SUNDAY CONCERTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 428, 10 February 1909, Page 8

SUNDAY CONCERTS.

THE CHURCHES AND THE CORPORATION. ■ ■•■'■ "AN IMPERTINENT COUNCIL.", The Bev. Dr. Gibb, 'moderator of the Wellingr ton Presbytery, .having been compelled, horee, foot,'arid guns, to retire in good order from his first skirmish with the Wellington City Council over the matter of Sunday'concerts, is-now sparring. for a second encounter.) As he himself; emphatically expressed' it at a";meeting of the. .Presbytery held yesterday, "We arenot yet at the end of' our tether." in Wellington was.becoming.a very, serious matter, calling'for a "united and vigorous protest from religious and other bodies. "Imay be obfuscated and conservative," Dr. Gibb said, "l)ut I am compelled to express my entire.disapprobation with the' present v condition, of tfungs. A regular campaign of .■ Sunday, amusements is being organised for'-.the. coming win-, ter months," ho added, as he: tabled the following motion:— : : : .'.■■'. ■";.:■'■■'■■■:■' ."■• "That this■ Presbytery.■-.pieces: on record: -.Us eniphatio protest .against; the Sunday '■• ' evening entertainments,bywftich'the.,Lords Day is being, observed; and, 'especially, against the action of the City Council,;' i .'which': ought , to set an example to- all- citizens in Wellington, but which ."is/ on the - contrary, chiefly responsible;'-for,vthe;appal- : ling abuse of the Lord's Day,, now, prevalent:, ' in the-.oitv; and promises..to. co-operate y .' 'with the: .Couneil.-of-'Churches".'., and.-";' any ' other bodies or individuals' Who are striving ■ to put an end to the evil, and suggests that ' an effort be'.made to'secure''the : co-opera- , tion.of the Roman Catholics a's'wellas all > : other churches," : : '..:'; rt' ' v : :•-:':: : The Eev. W. Shirer seconded-the motion. ' The Kev. K. Inglis suggested that they might enlist the co-operation: of the Socialists. The shadow , of a smile flickered,-across the moderator's face. "They are,-included; in l 'other bodies,'" he said. -r v; : : /'I-:-- 'v;-* :, Mr. Inglis..-then: suggested ..that; a'; pastoral letter might also be sent out.','; : .\-'i....... .-.;■ "A very-good suggestion,"''Sgre'ed"Dr. Gibb. : The Eev; J. "K.-Elliott consMered; that' the City Council had been in its attitude' towards the deputation which waited upon it with ■reference to Sunday ;, :Ho hoped that the people' would '• remember.; that fact. It was painful to reflect' that a body of educated clergy' ehould : have-teen treated :ta this'way; These. Sunday concerts, were deplorable. ■•■■ Personally, he considered himself to. be a man of "tolerant 'and liberal .views,' but. he was compelled to say that the programmes arranged for these Sunday,concerts- were not of a saored oharacter. : ■;.". . ■'' ..--.:

; -Dr.- Gibb:' Not a scrap. . ''? .'■..: " ■i'.The.Town Clerk,'continued/Mrr- EllioH.-.had said that mnsio' -in :the; sense that it uplifted.:. He dissented from that view. : _. : :■■:■ ■ :.-,- :" .:-' 'I.: -, -. vr:,:.^/ : ,;

The Rev.. James Paterson said ihat,the love of amusement;had:become a; passion. .-This passion for amusement was running wildin the country.. , - Such .a state of ■.•■'affair's -was - , to be deplored,' as. seriously dffe'ctirg'.ithe' morallife and 'the' oivio- authorities should check,: rather than; encourage, the' evil.' The motion-was carried. , .' ';;;'' •■.:■.