A GREAT CHURCH PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14222, 9 December 1911, Page 7

A GREAT CHURCH PARLIAMENT.

THE METHODIST ECUMENICAL AT TORONTO. (Br W. H. Fitchett, LL.D.) A sea of journalistic ink was expended by the American and Canadian . newspapers on the Methodist Ecumenical Council which has just closed its sessions in Toronto, and the great gathering had somo title to arrest the attention —if only for a moment—of the civilised world. It was not a congress of despairing theologians, met to compare their doubts, a crew of spiritual adventurers without compass or chart, cruising in search of a creed. It represented some 30,000,000 Methodist members of the youngest, the most active and vigorous of the great Protestant churches; and whatever may bo the defects of Methodism, it certainly is the Church of a definite faith; a faith tested and verified by experience, .and affirmed with a certain note of exuberance, certainly rare in this ago "of many doubts. "- ■ "' Taken as a mero reflex of tho Methodism of the 20th century, the gathering was curiously inteisesting. Its delegates came from every part of the civilised and uncivilised world. They represented twenty-two different flags. They camo not only from Great Britain, tho motherland of Methodism-r----and from Canada and the. United States, where the Church of Wesleyfinds such congenial soil—but from France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, China, Korea, Africa, Australia,, New Zealand, Coylon, the West Indies, etc. SOME STRIKING FEATURES. - : In its social, racial', and educational contrasts the Ecumenical certainly— though- it might have perplexed a" philosopher—would have delighted an artist. It included in its number some forty coloured Doctors of Divinity, representatives, of tho negro churches of the Southern States. One of the best speeches was made by a Sioux chief. The most vehement protest against tho higher criticism camo from ' a German delegate; a singularly elo- [ quent plea that France, atheistic, ! France, is "calling out, for God," and that even the French revolution, with its. reign of terror, was at bottom a blind and unconscious search after God, came from a French speaker. Perhaps, the most intensely spiritual address delivered during. tho wholo of tbo sessions of the Ecumenical—an address with a strain of mystic fervour in it, was by a typical Englishman; tho managing director of a great factory of .explosives, and the Deputy-"Lord-Lioutenant of his county. There were over forty American,bishops in the Ecumenical, and they were, if not the least ecclesiastical, certainly the least sacerdotal section of the whole gathering. • There was not a silk apron, a ' pair of lawn, sleeves, or of gaiters— scarcely even a white necktie —amongst the forty., Yet theso American bishops have tin authority that Anglican dignitaries in lawn sleeves might-well envy. Imagine tho Archbishop of Canterbury vested with power to change ©very four years, by his sole authority, the charge of evory clergyman in his provincel -A democracy is.willing'to-jjiv©* its chosen ■ representatives the reality of power;' - but it is apt to be.jealous of the outward, signs of authority. The most interesting single figure in tho Ecumenical was an Indian of the -Southern States, the last chicf —and survivor—of tho tribe "to which John Wesley in-1735 wont -as a missionary, lt will be remembered that Wesley ' spent two and a half years in that brave* self-denying but ■ .melancholy spiritual adventure; and.when on,' his ( way back to England he wrote in his ) Journal: "I went to America to concert the Indians, but 01 who shall convert mo I" -We cannot always measure, however, the .success, or failure of our own work. -What would Wesley' have said if he had been told that, nearly two centuries later, a representative of tho tribp. he left with such' a sense ot failure, would stand up,-a-good and loyal Methodist, amid a storm of vehement cheers, in a gathering which represented 30,000,000 of Wesley's children. ~."•! ■ . .RACIAL CONTRASTS. - ! It was not difficult to discover in the of tho Ecumenical a reflex of the racial and national characteristics of its component parts. ■ There .w6re_ for example, 132 doctors' of divinity amongst- tho American ,re- , ' yressntatives; the-degree" being very often, of the ornamental and honorary variety. Our American cousins "have, for a democratic people, -an add delight in titles of honour. Amongst the 1 English delegates there word only 17 D.D.'s; but there wero many university distinctions- ,whilo one Cabinet Minister, five' members of the House of. Commons, and ' many J.P.s were amongst the- English laymen. Many, unlike types of oratory were discover- . oblo in the speaking. The Americans ■ were easily first in. readiness, pi. humour,- in -edge, in controversial skill; tho British oratory was-of a slower- and gravor-—-not to say of . aduller type. But it was richer in Bober and plain sens©. No section of the Ecumenical, when set in tho perspective of history, and' looked' at with. instructed eyes, was mow .profoundly interesting" than* its neuro' members. They- numbered, over fifty,'and all were the 1 children', cr grandchildren, of slaves. Taken phy6ically they were, in some respects, _h«very 'flower of the gathering. Perhaps.the finest and most commanding single" voice in the wholo assembly' came in maj.sjio and, over-powering cadences from - a' negro throat. The negroes, ie may be added; were amongst the bestdrossed members of the whole assem-' bly. Tho racial delight in colour camo , out 'in tho shape **■ cuffs and neckties of a whiteness that;left the rest of the Ecumenical dingy. The whole neero problem of .tho United States, when 6et in the ' perspective of the recent Ecuraemcalj grows strangely, luminous with - hope. • Thnt the negro in the States is fast; becoming a groat industrial factor, official figures show. Negroes produce three-fourth of tho cotton crop of eh© , United States. In the South, they ' own, nearly 200,000 farms, with, city , property to the value of some" £65,OCO",O0O. But, if judged by their representatives in the Ecumenical, the negroes havo, in a single generation", made an adranco in education almost' i without parallel in the modern world. A little over thirty years ago-—at tho close of tho civil war —tb© Methodist - Episcopal Church (North) held its first negro conference; not a man in that conference could fill the post of secretary, for pone practically could read - -or "write. In tho present Ecumenical' -were forty negroes, with degrees; and some of their degrees, at least, represented real scholarship. ' One negro bishop has the reputation of being ner-, baps the best Greek scholar in -the United States. Another is a Latinist of fin© quality. 1 . The coloured representatives were, of course,- treated with perfect courtesy in tiie Ecumenical. A black bishop

