RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 10

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

NEW YEAR'S EVE. .. The year is vanished, and but seems Confusions of receding -dreams; O, may it but have left behind A solid strength of heart and mind, To .'face what visions may appear . Of grief or strife in the New Year; The live occasion seize before ■'Tis past us, and it is no more; ■'. So wo may be, when past the night, Live forces in'the eternal'light. ' . . — A.Y.T. ' MODERNISTS . AND NEWMAN. Tho following lott-er has appeared in tho London "Times":—Sir,: —l.havo been asked to mako tho following statement on behalf, ngt only ,of thoso who call themselves Liberal. Catholics, but also of many who liavo hitherto taken no part in ■ the conllictbetwoen -Modernists and tho Pope. They, .desire. to say that, although they may differ, from Father Tyrrell oil particular points, they aro entirely at ono with him in his criticism of the lato Encyclical. They regard, it as an unprecedented evil that-, whilo ono Pope has implied a dircct approval of tho writings of an English Catholic by. making him a Cardinal, his successor should rovorso tho decision by condemning every characteristic proposition for which that writer mado himself responsible. They would 'urgo that ;. arguments which led ,:them to becomo Catholics if they aro converts, , or 'onablo them to defend Catholicism jfcthey aro Catholics .by'birth, cannot be 'regarded .is a ladder to conduct converts into/tho,.Chiirch-only to bo flung aside afterfor they consider them a. foundation tho destruction or-.which would'overthrow their...whole Catholic position. • T.heso arguments and this foundation the Papal Encyclical treats with a contompt not only injurious to tho great writer who used them, but also" .grossly.- insulting to tho majo-rity, of. oducatod English Catholics. This lott-or. does -but express.-openly what, in private, almost every Catholic is saying; nor aro'those Catholics few in number who look upon ovory blow, aimed at Father Tyrrell as a blow, to tho whole .structuro -of English Catholicism. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, W. T. WILLIAMS. 13.A. ' Moadhurst, Eastbourne,'; October 26. • Tho-following, letter from tho Very Rev. John Norris, ■ Superior of tho Birmingham Oratory,. dated tho Oratory, Birmingham, .3,'. was published' in tho lioxt issuo 'of "Tho Times" v-^-'.'Sir,—l nm enabled to: states .:on information received to-day from tho highest l authority that tho genuine ' floctrillo'""aiid spirit "of ' Newman's Catholic teachiiig-a.ro not hit by tho Encyclical, but tlio -. many who wrongly seek refuge under a great hamo aro obviouslv oon-' sured.'" I shall he obliged if you will, givp full publicity, to tho above communication." ■ A PROGRESSIVE CHURCH. ST. ANDREW'S; DUNEDIN. St. Andrew's. Presbyterian Church, Diuiedin, which ilias had for some time an uncommon reputation for -progrcssiveness, has distinguished itself agaiiv in connection with its i-ccent determination to erect a now Sunday school and - re-construct the church on ftiodern lines,'.at -an''- estimated cost of at . least'- £4000. Almost .half this amount, according to tho "Outlook," was promised in a few. days, and from a little over 40 subof'tho congregation was 'H-cld.src'eohtly,:, when tho wholo schemo was put/b'oforc .tliQ, members, and after discussion tho 'Deftfaons'i; Court was empowered to proceed witliitho. works. The scheme is a someivhat/anibitious 0110 for' a comparatively '.small congregation; but when the chairman of tlio meeting (Mr. ,J. A. Park) announced 1 tho .'result canvass that • firelight .''promises 'of 'nearly £2000, and explained the plan proposed to secure tho remainder,- to some the-'impossible then bociirno pi'obable'*; mid to others tho probable ..cßjJtjin.'! Dr. v WaddoU mado a somewhat ■riovel proposal to the: committee in charge of .th'p' busincss. His jiroposal was somewhat: to this oft'eet:: That as' ; the'school consisted of various;, parts—hall,'!" class-rooms, etc.—t-hoy might get individuals •;to ..contribute these, .rind'have them, called after their names, or the namo of someone:'they might wish to oommeniorato;; It' was, thbiisht some might heiwilling thus to give tangible expression to God for His goodness, or to ,keep alivo the ihemorv of so'mo departed:relative or friend. There could be 110 more sure and suitable method of securing that their memory should ''smell sweet and blossom, in the dust." The .'idea has. commended itself to several, and Ulreadv'fiye onsix.have.signified their inten'tibii df foiindiiig'suchVau: iii memorinm room. CHURCH UNION IN CANADA. Tho joint committee on church union representing tho Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational Churches of Canada has .just"'held." in 'Toronto its fourth annual session,. About .-125 members' (says tho "Interior") wero in' attendance. : It had been anticipated by_ many ..that. tho. committee would at this time completo its plan for combining. tho'thre.o denominations and turn tho scheme over to tlio governing bodies of tlio churches for: adoption. But -an ' tho contrary, ■ adjournment was. taken to-tho fail of. .190S, with tho : work-.still short of completion. This does not. indicato that any unfavour--ablo outlook for union developed; for in fact this session further confirmed' the belief that t'lio proposed combination is' entirely- practicable, and quickened desiro for it among tlio .harmonious confcrcnces.' But it; has been'a principle of : procedure from ! tho'first that tho consummation' would not bo'forced, and.tliat..final •;action- should wait: until /complete ■ satisfaction ;had. been expressed .by all.parties.' Agreement oiuhearly..all mattdrs/of primary consequence -had ■:been.: reached: in: prior sessions,.aiid this year the'disenssioii was mostly, .concerned .-.with -details' of administration. Tlio -longest--debate' .was" over tho .method of providing for superannuated ministers. In tho Methodist Church ministers aro required, through --their activo years or service, to [lay a pofccntago to tho superannuation fund, from which they aro pensioned after their days of activity aro passed, but. in the .other two denominations support of retired ministers is 011 a voluntary basis. It was finally decided that-in''order-'to maintain- tho vested rights of the Methodist .ministers' in the fund to which they have contributed, thai .fund shall bo kept, separate after union and administered for their solo benefit, whiletlio united denomination ■ shall -open a new fund for all its other ministers. A inoro vital question of polity was raised whcii'-'-tho Congregational-• ministers sub-mitted-a memorandum asking that terms of subscription to the crecd . should bo mado broader:. In -answer to. . that , request tho committeevoted the ordination question for ministerial candidates in this form:' "Arc you persuaded that tho Holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrines, required for eternal. salvation in our Lord •Tesus Christ, and aro you -resolved out of tho said Scriptures to instruct the peo- ■ plo committed to your charge, and to teach nothing that 'is' ' not agroeablo thereto?" A test motion to include in this question tho words "and church standards" was defeated. Tlio wholo atmosphere of tho gathering was sanguine of absolute consolidation eventually, although it was clearly recognised .that ;it might take considerable time -to educate tho■ and file of churches to tho point of accepting union heartily. Principal Patrick, the chairman of tho Presbyterian representatives, said, in a speech at a public banquet givcii in tho joint committee's honour, that .the work'already done, proved that "objects supposed in the past to lio obsta.cles to union do not exist as such at all. In t.henlony, nolity, ftniJ" administration the' negotiating, bodies aro'.fonnd to bo practically one. Tho ohlv tilings that can now. keep them apart would bo' personal feelings, 'petty jealousies, and prejudices."'