REV. R.J. CAMPBELL AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 10

REV. R.J. CAMPBELL AGAIN

HAVE THE CHURCHES FAILED? In .the following interview with a "Dailv, Mail representative, the Kev. 11, J. Campbell expresses his views on the failure, of tho Churches and 011 the need of a new social gospel:— ,

"If we look around'us t6-<3ay J " said Mr. Campbell, "oho, facts. is forced'upon our attention.! TJIO Churches have largely lost their hold of the people. 'In England nearly ,ia per cent, of tbo'.'.adult population remain permanently out of toiich with organised reigion. All over the Coisfineiit the Clmrehes have even less hold than here. . A certain amount of church attendance is secured in this country because the Church, i* still a leading factor in the s6ci.nl life of the lower middle class. That cannot endure. ' '• ■ "The Churches are .driven to all kinds of extra attractions to win tho people. If the ■ Churches represent Christianity, then-Chios-, ti.dnity is rapidl.y losing hold of-this country, because the Christianity of to-dav is not tl'lo same as the Christianity of the first' centtirv and is not the religion of Jesus. ; "The religion of JeSns was in its inception nnd essenco. a soci.il> gospel. -Where lib you tiunlc you would the Baptist were he alive to-day? You would find him addressing a Labour demonstration in Hyde lark or heading a popular ..movement for sooinl emancipation': It is our husincss to realise the kingdom .of God 011 earth, and .nothing else: t'i pi-end) hood} and to sweep away those existing.con.ditions'. which-, throw n pall 'over the livOs of the larger proportion of our lieopK ' It is of 110 use blaming the ordinarv manot wealth for this. Ko harder workers'in the public interest are to "be .found than some of tlio tK-iI; It wfiiild not- benefit tho poor .if they gave away their whole substance, and itmight, indeed, "make eonfuaioit''niorC -r'ollibnnded;

.. We, hiive to create, a social order where every mau shall have siiflicieuey. There is enough wealth, in the country for - this even now. Hie national income, dvirled out, woukl average oyer ,£2 per week ptr family. is forest not only to secure a wore equitnble fit Vision than prevails to-day, hut a better organisation of labour and therefore a vastly larger output. . . . In tlie Christian State, as I see it, wo would ha. r e not an artificial equality, but an avoidance of the great extremes that- now exist. I'owjr, place, and honour would- bo attained, not bv great wealth, hilt by grcat service. AH wouldliavo sufficient.'' • - . ' -

"WHY DOBS NOT 'CHRISTIANITY 'MAKE. . US. BETTER? ... .' - ' TWO SUPREME PROBLEMS. The Rev. James H. F. Poile, M.A oxammiiif; chaplain to. tin; Bishop of Worcester, in his Hampton '.lectures, delivered in tho historic pulpit of Si . Mary's. Oxford. considered two supreme problems:— ' ' ' 1. "AVhy the kingdoms, of this world have Hot- long ago heeonio the kingdom of God and of His Christ?" -.. 3."Why our Christianity does not make us better men and won«m:'' "Mr. Peile (writes 'Public Opinion") does not prftfe.ss to have (my novel answer to these problems. Rut the signifiesnee of these le,ctures lies-in tbo fact that it should be possible for fucb si man :>s be to wail; down /Oxford High Street and into St. Murv's pulpit, and thore> giro, utteraiiee to the lmrd facts of our soeiil ill-being. facts which nro scathing in their condemnation of organised religion, and which in essence are not exceeded in anguish by the facts stated by any extreme Socialist."' Mr. Peile suggests thai one reason for the failure of the Church and its members is "that deep instinct of the human mind which allows every human being to regard himself and hi s immediate surroundings as exempt from the operation of general laws which lie cheerfully recognises whe.i applied to others." He quotes llishop Westeol.t's saying, too, that ''the world got into the Church ill the fourth century, and we have never been abb; to net it out since." And Mr. Peile adds, "The cunning Spirit of the World tidses the ferment which worked such radical changes in the constitution of the human soul and by. inoculating, society at large with a very dilute and. attenuated serum, secures for it a measure ot immunity from violent and inconvenient attacks." As for the cure for these admitted evils, here is the essence of Mr. i'eilc's evangel:—

