ALARM EXPRESSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26731, 29 March 1948, Page 4

ALARM EXPRESSED

GOOD FRIDAY SACRILEGE CALL TO CHRISTIANS “ I think the time has come for ail Christian churches to rise up against the present-day sacrilege of Good Friday,” said the Rev. K. D. AndrewsBaxter, preaching at evensong at St. Mary's, yesterday. “When I opened my newspaper on Saturday morning I read of sports being held everywhere on Good Friday, with band contests thrown in.” the preacher said. “ There were the Otago lawn tennis tournament, the university tournament, horse race trials at Riverton, golf match at Balmacewen, Dunedin and Oamaru Easter bowling tournaments, but the most astounding of all was the King’s Hign School swimming sports. These things were carried on during the sacred services of the Church in memory of our blessed Lord Who gave His life a ransom for those who cared so little that even boys were encouraged to go swimming rather than give Christ the homage due to Him on Good Friday. “I wonder what our returned men would say if the same thing happened on Anzac Day. Is it nothing to you who pass by that Christ suffered and died on the Cross in such a dreadful way? Good Friday is the most sacred day of the Chucrh’s year, and no sport or' pleasure should be indulged in on that day. Surely it is not too much to ask that one day should be keptsacred to the memory of Christ’s death and suffering. Good Friday is more sacred than the Sunday even. Games can be indulged in on Sundays providing they aie not organised games and do not annoy others or make work for others. I strongly condemn golf matches on Sundays, although I do not condemn a quiet game of golf on Sundays provided those who play go to church as well, that is, if they claim to be Christians. “ These are threatening ’times, and the world is chaos simply because man is trying to leave God out of things and is trying to run the world without Him.” Mr Andrews-Baxter concluded. “ Man has always made a mess of things when he has tried to do without God.”