POLITICAL MEETINGS ON SUNDAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8180, 23 July 1912, Page 4

POLITICAL MEETINGS ON SUNDAY

Tho writer of these notes has boon speaking constantly for more than a. year in Now Zealand. During all of this time ho has been speaking on some phase of the labor question. Ho has addressed schools, churches, colleges, trades unions, pjolitical clubs, debating societies, student associations, Y.JVi.O.A. gatherings, fruit-growers’ associations, co-operativo societies, but in every instance ho has undertaken to present the questions discussed by him [n such a way that tho positions taken by him and tho arguments offered in defence of those positions should bo iuch as should commend themselves to sincere and honest people of all trades, professions, callings, and of all religious faiths of every possible variety.

For a great many years it has been Lis purpose to avoid btt'ensivo personalities; to deal with principles only and to support such measures as can bo supported in behalf of tho principles which to him seem to bo of fimdauien- ; tal importance to tiro best interests of society. Since he has been in New Zealand there has hardly been a single Sunday when he has not spoken in some public hall, opera house, church, or schoolroom, on some topic directly related to the work in which ho is engaged. Religious people of every faith, and those who have supposed they were altogether irreligious, have listened alike to these addresses, and in more than one hundred such meetings held on Sunday, no word of complaint had ever reached the writer that the work he was doing on Sunday was in any way inappropriate to the day and to the associations' which belong to tho day until within the last week.

A pastor of one of the churches, who had not been present at these meetings, but who had been reading of the work in these columns, wrote to make inquiry with regard to tho work, and most appropriately made inquiry of the Sunday meetings held, the suggestion being that complaint of some sort had been made in that connection. However, on Saturday last the Dannovirko “News,” after accepting a cash payment for advertising a Sunday meeting in its columns, denounced editorially the holding of such Sunday meetings as inappropriate on tho Sabbath day. • * • • •

Tho meeting was held entirely without remuneration, and without personal Advantage in any way to those engaged jn it, but on the only timo available, away from office work, for tho purpose of promoting tho measures then advocated. The only person receiving any money benefit from tho meeting was tho ono to whom the cash payment was

marie for tho advertisement, who i coived it and complained at tho sai time that the meeting was being he.

It is quite true that tho usual political harangue, with. its thoughtless inveotivo and offensive personalities, would bo quito out of place in a Sunday mooting, but it would equally bo out of place on any other day. 'there are two notions of tho Sabbath, and the people who entertain these convictions must respect each other’s opinions, and not refuse to co-operate with each other bn tho matters concerning which they are agreed because unable to come into agreement concerning tho Sabbath day. Tho writer of 'those notes contends that under tho Christian conception of life all days are sacred; that tho now commandment could bo well expressed in the injunction to, “Remember seven days and to keep them all holy.”

IS IT NOT TRUE THAT THE ADMISSION OF THE IDEA OF THE SECULAR AND THE SACKED—OF THAT WHICH IS SACRED AND THAT WHICH IS ; NOT—TENDS TO MAKE .PEOPLE , Regard life, the serious HARD TASKS OF EVERYDAY LIFE, AS IN SOME WAY LESS SUBJECT TO THE LAWS OF LIFE THAN THE CEREMONIALS OP THE FAST DAYS? IS IT NOT TRUE THAT ALL LIFE SHOULD BE MADE HOLY: THAT EVERY PLACE SHOULD BE MADE A TEMPLE. AND EVERY ACT IN LIFE AN ACT OF WORSHIP ; THAT EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE A PRAYER, AND EVERY SERVICE SHOULD BE A SACRED SERVICE, AND THAT THIS SHOULD APPLY TO EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK AS ‘WELL AS TO EVERY ACT IN LIFE?

Is it not true that when "the leaven shall have leavened the whole lump,” and tho bread shall eventually make its aippearanco, that the leaven itself shall utterly disappear? So in tho picture. of tho Holy City, the closing picture of tho sacred writings, does not its author mention that “there was do temple there”? Is it not'the glory of hho temple that it may render its service so well, extend its "spirit so thoroughly, permeate the whole life of the world so completely that the world itself shall become a temple :»• that, no man shall say to another “Knowcst thow the Lord r”; for all shall know Him, and neither the “Mountains of Samaria’’ nor “tho Temple of Jerusalem” shall be admitted to possess a mono, poly of tho favors of the Creator.

The clergymen of New Zealand,' tho Christian people of New Zealand, the Christian schools, churches, associa-' tionis—the men and the women and the children who are involved in -them—the massage we bring is .to them; tho

battle we are waging is in their behalf. Wo ask the ministers of religion to discuss tlioso problems, wo ask the teachers and the children to give their attention to these great questions. \Vc ask tho children themselves to join hands in helping to make Now Zealand tho cleanest, fairest, gladdest, holiest place on earth, not because of the ceremonials they shall learn to repeat, hut because of the beauty, tho virtue, and the gladness of tho life they shall place withia the reach of all. . a . • *

Next “week-end” tho writer of these notes will speak in New Plymouth. Saturday morning ho will address the teachers on “Tho School and the AVorkshop.” Saturday afternoon ho will address a farmers’ meeting, -the subject being “Intensive Farming as a Learned Profession.” Sunday afteinoon ho will speak for the Brotherhood, an organisation of all the men of all the churches of tho city, and his subject will l>o “Industrial Development and tho AVorld Brotherhood.” And each Sunday through tho years as opportunity offers ho will undertake to bring into closer relations tho “Holy of Holies” and the “Tabernacle of the Congregation,” between which the “veil was rent” in tho hour of the Crucifixion. “Tho “Holy of Holies” was not made profane. Tho life of tho people was made Divine. I