SWISS FAIR.

Evening Star, Issue 7360, 4 November 1887, Page 4

SWISS FAIR.

The Swiss Fair *»ojv being held in the Choral Hall in aid of the funds of All Saints' Church was largely patronised last evening, the hall being crowded with visitors. That the various stall-keepers were kept busily employed in disposing of their wares is shown by the fact that the takings during the evening amounted to L6O. The musical aids to the affair were much appreciated ; Mr Macleod Smith's orchestra playing some excellent selections, some part songs being given in capital style by the same gentleman's glee class, and the Chinese musicians creating much amusement by the grave and earnest manner in which they executed their quaint melodies. During his address on the occasion of declaring the Farm open, Bishop Nevill said that since some words of his were uttered about a year ago on the subject of bazaars, fancy fairs, etc., as means of raising money for Church purposes, he had been •quoted up and down the country, and even • in Australia, as holding the opinion that a bazaar was a wicked thing. He need hardly say that nothing be had uttered could justify that impression ; he did not entertain such an opinion for a moment. There was a great difference between saying a bazaar v/as a wicked thing and saying that it was not the best way of obtainiug money for religious (Purposes. No one could suppose that he thought it wicked for ladies or others to spend their time and devote their talents .and energies to further some religious purpose. This motive was good, and he was glad to find there were so many in that room to contribute in this way for the advantage of All Saints' Church. But he might ask the question: What did people really come to bazaars for as a rule ? He «sould not persuade himself, from their wanner generally, that their primary object was to assist the cauae in which the bazaar was held to any extent at all. If anyone approached with an article of an attractive character, they would shelter themselves behind the broader shoulders of somebody else, and if that was not possible they would immediately be attracted in an enthusiastic way by some object at the other end of the r«om.— (Laughter.) He believed if such people were asked why they went to a bazaar, the answer would be " For fun." Now, he was not there (to say that amusement and entertainment of a i legitimate character were to be deprecated, but he wished to say that such persons could cot profess to be helping forward in any way the particular object for which the bazaar was held; and if bazaars were held only in the interest* of such persons they would generally be failures. These remarks applied to visitors only. But he tnight again ask what was the reaj motiye for which bazaars were held, and the reply, j he assumed, would be to obtain money for «ome religious or charitable purpose which would not otherwise be obtained. That was where his criticism came in. He did not object to any legitimate amusement; and would go further, and say that he would not be at all shocked if Church officers were to devote a considerable portion of their time to catering for the legitimate amusement of the young people of their flocks. But it was probable, as already said, that bazaars were held to obtain money for some religious purpose which it was strongly suspected people would not give to the object itself without any intermediate agency, and it was to this he took objection ; because the object in view should really be considered, and it was : far better, if that object was deserving of support, to give directly rather than by any intermediate agency at all. When the Juestion was examined, if it was as e said, it would be found that they might define a bazaar as a kind of pillgilding process something to gild over a pill and make it acceptable. He haa said sufficient, therefore, to explain why he had objected, and did still. object, to bazaars as being the best ~mode of obtaining money for church pur iposes; but while he held that opinion, it I "was-notoorreot to oonclude that he thought 4 feuMr altogether wrong in itself or'

wicked. Ho held merely that it was an unphilosophical and bad plan of raising money, and would in the long run work badly. On philosophical grounds it was bad, because it would be found necessary to keep piling on the excitement or else people would not go there; and it would be a bad thing for clergymen, church officers, and ladies to have to flagellate their brains from year to year to provide some new excitement in order to bring people together, and obtain the money required for the objects of the Church. So for these reasons he could not say that he sympathised generally with bazaars for Church purposes; but he was not there that evening to speak discouragingly to those who had labored for the object in hand, and he would repeat that the efforts of the promoters of bazaars in themselves were praiseworthy in the highest degree. When they had labored hard, as so many of those present had done, it would be extremely unkind, ungenerous, and unsympathetic on his part to allow a word to escape him that would seem to imply a slight du their endeavors. Aud to the visitors he would say that there was such a thiDg as the possibility of going to a bazaar with good and proper motives. If they went only as another way of giving to the object in question and without the determination of scrutinising too closely the exact value of the quid-pro quo they received, then nine-tenths of his objections were at an end at once. He trusted those present would take the hint, and although lie was sure they would get a return for their money worth a very great deal, let them spend without going too closely into that consideration. It that idea prevftileddnringthe time the bazaar remained open, he was sure it would be a success, and that he would have no reason to regret having opened it.—(Applause.)