Religions Activity.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 10

Religions Activity.

,- WEEKLY NOTES ON CHURCH WORK. • The /two principal evening functions at tho sessions of tho General Assombly of the Presbyterian Church of Now Zealand, commencing in this city on November 5, will bo a rally of the youm; people in tho senior classes of the Sunday Schools, at which tho Wolfzire of Youth Committee's report will, ibe presented, and a meeting in connection with foreign missions. The year, has seen a : distinct forward movement-in the Presbyterian Sunday schools of New Zealand, in tho directions of bringing them up-to-date, providing them with effective apparatus for. teaching, and carefully training tho teachers. Training clasres havo been formed all up and down tho land, and good work has been done. There are now 321 Bible classes in tho Presbyterian' Church of New Zealand, with a total membership of 7236, about half of whom aro young men. Out of tho total membership, 2153 aro members' in full communion with the Church. The money received from those classes for various purposes during the year amounts to £2363 10s 1 . Sd. . As regards foreign missions, the Church is embarking on a very progressive policy. It is understood that thero aro not less than six applicants whose claims to be -sent into the foreign field will bo decided by tho Assembly, and those include some of the very best of the students now attending tho Theological' Hall. METHODIST MISSION WORK. Tho annual, report , of the Wesloyan Missionary. Society, just- issued, is written in a hopeful tone; The membership figures of tho missionary stations show that the total' church members number 108,442, with . 25,659 on trial: This is'"an.' increase of 4054. Tho.largest increase is shown in the West Indian districts—l2Bß —while the Transvaal comes second with 1200, and the Gold. Coast third with 563 additional members. Tho total income is £208,307, an increase of £38,747'. The number of adult collections shows an increaso-of 1670, arid of .box-holders 3244.; Over £1430 more . liar, been raised from missionary boxes this year than'last! : The'increase in juvbnilo collections is 10,856. Nine missionaries are supported- by private individuals. . • : ::-During : thp yoar a start has been made on a small scale with tho formation of' : classes for tho study of proljloms presented,by the natural .conditions, racial characteristics, and religious habits of . the countries and peoples amongst whom missionaries lire working. In Mysore, India, there is a growing disposition to regard Christianity'as a' religion of foreigners. The. missionaries regard' this movement US a lyissing phase, but believe that it lias riot yet reached its . zenith.. In China also tho general, unrest is not without its effect on missionary work.

Within the native church a now. spirit of racial sensitiveness and a prematuro desiro for releaso from foreign leadership have shown themselves. CHURCH .UNIO'N.FOR AUSTRALIA. ; A private letter which has been recoiv'ed locally from a momber of- the Australian Presbyterian < Assembly states' that, at ■ tho ■ recent sessions of that body held in' Adelaide tho cause of -Church union made Satisfactoy progross. The crodal 'statement which had been prepared by the conjoint committees of tho Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational Churches was sent down by tho Assembly to tho Prosby.tories 'for information' and suggestion. 'Not a single vote was-given against tho motion for this courso. The union negotiations between Prosliytoriaiiism and''.'Anglicariisni,. which, it'is.'understood," have, resulted in- a vory surprising-degrbo ; of unanimity,, wore riot roported on'iit any length. ■ The'; following report of the discussion at tho Assembly's meeting is taken "from the Adolaido "Rogistor" :

