THE CHURCH AND DANCING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19916, 9 April 1928, Page 12

THE CHURCH AND DANCING.

Sir. Gu behalf of tho committoo of the Auckland Ship Assistants' Charity Club I wish to explain tho matter to which two letters, under the heading "The Church and Dancing" referred. "Consistent questioned tho consistency of the Methodist Central Mission in accepting a donation of £ls, the money being the proceeds of a dance; tho city niissioner replied that had such a gift been made to his benevolent fund lie would most gratefully have received and acknowledged it, but he can find no trace of any such donation on tho books of the mission. In response to ail appeal bv letter for funds by Mr. Williams, w"ho styles himself leader of the men's meeting, Airedale Street, stating that ho and his wife supplied meals and beds in tlie mission hall on three nights of tiio week to the "down and outs" in I,hat locality, we made the donation, and received Mr. Williams' lettor of grateful acknowledgement. The item appears in our minutes as "Mr. Williams, Down ami Out Work, Airedale Street." In handing over a copy of our balance-sheet and report for publication, our late secretary, Mr. Mortensen, has allowed tho item to read as "the Methodist Central Mission," which he has probably considered near enough, and so do I. The main thing is that the money was used to help relieve distress. Let me assure "Consistent' that the weekly dance held in the Scots Hall, whore from 600 to 800 young people assemble amid bright, healthy surroundings, is most orderly and well conducted. Provided at small cost, thoroughly well organised by a large, level-headed committee, giving their services, success has been assured from the first. There is every indication that something like £IOOO will'be raised this session, to be again distributed among the poor and needy of oui* city, not forgetting our 15 orphan homes at Christmas time. J. Mc'Dougall, President.