RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 11

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

AUCKLAND DIOCESAN SYNOD.. - -llie following extracts are taken from the' address of the Anglican: Bishop;6f Auckland AJJr. dNeligan) at.tne'opening of the' Diocesan •}ynpd : last week:—

.. Referring to;the gbiibral attitude to religion the Bishop said :—"People are expectant on the whole, particularly so from tlio Church, to-, wlncii they' are 'always friendly 'arid' witli a-hich they associate family events; arid the clotgy are everywhere hopelul. Surely, then; •Vs® s ?wris to be calling upon us'for renewed ■wl, for abundant self-sacrifice,, for increased ro'ssionary enthusiasm. The Church stands ror. u certain theory, maintains certain principles,: teaches on certain lines. Men generally are looking to the Church, a ro-expecting much from :her. If man is doing tins, God • is'expecting' ninch more. He has'maW'tho' He alone can enable us to take "ailvantago of it. for Him and in His Name. ' j '--The , returns tell: us. that, within, say, three years; _wc shall require forty-four more puddings; of which ten are to be, churches/ ten parish halls or schoolrooms, twenty-four schonl-cliurchos or mission halls.

.-''During my-episcopate 1 have admitted nineteen men (five deacons, fourteen priests) to Holy Orders.... Of fhese men eleven-arc • pajjehas and .eight .'are. Maoris. ' The pakehas arc.,;thus divided: six. come from Home, four ; frpm New Zealand, one from Australia ; ,but the..sonous, tiling' is;:. Of the . four men from New Zealand.only one.can.be claimed..as from • this Diocese. . During , the . same, period .1, have exclusive of. Maoris, close upon 4000 persons. '• During thesaine,period God has sent us. sixteen men-in orders from outside this--Diooese (including thrco on their way out) to work in this Diocese. Of these, fifteen must be. counted as, from' Home, one from-Australia. Wo get, thorefore," a total addition to the pakeha clergy, of twenty-seven men, bf_whoni four are native-born, including one from this Diocese."

As; regards, the.supply of, clergy the Bishop saysr'Tcio 'long 1 reliance'ou .outside sources Or supply ■•is detrimental . to' wholesomo /growth. A too vigorous '; system of 'protection in this matter would be'.'almost as bad. We must do all can to avoid.'either danger to the, health or tho body.' It is marihest that,; in Now Zealand, we shall have to: rely ivory considerably for .some years upon outside sources of supply. Whilo this is good ior us to whom tho men come, good for the men who come, good , for '"tho .Church ,at Homo, and 'good for keeping the word Imperialism clean: these advantages must " not blind "dui;' Vision' tolthe -primo. necessity'for.an moils Ghiireh: a' ministry mainly indigenous'. Hioro aro signs "of ■ some approach towards 'tlie 'right 'adjustment of -the standard in this Diocese, and I think in New ■Zealand generally. , .'The approach.is, as yet,, far ..from adequate,"and its duration is too "brief; for sound; and' reasonable conclusions! to .be,drawn.',as to its stability.., Inipassingi 'we remark that.dearth.of men for tho.minis"try 'is nut ci/iifin'ed .t'o'ou'r.'own Gpmmuniori; it. : isexperieiieed.. also in: ■ tho,'.non-Episcopal , Bodies.''. Mo New/Theology is of an ori : giiial .ago.i.■about , contemporaneous with • the errors"-,counteracted^by.'S.. John's" Gospel.; ,'lt form, of'heresy ; familiar, to every ago of itlie Church's history.: 'It would only-becomo important; if it were to induce impetuous per- ■ s6ns ; tb.indulge.in.a ■ .horosy; hunt.- ? "v- , : iteferring to ,the !Commissioji sot, up-by the General; Synod to . consider .the to alter.'.the,..boundaries of- tlio North Island Djo&ses, , I)r. Neligan . remarks,'llf,: tjio ; Commission: i; \vcro 1 to ; recommend'' that. .steps .shoiikT lie talten .towards the -erection, of,-,a fourth J3ep in ,-the .North Island,. personally, I r .b6liey£'" much would accrue '.in, years' .tp./epmo., v . Tar'analvi 'is.'ii-, populous and., a • ' I ..always, have thought' /that 'the' s'ca (i ,barrier between,.' Auckland .and the Archdeaconry.bfi.Taranaki', makes '•&. little .hard]for that Archdeaconry .to feci tho corporate i diocesan ;* life, as. readily as, say, the Archdeaconry : .of, Waikijto,. and it ..is the sense of corporate life tbat'reslly-'mnkesdho work of-the Church strong, and enduring:" ■ ■ Xho,.,address makes reference.. to ; tho prorpo'se4.RUssibn i; of if frqm.-Eriglahd - t'o New. Zealand as follows' lJioocsan Synod in our .'province, forwarded,to General Synod a ' resolution approving' of, tho.! suggestion. for, a: National Mission. General Synod -passed, a, resolution affirming the-.wisdom of such a .Mission!, and directed cbrtain.isteps to■; bo taken ', forthwith. Tlio , Central -Committee,'; mectinv. at. Wpl'ingtoi, in .r-Ajigust, telegraphed . to' mo - asking if,, 011.. Ijqhalf of this diocDse,:.!- would,guarantee.,£lo(l,.towards tho ! expanses' of the . preparatory • I - think the',dioci;sp,.win endorse my action in; reply-. ihgV'Yes,; If other diocoscs ,; joii), so. will Auckland. ;Wo cannot..take•■ariy,,yjsryvprncV. ticiil. stopsVunt.il,tlio -Bishops' Pastoral is- put fort|i and tlio committee's pamphlet is published'; 'V,- ' "<V