"Tf all the men and women who call themselves Christians would simply do the good tlicy know and esehevr the evil they know for Christ's sake the aspect of the social and ; economic problems would be so changed.that ! wo have 110 right to suppose they would remain insoluble. And the way to that- change is the training of Christian character in-the individual and the foundation or Christian public opinion, sure of itself and not afraid to speak. Christian public opinion, tho expression of the Spirit of Christ, in the united will, emotion, and intellect- of lmpian societies, has wrought, and is working, tairacles." MODERXISM LIKE APPENDICITIS. 'FATHER V AUG HAN'S DEFINITION. Father Bernard Vaughan, who is " best known by his scathing denunciations of tho vices of the "Smart Set" has lately brought an (Mjuai vigour of language to hear on Modernism. Preaching in Westminster Cathedral, which was crowded iii everv nook and comer (says. the "Catholic Times"), I/at her Vaughan said that the Modernism condemned by tlio Holy Seo was irreconcil:liiy form of even fragmentary Christianity. .■ The' Christ of the Modernists was not'their Jesus Christ, bis Mother of' Christ was' not their Mother of God, bis l'''»ith was not their intellectual assent, lii-s Catholic Church was not their; Divinelnstitution, his dogma, was not their, immutable .truth, his Sacraments ,wcro not their divine channels of divine grke. . The fact "as tho gospel of the Modernist was subversive not only of the Gospel but of tho traditions themselves, of Christianity. Father Vaughan said his Quarrel with Modernism, was that it labelled the articles turned out from its nowly erected factories with names borrowed, not to-say stolen, from the Catholic Church, and the Modernist was so little troubled with scrupjes that ho tried to pass oil his modern wares for the old original productions,of the Catholic Church. Ho would much prefer to deal with a rabid Orangeman from black Ulster than with the Modernist, who, like 'the typical f rotcstant-i Uover allowed that his position was under-, stood or his theories fathomed. 'Hie typo of Modernist condemned by tho Pope was a wolf in shfeep's"clothing, and; not .satisfied with trying to deceive tho sheep in the true Fold, ho; attempted to worry tho Shepherd Himself:, Father Vaughan said .he would ,tell his ;congregation (soma 13006) what he thought hll Modernists 'hut'of tho "Modernisms referred ■to by Pius 'X 'by reading the following letters* ' : Being asked by a ..medical, student in. the North lor his views about. '.'Modernism;" I'ather Vaughan said he sellt this letter to his correspondent:. ~ . • - ~, . Dear Friml,—You ask mo What is "Modernism", aiid: what t think of it? 1. will answer jrour question- in..,thb Socritie' method,'by asking you another. . What is Appendicitis, and what- do. you think of it r" You will tell me that Appendicitis is a disease liitho humanbody of a ruditnen'tnry organ which seems to serve no purpose but- I thivt of .finding, work for the surgeon's.knife; and you will add that Appendicitis is lio new disorder but only a new name for an old one —for typhilitiii, perityphlitis, etc. , Now I will answer your 'rftiostion. "Modernism" is a disease in the Christian organism of members whoso only excuse for being in, tho body is that tliey in ay bo .expelled troin 'it; and. let me add'/"Modernism" is hot a new. malady hut only, a new name for. scepticism, naturalism, rationalism, etc, As Appendicitis,.unless got rid of by; manual, operation, would not uiifrequently provo fatal to human life, so too. "Mbdernisni," unless treated surgically,'might- easily poison the verv springs of spiritual-.lite. ; Be suro 'of this, that the' . "Modernism" condemned by Pius X iii his Encyclical is-a far worse evil thatt Append dicitrfi.- It is a canker which, unless soeedily got'tid of.jwould'eat into tho'lifo''itself 6f Christianity', ;.' : , . i ; ' '.' . .j. Yourf truly in Christ. Vv ' BERNARD VAUGHAN; . A.STARTLING CONVERSION. . M fAdt)l)>lmi Mtp, 'tKo the; mail who ifbr JtWimty. J , Cary>was r .iiHu«»'belv associated ;witlvTthoveampifi-pifbf-! l Atlio'i6m' and moral' corruption -that-- has' Caused so -much evil- in France, 1 created- an' inimensb SbnS&fibri When, breaking off from the past;;lie ailnbuiibis. .conversion- to .Christianity;,A;; vol--ume,- entitled-" Dii Diiiblo'.a Dieui" Written ,by. him at the advice of Mv Francois Coppee, whb .contributes■ a' preface,': and published' by' tho Librairie Leon Vanier, 1 is described by the Paris ,correspondent of tho Birmingham ' Daily Post,", as "tho. thrilling narration of. tho struggles of A'a- soul 1 enchained. iii Tong habits of . sensuality arid,'-.intellectual, pridb.• There havo beeir.otber. luminous instances , of Spiritual elnancipat-ioii' iii France,/hut- ■ rarely, ; if liver,; lias the renunciation been. SO • com* ple.te or tlio 1 conviction so intense. .The. conversions. of Paill 1 Vcrlaiiie,'- ■ BrUhetiero, l'aul ' Boiirge't',': -Huysmans, 1 Laurent Tailhade,' to speak of these''alone,- baVft ;in their tlcgreb lelt an impression'. oii contemporary thought; but- w'ith Adolplio Retto wo feel wb aro m tho presence of a inali of another mould, one.who, perhaps, is destined to leave 'an indelible, mark in French. Church history." - ,- PERSONAL* : The new Bishop : of ■ Chifchestbr, (the Very Rev. C. J. Kidgewayj' Deau of Carlisle);: liko the other Bishops appointed on tlio re-' commendation of the present Prime Minister, is over 6'J years "of age; hiit,-though, ho was ordained by Archbishop Longlby in 1866, he is full of vigour, and looks far younger than' ■ his years. Ho and Sir West Ridgeway and the Bishop; of Kensington are sons of a former editorial secretary -of the Church Missionary Society, who ffos also vicar of Christ .Church,. Tunbridge Wells; and the now Bis-, .hop.has hofc .-only been a tvoll-kuowh .'parish' pnes.t,' but. was for' somo tiliio chairman of the London Uioee'san Board of . Missions. !Hb is.ii <moderate High Churchman, and his appointment,. Seems to have mot-.. with approval, from, all. parties ..in tho Church. ,