: The: Rov. Dr. . T. E- Clouston B.A. (Sydney) presented a report, ton,: p.A. .(Sydney),ipresontcd-a report ,pf tlio" committee ott'tlio! federation of th.e,,c}iurches, which stated:—.. - : The conmiittoo' has been occupiod during tho year in the prosecution of negotiations .'with the -, committees . of the Congregationalist. and . Methodist Churches. The basis of doetrino prepared by the Now. South "Wales section was submitted to the Victorian section. A numbor of amendments" were suggested,'and these-were considered by the full committee in Adelaide, and the committeo resolved to ask the. Assembly to.send'tlib amended basis down,to State Assemblies and Presbyteries for information and suggestion.: The scheme ,of ! polity- is being elaborated, but is not yet in a sufficiently forward state to be presented to the Assembly. In November last a; confcrenco was held with ; the committeo appointed by the Church of England. This was of a very , pleasant aucl brotherly character. JL ..further conforcnco is ,ifco ;bo held in October.' The committee, however, considers that' all, further negotiations, with the Church of 'England should bo conducted only in conjunction with the Methodist and Congregational Churches, with whom it has been in correspondence for the last three or four years. The Uov. Dr. . Rentoul (Victoria) complained that the committee had not added 1 during the year one item to their knowledge of ' the relation of the churches or what the Congregational!ists and' others 'wanted. Ho urged that some finality should be brought to this unreal business. They should shape a basis ofrcreed as woll as polity,,3o that by.next Assembly the. whole thing could go down to State Assemblies and Presbyteries,' where they would ascertain "whether.the whole thing meant anything. The Rev. R. G. Macintyre (Sydney) said the' Assembly made an irretrievable blunder when it ontpred into negotiations with several churches at the same. time. (Hear, hear.) It would /be wise to ; go back to union w-itli .a single church at a time, The : Presbyterian Church' would - novcr agrco" to'. anything that would cast tlio slightest slur upon the orders it. held. The, following deliverance. was carried:—'. : . i..' '' : l.That the report be received. , . 2. That tho basis'of doctrine, as agreed on by the joint committees of .the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches,'bo sent to the Stato Assemblies and' Presbyteries for information arid suggestions. 3. That tho Assembly has learped.with interest .and satisfaction, the. negotiations which have been carried on with the represen-tatives-of the Church of ; England, -butagrees: that as-soon as practicable negotiations' with that church ' shall bo carried " on in common with the ' churches with whom tho committee has lieeti already, negotiating! . . THE CHURCHES: AND PEACE. '< The memorial'-which was presented to the Hague Conference on behalf of 1 tho Christian Churches and societies of ; tlio world affords; a. remarkable de- ! monstration ~of the essential 'unity of \ all rolicyous denominations on the sub--1 ject -otpoaee. ■ The'object of tho me- • morial war, to demonstrate to tho momi hers of v the,-Hague Conference the uni- > t-ed desiro of.the Churches of-the world I for tho amity of the nations, the uni--1 versal adoption of arbitration in inter- • national questions, and an arrest and ! reduction in" the;burden of firmaments. Three memorials were handed to the president'. of / the confcrenco—from i Groat Britain, America, and the Con- , tinont respectively—all beautifully eni grossed on vellum. Tho British memorial was sinned by twenty-six

bishops of tho Church of England, tho Church of Iroland,-and.. the Scottish Episcopal Church, tho Bishop of tho Moravian Church, tho Chief Rabbi, General Booth, the president, ox-presi-dont, and all the past presidents or tho Freo Church Council, and by the heads of practically all the-Nonconfor-mist Churches. In all there were 362' signatures to the memorial from Great Britain. That from America also represented almost every variety of religious denomination and every political party, and the Continental signatures included thoso of Protestants, Jews, and priests of both tho Catholic and the Greek Churches. LAMBETH CONFERENCE. Tho full programme of next year's Lambeth Conference, is 11 very remarkable indication of tho number, complexity, and gravity of the problems '.which the .Anglican Church is called upon to deal. with and, if it,can, to unravel (says the "Guardian'): Thero is no rbom for tho suggestion that tho Episcopate is anxious to shelvo or ignore any- of

the burning questions that occupy the attention. of churchmen — questions, some of them, upon which, humanly speaking, the future of tho Church in groat measure depends."lii a Church which extends far beyond tho limits ot a great Empire, matters of -organisation are necessarily of primary business importance,' and perhaps the most interesting of all the subjects to be discussed at Lambeth'is The Relations of Prim'atfcs and : Metropolitans in the Colonies and elsewhere to the Soe of Canterbury.". ...Proposals for. tho .establishment of a Central Consultative Body and a Tribunal of Reference are. also to be brought forward, while- "The Limits of tho Authority, of - a Diocesan; Bishop" is another subject of. somewhat urgent ' interest. A further practical qucstion'-of great momont has relation to'tho growth of the Missionary Church ori racial and national lines:-- The in-' terchango of tho services of. the, clergy at home and abroad is a- subject upon which much has been heard-of late, and of which much moro must necessarily! be hoard iii a living-organisa-