S. *n °W* 7 «?. 0u . , -- a * ~ the: chair ■it relgn were; dealt with; and another : black bishop prethe subject of "The Church and Modern Thought" was under deDate. Many parsers were contributed by coloured members of the Ecumenical, and these children of slaves bore themselves with a dignity, an intelligence, and.a self-respect, nothing less than wonderful. ~. . . i.,. _ ■ THE PURPOSE OFIIS ECUMENI-.caI:..v",-,.v • t ; - The Eca menical 500 dele- • gates, ministers and laymen in equal numbers, 300 forming the .western eec- , tion—Canada, the United States and Japan—and iioo the, Easter sectionGreat Britain and other European countries, Australasia and the -mission fields. It sat from September .4thto September 17th,; its place of meeting being the Metropolitan Church, Toronto, a noble structure, seating more than 2000. The great building it may be added, -was crowded day niglit throughout the whole sessions /of the Ecumenical. The. Ecumenical was not a church parl.'ament, for it-had no.power of either legislation or-administration. - It was. not- a mere glorified debating society,, for its proceedings were conducted on a plan that made "debate"' impossible. It; was a gathering of tho representatives of every form of Meth-. odisin in existence, for tho purpose <f Spooling" their common experiences, and discussing their common interests, so as to serve the faith common to the whole.Methodist household. The scheme of topics prepared covered the 'whole area of church activity and dealt -with every problem in which a Chris- . tian church might be .iipjposed to be interested. An ampler field of subi.jects to be discussed was never yet 4 laid before an ecclesiastical gather- * ing. ■ ■ .■■ '-- •■/- ----., ... TIxME LIMITS TO ORATORY. But the method of discussion adoptei was-.peculiar. The Ecumenical was a: gathering-:of skilled talkers, every member 61 it being an expert in tho art of public speech. Obviously the peril of such a gathering lay m its oratorical wealth. It might be submerged beneath an uncharted sea of words. Any one subject in the ' programme was capable of. being discussed a. such length as would make it impossible for any other subject to bo approached. To guard against this peril the Ecumenical was run on a cast-iron time-table. Each topic was introduced by a paper limited to twenty minutes, and two addresses confined to ten minutes each. In the general debate which followed, each speaker was limited to five minutes; and when the time . assigned to any topic was exhausted the next subject camo on with the speed and certainty of an express train. A touch of natural human sym-, pathy need not, perhaps, be refused to an unhappy speaiker who was required to button up into five hurrying and wholly inadequate minutes ' his whole views, .say, on "The Church and Modern Life," or on the "Higher Criticism." Neither' tho pulpit nor platform tends under ordinary conditions to the cultivation of brevity, of economy in the use of adjectives, of swiftness and directiveness in . argument; and tho speakers in the Ecumenical obviously found the menace of the President's gavel embarrassing.. Scarcely a-speech or paper during the whole Ecumenical came to a natural and designed end. It perished in midcourse, guillotined by tho rap.of the President's hammer. But' the result was to keep th© discussions, as a whole, at a high level of animation and interest. And nothing could well be more picturesque and • amusing than tho .spectacle offered-by the Ecumenical, as it waited for, the stroke of the merciless gavel. A' score of .. leaning, eager figures would spring "to their feet, with uplifted hand and pointing finger, and cry,--Tho President," nineteen of them --—condemned to consume their own eloquence—sinking disappointed back to their seats, -while the fortunate twentieth, man obeyed the.beckoning finger of nthe President and made his - way to the rostrum. .<._..- ----1 'THE OPENING SESSION. •At' the opening of __s session, tho Ecumenical was a very" striking spectacle. Tho great church floor' and galleries were packed. Here, gathered in one' great company, and from under every sky, were the very flower and strength of : the whole' Methodist Church — famous - preachers, ripe '-.cholars. cultured theologians, University men, professors from many colleges, writers, teachers, etc. ' Here, too,' were laymen from every' walk in iife-- merchants, bankers, politicians, j with homelier, but not" less honoured figures—farmers, working men, etc. On the platform'stood a bent: grey-haired, venerable ' figure-—Dr..' Carman, tbe General Superintendent of the Method- ( ist Church of Canada,, revered and loved for long and distinguished service. ' In a voice that shook with emotion he uttered a few words, of prayer, and then gave out one of tTie classic hymns of Methodist history:— ; O for a thousand tongues to singMy .Teat Redeemer's praise. . . To the strains of a familiar tune tho hymri rose in a volume of sound rich and full, that it seemed to shake the whole building, while tho under note of so many men's voices gave a depth arid , majesty.'to the singing not often heard. Then, followed a very fine sermon by the Rev. Henry Haigh, the president of the English Wesleyari' Conference, with forma! addresses of welcome, and so the great Ecumenical was launched. ." IS METHOI>ISM GROWING? Methodism is severely practical in its genius, and the first business of the Ecumenical was to assess,-and discuss, the nains and losses of the last decade. The process of applying arithmetic to spiritual facts—of translating the results of a Church's activity into tho 1 terms of a balance-sheet—is not easy, nor in some senses very satisfactory. The multiplication table is a net of too coarse fibre for thf» capture of moral forces. . But tho Ecumenical attempted this task, and very elaborate statistics for .both the Eastern and Western section were-presented. It was easily shown that.in machinery, in wealth, in the number of chnrchesbuilt. of minis- - ters and t workers' of every class employed, and in the amount of money ' raised, the General results', were brilliant. But there was' everywhere visible—if not"an arrest in increase yet —-a rednction in tho rate of "increase* in actual membeHiip'. The increase in the; Western section from 1881 to 1891 was "331-3 per cent.; for the next ■ decade it was 28 per cent.; for the last 1 decade it was 15 per cent. In England .the Wesleyan Church had an increase Of 44,000 members during the first half - of the last dec-dn.. durinf the second half'it had a loss of 13,000/ ;- * ■ 'It is plain that there is somo general , cause—--inside'the Church or out—which . tonds to arrest the increase of member- r ship; and nothing throughout the wholo - Ecumenical was finer" than the courage with which the facts were stated, and the sense and force with wliicn they 1 were discussed. Many explanations of i the slackening in growth were sug- t gested: the long and'still unsettled de- i bate as to the test.of' Church member- £ ship; tho decay of the class meeting; j the influence of the higher criticism on i both the pulpit and pew; tho failure 1 of the theological institutions in effec- s tii*e training; the diversion of the 1 teaching of tho pulpit from evangelical 1 to social topics; the new materialistic 1 spirit of the age, etc. All these causes, 1 n i° d £s ,ot > affect the general growth of < the Church; but, in the last analysis f tno question is one of . what may 1

