RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1569, 12 October 1912, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE SUNDAY QUESTION. AGREEMENT HKTWKBN THE CIIUKCJIKS AND LAJSOUR. Tim following article im tho Sunday question appeared in the "Westminster (iazetti:" of August HO:— Tlio opposition of the Churches to llio extension of Sunday amusement.-, is to-day based on broader Hriiiinils Mian those. , set fort Ji a l'i!\v years ago. "l'lio representative of the "Westminster liazelle" who has lx-en making inquiries on Mio subject, has been iiiforinod that whilst: loactiny Churchmen mid Nonconformists hold to tlio α-liuions observance of tho Sunday so far as themselves aro concerned, they realise, that the iiiii>s of their countrymen are not inovcil along these, lilies. Th in kins,' men who do not attend Church are anxious to lireservo one day in swell distinct from the oilier six, not because of religions associations l.ut on account of the. need for ii distinct break in the business of life. This tendency is not ao marked in tho leisured classes, who seek pleasure on every day of the week, but is to be found amongst professionals, business and public men, who lead a strenuous lifo during the workaday week. But the most important consideration in reference to Sunday is the altitude, of the working-classes in tlio'country upon the subject of Sunday labour. TJie Imperial Sunday Allianco was formed in order "to combine the forces of Religion and of Labour in safeguarding Sunday as tho National Day of l-'rewlom for worship and rest." Its ollicers include men liko Ur. Thomas Burl, M.1 , ., Mr. "Will Crooks, M.1 , ., Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.1 , ., and Mr. Walter Hudson, M.i\, with tho leading representatives of all the Churches, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the ttev. P. 13. Meyer, 8.A., and Father Bernard Vaughau. Since.its establishment tho Alliance has worked with much success to secure the opinion of Labour on the Sunday question. Their inquiries justify the'statement that tlio sentiments of working people towards the Sunday aro in favour of,a rcallirmation of the principle Unit Sunday should be legally safeguarded against all unnecessary encroacliments of business or of oilier employment. The Desire for a Rest Day.

In order to show that Iho mind of Labour liiis been obtained in a definite and uumistaUablo manner Mr. I!. P. C. Corfe showed tho representative of tho "Westminster Gazette" a mass of statistical inlorinatioii which has been collected as the result of special inquiries, upon tho subject of Sunday labour generally;. Tho question was asked of trade unions, trade councils, friendly societies, railway servants, and other organisations—both of employers and workmen—whether they would welcome legislation for the purposo of abolishing all forms of unnecessary work on Sunday and reducing all Sunday labour and business to thai: bona-fide minimum which is required for the welfare of the community. On three separate occasions this form of inquiry has been made—in 1008, 1910, and 1911. On tho first occasion 100 associations expressed approval with■ tho"principles and proposals of the Alliance; on the second 217, and on tho third 305, or nearly as many as the first two years combined. Tho whole of the 300 /organisations, states Canon Bickcrsteth Ottley, have with practical unanimity approved a Weekly Host Day Act, on the lines of tho Canadian Act of 100G-7, naming Sunday as the normal statutory'rest day, and providing for a compensating rest dav in any week where Sunday labour is proved to bo unavoidable; and securing in all such cases that at least twenty-six Sundays should be reserved to tho worker. It is estimated that the asociations or unions represent in tho aggregate from one and a half to two millions of employers and employed. Canon Ottley further states that the returns illustrate the prevalence of much unnecessary Sunday labour in a largo number of instances. Picture Shows. . For theso and other reasons organised labour has followed tho line of the Churches with respect to Sunday Picture' ■Sallows. Labour appreciates the fact that under the guise of charity, which in many cases means business, a seven-days'- week is being introduced; which will mean, as in America, six days' pay. Under the regulations of the London County Council for Sunday entertainments, "some charity organisation shall control and be responsible for such .entertainment, and shall engage the artists, musicians, staff, etc." It is further provided that "the licensee of the placo of entertainment shall have nothing to do with such entertainment, except to provide a representative who will see that tho L.C.C. regulations regarding tho safety of the theatre aro observed." The workers employed in tho Sunday Picturo Shows allege that these- regulations are not observed. They aro supposed to volunteer for Sunday work, but the Sunday Defence Committee states that it has in its possession proof that if such workers did not volunteer they would lose their employment for tho other six days as well, Further, tho management provide tho entertainment, and carry out tho whole of the arrangements, which in eff-ect is contrary to the intentions and spirit of tho London County Council regulations. Tho Churches arid Labour are agreed together, if not pledged, on this point. The worker in tho Sunday Picturo Shows is at the mercy of circumstances, nnd unless outside agencies come to his assistance ho will bs forced to work nn additional day without adequate remuneration. Certain aspects of the question are different in Middlesex than in the area of tho London County Council, but in both cases there is an attempt on the part of financial interests io create a demand for Sunday shows nnd to sweat their employees for the extra labour whilst they pocket tho additional gain. Those who aro organising tho campaign, however, have determined\to keep these facts before their constituencies, nnd to fight the question on the.broad grounds of a weekly rest day and the prohibition'of unnecessary and unjustifiable Sunday labour. "Wo are convinced," said the Rev. William Thonins, secretnry of the Metropolitan Free Church Federation, to tho representative nf tho "Westminster Gazette," "that this issue has only to befairly and intelligently presented and tho largo majority of the people in the Metropolis and in Middlesex will be with us."