.Artbdeacon Devoy, who , returns; to:-. Wellington' from Europe by tlin Corinthic, to-day, received his -, minor ■ orders : from the late Cardinal Richard, Archbishop of Paris, ivhoso death was nunotiiicfcd on Saturdav. '. The J late, .Cardinal was ..then/ Bisliop of Belle,v,. 1 in. the south'-of. Praucn, and the Archdeacon was a young priest studying near Lyons. ,' ■ ...The Rev. 0.. W. . Scott-Moncrieff, McA., ! who has been.appointed warden of St. Johij's College, 'lamaki, arrived/ at. Aiiclilaud-,on January 23 by tho Rippinghani Grange.:;Tho .new- Warden went through... his, university course .at, Queen's College,. Oxford, where ho took his it.A; degree and,classical hoiiqilrs. After leaving Oxford ho residedfor-.some' tune, at tho Oxford Houso Se't-tlemeiit ,at Bethnal.Green, iii the east, of London,'where llishop - Wihiiington-Ihgram,:: ,was . p'rjncipal' until appointed Bishop of Stepney, prior -,to his obtaining 'the bishopric of London'..- Subsequently. Mr. Scott-Monftrieff. went!, to th'o Theological College at. Ely to:, prepare for. .Holy Orders. - After his ordination ho* be-; canio. successively curate in a northeast'' London parish, then chaplain at QiiecnVCtil-' lege, Birmingham, and finally Vice-Principal' of the .Missionary College, nV Dorchester,, near Oxford. Ho -is -accompanied by his wife,- whom he married jufst beforo lie left: Lndand for the Dominion. Ho will'enter on His'duties it St... John's .almost .immc r ' diatelj':. lhe formal cercinouv of induction will be . performed by Bishop .lul'.us. .fcf'\ • Uhristcborcn. in March. .. . Rev. .t: D Jones, M.A., 8.t).. of Bournenioiith, has been nemmated br the Council of : t'be,London Congregational Union for eloc- - tiou an. May next AS Chairman , of the Congregational union of England and Wales. Several considerations Were in the minds of the'members of the Council in making this' .nomination (says the "Christian M'orld "). It, is .confidently, expocted that Dr. Wardlaw 1 hompsoh's year of oflico will result 1 in a great increase 111 the 'enthusiasm of the. Congregational churches of tile country for the extension of .tho Kingdom of God| and, ill this expectancy the Council rejoices most Jiearaly, und it tis ossontiul to cswry ihij> enthusiasm forward into tlio succwdiug years, und to sociiro tho possibility of tlio support of ,t)m work- in nvory port by streiuithoninp; tho Ohurcli at Homo, ospccinllv ill tho poor districts of'town and oountrv'rind in manv/ now suburbs of our groat oitios. Tim Rev. I). «loncs. is well-known as ono who has t)iis work at heart, and lias tlio confulenco of all hopo ior fireat progress in this direction. Kis felt also that ueoordilig'to procodent tho Chairman for UXK) should not' bo a London mail. . Tho Archbishop of Westminster. lias t ianod a schemo of penny collections hv which the |>oor wiM lie nb!o to contrihut-o towards •Iha (und winch-is being raised to e.rrct a nionuinont to "tho people's 'Cardinul ,, in cstmiustcr Cathedral.

