SUNDAY DESECRATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1094, 10 September 1912, Page 4

SUNDAY DESECRATION.

Apropos of the controversy in reference to Sabbath desecration the Bishop of Singapore, otherwise Dr. J. Ferguson-Davie, the Silver Medallist of 1904, contributes to the June “ N.R.A. Journal’ a thoughtful and sincere paper on the vexed question of Sunday rifle shooting. He says:—“ There are indeed some who are able to manage both rifle shooting aud a due observance of Sunday. I own that lam not one. Were Ito indulge in it, I should find the interest of rifle, shooting a very serious rival to what I believe to be the main use of Sunday.” And he concludes “ Moreover, Ido not believe that the whole benefit of our Sunday comes either from the worship or the rest of the day. There is also the opportunity lor reading and thought, and for informal social contact with relations and neighbours, such as is not possible on other days, which is of the greatest value. And we are so constituted that organised sports make this a practical impossibility ior those who regularly cake part in them. It is sometimes said that those who would take part in rifle shooting have such limited spiritual powers that it is not worth while considering them. I entirely dissent. I have never found my fellow-men lacking in spiritual power and Interest. It is therefore, I believe a dangerous matter to introduce a habit which may lead to their not exercising the spiritual powers that they have. Marking on a range might be better for the street loafer than his present occupation, but it can hardly be argued that we should sacrifice the habits of the more valuable class of society for the benefit of the loafer. The above considerations lead me to dislike Sunday rifle shooting.”