CANON HENSON ON DIRECTORS./ THE PUTUMAYO ATKOC.ITIES. Tn his sermon at Westminster Abbey on tin- Piitunuiyo atrocities, Canon Hensun expressly mimed three English directors or the Peruvian Amazon Company, and said that though the actual perpetrators of thy atrocities wore out <if rt'acli, "their employers, with whose guilty, even if unknowing, connivance their crimes wero committed, and who shared out Hie blood-stniii'Jil gains which they transmitted, are here among; us. Is , it not the irreducible .leniind of justice that these men, arid notably their lewder, the arcliorgaiiiscr of the whole tragedy, Arnna, should be arrested ami brought to public triiil ?" The three directors instructed a linn of solicitors to «rile to Cniiflit Henson. The h>l Hμ , , with (lie Canon's reply, is published in "The Times," which, in a leader mi the correspondence, expresses Hie view, which every impartial ri'iuler must "hare, (hnl the Ciiiion eomes out very mlicit to tin . Hood. Tlio solicitors charge th<> Cumin wiMi making statements that wi>ri> "übsnliilo untruths. ,- "«n oiitrago upon oveiv piwe'il of fair play nml jnstici>," .-\uii with "iittoiniitin , ,' to screen hiinvcir iiehiml tin , sanctity of flu. i.ul|..i. of Westminster Abbey." They say (he alrnc.ilios were com mi I led bi>for;> the dirertors ioiiuvl '.lu> hoard, nmi without their knowledge, .'(nil 11.ill, consequent on reports in "Truth." the hoard spilt mil to their manager 'I riot in 1;! motions that the natives be trenlrd with (In. [iro.itost lcinclnt'ss ami justice. After so much strong language it might have hern supposed llnl notice would havo been given of legal iininviling' flgninst the Ciiiion, but Ilii> solicitors explain that "our object, in this li'lli>:' is mil to IliiTiiten, either from a li'::i'l or from any oilier point of view." Th.' 1011...', in fact, was- to bo u liltle homily on pulpit manners! The Canon boldly sl'iiiiil to his Rims. lie never said the. ceiilli'iuen in (miction were diioolors nt (lie titno when the alrccities voit commit-li-d. lie slnled (hat they pleaded they were nol, and had olTered the plea as a rens'in for no -opting no responsibility, but

"this slalom <nl could not have been Irm! of Mime of die directors, for Ihev were tin: Mime pe.--.ms as had ronlrolled' Hie tmsilie's at (he lime of Hie outrages." and

"his cnncei'ii i.-- lo prss on the public mind Hint the lira i.f i« nol pernilfisiblo in tho ca&o of mou whoso.