i JOTTINGS. The artuual retreat, for the priests of the Wellington Archdiocese will commence on next, at St. Patrick's Collego, and .'last till. tho - following Friday. Tho Rev. Father Lowam, of the Redemptorist Order, will bo tho preabher. The members of the Church of England in South Australia- havo contributed £1771 towards tho Pan-Anglican Congress thanks- . ottering. - : . ■ Dr. Campbell Morgan (Cbiigregationalist),. at a recent meeting in aid of Mrs. Bramwcll Booth's Rescue Homes, said he never looked at the poke bonnet witlioiit a. feeling that; lie must fall down and worship. ' ■ " Tho hawking of Protestant Bibles in Portugal no longer constitufd's a "brittle of disrespect to the State religion,"' - the Lisbon Court of Appeal has decided.' Tha ; judgment, the Inost notable ever given in Portugal in favour of religious tolei-ance, ivas pronounced in the esse of a British and, foreign Bible -Society colporteur who had been charg&l at Elvas with selling Bibles, and so "acting in, a way prejudicial to tlio religion of tho • State." Tho Government. "Gazette" congratulates the magistracy du repudiating the almost savage ill-treatment often accorded to colporteurs. The Rev. R. J. Campbell, it. would almost seem, has been converted to the compulsory military servico ; '-idea by the interruptions to which on recent Thursdays he has been subjected when preachiug at the City Temple, "1 should be prepared," he' said," on a re- ■' cent., Thursday night, "to .see conipulsorj - 'training at the City.Teh)ple,-becauso I-maj ■ want somo of yoti young men by-and-by to put out peoplo'wlio disturb '■ my Thursday sermon." Tho interruption "oil this Tbtirs-> day came from one man '-who (when Mr. Campbell was protesting agaiiist what be' described as the mistaken literalism 'with which Christ's conversation Viith tbo woman . u,amar ' ll ' s usually expounded) called out, Quote the next verse." Mr, Campbell ro. plied sharply protesting against silcu bra'w- ' bug. "I shall probably read to-night;" be' s »'u, "as I read a fortnight ago, on tb# placards, 'Riot in- the City 'temple. Peoflo come here ;vho arc not accustomed to the services and do'not know our methods' of teaching. 'lhev. think fit to disturb public wor--ship. : Wo havb been Very patieht hithetto, . but 1 am afraid that theri will bo a-linlit to our paticuie ill. this long run.". . ■ , v 1

