RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 18

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

PRESENT-DAY OUTLOOK. (Contributed.) OLDER THAN METHUSELAH. Tho recent discussion in the correspondence columns of the "Star" regarding the age of Methuselah has a humorous aspect, but is also instructive. It is surprising that many people still regard the patriarchal stories as actual history. It is hardly necessary to state that the historicity of the antediluvian narratives in the Book of Genesis is not accepted by modern authorities. When we were young we were told that Methuselah was the oldest man that ever lived, but during recent years.a rival has been brought to light in the person of an ancient king who reigned 1200 years. A Sumerian creation story tells us that "Galumum ruled for 900 years. Barsulnunna ruled 1200 years." This Sumerian story reads like an extract from Genesis. Dr. King in his Bchweich lecture remarks that Methuselah's great age is even exceeded by two Sumerian patriarchs. The names in tlie two lists differ, but in both we are rnovirg in the same atmosphere and line of thought. A Babylonian list gives ten ante-diluviau kings whose reigns lasted in the aggregate 432,000 years. TYPES OF CHARACTER. In the stories of the patriarchs we have a mixture of myth, legend, and history. Attempts have been made to interpret the patriarchs as gods, nations or tribes. But none of these attempts have been convincing. It is safer, says Professor Peake, to recognise that the leading figures in the story were actual personalities. But this, of course, does not guarantee the stories in detail. Tho Book of Genesis contains tales familiar to the folklore of other nations. The religious value of the book does not depend upon its historical accuracy. The records hold the mirror up to nature; they depict for us actual situations in which our common thoughts and emotions' find ample play. Many types of character -are here. No lifeless blocks on which the moralist sets off his wares; but warm and living, a human heart beating in the breast and human blood throbbing through the veins. As contributions to scientific history our estimate of their value may be reduced; as channels of instruction, warning stimulus, they remain unimpaired—we might say enhanced in value, since attention is now concentrated on the abiding content rather than the transitory form. Sir George Adam Smith, the distinguished Presbyterian scholar, agrees with Professor Peake. The value of these stories does not depend on their historical accuracy. "The power of the patriarchal narratives on the heart, the imagination, the faith of men, can never die; it is immortal with truthfulness to the realities of-human nature and of God' B education of mankind.'' THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS COW-ING AGAIN. In a review of the Anglican Bishop of Pretoria's book entitled "The Returning Tide of Faith" the ''Guardian" states: The Bishop believes that "the ebb-tide of faith has turned. The Christian Faith is coming again." But it •needs restating. It is primarily the Faith with which the bishop is concerned, and it would be hard to find a better or more honest attempt to present the essential Christian doctrines in the lanspiage of to-day than is to »c found in "this rough-hewn volume." All the more important articles of the creed are dealt with; but, while difficulties are nowhere shirked, and untenable positions are frankly abandoned, restatement is not a pseudonym for denial. Just the right thing is said about the place of the Jew in religion—''the mr vincible optimist, hoping, waiting, lookin~- for the dawn* because of his faith in°God." It is not the existence of God so much "as His nat-ire that is in question; and we see the old truths In a new tight, now that criticism has given us "a recovered vision of the real Man, Jesus of Nazareth;" npw, too, that tlie palsy.with which a materialistic dread of the supernatural had touched' the mind is passing, and we perceive more clearly that the Gospel of the Crucified is impossible without the Resurrection, ■which was the ratification of the faith of Jesus. "Evolutionary Bcience has reinstated man as the measure of_ the ■wholo vast panorama of existence," and in view of that "neither philosophy nor science have any right to deny its pos. sibility." But the truth of theßesur* rection only came home, now as at first to those who are disciples in life as well as thought. A WONDER"?HI? COKPAHT. "Ethical Leadership and the Modern Ministry" was the subje"ct of a striking address given hf the Rev. J. C. CarlUe, D.D. before thp Baptist Board (London). Referring to. the Old Testament prophets Dr. Carlile said: "What a, wonderful company they were I They were the pillars of morality and religion in the State, not simply its advocates, but its passionate exponents. We cannot get away from the charm of their-whole-hearted advocacy of righteousneßSj eqqity, and the virtues that are as gems in. any nation's crown.. In every land, and particularly in Eastern lands, avarice and personal advantage were the great temptations. The prophets never ceased to " proclaim the City of God ■wherein dwelieth that righteousness which e-ralteth a nation. Each has his distinctive . message, his clarion note, fashioned by his personality and conditioned by the period in which he lived. Amos insists upon tho internationalism of true religion, for God is God of all. Hosea proclaims that the, individual must not only share God's love, but must act in love to his brother. Isaiah in stately imagery sets forth the wondrous message of Jehovah. The character of God ia the guarantee of the triumph of righteousness. Ezekiel, far away in exile, sees the approaching doom of the Holy City and cries aloud that the burden of responsibility rests upon each individual, not even the elect —the chosen pepple of God—can escape individual responsibility. All share in the responsibility for corporate righteousness or collective-sin. Jesus was a great ethical leader. It is amazing to see the decisions He gave in axioms upon the great moral questions pf His day. Almost in sentences He asserted the moral nrin-ci-dasvfhich are timeless in their appli--ation, W d know neither race nor lanChristianity', ig ~mqfe ' thai -norality .Ha, 'the w-__en__ : ethical leadership: of the ministry ap-, _eari__ upon tl«.-l»t.«rtp'pf-u M ,*.^-i?_ fi W^g

