SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17574, 1 December 1928, Page 7

SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

WAIKATO BISHOP'S VIEWS. CRITICISED IN AUCKLAND. WEANING TO ROMAN CATHOLICISM. AUCKLAND, Saturday. The view is expressed here that the stress laid by Bishop Cherrington on the importance of Holy Communion on Sunday morning, with freedom to do as one pleases within reason during the remainder of the day, marks a leaning toward Roman Catholicism and the Continental Sunday. Bishop Cherrington's opinions are -variously described as " unfortunate " and "lamentable." Protestant spokesmen yesterday generally expressed their aversion to anything that tended toward the Continental Sunday, with its amusements and entertainments. The practical application of Bishop Cherrington's suggestion would, it was felt, lead to the complete destruction of our present •• day of rest." , The,' bishop's views were also criticised on the ground that they would disrupt, if not completely eliminate, the work of Sunday Schools. Archdeacon Mac Murray said: "When a bishop of the Church practically tells us that attendance at an early celebration is a complete discharge of a Christian's duties on the Lord's Day and that we can spend the rest of the day exactly as we like, with the proviso that the spirit of happiness shal! prevail in us and through us in others throughout the day, that Sunday schools are to be abolished and that opportunities of delivering God's message to the people are to be reduced to a minimum, then I can only say that in my judgment such an utterance from such a quarter can only 1)0 lamented by all sober-minded churchmen." Tho Line of Least Resistance. " There does not seem to be much sweat of mind or of soul needed to fulfil Bishop Cherrington's ideal," remarked the Rev. D. C. Herron, of St. David's Presbyterian Church, " but Christianity is a reasonable faith and therefore requires to be taught and learnt, ft business men put as little effort into the mastery of their business as he seems to suggest that we should put into the development of Christian character, many of them would require to face the official assignee. It is interesting that at the Jerusalem Conference it was felt the Christian Church was not developing the teaching side of its life nearly as much as it ought. Bishop Cherrington evidently thinks it is being overdone. "There is not much hope of deeprooted convictions for which men would gladly die being produced without a certain amount of sustained effort," he continued. " Certainly the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath but it becomes a question of whether it should be regarded merely as a pleasant holiday or as an opportunity for keeping one's spiritual values adjusted. The one is the line of least resistance; the other is the way of character." Were the churches to follow the suggestion of abandoning Sunday School teaching—which was not likely to happen—with the present secular system of education it would be very difficult indeed to prevent children from developing a purely materialistic outlook. Even morality to be effective must have Divine sanctions. Placing it no higher, it would be a bad day for the moral welfare of New Zealand were Sunday Schools closed. The opportunity for community . worship should not be regarded as a task, but rather as a privilege. To many people it is a pure joy." Demand for Sunday Trains. Mr ' A. W. Wellsted, commercial manager at Auckland for the Rallwa? Department, says that if there is a public demand for trains on Sunday, that demand must be met. This Is apparently the case to-day, and the Railway Department, as the biggest transport concern in New Zealand, is prepared to meet that need and where there is a demand for Sunday trains, to put on those trains at cheap excursion rates. That Sunday grains are popular is proved g by the increasing wipport which is being given to the policy of the department.