business it is :o know." 'I'ho three directors "\vcr« apparently content lo retain in thoir service men who, «s their own representative subsequently ennfussnu , , wore 'murderers, pirate, and bandits,'" Tlio C.i inn lias done good tiorvico to pul>lic morals by bringing homo to directors mid shareholder.-, of public con panics the pcrsonnl moral responsibility for what is iiono in comiwiio.i H-itli Hi. companies' operations.—"Christian World." THE PARSON IN THE NEVER NEVER AMUSIXG STOIUES. A great dcnl is often told nt ocelesinsliciil gnllierinj;* regarding what the clergy think of the heathen—whether while or black. At the meetings of the General Assembly of (ho I'rcsljytenian Church of Auslralia, held in Melbourne recently, however, much, bas been said on the other side—what tho aborigines, or tho -nnregenerntod white-*, think of the ministers of the church. During tho Boxer linlieiiyals in China a. chur«« often brought ngainst Iho "foreign dovil" was that he was responsible for the drought. Tho blacks of the Northern Territory are of a different opinion. A missionary from that far-away legion informed the assembly that the clergyman was usually regarded as being a "rain maker," and his nppearanco was therefore regarded with joy. Another attribute uscribed to him was that he scared away "debil-deUle." But lie was more universally known, and regarded with awe, as being "the man who takes photographs." A great deal was talked about tho ignorance, on religious matters of many residents in tho "Never Never Country." A missionary paid ho was breaking new ground. I\o clergyman had previously been in that particular part of the out-back country. He heard himself discussed. "There's a parson in tho company, Bill!" said one man. "Yes," was tho reply. "What is he?" ."A Presbyterian. Then came tho ' rejoinder— "What a number of new-fangled religions there- aro now—ain't there? And Bill agreed with his mate. Tho "mixed receptions" which are accorded to tho travelling clergyman were referred to. One reverend gentleman wns received with gladness by the "lady of tho hut" on a lonely station. The appearance of the stranger "reminded her of tho time when she used to live in the city and go to church twice each Sunday," and so on. Then tho "Boss"—a stockman—put in an appearance, and there was a whispered conversation in an adjoining room. "Tell him to go to—hades, called out a loud, masculine'voice. The narrator of the story hinted that the stockman had other words in his vocabulary, but when mentioning tho matter at a religious conferenco ho thought "hades" the most suitable term to use. "THE DAYS OF TRIAL." GEHMAN LOYALTY TO THE HOLY SUE. Tho Rome correspondent of "The Tablet" (London), writing '. on August 18, states:—Tho Holy Father has expressed himself as greatly cheered and consoled by tho splendid success of the National Catholic Congresses held at Xonvieh and at Aix-la-Chape!lo. Germany was not second to England in its expression oi whole-hearted loyalty, and devotion to the Holy See, and forwarded to the Holy Father a copy-of the following resolution which was passed unanimously by the Congress: "The fifty-ninth Assembly of the Catholics of Germany presents to tho Holy Father iu Eome, Popo Pius X, its most respectful homage. Kegrctfully it fiudt, itself confronted by the fact that still as .in tho.past the situation of the Papacy in Homo does not correspond with those conditions which, all the faithful children of the Church have a right to ask. It was to recognise that in the year in which the Church prepared to celebrate, the sixteenhundredth anniversary of tho historical moment in which the Emperor Constantino the Great freed from all bonds the blessed action of the Church in tho world, tha liberty of the Supreme Pastor placed by.Go,d,is exposed to- an uncertain-future. It repeats,' therefore; its constant desire that the Pope as-Supremo Htad of •■'the Catholic Church- innyenjoy a truolibe'rty in tho accomplishment of his most lofty pastoral ministry, which ie a necessary condition for the liberty and independence of the .Catholic Church. It sends the Holy Father, as a consolation to him in his painful situation, tho expression of its unswerving fealty and obedience to tho Holy Sec, the centre established by God of tho Catholic Church, and promises to offer up the most fervid prayers to Almighty God that He may be pleased to shorten tho days of trial. It invites all German Catholics not 'to diminish their zeal for the collection of Peter Pence, thus also giving the Holy Father a proof of-their heartfelt veneration for his person, and of their faithful love for the Church." This resolution, which was proposed by Prince von Lowenstein, was received with thunderous applause by tho great gathering.