,;."God willing; I piirppso.agoing; Homo .-,to at-, the., Congress ,and "tho Conference.: ;.With '.joy wife and, family I purpose,. .sailipg : about , Christmasthis yqarj.,.. I ;hav« niado •.this arrangement to go Home earlier than ;oifhcr the. Congress..or, the Conference de-.mands,-in' I ;the'-interests (if'the diocese: wo •Bimply -must get more trained clergy if wo 'are; to .keep: our work/ going,' let alone', develop- it. : :My commissaries m England", have ■lh'arlo; a very large number of engagements . for, : mc to speak and -prcacli on behalf' of tht 'dioeos'jj while I 1 am at Homo. It may interest ; tho 'diocese to know that lipori l me h'as.beon thrown the .'responsibility of'preach'-* irig/in l St. Paul's Cathedral ! on. .before:' tho'great'^Missionary' Congress.'' -Tlid Bishop of Christchurch has very kindly; pro-, ' miscd to ordain in the'Cathedral'here"(in the . Second' Sunday :in > (March '15,' ' IEIQS) He' has .added"to this .'kindness, by.undertake _ipg to.'conform in the Cathedral, for . Auckland ''generally'; in Hamilton, ; ;for the" kato and;, in New Plymouth; 'for Taranaki;" , BOYS' INSTITUTE, , ■. -,J't ! The' Boys' Jnstituto in' Arthur Street; established' sacrcely.a year'iigo by'St.'John's Presbyterian Bible Class,, has now . about, a hundred, members,. ; who are ] able to. indulge ill' numerous' activities. ■ A . number of instruction; '. clocutioii,.', arithmetic,.. aridpother ndctedVithihe'mental and physical/trainiiig of the boys!.. Four main branches' of. work, hare' been. arranged; The physical. side '. is represented by. ambulance' training; gymnast tic _: .work,, and'. general athletics; the 'social ;side by - teas arid' eritcrtainihents ; the 'mental side by classes in drawing and building-, construction,. elocution, arithmetic,'/ arid other : subjects; and; the " spiritual.: side ! by 'Sunday evening religious meetings and various Bible classes. There is, hdwever,'.'no roligibiis tpst, : and' no ono is compellod to. attend the tct

