SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.
The London correspondent of tho Melbourne Argus remarks that the recent Diocesan Conference at Manchester afforded Bishop Moorhouse an op[wr* tunity for the delivery of one or two speeches in the old vigorous stylo which was so popular in the antipodes. In the course of Ins opening address Dr. Moorhouse dwelt upon the very serious situation which, had been created for the schools in the Church of England by the Education Act of 1391. He declared that a purely secular education produced a state, of moral paralysis. Rather than Church of England children should become secularists he would willingly hand them over to the most fanatical or superstitious Christian community in tha land. Far better that they should be Christians of any kind than stupid and vicious Materialists. His Victorian experience had taught liim that a puicly secular edcuation in tho common schools meant a rising generation of unbeliever?. Ministers of religion had vainly tried to get tho children of these schools to come aild receive religious instruction at their hands. All had tried their hardest, and for a few weeks with fair success ; but after that the religious indifference of the children, their frivolity, their love of play, their weariness of perpetual learning, too surely thinned the classes and made the effort hopeless. In the course of a debate upon Sunday observance, Dr. Moorhouse made the following interesting admissions, or perhaps it would be more correct to say concessions, to the prevailing opinion of the age. After declaring that works of necessity were allowable on the Sunday, the Bishop referred to the amusements which were practised, and remarked : — " As to football and cricket, it was certainly the eariy practice of Mr Keblo to play on Sunday, and it was also the practice of that most excellent and distinguished clergyman, Canon Kingsley. His own opinion was that they might indulge in any recreation in harmony with the spirit of the institution. He greatly doubted whether rough games resulting in violont excitation of the more unscrupulous emotions were altogether in harmony with the spirit which it was desirable they should maintain on the Lord's Day. The question had been asked whether on Sunday it was proper to read books liko those of Sir Walter Scott and papers like the Spectator. He said certaiuly, if it did net interfere with worship. Probably it would bo postively a good thing, and an aid to worship. As to cyclists, he could not conceive that any violent emotions would ho started by the effect of wheeling: the wheels round. Thore was no'hing in cycling out of harmony with the Lord's Day. If during church service the cyclist put his machine agaiast the wall of tho church and went insido to worship he saw nothing ia the world wrong in it. Again, as to museums, if they did not enter into competition with divine worship their opening on Sundays would do good and not harm. But always they must recognise the fact that the great purpose of the Sabbatical institution was to bring the soul into communion with God. If the institution were lost it would assuredly contribute to the downfall not only of this nation, but of civilisation."
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3091, 7 May 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)
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535SUNDAY OBSERVANCE. Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3091, 7 May 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)
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