THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 4, 30 September 1907, Page 3

THE CHURCHES.

A BUSY CHURCH. ST, JOHN'S ACTIVITIES. A mass of varied work is scrutinised in tho annual report • of St. John's Presbyterian church. Tho present prosperous condition, of this church is mentioned as " a striking testimony to tho unwearied efforts,; that unflagging zeal,and tne rare devotion, of heart and brain," shown by the minister, Dr. Gibb. Tho Kirk Session has met regularly, and the quarterly visiting has been systematically carried out. The gain to the church membership in full communion for tho year is forty-four, and tho authentic membership is 690. In connection wiui tho now preaching station at Kelburno a building fund lias been for which a- considerable sum has boon already collected: It ia hoped, that by next year tho building will be constructed-and an agent appointed. Tho attendance at tho church services lias been highly satisfactory. The teachers' training class has been well attended by teachois proper, but not so woll ■by tho. prospective teachers now in Bible classes. Thanks-is accorded to tho church organist (Mr. J. Maughan Barnett.) and choir for their effective work. Acknowledgment is also mado of, the help given by Miss Rash, who has in emergencies taken Mr. Barnett's place at tho'organ.' The Women's' Missionary Association reports oncouraging work. It has collected for missions £150 14s. Bd. The Young Women's Missionary Guild is preparing for, a sale of work, to bo hold next March, in aid' of tho Mount Cook Suriday'school building fund and Maori girls' school at Wanganui. The total contributions to-foreign missions amount to £298 18s. Bd., mado tip as follows Women's Missionary Association, £150 14s. Bd.; Young Women's Guild, £20; Young Women's Biblo Class, Willis • Street, £37 3s. 5d.; Young Men's, Class, Willis Street, £3 9s. 9d.; Young Women's Bible Class, Mount Cook,' £12 10s.; Sunday Schools, £14 19s!- 7d.;" Junior Endeavour Society, £1 135.; retiring collection for Maori missions,>£l3 lis. Id.; China, Famine fund, £24 ss. lid.; Training Institute, Dunedin, £14 lis. 3d.; student deputies, £6. Tho congregation , has contributed directly £109 lis. to the Assembly's Church Extension Fund, and tho Willis Street - Young Women's Bible Class has added £2. Tho total sum raised, within and without tbe'eongregation for homo missions is £1254 lis. With certain other benfactions, the total contributions to.-home and foroign missions' and other purposes amount to tho large siim of £1721 15s - m -. . ■ Tho Ladies' Dorcas and Visiting Society has 'distributed eighty garments, coal, bedding, blankets,, and £79 ss. in . cash, among deserving people. The Motliors'. Meeting Agoncy, under the immediate supervision of Sister Lilian, of whoso work warm acknowledgment is mado, has prospered. Tho Girl's Sowing Class has sixty members., ■ Sir John's has been ono of the first congregations to como into line'with tho forward movement. in Sunday . school work. Mr. W. Gray has kindly undertaken the task of generaliiistructor, teaching tho teachers as well, as children. The total Sunday school revenue was £125 4s. 3d. Tho Willis Street young men's_ class, with a membership of 139, is stronger than it has ever boon before. Mr. G. A. Troup has. .formed two tennis courts on his property at Kelburno, and near them a swimming pond, open to all tho members of the class. A committee has been formed to. draft a constitution with au Old Boys' Association. Tho Young Man's Magazine, controlled and financed by the class for thirteon' Union,, has a balance sheet which years, but lately taken' ovor -by tho Otago District Biblo Class Union, has a balance sheet which shows an excess of asset over liabilities of upwards of £500.- The class's income, exclusive of the finances ,of tho Boy's Institute' 1 and the magazine; has been £101 lis. Bd., of which £28 19s. Bd. has been spent ill self-support, £20 lis. given to the Assembly's travelling secretary fund,, £10 4s. lOd. to the missions of the church,. £38 ,16s. 4d. to tho Boy's Mission, and £3 os. ,6d. to other charitablo object?. The Boys' Institute,, tin offshoot of tho Bible Class, /has been carrying on well organised wortf with good offect upon tho lads. The. Willis Street Young Women's Class, whoso roll membership has increased to 101, has 'had a very prosperous year. _Its total income was over £51, of' which £8 4s. was spent in selfsupport, tho balanco being devoted as follows:—Maori Girls' Training Colloge, £20; Assembly's Missions, £10; Assembly's Evangelist Fund, £3; Home Missions in North Island, £2; Presbyterian Orphanage, Dunedin, £1; Bursary to. support Bible Class student' in the Deaconess Institute, .Dunedin, £3; Mukhiti Mission, £1 3s. 3d. The Mount Cook Young Men's Class has held profitable meetings, and the young women's elasa has had a, successful year. Tho Junior Christian Endeavour Society has been closed, as was the senior's two years -ago. For this no regret is felt. If a boy or girl goes to church in tho morning and to Sunday school in the afternoon, it is, we are inclined to think, something less than profitable that ho'or she should have to attend another meeting on Sunday morning. Tho committco of management have given diligent attention to the routine business of the church.