l.igiou's meetings. 1 All denominations'are .represented by tho boys. Mi;. Shields spares no-pains in 'teaching .the ■ yoiing boys "■ to swim; ■*and .a'.life-Saving class 'has 'vbeon formed. for the older'la'ds! 1 '- Sergeant-Major Harley has been very successful in his' ambtilanco toachiiig, -and a recent exhibition of the' boys': ivork in - this department : reflected ■ranch credit on the instructor and:his'pupils. An Institute cricket club has entered 1 one of

the junior league competitions)' and 'tho •newly-formed cadet corps hopes to '-qualify for,.competition'this year. Good use .is being 1 made' of. the • library, -but there is still :room on ..the shelves for a- number :• of '.ifcodern books, and gifts of such will be received With gratitude. ; .0n Tuesday.:night-Mr;.. J. ; M. Clarke will give an, elocutionary recital in the; concert chamber of the Town Hall, >the entire proceeds of: which will go, towards the working . expenses.of tho .Institute./ SURF BATHING. ' The'latest issuo of the ''Methodist" says tho proposed 'New'South'Wales surf bathing regulations err in the direction of excess. It, however, 'complains most of .the. Church's loss'by .the increasing popularity.of this.form of. unjpyihcn't. • A. siib-leadcr says "A great outcry has been 1 raised by' a . .number of people, interested jh surf bnthijig over .tho Draconian regulations just published ro costume and general! .behaviour. ' Wo confess that: some of those regulations scorn to us, to err. in the .direction of and ; to. iitjply tliat the; surf bnthinir fraternity as a' whole are not overburdened With notions of modesty or. dfconcy. But 'the law'" is not made for' a 'righteous. man/' and .those regulations will doubtless be modified so as to'secure; the purnoso "at which they are aimed—that; and nothing moro:' A morn serious matter,"' iri' our judgment, 'is the ' extent • to' which this practice of open bathing is being carried' out on. the 'Sabbath day. The Manly boats aro crowded on' Sunday mornings with '.passengers going down for an; ocean bath, and tlio' 'tram sdrrice to Bondi andCobgeo is insufficient, to' convey the crowds who flock tliither I

o:i sanio day for tin; ■ same purpose. 'Cleanliness' may-be . 'next to .godliness, hut 311 rely.it is not ahove.it, nor 011 a parity with it! This Sunday bathing, _ iinfortuiijitcjly, is inly ono of the many forms of Sabbath desecration that are attaining abnormal 'development at the-present, time, and .not a few of. ■ Mir yoiin'g people are' being carried away by 't. We heard the other day of .a case'; where t.)yo, or tliree young men and' women, members of a suburban choir, resigned from the choir,.so as to be-frcc to go bathing. on-'Sun-'Jaiy.. morning- '; and. also of another cifse, .rhero -the vice-president of a Christian Endeavour Society excised himself from . atr tendance ,011 the ground that ho generally '■vent-to the. beech.', These arc only a feiv '"stances out of , many of the prevalence of l-Xji'and dangerous notions on this subject amongst o — own people."

