Untitled article | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · October 16, 1890

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 5, No. 41

Sunday and the World's Fair.

The question of closing the World's Fair on Sunday is being agitated at the present time. It is insisted by a numerous and influential class of citizens that the Columbian Exposition to be held in Chicago in 1893, shall be closed to all the world on Sunday.

It is not the purpose of this leaflet to discuss whether the Fair shall or shall not be closed on Sunday, but to inquire what motive prompts the making of such a demand. On what ground is the demand that the Fair be closed on Sunday, based? Why not ask that it be closed on Monday? or why ask that it be closed on any day?

Sunday is regarded by a large majority of Christians as a religious day, and from these, and for religious reasons, comes the demand that the Fair be closed on Sunday. This is the reason the demand is made,—their religious views of the character of the day. The demand, then, is made by a class of religious people, from religious motives, and for religious ends. To their religious views they certainly have a right; but when it is insisted that the religious views of some, even though they be largely in the majority, shall be made a rule of action for all, another question at once arises,—

CAN A LAND OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ENFORCE RELIGIOUS VIEWS?

The World's Fair is not a religious concern. Others beside those who regard Sunday as a sacred day will visit it, and contribute to its support and success. Thousands may wish to attend it on Sunday who will not have an opportunity to do so on other days. Should the Fair be kept open, those who regard Sunday religiously need not visit it on that day: Their action in the matter would depend solely on their own choice. But to demand that the World's Fair shall be closed to all the world on Sunday, because some good people regard that day religiously, is unreasonable. What right have those who regard the hours of Sunday as holy time, to dictate how or where those who do not so regard them shall or shall not spend their time? With all respect to religion, it must be said that when its devotees assume such an attitude, they are taking unwarrantable ground.

This demand is not made in the interests of the Fair, or of the Nation, but to secure national sanction to certain religious views. It is prompted by the same spirit which demands a national Sunday law, and an establishment by law of a national religion. But—

IS CIVIL GOVERNMENT THE PROPER CONSERVATOR OF RELIGION?

The object of civil government is not to make its citizens religious, but civil. Religion pertains to a man's obligations to God and his well-being in another world. Civil governments are instituted to protect men in their rights in this world. It is not the province of religion to run civil governments. The Church has never assumed control of the State without persecution quickly following in its train. Forgetting their high calling, religionists have sometimes made it their chief business to meddle with worldly affairs, and sought to place civil governments on a religious basis; but all such efforts have invariably proved disastrous, both to religion and the governments.

The success of Christianity does not depend upon the closing of the Columbian Exposition on Sunday. Christianity is a great deal larger than Columbia or the Exposition, and Sunday-keeping is not all there is to Christianity. Christians differ as to which day is the Sabbath, some claiming the first, and others the seventh day of the week, and it is not the province of the Government to say which is right.

Aside from divine revelation, the strongest argument any one can make in favor of the day he regards as sacred is for him to keep it. The consistent course for those churches to pursue which regard Sunday as sacred time, is for them to prohibit their members from attending the Fair on that day, and discipline those who do. This they may do, and this is as far as they can consistently go. The membership of a church is the extent of its jurisdiction. It is not the business of churches to demand of nations, States, or principalities, that everybody shall be required to conform to their ideas and customs in religious matters. Any attempt in this direction is but a step toward a union of Church and State.—N. R. L. A. Leaflet.