JOTTINGS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12506, 19 May 1906, Page 13

JOTTINGS.

Apropos of the question which has been raised ac to the meaning of the petition in the Lord's Prayer "Lead us not- into temptation," and the suggested alternative readings, a correspondent of a Sydney paper states that in the Henry "VIII. primer (or Prayer Book), dated 1546, the words are given ac "Let «c not bo led into temptation." "Why this translation was over altered," he remarks, "remains a problem for Greek scholars to decipher." . The second general assembly of tho Prosbvterian Church in India was recently held at Nagpnr, Central Provinces. Fifty elected members thirty-seven of whom were mini store and thirteen elders, gathered from tho cix synods and sixteen Presbyteries of tho new Church. Dr. Chatterjee, who is ouo of tho early Brahman converts of tho Calcutta College, is heartily acknowledged to have made an admirablo moderator.

The Rev. J. Mackenaio, of Christchurch, describee in tho "Outlook" a service which ho recently attended in Knox Churoli, Dunedin, \v-])icli ho says wae, in many respects, unique. It was a young people's evening in the church, and several hundreds of young peone were present, with teachers and members of Bible classes and the Fellowship Association. The- Rev. William Howit&on preached on the subject of organisation in reference to the work of the Presbyterian church amongst the young. '"The sermon lasted a littlo over an hour, and the congregation listened in nmdiminishsd numbers unto the end. Do such things often happen in theso latter days?" A London paper recently affirmed that nearly half the clorgy of the United. Free Church of Scotland are on the brink of starvation. "It is not so bad ac that by arov means." comments the "British Weekly," "but. it is true that the Sustentation Fund, on which so many of the ministers solely depend, is not in a prosperous state, and that there is a serious danger that incomes, already too email, may bo reduced. There is nothing to womler at in thir?. Considering her great trial, and all that has come of it, especially tlu* heartbreaking strain imposed by \iw delay of tho commissioners in bringing about a settlement, the United Fr«-o Church has every reason to thank God and take courage. Tho Foreign Mission funde have increased, and tht> Congregational funds are in a healthy .state. But it is imperative that tJio members of the Church should face the situation as it affects tho support of tho ministry." A movement has been, started on the part of the ladies of tho United Free Church to raise a self-donial fund. Tho following is from c report of the Presbyterian Mission in Xyasaland. Central Africa, in which the results of ten yoars , labour are tabulated:— Customs low, immoral, cruel, have pa&scd away, or aro going rapidly. The burying alivo of slaves end wives at the" death of c chief, tho killing ot twine, the poison ordeal, the raiding of helpless tribes. the kklnapping, buying, and selling of the unprotected, the tribal wars, have ceased; tho vile dances, beer-drinking parties, have disappeared in some districts, end in others aro greatly lessened; superstitious beliefs, polygamy, etc., aro de- ! clir.ing everywhere. The greatest fact in. the land to-d«y -is Christianity. Christianity shows itwlf at every turn .—in the daily religious exercises of the people, in a growing healthy public opinion, in improved .social conditions, in a people making for righteousness. "Tho Biblo," Canon Scott Holland told a Christian Social Union meeting at Liverpool. "i« the great Jtiook ot Labour, and tho U ! d Te-tament, above all, gives a conception ot" what Labour t-hould be—its mind and motives, ite purpose and isMu , .' , The Canon wants to see Labour dignified and glorinod. That joy was going out of work was one of the perils of the world. Approximate figures wore supplied tc the. last General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Australia, as follows:— Presbyterians in tho Commonwealth. 44UJ019; Presbyterian ministers, 502; oatechists and home missioners, 131; nifinberrf of the CJhurch. 51,750; Suuday-whool scholars, *4,6G5; Sunday 6chools, 1135; charges, 501;

preaching centres, 2333; eldere, 1923; amount paid in stipends, £113,452; amount of congregational revenue, £-213,835; capital funds of State Assemblies, £442,112; congregational debt. £193,702. The Rev. C. Fox has been appointed ae:ifitaut curate of Ashburton, residing in the TinwaJd vicarage, which will bo th- % centre of his work.

