THE SATURDAY HALFHOLIDAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 February 1908, Page 1

THE SATURDAY HALFHOLIDAY.

THE RELIGIOUS ASPECT. ' On Sunday evening last the Rev. J. ' H. MacKenzie delivered a sermon at Trinity Presbyterian Church on the re- '■'■ ligious aspect of the Saturday halfholiday, taking as his text Ezekiel 20. ' 12 : "I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them."- . ■ . .' A summary of the preacher's dis- ' course is here appended : — ' It is sometimes charged against the ' Church and her ministrations, said the ' preacher, that no interest is shown in * political or social movements which have . j as their object the betterment of the J ' condition of the masses of the people, j If that were true, the Church would ' indeed have forgotten what is an im- '' portant part of her commission. In the ? legislation of Moses, the widows.- the • orphan, the stranger, and the toitac, ° all who in anywise would be m spatial j c danger of suffering sit the hands of an ? oppressor, are constantly in yiew, j j and their cause earnestly pleaded and ; L the teaching and practice of Christ only l c intjpsifying this position. We do not i * admit the charge made, and think -Wiat ' those making it cannot be readegp ; either J f history made or of history now^hri 1 the making.' In all times the- Charch ' j hus taken a keen interest in- matteran ■ toHching the Welfare of ahe peoplejVngt always wisely. Too long the^pulgit. ' taught the divine right of kings, J»bul I when the fiction that the kixig "c<niftr do * no wrong wa& got rid of it was by the ' ivctSons of religions men, whose ze^l ! carried them the lengths of even be- •< heading Charles I. that the dempnstra- I tion of the change might -be .complete. ? Preachers, too, in other days '(ppifld* be ■} fpund who with Bible arguments .fie- SJ fended slavery, but it is equalfy," -tr»e : t that wien slavery under the British flag I was, * 70 : years ago, abolished ' for ever,' 1 ; th'o movement triumphed only fhrough j 1 the religious forces behind it. Just this » past has taught, the Church that she hag c her proper sphere and ought to Keep to I it.' It is not her business , to dictate j - in politics or to teach politjcal coo- { 9 nomy. Whether a country should have - j a king, a kaiser, or a. president is not j ' a matter in which the pulpit should i a meddle. In this connection, and all 1 * round the circle of human conduct and , « affairs the business of the pulpit is to '. » plead and plead earnestly tor the ap- . > plication and practice of Christian prin- 1 ; ciples. "A\l. things whatsoeveri ye j i would thatr men should do to you, do ye ' <■ even so to them." "\Vould I like this! ' to be done to me?" is a question for >■ the mastef and the servant, the: mistress ' and the maid alike. "Thou shalt love • t thy neighbour as thyself." When these :• 1 rules are universally followed the golden ' ( ags will ha"c come. I J It is not out of harmony with the j ' position" stated for the pulpit to have, i < something to say on the religious bearing j j if changes coming into the social life of , ■ J the community. Here in our little town! • it hits been resolved that our weekly" 1 half-holiday shall be on Saturday rather , ' than on Wednesday 89 heretofore. I. ' have nothing to do with ths business , ■ irgumente for and against the altera- ! « tion, but only with the fact of the < change and the probable religious ~re- ] suits. . ■ \ > One may notice first of all what may ' be only a question of curious inquiry. - ( ■ This new arrangement is a peculiar re- , versal to. a Hebrew custom, is in a way history repeating itself. The Jew began ' his Rest-day in the afternoon of the sixth day, and it ended at sunset on the seventh. It was part of two days as we regard days. Have we introduced a change wßich' will brine about the opening of food shops on tfle Sabbath t There is no .pressure at present, but with ■ - a larger population it may soon be found > that some /are not able to lay np necessary, stores from noon on Saturday n,ntil Monday morning and demand will create supply. The law against business . , on the half-holiday is much alive, but the law against Sunday traffic is a dead letter. This is perhaps a question for j the future.and we proceed to notice what is nearer to us. THE RELIGIOUS DANGER OF XH*; ' • "NEW POSITION. At present few in this town> realise the extent to v - which our citizens leave the town on Sunday morning" and spend the whole day in the country. A person needs to live for a /while on some one of the main roads of exit-and also be up • early, to discover the crowds ••wlio ll.ee from the narrow lapes, the i unsavoury closes and the murky atmosphere j-I) of .. Nelson on the -Lord V Day morning* It is possible to worship God •in>the^country;' But how mafey,.. 'getting : .aj»ay - from the sound of the Sabbath <beUs •'■■ _.-■■'* " : . ' '^i^atsi

• (hat might -disturbj t4js.-.:cpnscienc«j v 'do> I co Worship ?-; ; ,-Veiy ; fewc The daj^ i» . made a day of mercVjeartUy'pleasnre. • Will not thi? newjdepatture^tend'to in- ! creass the number.bf those who forsake the city and; ."all sacred, s^mttss?, There .js cousidorablo riskr-The' time being so 'mnph longer -it is so" nijjch' j 3nore worth while' to jfeave the town 'and "enjoy the ' country, without ijrudgirigi'iheveiforts. and expenses involyed;.'- •• .The'ramountof Sabbath desecration now going on is deplorable, and - the new danger of increase- to; this" is sufficient to "alarm and" . to put upon their, guard .•; all-. Chrittiaa people and all who are" "lovers of their kind. 'But there are ; also l : '".'