_ 'l'ho total revenue of the congregation for all purposes during, tho ,ve.i! has been a row pounds short of £4000 To tho total shown in the treasurer s ■ balance-shoe (.£3703 19s. Id.) has te be added nearly £200 collected by th' Willis Street IJiblp Class towards tiic salary of the Boys' institute agent Tho total raisod for the institute i; about £12-10. Apart from tlio iiistituto funds, the income of tho congrc\ation has been upwards of £270.J Tho collections (including specials amount to £1171 13s. lid., an averago par Sunday of £22 2s. Id. Seal rents havo yielded £584 IDs., showing a very considerable incvcaso on any figura hitherto recorded, i Close ci' GJ.OO lias been specially collected lc; tho Dcaconcss Fund. Of tho bat-net duo to tho 'Jubilee hund ££-31. has beer handed in during tho period tinder renew: Of the total income, upwards of £1.800 has been oxpended in missionary, philanthropic and oharitabh undertakings. The working account opened with a debit balance, ol £108 ss. -Id It ends with a debit but anco of £37.125. 3d., representing a gain of over £70 on the year's work. Tho church is still paying nearly £80 par annum as interest. If the debtcould o:i!,y. bo completely wiped out tho report states,' the lirwicinl portion of the congregation would be mos! satisfactory. . The fi'nnroinl sVatenu-nt shows a l>n!auee of nasr-Ci over inliiiities amountin;; to £lo.o0:i fe. 7d. fit. .jc,h;i':: Church, v.'hieh hie; been elosed I'm- i%>|uintis!j: an:! ii-tiovsttiwis. was rt-oj'.enc-.l ye;,v; rday, v-i,,-.,; i j., ; •i-'ltii i';,v oi tjie c.oo<;r(:re.Si:n wo.'; '.•c.i'flincmo.-atc:l tit three The ioi!:i havo been carried cut iVll-'.i much taste, anil the interior of flic church is greatly improved in ap: praraiice. ' All tho phiHoimr. a::.! a-.f.ii"; have been re-ear;): to:! and iv::', 'eMon has li'tii a!tr;idrd to U«- siaproveni'r.t iVrrS*? wcuf.-i fi.ire. very w.i.riif-v.;- tr-ve.irl'i:; , wiini (In: l:i;.i"!:ne was erosjLrl-

