"YE OLDE ENGLISHE FAYRE."

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 61, 17 January 1883, Page 2

"YE OLDE ENGLISHE FAYRE."

TO THE EDITOB OF THE FEILDING BTAB. Sib, — For some time past there has been widely advertised in and around ' Feilding " Ye Old Englishe Fayre, for ye j benefitle of ye Church of Sainte John ye | Evangeliste," the advertisements ani nouncing " grand carnival, new dramas, | new pantomimes, new acts hy the clowns* j and dancing." And these things have j been carried out in tho "Fayre" in the | presence, and with the consent of tho «^ j authorities of the said Church. All will j sympathise with the Anglican congrega- | tion in their effort to reduce tbe debt on their Church. The members bf other , Churches will gladly return the sympathy shown them so freely by the Anglicans with the clergyman at their head. Every one would be glad to see St. John's Church free from all debt. But the proceedings at this "Fayre" have caused the question to rise in many minds in this town, (minds without the slightest leaning to Puritanism), " Are such things fitting modes of raising money for religious purposes ?" It may be very strongly questioned whether they would have the sympathy of that Saint to whom the Church is dedicated, who so forcibly condemned the love of the world and all that is iv the world, whether they are consistent actionsfor a congregation which Sunday after Sunday prays for grace to "live a sober, righteous, and godly life, to the glory of God's holy name." The answer generally given is "they are not." One, says "It looks very much as if the Church is coming over to the world, instead of winning it." Another, "It is worse than a theatre, for it is one in disguise," and since evcu a good object does not justify the means used to obtain it, it is felt by mauy that even were every penny of debt cleared off St. John's Church, still the Olde Fayre would be a weakening of, and hindrance to. the cause of pure and undefiled religion, already far too weak in this place.— And this makes me Sobbowfcl.