CATHOLIC TROTH' SOCIETY. The annual conference of _. the. • Catholic Truth Society was held during the, second week,.of--September at Preston. Of the many great Catholic Conferences that have been held of late years in ' England, says the "Catholic Times,"' none lias exceeded this in importance or public, .interest. Thirtyfive, years have ; now ; elapsed since Cardinal Vaughan originally, founded this . valuable and influential organisation, and since 1884, when- it'was formally rovivod on a larger scale,-its work has greatly-increased.in .mag-;', iiitude. : The; principal object of the existence of the Society is <thc dissemination of Catholic literature, and the great intellectual' gathering -at Preston marked another notablo stage in the progressive, development of the Society. The-Conference..was marked by every favourable element, and from-the initial stage of tho programme the unqualified success of the: gathering was unmistakably assured. The attention of the members was focusscd upon points most vitally'affecting tho; interests of the. Catholics of tho British islands, and the most pressing problems .of tho day. was exhaustively discussed, and idea's ,'of' tho highest importance diffused, whilst suggestions for,, furthering.the 'interests of. the Catholic cause, and particularly, for'raising the standard of spiritual .life amongst the members of .the Catholic body, we'ro ; unanimously adopted, tho. strong desires of the Conferenco finding expression in notable 1 resolutions.; His Grace the .Arch-, bishop of Westminster, as.-in pr.*.'iou3 years, honoured--the proceedings with, his presence. PERSONAL. V We are sure (says the,/'Guardian")..that all who give the slightest, consideration to tlio-great and important:.work-and responsibility which, rests upon the Archbishop of Canterbury at the present time will pray fervently thnfc his -health and- strength may be preserved; for the arduous and overwhelming labour that'jies: before him during thq_;next twelve 1 .-.months. lii "addition' to his" Visitation..and,.the great .events of next-year, the Parliamentary proceeding's. entail' a continuous strain up'on the Archbishop, and the Deceased. Wife's, Sister Bill and educational matters are. naturally. causing him'' great .anxiety . All these burden's'and responsibilities would 'veigli down tho strongest and most robust, but only those who know the severity and tho pamfulncss of the recurring attacks of . illness ;to which His '-,Grace is subject, can' form any', idea of tho' courage and .endurance, which ho shows in' 1 fulfilling his - many, engagements. The Archbishop's unrivaller. knowledge"' of the procedure of past Lambeth Conferences; his masterly treatment of all matters connected with the government and work, of the Church, and his statesmanlike handling of social questions, will be, generally '. acknowledged," and especially by those, members of the Episcopate who arejcalled.upoiv to, sharo in any way-;'in tho solution of the-many.problems,-both at'homo and,, abroad;, with, which . the Primate of All England has. to deal. "'

THo'Rev. 'James "W. Shaw has'bcon . appointed; assistant! minister at.Knox Church, Dunedin, for three years. It .is understood that, during tlic absence of the Rev. W. Hcwitson in Australia, : 'tho Rev. -Ernest Guthrie, ; of'America, ■ son. of- Mr. henry Guthrie, ; .the well-known'. Dunedin shipping agent,' will fill the-'pulpit•'at- Iviiox Church.

The parishioners of St. Saviour's, Sydenham,, Christchurch,. held a social gathering , recently, at which they said good-bye to the. 'V!6n.' Archdeacon Scott and Mrs: Scott, who

havia (laboured "'in 'their- midst for fifteen ■years, -and, gave , a welcome to, their • new Vicar,' the ,llev. P. 'J. Cocjcs, formerly of Opawa. , ; :Tlie Archdeacon wna. presented with a,, cheque.'for £79, 10s., • which ho'. decided to devote to. the reduction of the. schoolroom debt, leaving the parish almostA free •: of financial ' embarrassment.. An illuminated address, in nlbum form, was also presented to Archdeacon Scott, and n. drcssing-caso was given ,to Mrs., Scott. . . .

The.Rev; HarryYouldsn, minister,of,Unthank 1 Road •. Baptist* Chnruh,' Norwich,. lias been unanimously elected to the pastorate of Pembroke Chapel, Liverpool, in suwession to Mr.; Aked. : •v- .* '~ ... ■

The late Bishop, of;.Chichester' had his full •share of that ready humour which characterised all the Wilbcrforco family from, the days of the great emancipator. Two or' 'three' years ago an agitated ' churchman wrote.-to all the bishops, stating that "his family doetor ' had told him, that- nono of the bishops believed in the Christian revelation." Much

horrified,"' he begged: each bishop in turn to sondiihim an' answer (.which-ho might .publish. Somovwroto indignant protests, some elabor-ate-tiieologieal ..statements,'' and gavo other, weighty replies. The Bishop; of Chichester wrote:—"Dear Sir, —I should recommend you to .'chang!!'your, family doctor, as soon as possible."'l

, A .cable. message lias bison, received in Mel' bourno from. Mr. C, M.' Alexander, London; stating thnt-Rey,.. Dr. Torrey lias uiider'opnsidoration the -jnvitation of, the Evangelistic' Society to .visit Melbourne nest year to take part with Mr::;Alcxamlcr in a" religious Vuis-

