NEWS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND E.G. TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10589, 24 February 1900, Page 3

NEWS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND E.G. TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

■». . ■ ... This column is published aa an advertisement by "A Churchman," care "Press" office, Cashel street, Christcburch, who is alone responsible "for the opinions expressed in it. Donations in support of tliis column will be thankfully received i by the above and acknowledged here, j Donors might send stamps from Sd >ip-1 wards. '.'■...'.' CALENDAR . February. 24th\—St. ,Mattihias,:. Apostle i and Martyr, A than. Creed., , ■ February 25th.—Quih<iuagesima., Notice to be given of Ash Wednesday. February 28th.—Ash Wectaesday. , (The Forty Days of Lent are to be observed as j days of fasting or abstinence. Ash Wednesday Collect to be used daily.) ST. MATTHIAS'S DAY. -THE COLLECT. . 0, Almighty God, who. in the place of the traitor Jodas, didst choose thy faithful servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelye Apostles j grant that Thy Church, being always preserved- from false Apostles, may be ordered arid guided by faithlul and true pastors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. .': ■ . .' -•■V •_ - : ■; •...'.-■ 1. "Faithful and true pastors" ■will ever regard not *heir pleasures or conveniences, but thfl edification of the flock. .. „. 2. They will especially imitate the Good Shepherd in engaging in the rescue work of temperance effort. . ■ -.■> ' 3, They wiH have an especial care for tLe lambs by the establishment of Bands of Hope. ..'■;■'. -■■••'■, the sunday called quinquagesima or the sunday next bef fohe lent. thecoll'ect. 0 Lord, who has taught us that all our doing without charity are nothing worth; send Thy Holy Ghost, epd'npur into our hearts tibat most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever Ihrelh is counted dead before Thee: Grant this for .Thin© only Son Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. ■ 1. Charity, the bond of peace, suggests and maintains the unionvaiid «co-operation on perfectly equal terms between those who use and those who abstain from alcoholic drinks in endeavouring to .promote the objects of the Church of England Temperance Society. 2. What daily need of'charity towards those who do more or less th*n we oureelves see to be necessary for ourselves in Temperance work. ■-.-■,' ', .■■ 3. Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude, nay all moral virtues,, need charity as their bond,, witlwut which they will have neither cohesion, nor permanence, nor productive life. Isolated and detached virtues, will wither and die, J ~• "He gives twice who gives ; quiikly." Kindly eet«i subscriptions' along to Churchman. . .■-/."■ ■ UNPRECEDENTED GRfftyTH. OF THE ENGLISH CfiUKCH UNION. • 10,000 NEW iiEMBERS. v Never before bas- the* E. G.U. received such large' and enthusiastic support as has been accorded to it by"ch'urjshinen in all parts of England ever since the great- meeting at Bradford on September 26th; 1698, when Lord Halifax delivered his 1 addifess on "The Position of the E.CrU.";. In the fifteen ■ months ending December 31st, J899, the number of persons joining the E.C.XJ. was 10,003 v In the twelve months of 1839 the number joining was 8226, as against aa average for. thb previous seven years (1892-3,898) of 2659. Even in 1889 the "ftfir in which ths Bishop i>f Lincoln waeprosecuted&d tha "Zt- Paul's Reredos threaieaed only 6870 joined, and for the seven years before ttiat the average joining in a year was only 1616. It is evident that churchmen Jiave at last begun to realise the necessity of rallying round the Unico in order to maintain *"tbe inheritance of their father?,** the work of fie Oxford and the great cause .of the Catholic revival. The net gain in the fifteen months,' after making all deductions for deaths, and remorels for non-payment, Joss of address, etc., i» 6569. The net gain in the twelve months of 1899 after. -deducting fof resignations (851), deaths (346), removals for non-payment, loss of address, etc. (1525} is 5505, making a -total on tbe books cm December 31st of 38,842. . The, full meaaiug of this wifi be better appreciated if stated thus: —In* th*a whole period, of eight years fram Janueiy. Ist,. 1891, to December 51st, 1898, theiiet gain was only the Union incspeesing from 32,000 to 33,337. In the one year just ended, December 31st, 1899, the Union bad & net gain of 5505, its numbfirs adrancing from 33,337 to 38,842. This is copied fronr ther a ehnTdi-Union Gazette," 2nd January, 1900. The circulation of this "Gawftte" has increased largely of late, and is now 10,000 a month.- Still, this is far ehort of what it ought to be coiwidering the number in the Union. The juaih festival of tike Welsh Chrach psopte in London-will beheld, as hftherto, in St. Paul , * Catbedral, on David's Eve, Fefocaary 28A, at 7 p.m. Tnls year there will be a new departure in the addition of a band of twelve* harps, under the leadership of Mr John Thomas, .harpist to the Queen. Although the harp is considered the Welsh national instrument, there- » as yet no irecord of maiiy expert harpists taking part in c reliinOTTS srathenn?. Tbe j pulpit will be occupied by Canon Williams. | of St. David's. ; ! : J Sosi