tion 'that has the world for its boundaries, and wo aro very glad to seo that 'it is to bo 1 discussed at Lambeth. "PrayGr-book Adaptation and' Enrichment" is tho significant title given to what is usually called "Revision"--a title which suggests a debate on wider and more comprehensive lines than any which we'have had as yet. Pew subjects pre' of .greater 'present interest and importance to Churchincn at home, and by" tho time the Conference assembles it will probably be in possession of tho results of tho deliberations which are now taking place in Committees of Convocation preparatory to framing ah answer to the Letters of Business. ' ■ COURAGEOUS PRIESTS. " During tho recont riots , tho Catholic clergy of Bolfast won. praise from all citizens for. their foarlossness and seal in moving among the. street tiowds ' and comnclling roombers of their flocks to keep away' from the ,scenes of disorder. But for their counsel aiid activity tho disturbances might have resulted in still further eumplications. .The Rev. Father Covory. who distinguished himself especially by his foarless endeavours to pacify tho rioters,' is one of the librpes of the '86 riots, in the quelling of which, .according to the ' Catholic Times," he probably; (lidmoro than ' any other .'man'. % Follow--1 ing those' 1 dark days ['many of tho wbineii aiid children in the disturbed areas'were too ; frightened .to leave 'their- houses for wboks afterwards,and Father - Covory -was- unable 'to persuado them to send tho ' childrbii to school. " Their mothers declared ; •that they 'had- been. sent; : away .'for-; safety. "Not belioving ' the ■ switer.ients, the priest-obtained 'a ',big drum arid began beating it -through tlio streets..... The children, .pf'coursb; ■ turned out. to see what .was the mat ter, and, having gathered together some hundreds of thorn, 'Father Convory took them all back- to their let-sons. ■ : ! - ' PEP.SONAL. , The Rov. Dr.' Tudor Jones'; of thti Unitarian Freo Church, Wellington, will oxchango:pulpits'.. for.' ; a 'fortnight, .after t6-mprroivV, : .-wiyv tlio'J Rev. _W. Jellie, Unitarian minister; of' Auckland Dr. Tudor Jones will leave on Tuesdaymorning, and will givo ! ail'address in' Wanganui tho same evening;'aiid'afterwards a series ■of addresses' .in Auckland. Sirs. Jones will also give a lecture .in-- Auckland- ;on "Social Life in

Germany." ''r' : , if Dean James McKeuna," of New Ply< mouth, will make tho special collection for tho new Roniah Catholic Cathedral iii the-Newtown' parish next week. Canon ,W. Page Roberts has been appointed Dean of "Salisbury in the room of the late Bishop 'Webb." Born in 1836,' he has' 1 beon 'since 1878' Perpetual Curate jof ' St... Peter's, Vcre Street, to. which he was presented Jiy Lord Beacousfield, and sln6p '1895 has been' a Canon-residentiary.''of"' Canter? bury. Canon Page Roberts represents the Chapter of Canterbury as' Proctor in Convocation, he has- been twice Solect Preacher at Cambridge and ;onco at' Oxford, and is generally reckoned a Broad Churchman.' In support,of his position he has published four volumes of sermons;' which have run into several and God, Reasonable Service, Liberalism in .Religion) and Conformity and Conscience. The Von. ~\V. Danks, Canon of Ripon and Archdeacon of Richmond,-has been appointed to the Cauonry of Cantorbury vacated by the, prefermont .of Canon Pago As Rector of Richmond, Yorks, Canon Daiiks.was at one time, according to tho , "Giiaiv dian," invited to accept .the Bishopric of Wellington, New Zealand, .which ho declined. .'; . .~r

Tho "Methodist Outlook" . states that a home .missionary has . been , socured for Ashl.iurst in the person . of SI it. Clyde Carr, second son of .the Uev.'-T, C.: Carr, of lilarton.'.; The Rev. Thomas' Spurgeon' is. taking twelve months' complete rest, from all work iii consequonco of a serious breakdown in, health. This has necessitated tho'.appointment, of a colleague in "the pastorate of - the, Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.. 'Tho.Rov. Archibald Brown has taken"up the\poniiion, and. under his ministry the , work, has taken'a groat forward,.impetus . The great' building is fillediin every, part. Mr. Brown is .'one of., .the .stalwarts of the old school ..., iMETHODLST, MINISTERS OF NEW ZEALAND. . The Rev. 8..' H .: Ginger, Methodist minister, of New Zealand, hsis been attending. tho Bible Christian Conference in. England. The "Western Daily Mercury,'"' published- in' Plymouth, reports tho .Conference.',in : full, and in oup number,gives, a portrait of ;: Mr. Giiiger,,with a resume of his life.- Mi. Ginger, states* tho ; "Outlook," has borne enthusiastic testimony to the value, of Methodist. Vpion in New, Zealand, though lie ,was at one..time opposed to it, and his .-words, have, seen received with delight. It is, stated f at:. lio expccts to return to New Zoaiaud in' February next. , , ,

i)r. G. Campbell Morgan, of London, one of tho most eminent of Nonconformists, has astonished 1 the Northiield Conference, America, by telling it that lie lihes a £ood cigar and a good play, ,11c protested against intolerance in theso matters, .:and declared that lie' would .continue-.-smoking regard less 1 of what .. people - might say. Such sentiments arc rank', heresy! to many Nort-liiielders, and several ministers' present declared that- they would leave their seats in future whenever JUr. Morgan rose to speak.