be called spiritual climate. A silent and general decay .._ the great fundamental virtues of religion—in devotion, in self-Bacrifice, j n humility and ,ch_-ity of spirit, in practical gcdliness— in zeal for the service of both God and man—this will arrest—it ought to arrest the _rowth of any church. And a return to higher ideals will instantly give back the ancient results. . It will have, for the church, the office that the air, rains, and the sun of spring-time, have for the landscape. ; THE HIGHER CRITICISM. The danger-point of tho, Ecumenical was reached when the Higher Criticism became tho subject of debate. A paper on "Tho Permanent Results of the Higher Criticism," by Prof. Peake, D.D.—a very competent authoritywas read; but it reminded at least one hearer of Van Troil _' famous essay on /'The Snakes of Iceland," commemorated by De Quincey. The essay" consisted of a single ■ lonely sentence, "There are no snakes in Iceland." Prof. Peake's paper on "The Permanent Results of the Higher Criticism" began with the announcement that "It is perhaps even yet too early to ask what tho permanent results are likely to be." Amongst the tilings as .to which ".there is likely to be, ultimately, sonic agreement" amongst the critics, aro "the analysis of the, Pentateuch into four main documents; the identification of tho Law of tho Book of Josiah" with the Kernel of Deuteronomy and its composition' in ,tlie reign of Manasseh of Josiah. In the New Testament, "those of us who have held to the Lucari authorship of the third Gospel aqd tho Acts are led to hope," says Prof. Peake, "that Harnack's conversion to this opinion will be followed by that of German, critics generally; but at, present," the Prof, adds with a sigh, "the signs are not ehcoiuraging.'' "As to the Pauline r epistles, I entertain little doubt," says Prof. Peake, "that all will be recognised as authentic, with the definite exception of the Pastorals and tho possible exception of Ephesians." Prof. Peake does not f-oel sanguine as to the speedy settlement of the Johannine problem. "We<-ca_- perhaps hardly j speak of the Bible as modern criticism gives it to ns" in his summary, for in the hands of different critics it becomes a different thing. A SHADOW DANCE OF OPINIONS. Prof. Peake, in a word, offers to us as, "The Permanent Results of the Higher Criticism" his own opinion of what will "probably" be the opinion, of a number of other "people at some-unknown date in the future; and he exhorts us to accept this in the name of "science," But science consists not of "opinions"-—still less of a tangle of quarrelling opinions; least of all of opinions not yet arrived at." It is built on facts..; It demands facts. And what a scanty diet of facts the Higher Criticism offers as Prof. Peake himself made quite clear. The debate on Prof. Peake's paper reached explosion-point when Dr. Carman got possession of tho rostrum. With trembling hands and shaken voice he. cried: parodying a well-knowa hymn—