; It is proposed that ill honour of tho Pope's • jubilee representatives of tho Children of -. Mary, from every- country. should, meet -iij. 1 ROmo and tender collective homage to : his Holiness. -1. : ;- • ••, • • ... ■,>

Baptists the. world, over will bo glad to Ibarn that the differences which have esisted between '• their,, fellbw-denominationalists' ' iu Hungary since 1595, especially as to Stato recognition, havo how been Tha committee of, arbitration, consisting l of Dr. Clifford,, the 'Rev;'J. H. Snakespeare; and Dr. Newton Marshall, was appointed by tho'Baptist World Alliance, at thb request of . the two parties, wiio ! pledged themselves to abido by the; committee's" decision;-' The arbitrators, who have been: holding an ' inquiry iii Budapest, in their l'eport- have de&lt ivith matters of ecclesiastical polity and the Colcction, distribution, and vesting of denominational. funds. Fof - futiire working they bave recommended tbe formation of a .Union, for which they 'have, suggested -' a comprehensive .schomb, to comprise all Hungarian Baptists, without referencb to past .division. It seems likely : from the Edict A of the Sacred Congregation of Rite£: that the Reatificatioii of Popp Pius IX. may be, .after all investigations of his writings have been mkdo, only a iiiatter; of time; /The results of the Pontificate of Pius IX : aro among the most, important in the modern annals of.tho 'Papacy.;:' ,'Tiiq" doctrines of tho Im.mneulate CiYnCeptiqn and-PapAl, Infallibility were defined'as Articles 'of Faitli diiring'liis reign ; aud;- l as-far as Ehgland is cbiicerned, the' rc-eitablishmeut/iSf r; tho hierarchy will stand as a most imjiortaiit kcbievemcnt.

. Tilts Lifo . aud Work Committor of the United Free Church is.-grektly , exercised overan apparency, alarming !eakngo f iir the membership oftlio' l!RlioUiinStibiiM t! lfc' ) has sent down a communication' "to r M-'the Presbyteries intimating the fact, tliat that leakaga aiubliuted ill tho;}'f?4r 1905 t<> ,tho enormous .total of .' 1 LiUQO.' \;Last it -.yiii i0.00C)., . Thb .Church that- can afford, to lose 10,000 members iii a process.-.of. ordinary lapsing. Imist,. however, ho a "fairly strong numerical corporation. Thin - ivao. tho view that presented .itself to at least oho Presbytery that considered ..the i, eonlmunication sul> ; mitted .'-to it.- Tho ,membership /of the Church stands, at no Ipss, than 500,000, so that the numbers lapsiifg, are,;, after all,, not. so alarming, being only ,pt tlie rate of One in . fifty. - : OarelcSsness, part -both of,, ministers and,, members, on casts; of, removal .' from .town ,to -town - is. noted import-,';., ant- contributipg'.,factor 'to the" Undesirable situation. V/' V,; y ' , Fifty years ago Davidi Livingstone do.. ilivered m the. Senate Hqusa at Cambridge.. the; lecture which led to the formation of tha, Universities' Mission. • Thfc jubilee has -just, been held, and was marked by another racot- . ing, in the" samo placo, but held- uiidor very ditferent circnmstaneesi fbrvtho plea |,of Lit-.»■ ;iiigstono has (savs the " ) b6eu very wonderfully prospered.. Tho. particular; mis-', sioh formed in answer to a rliffe&fc appeal froln ; him has a Vrary noble reeordtof self-Sacrificing ■work, • though largely. ,dmid div,lines, which j Livirigstono coukt'hardly bavo approved. ;But-.that mission is only oAfi of many facts> wliicli,temilid us: of tho ■ progress made in; lifty years. . The slave trade has not. been; extinguished, but it has . been /reduced Ho limits perhaps hcydud the djeaiiis of. Living-/ stohe, -Missionary ontorpristsclias lienetrated: Afrir-a fronl all sides.: Comincrcb and. .colonisation have spread. • ,Tlie>-' tourist '-now. Waliclers v/herb in Liviligstoaoi's day thb map) \Vas:,a blank.-.3ut tho thiligs undbUo ara.still great enough utterly! to shaft)b Us. and tho Arbhhishop'of Canterbury's appeal for means to found a new Uhodbsian Seeiis only: 'a.-'rtmindcr of one.duty. . 't::-- :,