to tho doors, and a severe tax made upon tho fresh air in the building. In the morning tho service was conducted by tho Rev. J. Gibson Smith, of St. Andrew's. Thoro was a good congregation. Mr. Smith took as his text " Righteousness Exalteth a Nation." Ho pointed out that' largo proportion of tho population m tho Dominion of Now Zealand, elsewhere,* was outsido tho Christian Church, and asked why ? For three reasons:—First, ignorance; second> sin; and third, doubt. He showed tho effect of those and how thoy wore to bo met and overcome, and urged tho congregation to play their part well. Dr. Gibb conducted tho service in tho evening. The. theme of the sermon was tho "Dominion of New Zealand and the Dominion of Christ." Ho said it had grieved many that thero was not a clearer recognition of God in conncetion with the inaugural celebrations. This, at any rate, was certain—that tho dominance j1 Christ was absolutely essential to the full and final prosperity of this land. Not only Christian believers would say so. Christ's ideals wore universally rogarded as offering the solution of all their problems, and the pursuit. of thorn the only guarantee of a hoalthy national existence.. Oniy by devotion to tho Living Christ coul 1 tho ideals that were necessary to tiio truo prosperity of the nation be realised. Mr Maughan was unable, through indisposition, to prosido at the organ. His place was efficiently filled by Miss Eva Rash. PESSIMISM ANCIENT AND MODERN. SERMON BY REV. T. H. SPROTT. What is pessimism ? 1 Is tho spirit of pessimism abroad? What is the difference between pessimism and idealism? These interesting questions wore very ably discussed by the Rev. T. H. Sprott at St. Paul's Church yesterday morning in tho course or a sermon on the prophet Jeremiah. Now Joremiah, according to Mr. Sprott, is a much misunderstood man. Ho is gonorally regarded, quito erroneously, as the weeping prophet, tho prophet of despair, and one of the world's greatest pessimists. Tho usq of tho word "Jeremiad" as a wailing.over imaginary evils exemplified tho prevailing misconception. . Jeremiah, said Mr. Sprott, was in reality no pessimist, unless pessimism was the faculty for'seeing things as they really were. He saw, it was true, the awful wickedness of his time, and warned' his countrymen against its consequences; but to see tho evils of tho world and to decline to' live in a fool's paradise was not pessimism.' Pessimism was a hopoless theory, ns to the world and the worth of life—not that things wero bad, but that thoy wero hopelessly and incurably evil. A celebrated German philosophOr, for instance, had declared that the world was as bad as it could be —that if it were a little worso it could not exist. Another philosophor had spoken of the world as " the' blind folly of the Unconscious." Few people to-day would deliberately, go as far as this, but the spirit of pessimism was more .prevalent l in a diluted form than was commonly supposed.. Some of the most cheerful people' were practical pessimists,' for pessimism could express itself, in the, guise of, jollity as well. as overwhelming sorrow.' Then there wero mild "arid! prosaic pessimists, thousands of whom j wont-,to church and sang hymns, but their practical creed was "Talto the world as you find it; do not_ trouble about reforming the world; on joy what you can while you can got it." Pessimism, however, was essentially evil: essentially irreligious. It was sciously or . unconsciously atheistic. It was practically a declaration'of'belief that there was'no,moral order in tho universo. A man could not be a pessimist and really believe in God. Pessimism was the enemy of all progross. It was equivalent to a belief that tho world - could -not be improved. The result : was' moral : paralysis, and this paralysis justified its own despair. It was tho very opposite of idealism. Tho existence of suffering did not in itself justify pessimism, and tho fact that punishment came,as tho penalty of moral wrong indicated the existenco of moral purpose in.tho world, Jeremiah recognised this, and he also saw liopo in the future. Ho was not a pessimist, but a great idealist; but he was too real and earnest not to be pained by the contrast, between things as they wero and as they ought to liavo been. People, whose, bolief in the • idealistic interpretation of tho world- was inclined to woakoii could not do bettor than make . a careful study of tho writings of tho prophet' Jeremiah.

THE NEED FOR CREEDS.

