SUNDAY IN QUEENSLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9635, 6 October 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

SUNDAY IN QUEENSLAND.

CRICKETING AND BANQUETING. The Christian World, in a recent issue, rises in wrath and begs to make a few remarks in connection with a cricket match lately played in a North Queensland (township on Sunday. The Cairns Post thus writes of the matter:—The fact of the game itself having been played on a day when people should either be at church or studying the gentle literature provided specially for the occasion by the Christain World and kindred joyful publications is bad enough ; but initial fault evidently assumes a venial aspect in the eyes of the writer when contrasted with the fact that a banquet followed ' and a jolly time was spent. Then the article goes on to say :— Wo insert the names of these Sabbath-leakers, as they may be so unconscious of die way in which their actions appear in the eyes of religious people that thoy may need to see themselves in this new setting to gain a glimpe of what their conduct really was. Thoy should remember that God's law, which requires that the Sabbath should be kept holy, was flagrantly violated. The Christian rule that the day should be spent in works of devotion and benevolence was conspicuously disregarded ; the sentiments of pious people were glaringly outraged ; and one of the strongest safeguards of morality, civilisation, and freedom was trampled down. We are sending missionaries to China and other parts of the wide world, bub in this so-called Christian land there are places that need their work just a3 much." And all this fantastic rhodomontado about a game of cricket played on a Sunday. If the scribbler's vial of wrath contains so much with regard to such a matter how many SOOgal. tanks would he require to swamp out a fow of the foul blots which disgrace each largo city in Australia? The fact that sending missionaries to China is a mistake appears to have come with a brilliant and sudden flash to the Christian World, yet ib has been preached by the press for ages. Again, it is noticeable that in North Queensland townships where cricket matches on Sundays are encouraged, and Cairns is ono of them, that crime is nob necessarily rampant. Last week Judge Noel, of the District Court, was presented with a pair of white gloves, thore being positively no criminal business of any kind for him to adjudicate upon ; then His Honor said he had very much pleasure in receiving such a token, inasmuch as ib represented the orderly and good behaviour of the people of the district. Bishop Barlow, of North Queensland, recently said that the ministers sent out for the cure of souls were frequently unable to read a chapter of the Scriptures intelligently and, if ib is held that cricket and football have more attractions than the churches, whose fault is ib ?