JOTTINGS. ' The Presbyterian Church will celebrate on October 20 what it calls the' "youth of the Church." Special services will he held; -which'in the mon. ing will be adapted.- mainly to the younger people, and in the evening to 'Mm young men and women who aro members of Bible classes'. The collections will bo in aid of tho'Welfare of Youth fund; from Which it is hoped to provide in future the expenses of two' travelling agents ,to look alter tho interests, of Biblo classes and societies, instead of only one, as at' present. ' Canada is in a fair way to have its first saint: Tho beatification of the Venerable •■Margaret Bourge'oys, says the " Catholic Times," came - a step nearer recently when the heroic quality of her virtues was examined in the Congregation of Kites. " ' The Boys' Institute, which represents'one form -of the numerous activities of- i St. - John's Presbyterian Church, has now a cadet force of sixty lads. : The fourth "international congress .of religious liberals" was to. conclude at Boston, U.S.A., last week: Tho International Council of Unitarian and other Liberal Religious Thinkers -and Workers was organised at Boston seven years ago: Tho Council seeks, accord-i ing to its own "statement, "to bring, into closer union for exchange of ideas, mutual service, and the promotion of their common aims, the historic liberal churches, tho liberal , elements in all churches, the scattered!, liberal congregations and isolated' workers for -religious"'freedom; and progress." in lhsiiy lands." An. invitation, to 'attend 1 ' tho conference; was' extended to. •''all' - who' desire' to I 'increase 'religious enlighten-' mont,-freedom, and-tolerance, and to make' tic.' world better." Delegates were' 'expected to attoiid from' Great Britain, many European countries-,' India and Japan. Interesting features of the conference wore to be' personallyconducted visits to Cliannings's, Longfellow's, and Phillips'Brooks's,,graves, and an ...excursion to Concord, Mass., memorable as the. homo and burial placo. of Ralph Waldo Emerson,, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Bronson Alcott, Thoi'cau, and other liberal, thinkers.

. .Nearly eighty delegates from New South Wales alone were expected to attend ..the Australasian Christian . .'Endeavour Convention!, in Melbourne, which began on'.Wednesday-last: Tho themo of the-Convention .was the "Sermon on the' Mount," and., junior rand missionary exhibitions were held.- Conferences on the work, of the societies were also part of .the programme.: ... .The first religious- community of .women established. on tho Borderland since the "Reformation" is about to ' be founded at Galashiels, where., a temporary residence for nuns has been taken. : The nuns belong to the Order of the Sisters of Charity of St.. Paul; \vhose .mothpr house is at Bnmingham... . . As the result of. Dr. Tudor Jones's series of lectures given in phristchurch and Dunedin, requests have been liiado that Unitarian, movements should be started in .'those . cities.'' Dr.,. Tudor Jones is likely to re-visit. Cliristchurch in' tliij near future, to confirm,, the interest. that, has.beeu aroused.,:.:; "■ : •;;Tho sixty-sixth' anniversary—no less - J —of'tlio Tsiranaki .Street Methodist Sunday .School will be celebrated tomorrow afternoon. In the absence of the. Rev. P. , W. Fairclougli,' who is taking' a fortnight's, trip; to' ..Christchurch _.ind^ ; Dunodinj the,- special '-aor-, ■ coililucted' , ' I ts .'9fe,"iiey.! \Y.' J. Williams in the morning,' Rev. Mr. 15aton';'in 'tho afternociri, :'and Mr. C: H. ,I'oble, M:H.RV in tlio evening. Tlio annual tea ' and concert will he •held on Wednesday, 'i .■ ■ ■ •: The editor of the London "Enquiror," which, describes itself as "a journal of liberal religious thought and life," has asked the .Rev.' : .Dr. Tudor Jones,, of this city,,,to coiitriljuto , a series of. four articles on the philosophy of religion.,. •,