'Ye fearful saints fresh courage take The clouds ye so much dread Aro bat,enigmas, and shall break--in riddles on your head."

The cast-iron time-table and the arresting gavel brought tho debate to* an abrupt end, just as the skies grew stormy; but the general mind of the Ecumenical Avas clear. There is to be no check on enquiry, and no suppression of facts. The scholars of Methcdism are to have a free hand, and its pulpits a free voice. But sooner or later the Methodist Church—or rather the common sense of the world—will insist that the Higher Critics shall give us facts instead of opinions—and shall be agreed as to their facts, if they are to keep any place in public respect. At present furious civil war rages betwixt them. AN ELASTIC LABEL. The truth is that "Tho Higher Criticism is anelastio -label which can be stretched to cover the wildest extreme. It consists at one end of platitudes which everybody accepts, and at the other end of absurdities which may bo dismissed with a smile. That Moses did not the description, of his own funeral with which the Book of Deuteronomy closes, that the Pentateuch is composite in its_ structure, and the whole scheme of divine Revelation is progressive in character, and that, as a result, the parts of the Bible are of unequal - moral value, and that the inspiration of its text is plenary rather than verbal—-all these are platitudes— the very common-places of intelligent Christian faith. But what shall ,'we say of the critics who .resolve David into a solar myth and Abraham into a geographical term? And what shall ve'think of the methods of those "Higher L Critics" who break up tho words of the' Bible; and, by ; purely subjective tests, distribute, them 'amongst a crowd of : quite imaginary authors ? Let j anyone imagine a committee of German ' professors invited to' puE," • sayj, a copy of the London "Times" through th~ alembio of their criticisms, and to publish the results. As they have a familiar and authoritative chronology already in'their hands they could,' no dbubt, fix,, with > reasonable accuracy; and on internal .evidence, the date of issue; but in the case of the Bible, that independent and authoritative chronology is, if not missing, at least very imperfect. But suppose further, that the critics had to determine, on internal, how niany writers contributed to the "Times," and to assign to each writer his exact contribution, to determine precisely where the' editor had corrected the leading article, and how. the subeditor had-revised the contribution of each reporter. Everybody can judge by plain common senses what would be the value of the ; results achieved ■by such critics, and by siich'a process. But suppose in addition the experiment was tried on a Chinesbnewspaper 3000 years old! Yet, this is tbe>kind of process through which the "Higher Criticism is putting the Bible.

