SABBATH ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 174, 24 August 1897, Page 2

SABBATH ENTERTAINMENTS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Hamilton is to be congratulated upon having a religious body thoroughly progressive and up-to-date—in fact, some think in advance of the times—in their efforts to gather in " the sick, the maimed, the halt, and the blind " that their church may be filled. Some prosaic folk profess to be shocked at the holding of magic lantern and oratorio musical entertainments in a church on the Sabbath, as they consider it a breach of the fourth commandment, but it is only the narrow-minded and bigoted who thiuk that because a reverent and orderly service suits them it should satisfy all. Let tin m be charitable and remember tiiat theie are only six other evenings in the week, and if people cannot attend entertainments on those an opportunity must be ail'ordeil them, in view of their future welfare, of doing so on the seventh, even if it necessitates the sacrifice of a 1 evcrent service and a helpful sermon. The vexed question of how to iudr.ee people to attend church has now, it is hoped, been satisfactorily solved ; but should a magic lantern ultimately prove unsuccessful as a " draw," I suggest that a Christy Minstrel show be tried, with the minister as " Massa Johnson." In that capacity he would be afforded some golden opportunities for imparting religious knowledge to the audience by means of his quips and cranks with " Tambo" and "Bones." There are a number of odes set to Nigger plantation nvlodica which would be suitable for such a gathering, and, if thought desirable, the whole might conclude with a farce, based upon some Biblical atoiy. Such a religious meeting would take immensely and should cause the "man at the doer" to rejoice with exceeding great joy. In making this suggestion I am actuated solely by a desire to help along the good work, and have no wish to participate in the profits.—l am, etc., Omnia Bona Boms