! Referring to the "New' Theology".:'and the Rev, It. 1 J., Campbell, Archbishop! Clarke,' of Melbourne, in his synod address, last rweek, .said:—"Mr: Caiiipboll's fundamental error lies, in the fact that he lias lost ijiis' old' faith""in the ;' the" Bible, 1 aiid concludes that there'js no final'authority ~left:' There _ has;been criticismVof tho Bible which is destructive,'vain'and 1 irreverent. On the other'haiid; thero has and is, especially at; the pre-' sent time, a ,Bible, criticism which js just, ' true, 1 and, rovereiit. The Biblo has'not. beeii overthrown,'but; scholarr ship' and history have . illustrated , its meaning, .and have introduced'' other and' more truthful, methods of interpreting its words: Many things in tho Old Testament havo become intelligible, luminous,.and true in, the'light of progressive' moral revelation, expressed jn successive'age's through the virtues and vices of -men.' For many' of us''" the Bible' is 1 , a thousand, times, more instructive, becauso we have understood so miich' better. Tits, inspiration i 5,,., a hundredfold, more assured, and we.'find that this does not ..rest, upon , any theory, but is expressed-in,; the lives and' utterances of men who sojight truth, '' and found it, and courageously proclaimed it." .v.:'.' The ■ Fathers of,: the Foreign : Mis- . sion's of Paris.,have opened ,three,' ecclesiastical seminaries in Japan, i'-one in Korea, four in Manchuria/' thirteen in China, one-in: Thibet, six;in Tonquin, five in Cochin-Chiua, 0110 in Cambodia, onei in Siam,; one in Burmall, four in the Indies, ; one- iin Laos. The number of native students in : these, ecclesiastical seminaries is 2246. ; V;!.;,' ' To meet. tho growing demands'of the , Catholic Church in the, -,United States it will be necessary to ordain .approximately 1000,; priests, a. year.,'

. Tho' separation. of.-.Church' and Stato in- t-lie citio "" '-anton I.Geneva will take 'effect from - January .1, '1909, as the result--of air unexpected 'majority in a recent popular, vote. The totals' for and against disestablishment wore 7600 and - 6700. : ThoV Roman Catholic yotey together with ■ a : large number' of. abstentions,. is said to have been .the, determining factor - ill ■ tho elections.,- It is now proposed' to organise an Independent Protestant Church, which will excludo all - the forecs of; Protestantism, in its ■ midst. ,A "constitution is beint!; ivhich it is proposed; shall open, not with ■ a dogmatic, statement, as to the basis, of union,-hut,:vritli. a simple, religious affirmation that they: who unito- in the now church have for their- aims the preaching .of the Gospel and the advancement of. the; Kingdoms of..' God. There: is .said', to - bo. a ,-sincero desire among the leaders of thodift'erent'Pro-testalit-bodies to ..unito upon,.:;those broad lines. , . ; :

Tho We|fare of A'out-li CommittQo of the Presbyterian Church', of which the licv. Dr. Gibb, of Wellington,' and llev. John - jlockcni-.io, of Christ-, church, are tho joilit conveners, have invited Dr;"Wilbur"Chapman, of tho"United States,, to visit Npiv Zealand in tlie' interests of the Yonilg People's movement, and' for purposes of general evangelisation. Or. Wilbur,' who igi the agent of - ; ' tho 'Presbyterian' Church of the United-States Evangeli-sation-Committee, is said to be' an exceedingly able, mail, and,, though ,ho i 3 an evangelist, his methods arc said to be characterised by Presbyterian sov..-;"*- — J — ■ • •

The Presbytery of Wellington has decided to constitute Rosencath, Miramar and ICilbiniie as'a mission charge, in tho hope that .presently the people in that district..will be in a position to make it a fully • • .sanctioned!. charge. Tho main distinction is that a mission charge is, directed .'by an appointee of tho Presbytery ,whereas a fully sanctioned charge cajls its own minister:;;

Ji'or - sdmo years' past-a Baptist minister has served in York as "hotel eliapliiin," holding himself-- in readiness,;, for emergency, services in cases of sickness or accident, or arrangement for, marriage 'when the parties concerned Were strangers in the city, or did not know to whom to look. Ho. had, it would, seem,'. no : definite • appointment, . and ho has recently with-, drawn from-thc work. Tho Bishop _of New 'l'ork Has taken the opportunity-, ol appointing a clergyman of lar^o'ex-perience—-and that not only in religious but. also in journalistic work—as hotel chaplain, with a distinct- set of rules drawn up by himself and the Archdeacons'of Now York and Westchester, which will serve as a protection to himself, and a guaranty of authority to those who; avail themselves of his services,: and also; wi}l maintain, the dignity .of '• the. Church's '' ministrations, and'keep them-in'their'duo relations to- -parochial arrangements. It -'is stated that tho proprietors.''of the hotels'are pleased .with' the arrangement which has been made, a? it: comes with a' real authority,: and enables thoin to call t upon the chapldin as one designated s for the duty arid holding-a responsible'! position.'- ' '