The process is for the critics themselves interesting—not to say amusing— but they show a tragical lack" of any sense of humour when they take themselves, and their performances, too seriously. And the timid souls who are afraid that the Bible will disappear— resolved into mere vapour in the alembic of such criticism—have as faint a sense of humour as tho critics themselves.

There is, of course, a graver criticism of these critics. The Bible may be compared to an ancient and beautiful vase which carries the very water of life for man- And too many of the Higher Critics are so concerned to determine from what exact pit the clay of the'vase was dug, in which fire it was bairned, by what pigments it was coloured, that they forget the living water it carries. It almost seems as if they are willing to break the vase, and spill the precious water, for the sake of ascerting the structure of the vase. And yet it is not the clay which went into the making of the vase, but the water the vase carries, with which sane mankind is concerned. THE HIGHER CRITICISM IN THE PULPIT. The experts who took part in the debate it is to be noted, showed a wise and. significant reluctance to sanction the introduction of the higher criticisni into the-pulpit. "It is ridiculous," said Professor Moulton, "for the preachers to try to bring such subjects into their sermons." "To suppose " he told the Ecumenical, "that you' can spend ten minutes out of the "precious half-hour you have for preaching the Word of God upon the wholly irrelevant matter as to whether Moses wrote the account of his own death, or anything of that- kind, is simply absurd.'* professor Tasker- agreed with this-— "I have always advocated," he said, "and

by practice have illustrated my awn theory of keeping silence about criticism in the puipit." j_ u t ,'f the higher critics aro really in possession of any facts, why should they be reserved'for private consumption Both the pulpit and tho pew have a right to them. But these experts declared that; the higher criticism had made the Bible more precious—"minutely more precious," was Professor Moulton's phrase—and v Christ more certain than ever. This is delightful, but it only leaves more perplexing than ever the advice these experts give, to shut tho pulpit door against the criticism which yields such surprising results. I s it possible that what is a luxury of daintiest flavour'to tho expert in his study will only be a deadly poison to the plain man "in the pew? Or are the higher critics themselves uneasily conscious that they are ©nly rambling in a dim world of "opinions," and have no facta fit to be set in tho common light of day.

THE CHURCH AND LABOUR

Social questions, of course, filled a large space in the proceedings of the Ecumenical. What is the relation of the modern Christian Church to labour? The Hon. Charles Fairbanks, ex-Vice-President of the United States, argued that "political law, when it comes to define the rights of man, is but an expression of the moral law which finds utterances in the Christian Churches." "Methodism," he contended, "had a labour creed." It stands:—

"For equal rights and complete justice for all men in all stations of life." ■'■ r For the principle of conciliation and arbitration in industrial dissensions.": "For the abolition of child labour." "For suppression of the -sweating' system." For the gradual and reasonable reduction of the hours of labour to the lowest practical point, with work for all; and for that degree of leisure for all which is the condition of the highest' human'life.""-' "For release' from employment one day in seven." ...iP Or a ti vin £ wwea _c in every industry.". '. For the highest wage each industry < V?. n . aff °rd, and for the most equitable division of the products'* of industry that can ultimately be devised." "For the recognition of the Golden Rule and the mind of Christ as the supreme law of society and the sure remedy for all social ills." ' :

