and on their best
behavior, there with their wives and
children. They had come there not
tn drink and carouse, but to see, to
learn. to wonder and to be inspired
to better things. Everything they
saw there was calculated to with
draw their minds from their business,
their cares and their troubles, TO
wholly change the current of their
thoughts and feelings, and put them
in a channel apart from their week
day avocations, and thus the day be-
| came to them in the truest sense,
day of rest. And as all they saw
| tended to awaken the best feelings
| of which they were capable. quicken
their highest aspirations and teach