The late Mr. Henry C. Richards, M.P., bequeathed 'to. ,tlie> Dean ;and j Capter of St. ;l s aul's-t-hefsumof £5000fpr. tho re-erection of Sti- Paul's', Cross; in St., Paul's Churchyard; , Tho Dean', and, Chapter hare accepted the- design, of ..Sir Reginald Blomiield,' which >!is' beautiful, as to its dotails ; and imposing as to. itf> general effect.; Tho memorial' will consist (says, the ."London , Diocesan, Magazine") .-of a bronze figure of.-, St.: Paul, 9ft. high, placed - on. a column ..which rises; from, a . lofty, and elaborate pedestal, with- figures at the. angles supporting, bronze swags and coats of ;arms on cartouches .on . the four sides. Tho pedestal is on a stone platform raised some., 4ft.. above..,the ground-line, and , surrounded. . .by:;-a parapet. :wall;. of. stone- and' Belgian black marble,,which stands.on' three broad .circular steps above,.the present pavement';.lcvel{ -The enclosure which' surrounds, the.,, pedestal;, -is reached,.by,- a!,.flight, of-,.steps, with; brpnze gates, and is ilius,available,for 1 pnen-air preaching, at any .point, round the pedestal. The site-of. the old 'St. Paul's Cross is" marked-by a stone slab in the centre: of :the rouhd point where the paths meet-by the north-qast corner- of ; the '.Cathedral! ! This- ccntro poiiit is ISftV nearly due north of tile north-east''angle,''• and - tho pedestal •. column' 'and •' figure" of HH'o - memorial: will bo vertically l over this centre. Tho identity of . site'with the bid St. Paul's Cross' is thus maintained.. "

• Next year the, first' Christian Endeavour .Society .started,.in, Great Briwill, attain, its -'twenty-first-,.birth-day,. and the. event, is ■:to be: celebrated bv a visit from Dr. Clark, the founder' of the' Endeavour moyoment.'. '-Tho/first British .Christian Endeavour., Society was,- founded at the'. Hightown, Congregational .Church,'Crewe, and the movement spread thonce until at: tho present moment.:: there- are. 10,162.. societies:. in the -United. Kingdom,.-,.and;, there' hardly ,a,'town;-.,or'{village wliich.,Jiajs : not ,wo or.,more, of them. .The society ■ lias, penetrated almost every,: Christian dcnomHiatipij, (Aud. ; ,a,great, effort is to; Dr. Clark'sl stilKfjirJiheri by ii, "National Increase..Campaign;"',: ■■ '"One-'of the 'most' Christ- : ian Endeavour 'meetings>'l -over' at-, tended'was heldiii a small township in the north of Queensland,'near'-Thurs-day. Island," remarke dtlie' Rev. Guy Thornton at a Christian; Endeavour Union meeting- in l Christchurch; ".."Tho assembly was held in a small -shanty, and there were present 'a numb'dr of Englishmen,:' Malays, Kanakas; 1 Japanese, Hindoos; arid meii'V of other nationalities,' each individual holding ; a lighted -candle. Every oiid of' these men 'wns an earnest Christian;' and tho gathering was very impressive."'" The speaker, also incidentally.)!, mentioned that ho had attended, a meeting, of "aboriginal Christian o Endeavours'-.'7 in Australia-; at '.whicK he 1 was.-the-only white man -present. : "Tho :; iritellebt-, utility; ofthese men and'women," he said; -"was much 'greaterth.anVonQ' wbuid -be ■ led to believe by reading Parwin's slighting opinions 'of' them, oridfthe genoral', impression that .prevails about them." ■■■<;'

By ,a .'decree, .'dated July 26, 'the .Sacrcd : Congregation'. of the' Index Las condemned the following books . f atholic .Thought in Contemporary Ernest Dimnet; .Dogma and, Criticism, by Edbuard 10-Roy; Truths of'.Yesterday',, by Jeaii Le'nioiiri;. Tho. ( Crisis,., of 'the' Clergy,'by .'Abort Iloutm; and . the- Cocnobuim, published at Lugano. j' ;All the books are authorsthe _ Coenobuiin- is an international, royie.w' deVotctf to, liberal.studies.' * ",.' p