CURRENT NOTES. After being vacant for 45 years the pulpit of Wellington Road Church, Stockton, England, has been filled by the Rev. J. iH. Williams. Sir Walford Davis, Director of Music at the University of Wale 3, recently stated that tbe Welshman's besetting sin is singing hymns. j A Chinese resident of Philadelphia. Mr. Henry Ko, is a frequent preacher ;iu one of the Methodist Episcopal 5 | Churches of that city. Mr. X*> is the 1 proprietor of an up-to-date laundry. 3 After Berving for a quarter of a century as its Literary Superinterdent, the Roy. T. H. Darlow is retiring from * i the British and Foreign Bible Society i at Easter. t Manchester diocese is launching a , scheme for increasing all benefices which | fall below £300 a year up to that amount. ! i The capital sum required is £73.000. It lis hoped ultimately to increase all bene- . i lices to £400 per annum. The Rev. S. Baring Gould, who is 3 known wherever "Onward Christian l Soldiers" is sung, was ninety years old ;on the last Sunday in January. He still preaches once" every Sunday and B is writing a history of English Religion. 1 t The Rev. R. B. S. Hammond, who is a | well-known in New Zealand, upon his 3 return to Sydney after a trip abroad, received a great welcome as might be expected. Mr. Hammond is still as strong an enthusiast as ever for prohibition, as he has been touring the * world in the interests of temperance. a Mr. and Mrs. R. Williams, who celes ■ brated their golden wedding recently, 3 I presented the Bethania Church, of Cals j vinstic Methodists, with an indivdual c communion service as a thank offering. ■1. Mr. Williams has been in office at that s ! church for over 50 years. "I ~ L -' r j The Rnthbone trustees have paid over si to the Trust Board of the Anglican t | Diocese of Waiapu, £5,200 of the £7000 3 promised for the building of the Abbots- ; ford Home at Waipawa, and the remaina der will be available when required. The i- Standing Committee have decided to f commence building as soon as possible. s s A School of Religion has been founded i in Constantinople by Dr. Renall Harris, l I under the auspices of the American s Board and Robert College. It started r i with 17 students, including Armenians, ; : Russians, Bulgarians, and Greeks. These " are being trained for religious and social 3 work in the Near East. 3 The Rev. R. H. Hobday, M.A., was -1 instituted last Sunday evening as vicar , of St. Columba An-dican Church. Grey , Lynn. The Bishop told the congregation 3 that they had an able man in Mr. r Hobday and he hoped that they would j co-operate whole-heartedly with him. 3 The parish had done well in the past, r but they must still press forward, so > that they may do still better in the f future. The Rev. Kenneth MeFarland, of All Paints', Palmerston North, is leaving Ne-T Zealand shortly for England, where he will make a stay of about two years 3 in order to gain a wide eirperience of '. the Church's activities at Home. He - will be very greatly missed in the parish 3 of All Saints' (says the "Church . Chronicle"), where, amongst the lads t and young, men, he has d~ , ne, such a splendid work. Mr. MeFarland is a tion - of Canon E. J. MpFarland, qf Auckland.. .1 "The matter which I believe will stir- , ' prise people by the way in which it will . be accepted is the practical introducI tion of Prayers for the Dead." says the I Bishop of Birmingham. "The war i taught us a great deal on the subfect, i and evangelical leaders in our Church . have, many of them, formed the judgi ment that there can be no harm, but | much good, in commending those who . have passed hence to the mercy of , God." I j The late Mrs. Gardiner -widow of the . late Rev. A. F. Gardiner) left by her will of the residue of her [ estate to the Maori Mission of the Anglican Diocese of Waiapu, two-sixtieths i to the -capital of the General Diocesan Fund of the same Diocese, and one i sixtieth as an endowment towards the i payment of allowances to- the Arch- ; deacons of the diocese. The Standing , Committee has allotted the first P a y* i ment from the legacies (about onei fourth of the whole) to a reservp fund i for the Maori Mission. ' ■ The Baptist Relief on tne Continent • : of Europe,, administered by Dr. Rusht prooke on behalf of American, Canadian and British Baptists, has operated on a ! wide scale! During its two years' existence over £160,000 has been distributed. Russian relief absorbed -lightly over £40,000. It *3 anticipated that an equal or larger sum will 'be forwarded to ' Russia during the third <~ear. In addi- : tion to funds for relief, Dr. Rushbrooke has during two years forwarded over I £"2,000 for mission work on the Con- • ■ tinent. I A suggestion that a lectern should I form part of the furniture of St. , i Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Christ- | church, w~-~ made by the Rev. Norman I Webster. Recently three Glasgow ladies I who had joined the church had shown him a photograph of their church at Pollokshields, and there was a beautiful brass lectern, a. communion table, and pulpit bearing the Cross and the letters "1.H.5." Therefore, although Jecterns were not often\ seen in Presbyterian churches in New Zealand, they were quite in accordance with the usages of the Church in Scotland. United Methodists in England were gratified to see the name of Alderman Joseph Calvert in the New Year list of Knights. N Sir Joseph Calvert; is an! ' evtMayor of Middlesbrough, and has, rendered many noble services to the! town in various ways, "both (before the ' war and during it, and since. Jn Grange Road Church and Sunday school he has ; rendered excellent service as president of the Sunday afternoon Bible class, conductor of the teachers' preparation class, and in many other ways. Lady Calvert is at the head "of one of the largest and best-conducted women's meetings' in the denomination. Professor-.Voronoff has {-resented be: fore a Paris audience, mostly consisting of elderly males,, the twentyrseventh - man who,. he claims, has been rejuven- • atpd by his.- monkey-gland treatment. •., The Russian doctor is now to t attempt the-same process with woman 1 patients who -wish to restore their lost "•■ Mopm of youth. "It is a more difficult »..!-.matter to bring, back the youth of a 8 _'--- d -*?* V°-onoff, -'far more i difficult than to restore that of a man"