RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 69, 14 December 1907, Page 10

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

LECTURE BY SIR OLIVER LODGE,

"NO CLAMMY HORRORS" IN THE DARKNESS. Sir Oliver Lodge, the famous English scientist, who rejoices to bring science to the support of religion, g.iva a profoundly interesting address on October 29 in tho Memorial Hall, London, on tho "Immortality of tho Soul." This was the first of a series of lectures founded, in memory of his late wife, by Mr. Drew, a member of the Crouch-end Congregational Church. Tho lectures are to deal annually with some topic relating to tho nature and destiny of the soul in the interest, directly or indirectly, of its personal immortality.

Has Man a Soul? To the question, "Has Man a Soul?" Sir Oliver Lodge argued that man is a union of soul and body. Ho showed how the body is ; built up of material elements and.is in a stato of flux and chango like a river. The material body is dissolved into its chemical elements, which Nature works up into other forms.. Nothing was immortal about tho body except tho material atoms of which it is composed. Any notion, said Sir Oliver, that these samo atoms will at some future date be recollected and- united with the dissociated and material portion so as to constitute once more the complete man as ho appeared here on earth, and-who is thereafter to last foroyer—any -notion of that sort is a superstition; even in quarters where it may bo denied in words, it is not by auy means vet really and- thoroughly extinct," or without influence or sentiment. It is too much to oxpect that it should be so extinct.

A Spiritual Body. At the same time Christianity emphasises the material aspect of religion and its belief ill some sort of a bodily resurrection ii based on tho idea that every real existence must have a double existence —not spiritual alone; nor material alone, but' in some way both. Hence it supplements the mere survival of a discarnato spirit, a homeless wanderer or melancholy ghost, with the warm and comfortable clothing of something that mav legitimately be spoken of as a "body"—ful-tjlling-somq of the functions which the atoms of terrestrial matter are constrained to fulfill now. Interest be'oaino more and more intense as Sir Oliver Lodge argued for the persistence of the personality which tboy might call life, or soul, but they did not know what it was: Common sense rebelled against its 'being "nothing."' Nor had any j:ouuir;e science presumed to declare dint it was a purely imaginary nonentity. Ho vonturs'l tii the following definition of the suul.

The Soul Defined. i Tho, soul is that controlling and guiding principle ,which is responsible for -our consciousness and will, as well as for our personal, expression and for the construction of the body under the restrictions of physical .conditions and ancestry. It is tho seat of the intellect, the omotions and tho x?m, and is the .storehouse of, all our experience. l The body is its instrument or organ, enabling it to ; receive and to convey physical iuipres r sions,. and to.affect and bo affected by matter and-onergy. •■...,.' Ho argued that-the individuality or persoality, consists of memory,'consciousness and will, and-iti the second part,of his lecture, admitting that he was on new and debatable ground, ho 1 used tho facts of telepathy, clairvoyance, multiple- personality, "possession,", etc., to build up a scientific argument in proof of tho possibility of a personality surviving and acting ..when,.discaniate from tho body it had inhabited.'

"No Clammy Horror." After the expression of thanks by the chairman, Sir. Oliver, made a reply as interesting as anything said during the evening! Peoplo, ho" said, feared that'physical investigation of the quest-inns discussed encroached on the area of faith: but such fears were only valid if faith was limited'and final. Those who believed that faith'was infinite would welcomo any increase of .knowledge: Faith could not bo diminished by subtraction. His faith was that as they groped in. the darkness they would encounter no clammy horror, but would receive an assurance and sympathy which it ivas legitimate to symbolise as ii clasp from tho hand of Christ' himself.

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE. At the Now Zealand Primitive Methodist Conference, which will commence in Dunedin on : January 9, several important questions are likol.f to come up for consideration. First of these is the question of union between tho Primitive Methodist Church and the Methodist/Church of Australasia. In Australia all the Methodist bodies are united, and in New Zealand they all form one body with the exception of the Primitive Methodists. If thev decided upon union, there would bo only 0110 Methodist Church for Australasia. The obstacles to union are entirely governmental, the Primitive Methodist system being moro democratic, than the Mothodist, no such law obtaining, for example, as that which makes a Methodist.minister ex officio chairman of all.Church meetings. The amalgamation of funds would not present any special difficulties, except in the case of superannuation funds. As regards doctrine. there is absolutely no. 'difference between the Churches. A resolution in favour of union has recently come, from the 'Primitive Methodists of Invorcargill, but many leaders of the denominations feel that while amalgamation may be desirable, the time is not opportune as'vet. It is possible, therefore, that the subject may not bo stirred to its. depths by the coming Conference. ' Another matter for consideration will he the Rev. J.' Flanagan's tour. It was intended that Mr. Flanagan should Visit all the churches in the Dominion, but in view of tho short time'at his disposal, the'suggestion Jias been made that his services might bo utilised to more advantage if they wore concentrated for longer periods in the chief centres, and some of the. smaller churches missed, It is.possible that the Conference' may decide in favour of this change of programme. The centenary fund movement to raise .CSOOO for purposes of Church extension and increasing tho educational facilities of young ministers will also rcceivo attention.

A MODERNIST ENCYCLICAL: "DE PAPAE ERRORIBUS." The following interesting message, was sent . to the English "Tablet" by its Rome correspondent, ■•under date October 2".. The heading is the "Tablet's." "Nobody will,bo surprised to learn that ■ tho Holy See is- about to take action in the case of one of the leaders of the Modernist movement, who has surpassed even himself in attacks on Catholic- teaching since tho publication of the Encyclical 'Pasccndi - dominici -gregis'. ■ To-day . the 'Giornalc d' • Italia,' which has become tho quasi-official organ of the Modernist, prints a lengthy summary of a Modernist volume of two hundred pages which is meant to express tho answer of the leaders of tho sect to the Kncyclioal. The place of the author's name is occupied by six stars which the 'Giornalo' interprets, from information received, to mean that six Modernists have engaged in tho compilation of tho work 'with tho cooperation of all their brethren.' After declaring that they cannot possibly remain silont under 'the violent accusations' which the ; ' Supremo Authority of the Church' has launched at them, although 'knowing them to-be faithful subjects, resolved to remain faithful to it to the last breath of their existence' they proceed to tell tho same Supremo Authority that it has been completely wrong from beginning to end of the JMicyelical. The famous declaration beginning 'We; tho People of England,' issued'by the -three. Tailors of Tooley Street, will surely be recalled by the concluding sentence of the pronunciainento of the Six Asterisk-!; of the 'Giornalo.' 'Our efforts arc directed towards introducing into men's souls the now conscience of the imperishable destinies of Catholicism in the world. Tho momentary condemnation does not dismay us. We wish Christianity to become once more an element ( ot' progroas in the world.' "