' Roman Catholics in, America have gone one'better .in'- the' matter of. the 'Church on Wheels'', than tlii, mission vans' of Nonconformists by tlio production of' a chapel"railway ,car for '.work "in isolated 'districts,,' says ; th'o English' "Tablet." ' Th'o : first tar 'of this sort was blessed' by -tho Archbishop of Chicago quite recently, arid is already oil the road in the Wichita diocese. It was given by 'Mr. Ambrose Poti-y, of ,New York, and 'represents an outlay of fifteen thousand ' dollars. It-is dedicated to St? Anthony of Padua. Tho car is sev-onty-two feet long ' and will accommodate a. congregation of some fifty of sixty persons. Tho altar, specially made for the car; is" so - constructed that; in its many drawers- and receptacles may v be . stored tho' sacred vcscls and vestments'. In thecontro of the altar is a beautiful painting' of St. .Anthony..' The altar utensils, such as crucifixes, etc., will be'held in . place by screws. Tho coin;muYiipn l ''rails are: moveable and' when needed jean be' converted' 1 into, .a.'cohfossidiia.il T'hero ' aro two . rows of soats which';' slide' aldng '.a grooved rail and a'ro"' dividedby 'a narrow ' Besides, tho • chapel,, tho; 'tar contains a little 'apartment;, for i tlio bishop,' for-the' bishops' of the various ;diocese will. travel, in • this car ii's often as itheir ' manifold duties Mil peritiit them to' ailiuinistcr' thb sacrament'of confirmation;' ' to' Mi tjiMt®"..-'sctitttoif*! people: 1 ;'An<' adjoiiiin'g. compartnidiit will be occYipiixl' by the priest "'in charge" of . tho car,; whilst another small room is .fitted, lip ! as a kitcheli iwhieh' will bo attended ,to by ' the porter. •' It is expected'- ;that'.' after the car-has ; gone tiio"rounds""of this "Wichita diocese, it'will bo, employed iii tlio hill'districts'-of Kentucky. ! '

: ."There'is' an extraordinary, supersti-. tion • regarding th'o note '.G' . ,iu our churches," said Bishop Julius at':-; the Christ-church Cathedral recently."'lt verily "seems that. God .cannot be l praised. on any' other,, note. Tho service is jnonotoned in, 'G,' and there, is. a' loud 'Ap'op 1 ' iii. 'loiibt' .. it, is; .in.excellent note, but 1 have no hesitation -m. jl : as tburoiiyh^,; bjsd"'for. parish Not oiio- ;> jn: ten • of "the musija 1.. portion of '.the .con-; ;can\si'ng _in.;'G/ and .if- tlio', unmusical attempt, it, they dp so with results that are disastrous :to'everyone: else. Sing on 'D' if it will help tli'e con"rogation, but don't mako a fetish of 'G-'" ' '

In' 'the highest aristrbcratic* and Court circles of .Gorniariy a profound 'sensation has'been caused b ythe retiling from the world of Prince Low-cnstem-Werthim-Rochcfort to enter the. Dominican" Monastery of - Benlei near . the Dutch frontier.Prince J-owonstein is seventy-three years ; 01d,,-and. has,vast possessions in Prussia, --Bavaria, liadon, and - Hesse, ,- his incomo being reckoned at £300,000 a year.. ;.v His lands r.nd other . real property,remai nin the possession of, the; family, but £150,000 goes to'tlio ccclesiastica ltreasury. There 'aril' two branches of the Lowenst'ein fani-• •lly—tho Protestant and. the -Catholic and.Prmco.CarJ, who has now be. come a monk,. i. stlie; headof ..the . latter.. _ He is the brother-in-law of Don ,Miguel of Portugal and untie 6i ' 1 rnice Alfonso;- brother of the Spanish Pretender, 1 Dou : Carlos. He'was. itlie leader of tho. ultramontane aria, .tocratic party. i ntho Prussian Hou«* or Lords, and is a can of singular earnestness and sincerity.'" Of lata years the Prince has become-, widely • — tho. bead of a, powerful movement'to abolish duelhug. Among : III?. '. m °st notable .recruits''were tie'' lvmgs 'of Saxony and;AVurtenburg.|

