SABBATH DESECRATION.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 9, 23 November 1878, Page 2

SABBATH DESECRATION.

XOv T^E- BDKPOB.. - . Suv-ln your issue ot November JJOth It '■ saw a letter by a. correspondent, who. signed} ■ himself " Somelhings-i&n,,"' m which he. re*, ferred to>th& practice of Sunday Spprt%u% Feilding. Now„ like " Somethinarian,"' though a resident m Feilding I was equahy unaware of Sabbath desecration haying at,-, turned suph {and. disgraceful for m,, although If had wijtmwsed at Feilding, a* well as at otheittonnships. m this county, V | lamentable (amount of infringement upon 1 the sanctity of the Sabbath Day. Thi*. seems, to beat all. It teems yer^t mnch ljke- ■. retrograding to the practices of bul.Vbaiting^ icock-fightingxhACSft raping, 4c, which were : ;carr_»d on ajt the commencement of the. present century i& the rural districts, o^ . England,. '-' Som*tbingttii#k)^.'' :^wsni^ views these. Sunday sport* frojn. a, afcaiid,,I point, which,, if not; anti-Christian, is ex« 7 ; tcemeiy latitudiharian, from which the line> of detnaroation between, right and wrong, — - Christian, and, anti-Christian.— _is bat dimly* and indefinitely seen. He poaxea the*» ; youths and youpg men very softy over, audi tells them "they might be worse employed, than playing cricket on, Sunday.." He alto,, j *peaks m a somewhat congratulatory man-. : ncr of lively, anticipations undouhtedly^ cherished. at the approach of the. next?. Sabbath— their play day!!;!! Now, Sir, for- " Somethinga-ian,"' to deal with such fright-, ful desecration m such a manner, it, m myopinion, to. betray • sad amount of morbid; feeling, very much akin to. that by, wWehj those parties are evidently ap.tuat.sd. W.h.6, take an. active part m those- things. H& says." they might be worse employed," a*, though, it did, hot matter as. long at. theydid not perpetrate the darkest and motfe Criminal deeds, oa the- Sunday. Saorificinj^ all that it hallowed and; Divine' at the, shrine of levity, is|of course, of no lecognii*. able importance. N;ow.,. Sir,, whjifc. I quite.believe that a certain amount of \nnocenft: tecreatiop taken on, fitting occasions i» rights : and even, requisite. I; stijt think, and fee| j that for a country or . district arowedly- ', Christian, to attorn ancli. shameful inroads^ upon J the. observance- of the Sabbath Us reprehensible, beyond., measure. Parents pnght to. have a sufficent Regard, for the. welfare of their chijdff^n, as, to. ipdnpe. them; to use their parental authority m th* prohibition, of soph tinful practices., men, too, certainly ought to possess enough, ! senseof Christian de^orumto teach them,the,. propriety of sternly discountenancing such; i things, and if there should be soin,e SQifarsunk m. degradation, and. heat henismat.to. I persist m such practice* then, Chrittiant ; gentlemen, of influence, not. otherwite- en-, gaged, should kindly 'interfere. and- prevail? upon them, to desist, and turn their atten*. • tion to something, better and nobler. J-4M, i 11a hope that Welling) on, rather than tyk--lowingfsuch a demoralising: precedent hero, presented,, will keep to the sacredjobservancar iof the Sabbath,, and lsad. the way into.some^. ; thing, more, worthy of theVemulation of theta. young and rising to,wnships.r—l am, &c., An Obsebvbb of the Saubath..