VIEWS OF THE REV. T. TAIT. Tho Rev. Thomas Tait, M.A., 8.D., of St. Paul's Presbytorian Church, Christcliurch, has a widespread reputation as u preacher, and his. Eormons it the anniversary services of the Kent Terrace l'rcsbytcrian • Church yesterday morning and evening did not disappoint tho largo congregations which assembled. -"Blessed are the pure in heart, for thoy shall seo God, ' was Mr. Tait's morning text, upon which lie delivered a sermon characterised by robust thought, brilliant and'.dramatic'elocution,' and effective illustration and contrast. The delimtoncss of Christ's ideas was emphasised by tho preacher, 'who expressed pity for the man who had not a cielinite creed .of life, ono that included hopes and aspirations and ideals. Thcro was a tendency' abroad at thr present time to do away with crecds. fooylo asked why the Presbyterian Olmrch did not abolish, its Confession of Faith, and also its a;id carry oil its work after a free-and-easy method. That kind of talking sniffii! i have an appcarance of broadmiiidcdnos3 and liberality, but it was simply ■wsonso. Suppose it y.'as npplied'tr anything besides religion. Suppose r business man should say, "I don't lieI'ovo in your old-fashioned ledger and hy-hook, tuul ah that cumbersony ■•.•ay of doing business. I wart, something new." Suppose ho did awa; vith these, bec.v.iso ho wanted breadt', and elbow-room, and up-to-dato freshness and originality. Tho end of (.In 1 j would bo simple bankruptcy. Th.■r.an could not rr.n his business with■j'.it a commercial creed, mid the longer that erccd had stood .nl! tftts the •otter it would sqrvo his bushv.-ss isain, take society. Suppose a mar to say, " I can't bo bothered wit 1 ihis multitudinous etiquette. I want free-and-easy kind of life." bet ''.ir.l abandon etiquette, especially il ha did not- have-refinement iu-hiV yitwe. Let him piny the snmi-re-ined st,-age in f.nv drawing-room, a:: 1 would speedily no ostracised. tie sonM not get on willimit his social oreod; In every other deonrtn'e.'it oi life a man required a clear idea el ivh.-.t he ; was aiming at. must Mtov the c-'.id fro'M the beginr.inr;, must !:rv" i creed. Vet men would deny •iee'l w!;en it came to religion. and *:sh to fret rid of definite if'ras, and hf. re ovftf.v with mini: fur himself or j'r>( nl. «|!. for that was wlv' it ,would eoir.o b>. The;-;! war; n tend-t.:i-'l;;y b be \ny 'upM:a<! i-.iui v >!?'!'• «'» pertaining ; 1.. Ciinalt, :in-.l even to !i1.;.-. !}••: Christ's id.'as were -,'l-rr e.od tm.-.K!-liigmms. n:i.i the;? liiat w.tin;!'.': have in our own faith, jsi rm own cuSiiol:. !'!;<• sanv clpfinitencM V"Ti-at hjiikv ;' (!•:!:■ ?aiij. " If diiesn'; matter whrthrr I om n Prcßl'.vteri.-.'i or .» Mfthn ijafc. or r. I'.tpl «t cr A Thoy are i;l! tin' v.M.V." mri .TM -IK twS-sfrl tail; like TW "5 rfi.i not. .-j-.ivt :

reason, and a man should know where ho stood. Suppose a man refused all guidance save what his own intellect gave. Was that. independence ? Not so, for then he was at tho mercy of his Own peculiar make-up, his individual desires, dispositions, appetites. There must be some other, higher standard, and this was provided by Christ. In the afternoon Mr. Tait addressed a children's service. Ho hopes to give a recital to-morrow night at tho church's annual corivorsa'ziono.

"WHAT'S liN A NAME?"

REFLECTIONS ON OUR NEW STATUS. "What's in a name?" was the question which tne Uev. J. J. North asked in. his sermon at tho Vivian Street Baptist Church last evening, in connection with the Dominion proclamation. Tho people of New Zealand, lie said, had been- very busy during the past week in changing their name, and tliore seemed to bo two circumstances which might make a chango of this kind reasonable. A land might have outgrown its old namo; as an old wine-skin would not hold new wine—it might bo incapablo of containing tho floods of generous new life poured into it. Tho English name had been changed for this reason once or twice. Population was not tho most important phase of growth, but strengthening of the moral quality. In tho second place a now namo might be significant of new resolutions; it plight denote that men wore sick of the vices of -the past, that they had risen with tho light of a vision on thbir faces, and wero going to build the ideal city. ' Frankly, the first reason did not apply to us. Wo had not yet attained anything greater or grander than our fathers reached. Thero wero some grave evils in the body politic. We had not filled our old life with such gonorous wine that the old name would not do for us.. Neither in this case did the second reason apply. Wo had not made now resolves, wero not washing our hands of. old stains; indeed, people, speaking generally, seomed sunk .in indifferenco, and had not blood enough to care for great issues. Yes, here our island might become a beacon to tho world, which should display to older nations possibilities of social reformation, and ot moral uprightness. The names of men and nations drow their real significance from knowledge of their deeds, and the real name of a country was not a sounding series of letters, but arose fvom tho character of its people. If our name, was to bo a symbol for anything great, wo must be true to ideals of freedom and righteousness, and. this" could only bo as tho individuals of tho nation wero free and upright men.

" NEW THEOLOGY AND SOCIAL QUESTIONS.

