THE SUNDAY CIRCLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19270, 6 September 1924, Page 5

THE SUNDAY CIRCLE

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME. LIVE CHRIST. Live Christ! —and (hough the way may bo In this world’s sight, adversity. Ho who doth heed thy every nodd Shall givo thy soul prosperity. Live Christ! —and though the road may bo The narrow street of {joverty, He had not where to lay Has head, Yet lived in largest liberty. Live Christ!—and though the road may bo The straight way of humility, Ho who first trod that way of God Will clothe thee with His dignity. Live Christ! —and all thy life shall be A sweet uplifting ministry, A cowing of the fair white seeds That fruit through all eternity. John Oxcnham. A PAYER. O Lord our God, infinitelr- merciful and everlastingly kind. Thou who knowost how little joy and fellowship there is among us, and how dull our feasts are, teach us through Jesus Christ the secret of Thy joy. May the Lord Himself enter our homos and sit down with us at our tables, so that all who are there may be truly happy and none go empty or sad away. Grant that as day by day wo taste tho joys that He provides, we may find them growing deeper and sweeter, and may say with thankful hearts; “Thou hast kept the good wine till now.” We ask it for His name’s sake.—Amen. THE SUNDAY QUESTION' A METHODIST MANIFESTO. Nothing is more needed at tho present time than an honest, careful, all-round consideration of tho question of the best way of using Sunday in the interests alike of individuals, of families, and of society and the nation as a whole. Both those within and those outside the churches need to face tho question frankly and fairly. As a help to the understanding of all that is involved wo can heartily commend tho reasonable and broadminded statement of facts and considerations in a pamphlet entitled “Sunday Observance in Church, State, and Homo,” by Rev. F. J. Harvey. Published for the Wesleyan Methodist Social Welfare Department, it is addressed not merely to religious people, but to all good citizens, to all who have the common good at heart. The historical survey of the association of a weekly rest day with ancient and modern civilisations, and of the transformation of tho Jewish Sabbath into the Christian Sunday, is clear and good. _ Mr Harvey agrees that the Christian religion is one of liberty, not of outward and formal restraints, but there is always tho high spiritual motive to make tho best use of our liberty and of all the powers and privileges of our life. He very persuasively points out that long experience has proved tho value to mankind not only of the rest day, but also of the habitual preservation of a part of tho day for quiet, for religious observances, and for the cultivation of tho spirit. Ho appeals to us in the interests of tho community and the nation to guard tho spiritual benefits of tho Christian Sunday. He is nob a rigid Sabbalarian; ho admits the value of certain forms of quiet relaxation—reading, music, intercourse with nature—on Sunday. But ho rightly' and strongly maintains that the proved and incalculable benefits of tho religious obserance of Sunday should not bo heedlessly squandered and lost in careless laxity. A very full consideration is given to all that can be said for Sunday games in parks and the like, and to tho important considerations on the other side. All forms of Sunday labour Mr Harvey would limit as much as possible. Where public authorities sanction Sunday concerts, ho suggests wise regulations—in particular that they should not be a source of monetary gain. Similarly be would restrict the Sunday cinema. Ho has an excellent chapter on “guiding public opinion,” urging that good government involves taking wide and farseeing views of the interests of tho community. “Sunday in the Home” is another particularly good chapter, which, among other things, points out how much a religious observance of the day helps to promote and enrich family unity. AGAINST WAR. The final action on war taken by the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, U.S.A., is one which places this church unitedly against war, in what is by far the strongest and most definite pronouncement on the subject which this church has ever made and one which calls for definite action of an immediate nature, in tho calling “of a conference of tho religious forces of the world to consider plans and methods for making the impact of united Christendom against the evils of war.” The main points in the reports are these: — 1. A determination to brand war by having America take the lead in an aggressive campaign to teach tho nature, causes, and consequences of oyar. The glorification of war must end. 2. To hold the cause of peace dearer than party allegiance and tolerate no dilatory or evasive attitudes on the part of those who represent tho church constituency. 3. Tho President of the United States is asked to summon another conference of nations to consider more drastic reduction of armaments. 4. A demand is made for the immediate entrance of tho United States into the Permanent Court of International Justice. Participation of the United States in a League of Nations will receive tho active support of tho church. 5. It is proposed that the Methodist Church assume responsibility and appoint a commission of 25 authorised and instructed to call a conference of the religious forces of the world to consider plans and methods for making the impact of united Christendom against the evils of war. NEWS ITEMS. In tho la.st English Presbyterian Assembly four women elders sat ns commissioners of the prsebyterios. This is the only Presbyterian Oil arch in the world which ordains women as ciders. A new method of evangelisation was established when Dr George W. Dunlap, stationed at Cebu, Philippines, taught the Filipino boys, to play games. None of the hoys knew the first thing about playing ball, but Dr Dunlap taught thorn how to catch the ball and to run bases until they were quite skilled in playing baseball. Ho taught them first of ail to obey their captain and all the rules, to work together, and to work hard and always train for tho games. Many of tho boys used tobacco, but they soon learned that this habit was against their playing their best, and so they gave it up. The team played so well under Dr Dunlap’s leadership that they went to Japan and China and won in both countries. Because Dr Dunlap taught the boys to play ball so well they were interested in his Bible classes. No matter where ho went, he tried to teach tho hoys lessons from the Bible. The first Bible class in Cebu was gathered together because of the missionary’s interest in tho boys’ athletic games. At the end of six weeks there were 54 high school boys in one Bible class. They had not known a thing about tho Bible, but they believed a man who taught baseball so well must surely be worth following. Many have been led to become Christians because of this. The clean living taught them has given them something that is better than gambling and fighting roosters.