SABBATH DESECRATION.
[To the Editor.) ' tIRf — I am not at all astonished at the tone of "S's" declaimer at what he is pleased to call the " desecration of the , Sabbath " by a few of the, young men of this place, for he is evidently one of those thorough going Christians who " strain at gnats and swallow camels." The facts ,/ are as follows. Some of the young men '[ 'who are during the week cooped up in stores and other business places, meet on Sundays and take a little exercise with bat and ball. You are aware that in this, what I may term primitive village, we are not so fortunate as to have railways passing our doors, and our roads are not so good "that we can indulge in a ride or arive, I know many Christian men who do bo, and they do not for one moment think that they are desecrating the Sab- -. bath. -They think it necessary : to take a little exercise in the open air to avoid the , "ills to which flesh is heir." I would :.,like "S.'.* to point ont the difference in . degree of sin between riding or driving horses, taking a trip by boat or train, and those who have not the means or op- ■ porimnty to do so, who,- instead, have a ' tarn at the willow, not in sport, but as a necessary relaxation after the toils and ' cares of the week. lam under the impression that the latter have at least one advantage, and that is, no grooms are . required to stay; and lo6k after horses, prepare buggies and carriages, &c. Sta-
tion masters and guards can get gospel ministration, if they think proper, on that day. Tis true, most true, we are supplied with " gospel ministrations " ("about ten visits per annum)'; and if "5.," or others who attend, derive any spiritual consolation therefrom, or think that by assembling for an hour or so they are obeying the Divine injunction, " Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," let him by all means not mies any opportunity offered. I can assure him that we, the cricketers, would not object even if he were to seek "gospel ministrations" twenty hours out of every twenty-four during the seven days of the week, and we would not, as " Christians," lift " up our voices against him," nor characterise his conduct as unseemly or foolish, because he happened to differ from us. I am sorry "S. " is incorrect in reference to early closing. The business places are not generally closed untU eight o'clock, owing to a very small minority being in favor of it, and half-holidays are not known here, as in the more favored town of Lawrence. Should " S." again give us his ideas on " Sabbath desecration," he will confer a favor by appeuding his name, so that we may know what Daniel has come to judgment. — I am., <fcc'., Joseph Cox (One of the cricketers.)
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Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 414, 5 December 1874, Page 3
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490SABBATH DESECRATION. Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 414, 5 December 1874, Page 3
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