" The New Theology and tho Social Question " was tho title of a sermon given by tho Rev. J. Reed Glasson in tho Wellington Terrace Congregational Church last evening. Tho preacher stated that since tho publication of his book on " Tho New Theology " invitations had poured in upon tho Rev. 11. J. Campboll to speak to Labour organisations, and everywhere he had been received with the utmost enthusiasm. Mr. Campboll regarded tho rostatemont of religious truth.as but a necessary preliminary to social reform. Ho had publicly declared that ho was compelled by tho sheer logic of .his own gospel to bo a Socialist, and, as ho had tho courago of his convictions, thero were likely to bo interesting developments. Tho real Church of Christ, according to Mr. Campboll, was tho great international Labour Associations. But so far ho himself-had , mado no - contribution to the social question. Tho Nov/* Theology was prodigal in promises, but poor ill actual achievement. Men who wero Still " Old Theologians," tho Rev. F. B. Meyer, Dr. Clifford, Dr. Horton, Canon Barnatt, and others, had'done far more than Mr. Campbell in this direction. AYhat had tho Gospel to say about the social question? Christ camo to fulfil tho old ouiphatie 'ideal of • tho Israelites, and tho prophets of Israel, whose work He camo to complete, wero statesment. The keynoto of Christ's teaching was tho "kingdom" of God, and. tho gospel of good nows began to miiko itself felt immediately as a social force. The early Christians had all things in common, held all their possessions in trust for the common good. The effort failed, but it was right in spirit. Tho question was, what could the Church do now ? It could not, as it seomed to him, settle tho economic principles at issuo in tho social problem, -but in a moral and spiritual atmosphoro, created by Christian men, who would exalt tho common good above private gain, these economic questions could be gradually settled in a way which would not bp a reproach to our Christian civilisation. . In tne settlement of any social problem, personality counted for moro than any organisation. Meii wero wanted who would work for tho community in . a spirit of consecration and self-sacrifice, who would make Christ's reason "for their sakes " their inspiration.

THE DOMINION PROCLAMATION

AN OMISSION. . In the courso of his sermon at the .Wellington Tcrraco Congregational Church, last cveniirj, the. Rev. J. 3'tccd Glasson said:—"The declaration that New Zealand is a Dominion was rnado on Thursday. I wonder how many Christian people thought th.vt there was sonietiuug appallingly significant in tjiat declaration. This is a Christian country, and yet this dcchration wa3 made v.'itlisut any recognition, o::ce]it a passing ono, of the indebtedness of New Zealand to God. tho direr of every good gift. .Do you ihinl; —I speak open to enlightenment —that any Christian people has ever Uchrcd a thing i;!;e that before with-' out any public recognition'of the great jiver of all good. 1 think that vlv.leclaration eompirrs unfavourably with other great public fnnctioiis that have been held ill Wellington and iSew Zealand during ttie past seven or eight years. When King Edward camo to tho throne; when that great lady Victoria (tied, we. recognised Go:l as p. people. And this, what doe.. this mean now? Does it mean that « a people we aro going down and lowu into srciihrisr.i, or does it mean that the Christians of New Zealand aro so divided and so jealous of one. .mother that wo'conl.l not on a great occasion of this .'-sort sink r,i:r di'l'crr.'.ces, or unit:; tlicr.i, in iwder that y/e might render praise to Him to whom it belongs? Why is it that in our pu'.lio functions Christianity is.politely o'lnwod or.t ? You remember , tin: :\ords o" Seeley, tho great historian, n-d Set-lay was not an orthodox Chris';.a::. Seelev said his reading of iiisoory h:i;l ii?.presse:| hhn with "this eonv:ct:on; that a swir.try cr people that was net i". some sort of Church was not long for this world."

CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR UNION,

Tiic annua! ccnrrntion of the Kcv; .cslaml Chv;rt!»a Entevour On'on !!!;>■;;. i:-! tills VKi" w t!i t!;o Convention of t!s« Can'.<>r!iui nii.n. tn bo hold in Si Paul's VV'js l ! y o;i:in C'lircii, Clnstclmreli, r r:m\ T ; ;;:;!;iv {.ill i'Yijny next. will l/o dcvotc'l Kicemilv In the • :-• • Hi- fiat..n • n-.i •••; >1 ;■)»!■•>!. !, j.n-sVoHI ■' :. ■-1. ■ !i ! ■, . :i ' : . i 1 j i.I ' *i ■ ■ ■' ::v;"