The morning call., 1893-04-17
OPEN THE DOORS.
Rev. DR.. Stebbins on the
Worlds Fair Sunday.
HE WANTS The FAIR OPEN.
Sacred Day-How He Would
Observe 1t.

AT In6 tlrSJ Unitarian ClurcH last night
Rev. Horatio Stebbins delivered an ad-
dress under the lecture course of the On
ward Club on the relation of Sunday to
the Worlds Fair.
The speaker began his address by outlin-
ing the purposes of the Worlds Fair and
said it was one of the marked events of our
time and would be the most sublime. grand
expression of the power of man in peace
that the world ever saw. The question he
was to discuss was how shall this great
festiyity of nations observe the day known
as the Christian Sunday.
Il do not propose to consider the ques-
tion from an economic point of view," said
DIR. Stebbns, because | known nothing
about it. Neither do propose to discuss
its legal aspect. for do believe there is
legal bearing TO be considered, but / do
propose to look at the matter as it seems to
me that the high-minded, Intelligent, up-
right people Of our country are viewing it,"
Continuing the speaker said that he did
not believe there was single question that
could be proposed to the whole of the
American people upon which there would
be such unanimity of expression as that
OF abolishing the day called Sunday. The
whole people wanted it, and there would
not be the slightest prospect of success in
an attempt to do away with the day, bat
the whole people did not want the same
kind of Sunday, and in a land where the
voice Of the majority rules the question to
be considered is what kind Of a Sunday does
the majority want-in other worus, how do
the people look upon the day?
Sunday IS not of divine origin. Dr. Steb-
bins said, but originated with Moses as
sanitary measure when he was leading the
| children OF Israel through the wilderness.
He established the day as one of rest from
travel, during which the camp should be
cleaned, the braSts OF burden rested and
people have relaxation from all toll. IL was
a complete day of rest; but il must be re-
membered that rest in those days and rest
to-day means entirely different things.
ln the days of Moses rest was simple
thing, but to-day men have too many irons
In the fire TO take such rest, and if the man
OIL business, the woman OF society, the doc
tor, lawyer or teacher OF to-day was com
PEELED to rest as they did OF yOre. Sunday
Wonld become u day of torture.
The speaker traced Sunday on down
through the reign of Constantine until the
day became practically a liberal religious
holiday OF the Roman Catholic Church.
Then was established what is now known
as the European Sundav-a day during
which an hour or two was devoted TO prayer
and the rest OF the time TO amusement far
too often of a character harmful morally
and physically. The European Sunday had,
with the influx OF foreigners, been brought
to America, but with not the same license
The American idea OF Sunday in its strict
est sense should be relaxed.
Now what can Americans do with the
day? How turn il 10 the best advantage?
The idea that 1t is a sacred day is fiction.
1t IS simply a question as to whether or not
a certain portion of time shall be set apart
from the ordinary toll for worship: for
walks in shady woods, for music, art and
all that eleVates and edncates man and
gives him happiness without increasing
crime. Liberty Is not liberty when il be-
comes license. Tie trouble is that there is
] Erns mn har Of ,1n rssH,, ~.
how to enjoy day Of rest, but they are by
no means 4 majority"
Dr. Stebbins went on TO point out the fact
that 1t was the tendency to excesses by the
lew that worked hardship for the many
sunday cannot be legallZed. lis observance
or nOn-n hseryance must be left to society to
settle. Every man does not want 10 20 to
church on sunday. a very large class Of
people want 10 go but once TO worship on
that day How shall these people sUend
Sunday, their day Of rest? They want en-
| tertainment Why not then give TO them
the opportunity TO hear good music, read
good books in great libraries, and see the
masterpieces OF art9 All the opportunities
should be given. To those who want to be
outdoors open the parks aud make easy the
access to shady woods and stretches of
meadow and hillside, where God reignS quite
as much as IN the churches. In this way ex-
cesses and vices Will be avoided.
A to the Worlds Fair Dr. Stebbins said:
II am in favor of opening it Oh Sunday and
conducting 1t as people of pure taste and
upright conduct shall dictate. The thou
sands of employees in the Worlds Fair
should have Sunday, day OF rest, but the
thousands upon thousands of men and
women who can visit the fair only on the
Christian Sunday should not be deprived of
the pleasure and education afforded by the
grand exposition to those who are able to
visit it on other days. Let them work shit
for shift with the Worlds Fair employees
and thus give them their Sunday, but let
them open the doors of the great exposition
! TO the multltudes on that day as we'll. ! am
satisfied II the question was left to the
American people they as a people would
say Open the Worlds Fair on SUNDAY
II don't know of a man OF woman that
don't like Sunday or would abolish it, and |
believe that most of them use it rightly If
l were a layman and not a minister, and
work seven days in every week, do ynu
know how | would spend Sunday? | would
attend church once, not twice. during the
day and attend whatever church there was
wherever l happened to be. Then I'd take
walk or drive, or 90 TO see my friends, or
90 TO listen to fine music, or go to see a
beautiful painting. l wouldn't go horse
racing or buIl-fZhting, but Ia make the
day pleasant, not painful, one to my
children or nv wife and to myself. Sun
day is wonderful institution. Rub it out
and society is robbed of one of its dearest
possessions; but it is not a sacred day. 1t
is day that should be devoted to every
thing that raises man or woman above
the plane of animal life; day when men
are made morally and guirifuallU battar