The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-08-30
PRESIDENT THOMPSON,
Of the Ohio State University
Said to Favor Sunday Open
ing. But Denies 1t.

President Thompson, of the Ohio
State University, is also President of
the State Sabbath School Association.
A week or ten days ago, dispatches
were sent out from Columbus, stating
that DIR. Thompson was in favor OF
Sunday opening of the State Fair, and |
had gone to the Secretary of the Board,
and offered to accept place on the |
Sunday opening program.
This raised a vigorous protest from
Sabbath school workers and Christians
all over the State, and DIR. Thompson
received many letters. He replied,
stating that he had not favored sun
day opening, and that he had not asked a
place on the program. The fact that
he has not been given place on the
program, would indicate that he has
been m;srepresented.
The Toledo Blades Columbus cor
respondent, writing on the subject of
I Sunday opening, says:
president Thompson is acting in a
J very peculiar manner in the matter, if
, he has not been misrepresented. Last
: week, Secretary Miller said he came
into his office to deny that he was OPP
, posed to Sunday opening, and would
> be glad to take part in it. Mr.. Miller
> stated then that the President would
, be placed on the program, and later on
/, that he would offer the prayer.
q SIT is surmised that his brethren oi
: the church have been making his
J. mail hot with protests against his tax.
t ing part in the opening, and he feels
t that his connection with the States
great institution of higher education
y constrains him to hold aloof from
d what many regard as Sunday desecra
!, ltion.
J. "Rev. E. E. Rexford, of this city
= who is on the program for the oper
tSunday at the State Fair, in thee course
If of conversation with Secretary Mill
y Ter, of the State Board of Agriculture
e managed to say some things, which,
d correctly reported, are calculated t.
l. rouse the ire of the other ministers o
the gospel in this city.
s'Mr. Rexford did not understan,
why his name had been left off tn
program and inquired of the Stat,
Board.
- 81 believe that it is right to opel
the fair on Sunday" he said, '.and
do not propose to get my conviction
lfrom a lot of old women and schoo
), children over the state. have locke
over the so-called protests whicl
have been filed with the board agains
lopening the fair, and find that they ar
signed by Mamie, JESSIE Nora, an
other feminine diminutives, indicatin
that the signers are I'll Sunday schoe
girls, and do not represent the sent
ment of the state at all. Further,
i, have no doubt that many protes
"A might have been obtained in Bethls
,s hem against the Sabbath breaking {
., Christ our Lord if any one had bother
il ed to get them.
al 'tAs a result of Mr.. Rexford's pos
q, tion the state board has finally declare
10 that it will pay no attention to the pr
a tests procured by the Ohio Sabbat
n League, but will keep the fair open @
%. Sunday, as originally announced.
no "In Difference to DIR. Rexford, 'Ol
on Hundred has been taken from the pr
no gram as hymn for congregation;
,e singing, and America placed in il
a. stead. DIR. Rexford could not restrai
AT his Unitarian feelings sufficiently I
st join in or listen to the singing of tt
"a line, Praise Father, Son and Ho
,e Ghost" and as Secretary Miller woul
nj not permit the singing of the lint
70 that the Unitarians have substitute
,;s for these we'll known and general
al sung ones, it was decided to lay tt
u old hymn aside altogether.v