CHURCH SITTINGS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3064, 27 April 1917, Page 8

CHURCH SITTINGS

. "OBSTACLE .IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS." ■ , At a very largely-attended,meeting of the parishioners of St. Mary's, Morivalo, says a southern paper, the following resolution, in pursuance, of notico given at lest year's meeting, was moved by Mr. T. Field and -seconded by Mr. C. Bean:—"That all sittings in St. Mary's Church, Merivale, lie free and unappropriated as from March 31, 1018, except such as are required for the members, of the choir." Some discussion followed, during which the vioar Bnoke strongly in' favour of the resolution,. stating that even though only one-third of the seats wore appropriated and; for some years they had refused to let any more, still the fact that some were appropriated was , an obstacle in the way of progress. Somo people wero kent away from church by the .feeling that tho system of appropriated seats was inconsistent with the Christinn doctrine and duty of brotherhood. He rnoognised that nianVi of the best church members Merivale had had wore seat-holders, and it cnuld not bo said that they wove "iiilty of wrong-doing in being soat holdnrs. It was the church lliat was in the wrong in allowing n wrong principle to obtain. Ho could not imagine .losus Christ approving of vested interests in the chnrcli. The matwi was carried almost unanimously,