NOTES IN PASSING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 129, 2 June 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

NOTES IN PASSING.

A Text: "Why call ye Mc Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"— Jesus. A IT.SA. Roman Catholic Bishop writes in connection with the movement there towards reform in motion pictures, that "no other common cause has ever been more worthy of support." Wise Sayings: "Religion can avail us nothing if we entertain evil thoughts towards our neighbours." ".Where the wood faileth, the fire goeth out, and where there is no talebearer the strife ceaseth." "To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own." "Children have more heed of models than of critics." Hugh Redwood has written a little book of "Lay Sermons and Parables" (Hodder and Stoughton). These sermonettes are helpful, and, between each of them, Mr. Redwood has a page of equally helpful aphorisms. Here is one of them: "Evil thoughts are housebreakers, watching for minds unoccupied, and souls which show no light." The name "Islam" applied to Mohammedanism means submission, that is to say, Islamism, or Mohammedanism is a religion based on "submission" to the will of God. It attaches no special importance to the Sabbath, but on Friday afternoons the faithful attend prayers in the mosques. Instead of priests, there are prayer leaders, chosen from the scholarly and the pious. There are no statues or images in the mosques, and no seats. The pulpits are shaped like a flight of steps. The Koran (their sacred book) is carefully studied, not only in the mosques, but in the schools, and is widely read and pondered. Some people think it is the most widely read book in the world. It is certainly taken very seriously by Mohammedans. The writer of an article in "The War Cry" (N.Z.) refers to a remark that made a great impression on her in her young days. It was made by one of the first General's daughters about a woman officer. "There is one thing about her," she heard her remark—"l'never traced her tongue!" "Those few words," says the- writer, "made a lasting impression on my mind, and I registered a mental vow, 'And you shall never trace mine.' I had never really seriously considered how far people's sayings can be traced, nor what infinite harm they may do. But I have seen it scores of times since, and we all need to be on our guard constantly."

i Dr. F. W. Norwood, of the City Temple, London, recently visited South Africa, Japan, China, and India and conversed with many political and religious leaders. He is expected to arrive in Wellington from Australia, where, before going to England, ho occupied several pastorates, on the 11th of next month. In an interview with the "Sydney Morning Herald," he referred to the times of great difficulty through which the world is passing, and expressed himself as amazed at the way in which the people at Home were "standing up to it." He was not at all pessimistic about them. Speaking of Sunday, he touched on the changes that had come about and their causes, and did not think it should be a day of gloom. The Churches should endeavour "to make religion impelling and attractive." "To the people who really love the Bible," he continued, "it is a'greater book than ever it was. As for it not having the grip it used to have, I think it is mainly due to want of attention on the part of thoso who read it. The man who reads it thourrhtfullv is as deeply stirred by it to-day as before. And the unrest we talk of is ■not peculiar.to religion. We are living in an at*e that has temporarily lost its I way." :