' Commissioner. '.booth-Tucker recently, leff •London for-India. 1 "'He has thus gone'back io

the land .whore, lie orcatcd one of the. romances of Salvatiop, Army life. Ho, was, as' a you'ng/iiian,. a president' judge ill India; his naiiio,theh. i iicing pucker; without tho v Booth' Attracted ,t'o, the' army .by a' stray copy of. one of its newspapers,*'lie took six months' firr:lpugh, .came to England, .saw General Booth, and , resigned his,'('Government appointment. Ho returned to India, as a Salvation missionary, adopting riatj've .dicss and .an' Indian' namo. ', As a' ,fakir 'l|e;pre_ached' the new' riili gion .-in Indian thousands of converts.- Some 12, jnoiiths'ago 'Mr.-'Booth* Tucker .married Miss' Mary. Hold; (a Salvation' Army officer; whoso brother he had,' when' a judgoj imprisoned for j''disorderly condrct'' as .a Salvation missionary'. l 'The comiiiis oner's first wife was a daughter of Gemral Booth, and met .her death ill .a railway accident in America. '' ' •'."

- |A' .telegram, to the,,"U^iitcilr.States.. from Rome, says that theMpst,Rov.''. ; Dr. \Yillianis, Archbishop of.Boston, ther'doyeh oftheAmerican dietl,. at Ins, episcopal resilfnco oil ; tho 31st ult. ■ Tho.Arclibishop was' horn iii Boston.on'; A^pril,27.,. 1822. .He-was 1 appointed, to tho Soo m.Pebfuary, ,1866.'During his cpisco'paeo tho Catholics' of Bostorij ; .c'omparatiyely.smnll body,','grey.' to bo a,, powerful, and rcspepted population,' and;, complete; provision '.-.was.', maclo; for liil their, spiritual'.wants.'. ,: .v,'','., ]" '■' "-.' i.Tho'Reyl'Mr.. Ahcd; who wetit'to'the Uiii-' £dd States to take ychargb .of Mr. Rockefeller's ;churbh ) ''hiis'hecpmo..an'Americancitizen. .'.," ' JOTTINCS,' 1 ''.',!;"''^,,',.^.,..': .Regarding tho.,. Bishop of ..XiickancJ's statement .in his, s'ynodical address' ■' ed'neerhing the dearth of men for the 'ministry!' we' u'n dorstand that there is'no superfluity! of ca'ididates, for/thc ministry in any ofV.tlftj.- Cliii"••ohes. at; present. In.the I'resbyter'ian'phu'rqli nn exceptionally largo number, of yourji' me'v will be ~licensed ; this year, having'.finished their .University mid theological studies,' but it' is .'stated '• that' the Aiiekland Presbytery' could account' for all of. them, leaving ;tho rest of the Church lincarod'ior., ; ' ' "• "Some plain talk'with reference to tho'class of man wanted in 'Australia was -'cdii'taiiroii in the address delivered by the Rev. G:*'T Waldon';' President' of 'the Australasian Christian Endeavour Union, at h recent mceti'nc of that body/ 'He, said Australia 'wanted; first -of all/ honest men. 'It did not -want : r ~ :•••• •■ ■.■■• ' . •■..-. ~( r

those who would grasp 09- per-cant.- : of' the value of a man's labour and pay him the odd I per cent. Neither did they want idle-rich nor loafing poor. It was not creditable to Australia to have so many young men of the leisured., class riding, about in motor-cars, Haunting their idleness in the public ga;:e. Australia did not want men who were "molly-, coddles." ;Ho understood that; in: Victoria young men were, taking the. place of. houses maids. (Laughter.). "We don't want Jhnghaired men or short-haired.women," said. Mr. Walden. "Let them both keep their place,"

