The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-04
WOULD LEAD TO WORSE.
DIR. Fair Thinks Sunday Concerts
Would BE nm Opening Wedge.

WouId BE an Opening Wedge.
Rev. DR.. James Y. Fair preached
strong sermon at the Independent Pres
byterian Church yesterday morning In OPP
position to the proposed Sunday band con-
certs in the Park Extension. Dr. FAIR
evidently views these concerts, even II
they are conducted on the highest posi-
Bile plane &C the opening wedge FOR fur-
tker aid more serious violations OF ms IN
depreciation of Sabbath observance, ana
Opposes them, principally, on this GROUND:
DR.. Fair said that it had been stated
that history travels in cycles and thae
conditions, obtaining in one age, are re-
peated in another, long distant IN point
OF time from the first He said that the
government of the world by cities, Whlch
once had been, seemed more than likely
to come again, and from the history II
the cities of the olden time he drew
lesson for the consideration of the cities
OF to-day
Along the Atlantic seaboard, he SAID
on the Pacific and the Gulf, cities are
springing up and constantly thriving anu
growing. rivaling in beauty and maritime
importance Venice, the pride OF the Aorl-
attic. In population, in wealth, In culture
and in power, the American cities are
the centers of the country, and they are
beginning to dominate it socially, intel
lectually and politically. So it is, deduced
Or. Fair, that the welfare of the country
at large is indissoluby linked with that
of its municipalities. Save the cities,
he said, land you save the country. Let
our cities become corrupt, and the oeatn
knell of our country is sounded.
DIR. Fair said it was essential TO the
well being of the government that the
observance of Sunday should be pure ana
wholesome. The spirit of religion. he con-
tended, was the only force adequate 10
the perpetuation of nation.
From the great cities of the past, Dr.
Fair drew a lesson and a moral. In Je-
rusalem, he said, the people had the
forms of religion and the Sabbath was
enthroned by law, but the spirit was
lacking-the Sabbath was desecrated and
defiled
Rome was called the Mistress of the
World" and certainly no city, so far rs
appearances went, seemed to be ouiit
upon firmer foundation. 1t was the de
parture of its people from the forms of its
ancient religion which reflected upon Its
national life and led to it's decay.
Athens was founded upon intellectual
greatness, but 1t, too. when it departed
from it's forms of worship lost its suprem-
acy among the cities and the nations of
earth and toppled to it's ruin.
THE great lesson to be cleaned from
the history of these cities" said DR.. Fair.
SIS that what the world needs is not art.
music or literature, for Athens had all of
these, but the saving grace of Jesus
Christ and the dynamic force of reli-
gion."
Dr. Fair said that decent and proper
observance of the Sabbath was the great
safeguard of religion. A country with
out Sabbath is a country without a re-
ligion, and a country without religion is
a country without a God. That country,
said DR.. Fair, can only be controlled by
brute force, if it is not so controlled, the
result is anarchy.
DR.. Fair made only passing reference
to the band concerts but what he said
was in disapproba ton. AS indicated above,
DIR. Fair does not so much disapprove of
Sunday band concerts, per Sc If they are
conducted on a high plane and the music
rendered is really of a sacred character,
rs of their proving the opening wedge
for other and more serious forms of vio-
lation of the strictly Christian accept
ance of the proper manner of observing
the Sabbath.