SERVILE LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9218, 22 November 1888, Page 3

SERVILE LABOUR.

| ■ >TO THE EDITOR. Sm,—lt will help to narrow the point) ab issue as to the observance of Sunday, if what we are bound to abstain from ia more clo.,ely defined. We are bound, unless pre- ! vented by grave spiritual or corporeal necesl sity, to abstain from (a) servile labour, i.e., all mere bodily labour that is by common ; consent associated with the servile state: I e.g., digging, budding, carpentering, mechanical labour, sewing, and in general a l l J hard labour, where the body is principally j employed, and the mind only secondarily. I The reason for this is not only that the body may have some rest, but also because all sue i labour is a punishment for sin, and ! will have no place in Heaven, which is typi- . fied by the Sunday, (b) Forensic labour, I i.e. (a), law proceedings, because, although ' necessary and beneficial in the end, they iuipiy the quarrelling of two parties, and at th« time engender strong feelings, which , should be aosenfc at least on Sunday and i (6) shopping, because attended by great i labour on the part of others, very j engrossing in its very nature, it is in its | nature gravely unsuited to the day. j This leaves tne field clear for liberal labour, | viz., such labour as employs the mind I principally and the body only secondarily, and innocent recreation. Therefora (after due time has been given to worship) the following are lawful:—(a) Writing and reading letters, books, and such like, as the ! mind is principally employed ; (6) landscape and portrait painting, probably, for the same reason, but not scene-painting or common painting, because of the hard labour; (c) fishing, quiet hunting, and such like, which are not servile labour, but should be unaccompanied by any great gathering or noise, because unsuited to the day and very distracting ; (d) driving, riding, trips, pleasure walks— obviously not .-ervilo labour ; (c) innnocent games and amusements, provided they are not very noisy nor very long. Smoking and lying on his back your correspondent can enjoy with a good conscience.—l am, &c., J. R. M.