THE SINS OF THE AGE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10785, 12 October 1900, Page 7

THE SINS OF THE AGE.

TO THE EDITOR OF TUB ritESS,

SJ r> —l hare often attended the Cathedral when Bishop Julius preached, and: have been struck with admiration at tlie large and attentive congregation assembled. What * change was there Sunday morning, instead ef Being crowded, even to the pulpit steps, lEe akies were almost empty, and vacant chairs were but too conspicuous, even in the centre aisle.

I could not understand it, but have since h?ard tluit the laity generally resent the Bishop taking an active part in any social, political, or moral question of the day. That is, practically, of course; even those who object most strenuously to the Bishop leaving what they consider his clerical position, and, as they stylo it, lowering the digftUv and prestige of the Church by entering the lists with moral reformers, and tilting Mainst the crying sins of the age. Even fflese people voald ba quite willing to aslniit that he was acting tiu to th«ir standard of a ffishop , * dnty if he denounced vice from the pulpit. The wider and more wholesale the condemnation of sin the better—so long as it was generalised, not speciaJl«d.

With regard to the subject lately discuss*d in yoar columns, which, at present, seems to be engaging th/. of all nations, s>e., the population question. The numerons \eVv&% you have received show there are two sides to every question, and without etfeiag into the vexed question of right :**d Wrong, surely ttois is a case in which «* Charcli should boldly take the side ehe oeoadws rigffi. jA Bishop is as likely to be wrong in ha» <Pokm as anyone ebe, but, if hie firm UjMttet opinion. h« is ripht to speak, and to Jwn in th* crusade against what many con•wW ti» eying sin of the age. A tone devotee of tSS Roman Catliolic » supposed fo Believe the Pope in-atoblie--we do not profess to believe tlwt °» wif Bkliops, or even Archbishops, but, ■*"•*?» we may pve them cretlit for their *"K»rity, aid." at they can point to "» examrrle of St. Paul and St. Peter, in the sins of the they lived «• Soreiv. the |>eople of Christchirrch do their Bishop ♦•> confine himself en«r«r to tb« pulpit—ilm time has gone by ™ p sw niCHn.9 alone. Not long since T came JP 1 ?*-' a volume of sermons by Sydney eajtn (the witty canon of St. Paul's) ;'there J*** special 'sermons against the sins and •*»t*. or follies of tlie day—fairly plain ■p**n, too. Suicide, seduction," racing, *X-< were some of the subjects. i«mps, autre moeurs. Xow, the «w*h wkely j 0 i ns wit ] l the i aitv in aJ> f*»pt to reform what is wrong: she may |*«. xbe may err in l*er judgment, but. at tk. - lsas the ri fe' ht s P irit ' and ' surel 7» it IK**/? 1, ghm for tho s P arso att «ndance -£«• Utftedral service couW not have been correct one.—Yours, etc.. COSMOPOLITE.