The Her. E. H. Shore, Lite vicar of Carnm'. nc-'iie, Cornwall, is on his way from England to take up the duties of Bishop's chaplain and mifisioner in this diooose.

.Uγ W. E. Goil, who eamo to Christchurch a. few yoavt) ago in the, course of a visitation of the minion fiexls of the world, has boon conducting what a Nonconformist weekly calls " ti:e most rtiicsHVßtirl mission htld in tho city of Hull since Mr Mcody's virft." -Mr CJeil was cl in Australia wi'iji Dr. Torrey, but left him in order to make his nris>ion tour. A special fr-a-tii.ro of the nice-tings in Huil was tr.o culminating appml to converts for h<mvico in tho uUurmcflt partr? of theeaith. Twenty-nvo iiiTsone —physically and .-:piriiual.y fu apixuently—responded, and it is hoped that tho Hull churches will tind tho necessary fiindn. Tho missioner has left Hull for Cardiff, and prooyoclfi thence to tho S\at*». 'Many frienclri of foreign missions in Hull are wondering whetlicr it would not be possible to retain the services of Mr Gcjl, that ho might visit tho churches in the interoslH of all tho missionary <-;.)ciot ien, and excito enthusiasm wh.cn should find expression, in money as wofl a«s men."

Strong efforts aro being made to rebuild tho AiigMcan Church at Prebhleton at tho earliest date. Tho linos of th! 3 old building—one of tho meet attractive in tho diocese—are to l>o> carefully reproduced, and the vica.r and congregation are determined that tho peal of bolls, unhappily destroyed, shall bo replaced. Tho Indian Government hae conferred tho Kaiser-i-Hind medal of the tecondela.«s on the Rev. Dr. Young for services rendered during famine distress in Aden. There are now nine misMonariee of tho U.F. Church of Scotland, who have boon thus specially honoured, two of them ladies. The Foreign Mission Committee recently appointed Dr. Young and Professor A. it. Simpson, M.D., to be their delegates at an important conference of missionaries working among Mohammedans, to be held in private at Cnriro. The London Missionary Society is arranging to send a. ueputaltion to India in the autumn, to look into the work of tho Indian missions generally, and to settle various pointe associated with eduoational and other maittens. It io about twenty-two years kjiico the last deputation returned from India, and the directors think it essential that some representatives from the Board shall visit tho Empire very coon, and report fully. A medallion in memory of Dean Farrar Inis been placed in Canterbury Cathedra;!.

A 'building is in eounso of erection at Rodcliffs to serve for Sunday school and Sunday services. Services have been, for some.trmo conducted there in tho best room that could be obtained for the purpose. It is hoped that the new departure will lead to a great increase of fiood work. The diocese of Georgia, is tho first to organise its coloured e'ergymon and tho representatives of their parishes or congregations into a Convocation distinct from tho Diocesan Council or Convention, yet forming a constituent of it in certain ways and for certain purpose*?. This action was taken in consequence of a memorial from the coloured Churchmen themadvrß, and its results are watched with much intarwt coupled with a little anxiety. Tho Convocation has power to legislate in all matters which affect its clergymen and psople c.lone; and its memb3n» aro guaranteed tho right to take part in the election of the Bishop, of tho Standing Committee of the dioco-e, and of ite deputies to the General Convention ; and it also has tho power to present to the diccesan Convention for its consideration such matters as it may desire to propese. Pius X. has recently published c very important and interesting decision on the- practice of frequent communion, states tho English "Tablet/ , which his Holiness has ordered to be communicated to all ordiniarios and regular prelates, 60 that they may make known its terras to ell the priests and religious institutes under their jurisdiction. The sum and substance of the decision is this: Frequent and daily communion is to be strongly commended, and the only condition requisito for ite profitable reception by all classes of the faithful, is freedom from mortal em and tho rcsolvo to avoid sin for the future. It is well that tho confe<eor should be asked to give his consent, fi but confessors must take care never to keop from frequent amd daily communion anybody who is in the state of graco and approaches tho sacrament with the right intention." No religious community may hjave rules forbklding frequent and daily communion to ita subjects. Ecclesiastical writers are solemnly warned to abstain for the future "from all controversy concerning the dispositions necessary for frequent and daily communion." The Rev. M. K. Gilmour, formerly of New Zealand, and now Methodist Missionary in New Guinea, has issued an earnest appeal for more teachers. He states that at least twenty are needed in his own circuit to meet existing demands-. Tho Rev. H. L. Blamiree, Organising Secretary of the Methodist Forward Movement, writes hopefully of his work in tho north. In addition to Auckland City, Whangarei and the Northern Wa'iroa have been visited and Bible Class Unions formed. Mr Blamires is now conducting operations in tho Manukau circuit.

