NO CHEAP CHURCH.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 41, 26 May 1910, Page 3

NO CHEAP CHURCH.

PRESBYTERIAN LIVINGS. A STIRRING APPEAL. Professor Macintyre made a strong appeal to the representatives of the State Presbyterian General Assembly mi St. Stephen's Church for support to tin? susteutation fund. Incidentally he traced the hardships of the pioneers of the Church in the inland districts (says the 'Sydney Daily Telegraph'). "We believe in a married ministry," lie said, "and our Church owes much to the gracious iniluence that goes out from our manses like the sweet and wholesomo perfume of a garden rose. Who that has ever experienced it can ever forget the gracious and refined hospitality of so many of our country manses? The world does not know of the self-sacrifice that in many of those places asserts itself. The minister with the scorn of intellect for outward appearance may be willing to go about his sacred duties wearing a coat that, it it is not turning an emerald green under the hot and scorching sun, is turning the more neutral shade that comes to the leal ol the tree. (Laughter.) Think of the wife who looks alter her husband with a pang of grief at her heart, and remember that, it you cannot trace the green of the new leal, it was she who rectified it, God bless her. (Applause.) It is she who provides comfort for the minister when he conies back from his long ancMojiely journeys m the; back country—and thac has been one ol the motives which h;:s induced me to introduce this matter. I touch it in the hope that something may be done to make the hearts of the brave women in the country manses lighter than they have been for some years past. (Applause.) "A Iloyal Commission has been taking evidence as to the increased cost of living in the Commonwealth of Australia, and the results of their investigations go to show that the cost of living has been increased '2O to 25 per cent. "What does that mean to a stipend of £200? It might mean anything up to £4O on the stipends which ministers havo been in the habit of receiving for the past ten years. So whatever wo do for our ministers wo must do something adequate to send them out in such a way that the burden will not fall too heavily upon them. "I am not going to ask, 'Are you prepared to pay for what you want? for you never can pay lor these set vices when rendered as they might be rendered. I am not going to make any such

commercial appeal in this house, but I do say that at least you can protect the men who gave you their lives in tho work from sordid poverty. It will oe an evil day for this Church when she tears to make an appeal to the selfsacrifico of its members, and when Cod's claim upon substance is denied. It will be an evil day when men ask lor a cheap Church. Should that day ever come—as I pray it may never be; 1 sec no signs of it—should it over come in any measure, then let us blot out our historic motto, nee tamen consumcbatur, and write in its place Ichabod, lor our glory will have departed. The Church is answering tho cry of the Father's heart that we should care for His wayward-children in the slums and back lanes of the cities and the growing towns and hamlets of the bush. If one man suffers on the trackless desert, each of us as members of the Cluirch will then suffer with him." Pro lessor Maclntyre appealed for a renewed interest in the fund.