The' Bishops attending the Pan-Anglican Congress are being .invited by the Dean and Chapter of Winchester to' a special service ; n the Cathedral, and by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire (011 behalf of the Pageant' Committee) to the first, representation of the Pageant, on Juno 28, 1908. The. Bishop of Winchester and Mrs. Ryle are inviting them to a gardan-parly at Earnham 011 tho previous afternoon. •• 1

The creation of new English dioceses is in some respects a revival of the lapsed .'bishoprics of a thousand years ago. Truro is a'revival of St. Germans, iind' Newcastle 'of 'Hexham; In Suffolk the old see-of Dunwich will live again, and St. Ccdd's spiritual rule'was over Essex, rather than London. A' Carres--pbndcnt of the "Guardian" recalls the almost forgotten Welsh'diocese of Llanbadarn, close to Aberystwyth,' and named after St. Patern,' disciple'of-St. David. St. David's needs subdivision, and this old see,-which existed for two ccnturies, from about the year 580, may possibly be re-ostablishnl. . '

It was. decided at the German- Catholic Congress to celebrate the Pope's 'Jubilee in the autumn by an extraordinary , increase in the contributions of Peter's Pence .in order to relieve the pressing, financial necessities of the Holy Seo. . . ~

One of tho most t'roubjesomo questions in British Wesleyan Methodism lately has been the. 'controversy—not' to * say disscnsioii-Mn many congregations'.as' to whether 1 "Allien" should be sung at the'end of. the hymns. Tho objection to''this conclusion of a hymn as '-'Ritualistic" has prevailed in * 'somo places where it is nevertheless customary ' to'sing "Amen" at the end of each prayer, and'to chant the Lord's Prayer! Tho historic Brunswick Chapel; Leeds, is a prominent example. In announcing the hymn before the sermon'on a recent Sunday morning, the preacher for the. day, licv. Frank Ballard, expressed' his surprise at this inconsistency. He confessed that ho could not for tho life of him understand why thev'should sing "Amen"\at the close of his own prayer, arid omit to sm'gUt at tlic close of a prayer the whole of which was olfered 'in musical form'. His request that "Anien". should .be sunj; a the remaining hymns received a hearty 'response. The Church of England in Australia is going to give, much more attention to, her? young men. The Synod of the. Diocese, of Melbourne, at, its recent session took, up the question of,.young men's sooiot-ies, and- appointed a committeo to consider and report next year. The Diocese, of Sydney, at .its synod- Inst month,, after a three, hours' dobate, adopted the ireport. of its, committee op.' the. .question, which . included a model constitution, .for, ,a society, to,be-called-the 1 Young Churchmen's Institute. .. While the adoption, of the report was unanimous with its recommendations, the synod ma.de it more clear than'.the report did that, the introduction of such an iristituto was optional with the rector ill-each parish!

The "Catholic Times" . states that Mgr. SchoolFcr, Bishop of Tarbes, lias sent .'to, tho Catholic Bishops of ytllO: wholo world a letter in which, with the sanction; of tho Holy leather, lie invites tliom'to establish''commits tees'-in; th'cir dioceses for , promoting, pil-

grimages to Lourdes on the occasion of the jubilee,' iii' February next year', of the' appari-tion-of. Our Lady.. '

An,, international association for ( . tlie promotion of-, science among Catholics has just been formed, iii Ebme,-under, the patronage ol his ' Eminence Cardinal Rampolla Vand other members of the Sacred College., For the present, its '.headquarters are at: the Vatican Observatorv. : ;: • , ■