Tiro oastem portion of * the St. Altans parish is to be cut off, and fanned into a new district, with portions of Avonsido and Burwood. The site for a new church in this district will shortly be selected from land belonging to the Church Property Trustees. Thie and the new district of Lower Riccarton will be the first fruits of the committee formed last year to consider the spiritual neode of Greater Christehurch.

An English clergyman is coming out to take the vicarage of Mai vera.

The Bishop of London's Lenten. Misson this year was lield throughout the churches of North London, and was thus addressed to populations far different from the wealthy district of Kensington, which he chose as hie fi-eld of effort in. tn.o previous Lent. The response has ajratn been most striking, chinches having been generally crowded at the first opening of the doors, especially by tlhe poor. Dr. Injjranrs old friends. Many of his addresses have again been built up by answering questions addressed to him during the mission, ajid these questions aro of the deepest interest in the -iight they throw on the strong religious longings of people who are not professedly religious. Oμ of them is from a young man with many dependent upon. him. vho«e work consisted largely in giving secret commissions to customers. The Risftop's reply i« noteworthy. "I would cnJy a.sk first, is it right or wrong? That is always the central thing to be faced. Now, I do not Mipposa anyone will deny that it i.s ju.»t t ho dishonesty of these secret commissions that Ls eating the heart out of our English life. I bolieve that the only thing for the CJirietian ChurcSi to do is to keop the standard high, and be prepared, at great sacri-

fice, to break down the bad customs that corrupt the world. I am certain that we can onJy get the world right by the sacrifice and courage of Christians."

The Bishop of London, in a recent sermon, said that whoa he turned to ask why it was that there wae co much indifference towards religion, the first he thought was pure thoughtlessness. Theu there was false modesty. A man who had worrying business in the City would say that he wanted rest, and cc to praying, "I am not built that way." He liked his children to go to Sundayschool and his wife to go to church. Did they suppose that their wife's religion was going to save them? In saying, "I am not built tbat war' tn «y had left out the hand that had moulded their own and thoir children's characters. It was no good laying the blame on the offioe or on the bad set they had got into. False modesty was not an excuso which would avail them on the Day of Judgment. Then there came the sceptic. There was no one in the world with whom ho had more sympathy than the honest doubter; he wae a different man from the man who set up as an authority on science with a few smattering which ho had picked up from a magazine article. The princes of «;icnce wero bevieving Christians. It was the shallow man, the secondhand man of t-cience, whom time after time one found to be a sceptic. As J3,aoon eaid, "A little knowledge inclinoth a man's mind to atheism; but much knowledge brings Iris mind back again to a b?lief in God." Another tremendous cause of indifference was sheer procrastination. It was a miserable thing to give tho best years of our life and strength to the world, and then to sneak kick to God before we die. It was hotter than nothing, but it was a poor thing. Tho Archbishop of Sydney (Dr. Saumnroz Smith) intends leaving London, by tho Oriiba for Sydney early in July. The Archbishop has be-on appointed a patron of tho ''International Society of tho Apocrypha," the object of which is to help on the study of "deuterccanonical books of the Old Testament anil the pseudopigraphic literature of tho New Testament." If the title counts for much the society should to far-reaching in ite investigations.