OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1928, Page 6

OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY

A BISHOP’S LIBERAL VIEWS

PERTURBATION IN WAIKATO

AUCKLAND, Nov. 29

A good deal of perturbation lias been experienced in the Waikato diocese during tlie past month as a- result of a long article written bv Ilishop Cher rington appearing in the November issue of the Diocesan Magazine. The article was entitled “Lord’s Day or Sabbath?” At least two country vicars on reading the article returned then bundles of magazines to the diocesan office, while another vicar . recalled those magazines lie had distributed before reading the views of the Bishop on Sunday observance. In the article Bishop Cherrington said that for many years it had been claimed by many Christian teacheis that in some indirect fashion authority for the Lord’s Day was given by the Fourth Commandment and by the custom of the Jews to observe in a peculiar and rigid manner one day in seven. For years it had been supposed to lie un-Christian to do many things on the first day of the week things that were perfectly legitimate on the other six. The fallacy of (his method of teaching of late years had been and was still being exposed, but unfortunately many people although discovering that the teaching about the Sabbatical observance of the Lord’s Day was fallacious, bad not been taught to grasp the true value and meaning of the weekly feast, and therefore they marked it in no way whatever. Truth would prevail aiid those who now bemoaned neglect of the Lord s Day had onß themselves to blame for not having m the past, and largely in the present, been able to think clearly and teach correctly.

The article went on to discuss the history and early observance of the Jewish Sabbath and added that the Lord’s Day was a day of happiness, jnv. and thanksgiving. In all liturgies every Lord’s Day was a feast. From ll.e tnilv Christian point of view there would always on the T - rd’s Day he a gathering of the Lord's people round tho Lord’s table.

After laying stress on the imporl:imo of Christian people attending the fiolv Communion on the morning of flic Lord’s Day the article asked “How shall we spend tlm rest of tlm day?” The renly was “exactly as we please, willi the proviso that a r-,,;,ii of joy and happiness shall prevail in us, and through us in others throughout tla day. Excursions inav |,e made, friends may he visited, and gardens cared for. Young people growing up will .sing a-nd dance, or engage in other amusements, each in accordance with bis best. A spirit of joyous freedom should pervade the day. A brief message will have been given at Communion, with a note of fpe«h inspiration for the week. There will be no oilier sermons nor need thorp be any other services other than the daily office which is said on a Sunday bv those whose obligation it is to sav it, exactly as on a weekday.” Continuing, the article stated that clergymen would not he expected to preach more than one sermon on Sunday as a. rule. Sunclav schools and inst,melon of children except, perhnos on special occasions and 'for special reasons, on a Sunday would cease. ‘•"Why should the Lord’s D n ' T be marked for children bv lessons 7 it as-.ed. “Yot one else does them.” B the clergy could not yet have the right of entry into- all schools as in New floeth Wales, instruction should be rrj von first tiling on Saturday morning, or at any other time n.s convenient. Concluding, the Bishop’s article stated that by observance of the Lord’s Day as be bad outlined, the happy freedom regarding the use of the day would he. fully recognised, and the truth would ho more apparent: ilnt the Christian religion so far from being a tedious, gloomy, and often wearisome affair so far as Sunday was concerned, was a glad am happy recognition of the goodness of Cod.

In his letter to Church people in the December issue of the magazine. Bishop Cherrington said he understood some people had been disturbed in mind by some of his statements m the article erferred to. If this was so. he said, lie would he glad it thev would write to him on the subject, or if they preferred it they could write to the magazine. Discussion amicably carried on did good, and it was not possible that everyone’s interpretation of the Scriptures was always the same. All he could say about what lie wrote was that it was what he had taught for thirty years, and that his chief point was the importance of making the Lord’s Dav testify to what He stood for. that was the' truth of the Resurrection with a!i that 'it meant.