By THE SYNOD OF 1917.
“THE Synod, having learned that the new time is the occasion of some friction in some of their congregations, and that the consciences of others are entangled and aggrieved by it, would desire their people to attend to the following facts:—
(1). The ‘new time’ does not alter the Sabbath Day in the least degree, either as to when it begins, or as to when it ends. From time immemorial, the Sabbath was regarded in this country as beginning with midnight, according to the order of nature, and as ending with the following midnight, according to the same order of nature. This is that seventh part of our time which we should hold unalterably as peculiarly sanctified unto God. Clocks may, by the order of Government, be altered for convenience so that what is midnight in nature should read as 11 p.m. on the clock, and again these clocks may be altered so that twelve at night on the clock may correspond with midnight in nature. But it would be intolerable that the Lord’s Day should thus be shifted about, and altered as to its beginning and end. Let our people, therefore, regard it as a matter in which their understanding and conscience are established, that from midnight in nature to midnight in nature we are unalterably bound, as before there was any word about these changes, to sanctify one day—the first—in seven.”
(2). This altering of clocks is, we believe, done, on the part of the Government, for the country’s convenience, so as to save coal, gas and other artificial lights at this present time of stress. It means as long as the ‘new time’ is in force that men begin business on week-days an hour earlier than usual. In most of the places of worship, also, in the country, the services begin an hour earlier on the Sabbath. Our Church is also so situated that it would be very inconvenient for our people if our congregations also did not meet an hour earlier than usually they did. If then any Kirk-Session reckons that the convenience of the congregation is best served by adopting so far the ‘new time’ the congregation ought to fall in quietly with this arrangement, not thinking that the Sabbath is thereby altered, or that it is sinful for convenience sake thus to shift the hours of meeting.
(3). Congregations are reminded that the courts of this Church have always protested against Sabbath desecration encouraged by the Government and other authorities throughout the country. The Synod strongly disapprove of the orders given to City Corporations and Railway Companies to change their clocks on the Sabbath mornings and regard this as a part of the desecration against which they have protested; but as this alteration of clocks could be done at any other time, and was actually done by most people on Saturday night the Synod hold that to meet an hour earlier for divine worship on Sabbath does not interfere, as already affirmed, with the Sabbath itself.”