NELSON CLERGY PROTEST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 12 February 1944, Page 4

NELSON CLERGY PROTEST

VIOLATION OF SANCTITY OF LORD’S DAY POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING DISPLAY ON A SUNDAY The following statement has been issued by the Nelson Ministers’ Association: — “The more we visualise the all day ‘gigantic display’ being held on a Sunday, the more certain we become that church people generally and very many of the other members of the community will feel ashamed, if not insulted.

“We feel, too, that many of those who are fighting for God and country and the conservation of Christian principles would regret and resent the Lord’s Day being used in such a way, particularly as the objective is to benefit them.

“We desire therefore to make a protest against the permission given by the City Council for the holding of an all day gala in one of our parks on a Sunday, our day of worship and rest, if the day before is wet.

“We can see that, if the Saturday were wet, the organisers would be placed in a difficulty, but we cannot find in this any justification for the flagrant violation of the sanctity of Sunday.

“We desire to make it clear that, though the members of the churches are always to the fore in their loyal readiness to support all efforts and movements and institutions which deserve their support, they l’eel that loyalty to God and His laws comes first. Many will therefore feel they cannot give the project the support they would have been ready to give had the organisers not decided to flout Christian opinion and hold the function on a Sunday m the event of Saturday being wet. “The only constructive suggestion we make is. that, if Saturday is wet, the function be held on the following Monday, and that as many places as can do so be asked to close for the afternoon. We trust that Saturday will be fine.” (Signed.) P. W. NELSON, C. BLAIR, JAMES HAY, P. B. HAGGITT, E. N. GORING. R. A. BLAMPJED. O. J. KIMBERLEY. T. J. SMITH, C. F. SAUNDERS, A. N. L. WOODROFFE, D B. STONE.

At a meeting of the Nelson City Council on 27th January permission was granted to hold the display on the Sunday if the Saturday was wet subject to a special committee of the council supervising the programme to see that it was suitable for Sunday.