An interesting-.outcome, of ; the recent International Esperanto Congress; in' Cambridge and- London, is-tlio formation of 'a Catholic Jiisperanto'- _ League- for Great Britain; and Iroland. The prime mover in "the project'is Dr: O'Connor; 'who has< becin' ' one" of the of the'"universal tongue 11 - in England. . \ The Archbishops and Bishops of the whole of tho Australian Commonwealth, states tho "Catholic Times," have sent an .address of sympathy to the Holy Father in the troublo caused by the, persecution of tho Church , in France,, and liavo. 'undertaken "to'' mak'b. the j'ptor's IYrice offering from " tho Commonwealth'larger, than usual' this.year. The.causo of Beatification "of Joan-of Arc is at present engaging the attention, of'the Congregation of Rites. "It is known," says tho -Roman correspondent of the "Eclair," ''that tho Holy Father attaches the greatest importance .to the. proceedings,' and . that; in tho event of beatification he will order special fetes.'' • Fitted up as a mission- chapel,' 'a railway carriage-is now-being utilised for services''at Dunsland Cross, a now ' station '. between Okchampton and Bude, in the parish of Asli- . water. : Since the' extension of the ;railway thither and tho construction of the station, 1 quite a" hamlet lias sprung-up, : composed chiefly of . railway men aud their fariiilics.As the parish church is eight miles' away; and:t Jhdnparest"; churches,' those : of Bradford and Black Torrington', are about four miles dit-

,tant,' it.= was .deemed advisable , that ' somo building should be provided for the benefit of the inhabitants of Dunsland Cross. s .Tlio railway .company presented the carriage,' in which well-attended services are -'held; Sunday afternoon, being conducted"'by'tho rector of Ashwater and : the Clergy of tlio neighbouring villages: ■ The Summer School promoted' 1 by the,' Sunday School and ; Bible Class Unions of the

Presbyterian Church, will be held .this' Christmas at :InvercargiJl. The school, promised to be ah affair "'of considerable ; magnitude: and' importance: .A largo number of ministers''and laymen have already signified their intention to be present, and tile .'discussion's will ho opened by well-known', educationalists and others. 1 ' ■ ■•■■■■■•. ■•;•:•;•■

1 The General, Presbyterian. Assembly of .New Zealand will meet in,St...John's Church on Tuesday .evening,, November 5. Tlio retiring Moderator, the Dev. .J. B. Monro, will conduct public worship, and the now Moderator will be elected. Inasmuch as=.the majority of nominations last year., fell on the Rev. A: Don, missionary to tho Chines? in-NewZea-land, his election-is considered certain. It ; s not certain who has received, the majority of nominations for tlio Assembly of 1908-9. The Presbyterian .cause is 'progressing in Kclburne. Services are held at present on alternate Sunday evenings in a privntb houso,. but a site lias been purchased and a. fund js now. being raised for tlio erection of a suit-.' able building. l A number of ladies' are pre-' paring a sale of work with the same object.

As evidence of the.increased;interest in the work of .thejiunday. Schools, .the frequency, of Sunday School Conventions,all'up- and down' the country, is noticeable. : Aii.important conference of this kind will be held next month' at Masterton.. 1 •'■- '•■•o .'

'-• -This i year's statistics will show. Durham Street . Wesleyan ' Circuity';.• Christch'urch: it • -is, understood,-. ;as; ' having' '1042 members; This'- is the ' fast -! occasion r "itv which a-' Now Zealand circuit ..has returned' a membership 'of over a thousand. 'It' is' partly accounted for by alteration of boundaries, hut this is only a slight.cause. Steady growth has more than compensated for deaths and losses by removal! .In tlio year just closed;'states' the-"Outlook," tho circuit has raised about £7,000 ; for buildihg'and renovating work.; : "■ " .' 1 ; 1 !

Tho iDurham. Street Circuit, Christcliurch, has,purchaseda deaconess' house, near the centre,,of .Christcliurch, tor something over a thousand pounds, and is enlisting the int'orest and help of adjacent places in organising <ui oifort to raise funds for furnishing: It is expected to house deaconesses sufficient to cope with the work of tho wholo city and'suburbs, and to have in training there some sisters on probation. ,

Tho Federation of the Catholic ' Societies of America lias passed the following !resolu't'ion I "VTe considerit an essential pari, of'a. Catholic's'religious life that lie be- associated with' soine 'ono or other of the various/approved missionary efforts of the Churchm .so';far that if ono would seek.a good test'.of olio's Catholiciiy ; .let him ask how 1 much does he give for'.missionary work,".'