PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13275, 2 September 1916, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents, whose j letters are welcome, but tor whose ; views we have no responsibility. SUNDAY GAMES. (To the L'ii;cr.) Sir, —la \our issue of i v yen were pleased to publish a letter "t mine Oil "Sunday Spe,!'t>," in kv!:ich i said: ''Had the German people i.ien keeperof the Sabbath instead ct running tin :r theatres, music halls, beer garden.-, and sports on the day set apart tor res: and worship the present war would not have taken place." ibe statement is clear and simple, yet one of your correspondents luis fallen into the error oi changing my words, "German people into the words, "Gorman rulers. Had I made the above statement of the German rulers it would have been an assumption with a vengeance. In his letter to you the k> :i.e correspondent, says the "German ruler- could have been the strictest Sabbatarians in the world, and yet have combined tin if present- inhuman policy of aggression. Tapine, treachery and me.idc:. 1 "fcan't find a definition e: the ie:m. batarian in the dictionary ( responds to this des'iH' 1 "* Sabbatarian is dcfincrl uIU( u .],,. .the with extraordinary c.r unreasonable rigour. lam willing to admit that this specific meaning may 1 attach to the word, but 1 am hariln prepared to »aee with your correspondent that as Sabbatarians ;i'e_\ would combine in a policy, an inhuman po!ic\ of aggression, rapine, trer.cher\, and murder. In this also your correspondent has failed to catch themeaning oi my word-. 1 was careful in my lettci to" the editor to use descriptive languaee in speaking of the keeping of the Sabbath, and I reiterated it so that 1 would not be misunderstood —keepei s of the Sabbath "as a day set apart for

rcist and worship,'" "a day appointed for divine worship. ' I believe thai J every dispassionate reader oi •.nis coi- j respondonce will agree that tno stale- j nient which I have made about tre Gorman people in relation to this war is at once psychologically and ethi' , : , .llv correct. It is on record that Sir Robert Peel said that lie never knew a man who worked on seven clays in tae wee;: who was not a failure. Ordimuy commonsense will enable one to see tnat one day's rest in seven enables a man to recruit his bodily powers an;! mental ties, and so deliver him from the depression and weariness winch con.innous labour would tend to produce. V. hy it would be slavery oi the worst kind, having the name to he free: men would not have the spirit loft to iiit up their finger against their master, and only God would hear their sighs and the'.r groanings. The Sabbath was made tor man, not for rulers, not for masters, for man as man irrespective of his inventions. 1 lie Sabhath was instituted before there was either religion or church on the earth. It is the Creator s guarantee for man's freedom and liberty. It is the weapon God has placed within the reach of man to overthrow all tyrants, both in man's own lite, and in the social sphere. How can any o! your leaders imagine a man living in personal communion with the Highest and not be rising into the strength ot divine worship and developing his affinities until he realises the brotherhood ot man. Our Christian Sabhath, I read a few days ago. commemorates the resurrection of Him to whom it was said, "He saved others, himself he cannot

6ave," and this spirit of sacrificing soli for others ultimately becomes t lie badge of these .who rise to the conception ot the universal brotherhood of man. Men of this sort, then, would say of their King, it is our duty to reverence and obey our lawful sovereign, but when our lawful sovereign becomes insane, it becomes our duty to place him in seme secure place of confinement, as in the case of Charles I. of England, to cut off his head. The Sabbath is a tactor by which the workers of the world many become intelligent, strong, great with dignity inherent and commanding. I dare say some of us when young felt the restraint of Sabbath observances, and have pleaded for greater laxity with a mother who was at onco an embodiment of the law of God, and a heart full of wisdom and love, but without moving her from her firmly-established principles. We honour such mothers now for standing to their principles that they might save their sons froiii some of the temptationus they might otherwise be exposed to, and whal grown man but looks back with grati tude to those gentle, kindly restraints of his early life. The memory of sucl a mother is often the only sacred spo in many a wild young man's life, tin one restraint that he does not stretel to the breaking point. Personally, wi have left liehind some of those restiv conditions of spirit, and have glide down the stream of time awhile; and

no doubt others, who, like the un- j broken colts, feel irksome under re- j straints, the inwardness of which they j do not yet see, will he like us floating down too, and getting ashore at our present landing stage, or some place lower down still—some clay.—l am etc., It. WYLIE. "* (To the Editor.) Sir, —Mr Ramsay states the case for those who think as he does as follows: "AVe believe that there is a Loving God and Heavenly Father, who desires the Sabbath kept sacred by abstaining from ordinary labour and amusement." Well, if that is their opinion, lot them observe the Sabbath that way. But they are not content with that: they insist that others who think differently shall be-compelled to observe the Saltbath the same way. Mr Ramsay states that the proposed by-law i.s simply a law of the use of public property, and asks, "Are games to be played on the public property of which we have charge?" But the prctpcsal was to draft a by-law prohibiting Sunday games, and Mr Swarhrick stated that the by-

law wou'.i also deal with golf. There is t nothing said a'tout restricting this bylaw to propel ty administered by the Domain Board. Mr Uanisay dismisses "Liberty's"' plea for the State to mind its own business, in the usual dogmatic way. by saymg, 'Tie does r.oi coraprei iicnd what he is talking about," which i is probably what the Seventh Day Ad- | vent is t thinks about Mr Ramsay, l-rom | the Seventh Day Adventivi's punt ot view Saturday is the Sabbath, and is the day which should ho kept sacred, i What a terrible thing it would he for i -Mr Ham<iy to find ih.at his interpretation ot the will of his Heavenly Father has led him into the error ot keeping 1 sacred the wrong day!' and not only j that, but making others abstain troin ! amusement on the day his Heavenly j Father had really no objection to their I ! cing amused on. Mr Ramsay sees I r.o arrogance in his pretence to know exactly whal is the will of his Heavenly | Father, and no impertinence in trying jto inipo-e obedience to his supposed knowliid.ro <>f that will on people who j think differently. His talk about Sab- j ! bath keeping being beneficial to a ' nation is merely a red-herring on the | path to divert attention from the real | (;it"stion. which still remains the same. | viz.: Shall by-laws he male to turn j innocent amusement on Sunday into a i crime against the law?*—l am, etc., J. THOIi.NFS, Victoria street, Hamilton.