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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19473, 7 May 1925, Page 8

THE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES. The more ' responsible section of the community will cheerfully accord the Council of Christian Congregations its meed of recognition for its unostentatious but useful labours in the interests of the moral well-being of this city. The advantages that are derivable from co-operation among the denominations should he extended through the experience gained in the five and twenty years during which this organisation, representative of a desire for mutual effort, has been in existence. In the course of his remarks at the meeting on Tuesday evening the Mayor might have been thought to be somewhat adventurous when he expressed disagreement with the attitude uf the Council of Christian Congregations open the question of the desirability of sacred concerts on Sunday nights. It is a subject upon which there has been, and is likely to be, a good deal of controversy. Mr Tapley observed that he ( failed to see the difference between Sunday afternoon band performances arid Sunclay night sacred concerts. La that view he will certainly not be alone. Distinctions without apparent differences are no novelty. There is perhaps this difference, however, that the hold’ing of band concerts in halls on Sunday nights would involve the employment of labour such as is not required ifi connection with the Sunday afternoon' performances to which the public is accustomed. During the discussion on this question which followed, it was suggested that upon occasions on which the hands give performances on Sundays there should be a speaker present on behalf of the Council of Christian Congregations. Whether the public that gathers, for example, at the Botanic Gardens on a Sunday afternoon would appreciate such tangible evidence of the interest of the Council in its spiritual well-being there may be some room for doubt. But a considerable section of the public will be likely .to note with, satisfaction the ability of a prominent member of the Council of Christian Congregations to agree with the Mayor that young people would be better engaged attending sacred concerts on Sunday nights than roaming the streets or getting into mischief otherwise. It marks a concession on the part of the Council that it is apparently ready to consider the question of lending its co-operation to the holding of concerts after churrh hours on Sunday nights.