SABBATH BREAKING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 972, 12 November 1910, Page 6

SABBATH BREAKING.

DISCUSSED BY:PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY. PREMIER' CRITICISED. SOME PROPOSED REMEDIES. my Teleffraph.—Press Association.) otl -p , Auckland, November 11. The Presbyterian General ' Assembly lesumed its business to-day. There was attendance of delegates, and the presfded° r (the Rey -, J '. H - -M'Keniie) The Committee on Sabbath Observance, reporting qn the work-of the year, stated that there seemed to be a tendency m the British Empire towards a. loss observance of the Sabbath, but on the Continent the tide seemed to be flowing in a contrary directiorL ...change for the better was the Cana-ci-.an Lord s Day Alliance, which by vigorous and up-to-date methods hadarouscd a strong public opinion throughout the Dominion. The first step needed in New Zealand was -the formation of a Sunday Alliance, and the report contained a draft constitution for such an alliance.

Among the answers to questions • it appeared that the firms of Sabbath profanation included golfing, picnicking, gardening, fishing, shooting, motoring, •5. Practice, football, open-air concerts, Sunday evening concerts, failure to sanctify the SabbatL, visiting and entertaining visitors, week ends, boating.cricket, training horses, idleness, -hoUdaying, house-building, fencing, occasZllJ' arre \ t f 2 ' clearin ? Paddocks.'A Sunday regatta was hold -at Queensurday year ° WIDg a stormy Sat- _■ following were recommended anremediesLegislation, 9 clear ' testimony, appeals to Christian people, mora frequent pulpit reference, suitable liteW ature. Professing Christians should taka a stand in this matter, and be urged from the pulpit to do. so. No puElio act of Sabbath desecration. should ba allowed to pass unnoticed; Sabbathbreakers should be' remonstrated with privately j church members should taka more active interest fci getting goosf men on local town councils, a majority on the right side being'often the meano of thwarting the most-determined ef-. rorts to introduce Sunday concerts In moving the adoption of the report, the convener, the Rev. R. Inglis (EW dallah) recommended that the first or second Sunday -in December be - observed throughout the church as»a day for directing- the minds of old and young to \he necessity for sanctifying the. Lord's Day. ■ lie Rev. A. Miller seconded the adop- v tion of the report. ; The Rev. I. Jolly emphasised tho , danger of simple pleasure-loving habits, which were more dangerous to' religion than rationalism, and which allowed secularism to gradually pervade the lifa of the people.. As an instance, .he - quoted the custom of Sunday yachting,; which, by taking up the whole of thel Sabbath, had the effect of completely\ excluding all religious influence from! the minds of the young men wbo took) part in' it. ; :) The Rev. T. Miller ("Westport). Baitii there, was extra difficulty in the way.) Members of Parliament at times, whenY they thought they were not being qb-i served,. did not observe the , Sabbath! projierly. . Some time ago the Prime'.Minister went to. Westport to influence'* the men at Denniston against a strika} which . appeared imminent. Although. bat spent two days in the locality, he chose; Sunday on which to go to Dennis ton's to_ Address the miners. He did- not,' think that redounded to the. credit? either of the Prime Minister or of the? Government he represented.' . i The report, after some. further d&M ' cussion, was unanimously adopted. . { .' The. Rev. D." M'Lennan (Southland) i moved, pursuant to notice: "That the* Assembly instruct all congregations .to: petition. Parliament to legislate to se-! cure a . better . observance of tte.. fivb-.-v bath, a petition to be drafted by. scommittee of the Assembly embftdving:-. the points upon which legislation desired." . :

This motion was lost, only two dels-; gates voting for it. ■ \ In the evening several reports sarar adopted, including the reports of tho; Financial Committee, New, Century Fund, . and the Theological College " trustees. On the recommendation. of the Financial Committee, the salary of the treasurer was raised from £400 to £500..

: The women's missionary meeting ttes held in the afternoon, and was largely, attended. .....

•The Sabbath School demonstration,: which took place in the Choral Hall in. the evening, was very largely attended,i the building being crowded in all pirta.

"In fifty years there will be no SabbatS in Australia." This- statement was made recently at Scots Church, Sydney, by the Bev.■ W. M. Dill-Macky, D.D., after a* trenchant condemnation of the present- ' day attitude of Australians towards religion. Dr. Dill Macky reoounted the persecutions endured by- the Ckristiel martyrs for conscience sake. were burnt at the stake, women wsre>. gored to death by wild cattle or dicrnad by the incoming tide. In the Diocletian persecution no fewer than 6i,000 Chris-; tiahs perished for Christ's sake; yei ia Australia, in these days when persecution. had ceased, when the Inquisition no longer existed, men and women (md youths oould not bear th® soorn of a companion, and were ashamed of Chriotianity. Their forefathers were . hunted to death in caves, and suifared persecution that they might have liberty. ..He was ashamed of the godleesness, th# irreligionsness, the faithlessness, and the irreverence of the present day. Every-' where on the Sabbath people played golf; and tennis. If it continued as at present,; in fifty years there "would, be no Sabbatii in Australia.