,Another speaker declared that Methodism was pledged to hasten the coming of tho time of which Herbert Spencer spoke:—"When it will become a matter of wonder 'that thero should have existed those who thought it admirable to enjoy without working, at the expense of others who worked with.' out enjoying:" , "The system," said one speaker, "that produces astounding wealth for a. few, but shells abject want for the many that produces the millionaire on tho one hand and the sweated workman on the other cries for amendment. It is' not Christian! but heathen." . ■-

discussion on Socialism was marked by great courage of speech It was a minister, tho Rev. J. E. Rattenbury, who said that "on the whoie the Church stands for privileged people, and the great mass of the people outside the Church are the disinherited and unprivileged." This, however, was vehemently denied by other speakers. The Church, it was argued, belongs to no one class, it is the servant and helper of all classes. Perhaps the ablest speech m this debate was delivered ,by Dr. Elliott, an American minister with a great reputation. "In the United States," ho said, "the largest single force second only to,the public schools, for the Amerioanisation of the foreigners, is the Labour Union."- "It is the carpenter of Nazareth after' all," declares Dr. Elliott, '.which has brought us together." Then he quotes with fine effect somo noble verses:

If I could hold' within my. hand Tho hammer Jesus swung,: Not all the gold in all the land. Nori'jewels, countless as the sand All in tha balance swung, CVuld weigh against'that precious thing Rcund which Hie, fingers onoe did cling. If I could have the table He

Onco mada in Natareth, ■.. Not all .the pearls in all the sea : Forcrowns of kings, or king* to be -•■'. So'iorag~as men have'-breath''\'Q'- " Gould buy that-, thing:: of: wood?H«S'made.f : The Lord of Lords who learned a trade. .But .still that hammer yet is ebowa . By honest hands that toil; .' And nt that table men sit .do—a, 1 -'. And: all made equal by a' crown, } .'-.'..-/; No gold or pearls can coil; . " ■./ Tho shop at Nazareth was bare. But brotherhood. was builded there. Perhaps the most thrilling contribution to that debate was made by a woman delegate, Mrs Johnson. Her voice was sweet arid clear, and pity gave it a thrill which made it more persuasive than the richest eloquence., "I have lived with my husband," she said, for the last nine, years -in Slumdom. I, came from the intellectual life of Cambridge, and I can tell you that it was a hard matter to mc when I came from the one side of this earth right down to the slums .of SoutE London. Wherever I go, : I have.-a vision of thousands of women and children who aro living below the line almost of starvation; who. are old at thirty—children who have no child life."

FOREIGN MISSION FINANCES;

The discussion of Foreign .Missions bio'ught.out some very striking statistics. Missions to non-Christian races represent the unselfish and, what may be called the imperial side of a .Church's activities—the double impulse of pity, for races still sitting in darkness, and of loyalty to the command of the first Head of the Church to go into all the world "arid preach the gospel to every creature." So the space in its activities given by any Church to missions is a searching and final test of the degree in which it possesses the essential spirit of Christianity and is loyal to its spiritual Head. Methodism —taking all its blanches—has 20,849 workers,■ ordained and unordained, on the mission field ; it, occupies 6762 stations, has 1,600,000 "converts" under its charge, and raises arid expends roughly £1,400,000, every year for mission purposes. These are impressive figures, and show the energy of the missioriary impulse beating in the blood of the Church John Wesley formed.

| . But there was laid before the Ecumenical figures showing, in. detail, the amount per head contributed 'in the various branches of Methodism, to missionary, schemes, and these figures are of somewhat tragical significance. South African Methodism heads,the list with a contribution of 17s 2d per member. British Methodists contribute 6s 6d per head, French Methodists 5s 7d, Canadian Methodists 7s 9d, Australian Methodists 3s sd. The average contribution to missionary purposes;—taking all branches of the Methodist Church— is 3s 4d;' so that Australian Methodists are a penny; a year'above the'average contribution of their fellow Methodists. The average • contribution of American Methodists is drily fs 7_d. These statistics, when laid before the Ecumenical, made a great impression An average contribution of half-a-crown a year for the purpose of carrying the great.Christian message to the nonChristian races does seem—on the part of a wealthy Christian community like America—tragically inadequate. It is not so much an expression of Christian zeal as a satire on it.