THE SABBATH.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19413, 12 September 1928, Page 19

THE SABBATH.

QUESTION OF OBSERVANCE.

NEW PRONOUNCEMENT NEEDED

At the meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery yesterday the Rev. T. W. Armour, the Moderator, brought up a report covering the replies of the Presbytery to a questiongire sent • out 011 behalf of the General Assembly. Accompanying the questionnaire was a statement setting out the Sunday offences punishable by law. It was stated that the carrying on of one s ordinary business on Sfanday was an offence, the penalty for which had been increased recently to £s', Sunday pictures and Sunday concerts (except when the whole of the proceeds were devoted to charity) were against the law; and any noise that disturbs public worship—such as shooting, band practice, or the persistent honking of motor horns —also transgressed the law of the land. 'it was advised that, in order to secure the observance of the Sabbath, the police should be called in when any of the offences enumerated were committed —a piece of advice that caused some amusement.

Replying to the question, the repons set out that in the Christchurch rresJjytery's district there were railway excursions on the Lord's Day, but it was not known whether they were breaches of J the law j there were railway and other picnics on the Lord's Day; the Summer Time Act had not affected in any way the proper observance of the Sabbath.

The Jewish Sabbath and the Lord's Day. "My own feeling," Mr Armour said, "is tliat the whole matter of Sabbath observance requires to be reconsidered by our Church and Assembly as to making a new pronouncement in the matter." He was tempted, he. said; to bring forward an overture to the Assembly but his trouble was that he would be called on to suppdrt it, and would be put on a committee to dig ' into the subject and he did npt feel . that he had the time for more work "After .all we are not keeping the Jewish Sabbath, but the Lord's Day—'the first day of the week—and many of our people have their minds contused .as to what is permissible on, this day In these days we want. a new pronouncement of the Church —a pronouncement following upon a full consideration of/the whole matter of the day of worship and rest in the light of modern circumstances. ,It is a mattel* for future treatment. I haven't • got an overture here, and can only submit the report on this reference?' The frep6rt was adopted and it was explained that all it committed the Presbytery to. was the answers to the questions.