120 



DISCUSSION OX SUNDAY OBSERVANCE. 



them laid down in express words in Genesis, but there is that one 

 word ' ' Eemember. ' " Dr. Horton lias spoKen about the negative 

 influence of Government. It seems to me that what we want is a 

 modification of the law. We want to restrain the enormous 

 number of railways and steam-boats and facilities on Sunday. 

 Now that the working people have so much more leisure m the 

 week there is no need to make Sunday the great day for excur- 

 sions. Let the cheap trains be on the week-days, and don't put 

 the temptation to poor people, and well-to-do people, too, to take 

 the opportunity of going down to the seaside on Sunday because 

 it is the only day that is at a reasonable rate. One does feel that 

 restraint could be put on the public amusement. There was an 

 attempt to open museums on Sunday. Was it for the sake of 

 museums? Was it not rather to open wide the door so that we 

 should have a Continental Sunday? One was pleased, visiting 

 France just before the war, that there were distinct signs of a 

 return to a more peaceful Sunday. Let us within our power 

 influence Members of Parliament, and Members of District 

 Councils in different places, to see that there shall be a limitation 

 put to these facilities for keeping the Sunday in a way that is 

 really, as had been shown by the speakers to-day, harmful rather 

 than restful for all. 



ijt.-Col. Molony : In 1885 a railway was being made irom 

 Suakim towards Berber. As it was war time, they decided lo 

 work on Sunday. The first Sunday they laid one mile, but it was 

 very badly laid; it was called the Sunday mile, it was so jolty. 

 It gave rise to a good deal of discussion, and the general opinion 

 was that it does not pay to work on Sunday. That was the 

 general opinion in South Africa. Most officers, as the war went 

 on, steadily reduced Sunday work. Not only on our side, but 

 on the Boers' side. Joubert did his best to keep Sunday. It was 

 the same thing in the Great War. It was generally ordered that 

 although groups of of&ces must keep open to deal with an\i:hing 

 urgent, as man}^ people as possible should be given a rest ; and 

 towards the end of that war it was laid down that the Pay Offices 

 should be shut entirely. The Scotch feel that there is some diffi- 

 culty in getting one's mind into the correct attitude for worship, 

 and the best thing is on Sunday morningr, not to allow the mind to 

 dwell on the weekly things which are likely to fill your thoughts 

 and prevent you doing justice to worship. I have been asked 

 to move a vote of thanks to our Chairman, Dr. Schofield. I am 

 sorry to say that he says he will not be able to come amongst us 

 so much in the future as he has done in the past, as he is going 

 to live in the Isle of Wight. We are all very sorry for this. Dr. 

 Schofield 's knowledge of the work of this Institute has, T believe, 

 always kept us straight. He has done much to further the work, 

 and his savoir faire has been most useful. 