, Speaking^at a recent. Church defence demonstration. at Rhyl, Lord Hugh Cecil .referring, to the.disestablishment qui*, tion, asked what good, was to'bo dons ' by this-great scheme' of spoliation: lit was • proposed- to- take - away • vast ' masses of - money which, great as > they-'.were, were not sullicient as'things ..stood for t)? e . spiritual.work which, lay before the Christian,; community,' in order-,i to . weaken, ;,at. the very.., crisis "of the f th<! '' erea . t: forces!:, for BoodrNoficon- ? 11 ,? I lo 'desired that thtse" things should come to pass? -: If Noncohformists ■ ttouy look to r tlife facts of the %so .they >-.would a realise;; that,-though -"they ■lli'nhfif fl rra i e Church; they-could not benefit, themselves, ,'i fh-jy might. injur# i^?' l B 10U s -. bodjY but . that '- would not do any good to, others.. They-would then cease.to,.clamour for whatvreallT it.forced •Tiicii|to'6pi>u(l ill" controversy what could' : be mjieh better srient hi"furthering the commpn ''cause.. Lot- 'them go fonvarU eertainvof- 'this, ■ that;. theirs-- waS .'the " ..cause. of ; Glmstian faith,and'Christianl'lghti, ~ . >. .; . t. X 'Asaph, said' they all' *' ■ kuew'hiis vieir of disestablishment I ,'and''" as- to diseudo\Vnienti when . formists'realisfedVtliat this 'qUestian ,J w3tf' - not one of aNoncpirformifets againtelie : "\ .Cli\u'Ch,.'.but .ac question of vtlie futurfi - •.of, thevClirigtiaa faith of- •:• .they would be drawn .to what ko'boi .licved ,to ,be 'the, ; sida of. justM-and right. r,':---■/The lateSt:'ijiettor<,r.'froih'.'.: tliß'"-V(ih. ■' Archdeacon jDbyAy, Provincial, is from Dissart, in, Belgiumii ■ under dato-'August 12 (sttteenr th'tf "Nsw. •Zealand: Tablet")..-*.,: Tne '-Ghapter- 'divas'' then sitting; and- thirty-fouiS numbers'i .were . present;'. •• was the lat'o Father lieiwisjtW) ,: wlfom' touching reference was mads.'Vy--; the - 1 Superior.-Genoral, • MiSy. of the .Er'enCh: and khoiVn ■; Father. Lewfs.'' '^iie'.'-'Arihi'• deacon visited; scve'ral-qf\he,!Bcl'iwt« citiosj and was rnuclii struckc'.wt'v gijneral: prosperity.of, ttie the faith-, and courtesy, isf.;'rtieyi.wp6 ! '. -7-astrikingVcotttrast- ; ;# ho saw seven years ; ago;, during MF sta.y in Ireland he.found,.tlie cfeuijtit' looking extremely I wcll,"'wespeciall,'!' about- his own home.v In,:-I)ubliifrhi •. mot-tho Very Rev. Dr. Watters, jvht'-'. ivas' ill';, find lii' : Lomlon'flu 5 ' met/ Rev; 'Father < Mibha'el GuiiniMSl 1?' f.ormorly.rof lteeftori,i>and ndlri. : parish ■priest' of<-Kcw, Lpndon. ; - ''-i-';'< •i A: Nonconformist(• maiiifestb icn the ; ■. question, of tho.Di'sestablishhieht of thb . -AtfePWt ;.is?«ed:,recently, : diss • ;.clarcd that-'.TtJio.cotmtrjjmust, take! tja ' matter.,into ,its- o.wn. ; call authoritatively , Pnriiamentary repWsentativeo ', :t'p dpn tlieir'a'rhidur "fp'r a determined ' fignt.' The. 'Welsh:' must mat's . it- clear tc..the' Geyernnlent'-that Wale's , insists - flow upon payment' for generatiens.of loyalty;' of struggle, 'of -sacrifice; and of, silence.The. granting i of-.- thin . pur reasonable request. made a condition of tho continlied: allegiance of. Wales' and her, members tp .thp .Liberal; Ministry,' and | tho .-Liberal party.'" Xinds lip' with definite recemmendatipns hew to 'organise the' whole''denomination , for the fight, arid how to secure' the' co-pperatiph of ■ other - denominations; .• Tho ■ sitnation is certainly, •■more / threatening: for;,'the Liberal party in :Walcs than it .has been within, living memoiT.,, i;