■ Sir Coiupton Riikett, MIP., wild, during his year of office as Ckairmsh. of the Coil- ■ •Rrcgatioftal Union : ef Wales, < 'has/ visited various pflrts; ofi'South. Britain,' preaching'the doctrine of -ttas recently at Cardiff, and in» oil? of his ad-, dresses ho dealt, with the opposition Congregationalism had to cope witha; He said tu.it. eo-ripci'atioiro'r federation ify-some 'forttt' or' another .was the crying necessity,'■' the great.' .demand-.of' Congregationalism,'' if - the.r wore: to' adapt themselves to currviit circumstances. J-j r> wisher] to rcmove'-tho: feeling .inthe minds of luanji- people' tlmt-'iinything approaching federation was ttjUmtrayal ot tha trust committed to them 'übjr their, forefathers. A glance into thei. history of Con-, gregationalism showed-, thatmtho separat«: churches were founded, nobiifflr the purpos«of emphasising any doctrihe.oE independency;;. tlio .'independency ■- was. an jaccident. - - There was need to. keep the. llagittying, and need: of-' federation, ■ for he- hollaed that in .tho near future there would bflj inducements; for.; tho rural'people to stay in' felto country, and :. ; the crowding into cities,would-be obviated. ... | ' ; A remarkable letter; cXpliming. tho causes; 'of his resignation, has been, written to hisparishioner!; by tho tier. KM and Allen, vicar i(f"Chalf6iii St. • Peter's, 'Bucks,-. . England,!-'. WhS'was from lS9o' UntilW 1303 an S.P.G. 1 :- 'lute'sionSrjr it' Pdcia"WA-'teo 'tho strange:slid yanil'ul sight .of ineia And: women .'who':, habitually.' neglcct their religions duties; or., who openly deny'the irutb of the Creeds,•or who. by the their lives, openly.defy .the, laws;of God, standing up 43 sponsors ill -. a Christian "{liurch, before a Christian-'minister,, in. tbil - presence of- a. Christian Congregation, •• audi, as roprescnta-;. fives oi 'the Church, 'on.behalf of a ttew-b'orn., child, ;wleihnly professing their , desire . foiiholy LiAptisni; their detewnination •- toi. ro»?) iiounee t,he world, tho flesh nnd tho devil, •Ihnir-.-iCeatlfast faith in lhe'£rccd, rjid their- • wijl.ingriogs vfo.-'.obey. God's will, whilst." tliey urib\y,,'a»d, everyone.' lit the , church'"' ' tjigt tliey themselves; neither do. nor intend ,to dp,, any of these,j things. Tiien? they, 'lire .solemnly directed. '"{.o'.Aeu that tho child is taujjhti tho faith anu .practice which they.,set at. i)auglit. Or, again,. wo scb that' sad sight, iif,. th,o dead body; [if a mah who. all, his life,donietl the claim,'6l -Jesus C'lii-iot ' or : ,who set. at, v muight 'laws'of Oroti '[ brought \iiito pluist's Cli'llrcli iiii'l oi"doi- that a servicblnntyi l(o read over Jjfe body, which,. w(iilst. aliver T hp.. utterly sedrnid.. Kow, as' parish, iti is -iiiv, .diiy.: to . uphold, morality: and to 'defend ro!igrtn;-and.-l feel, that. iu. acquiescing. ill th'eso,bustoiji's I amneithei;, upholding- morality noil, defending, r'e-. ligioii..;; 1 cannot \satisty by! oxhortiij'g pu , e')ilo-to,i,t:lraiirf!'(in doing what is ' wroiift,. and ! ynen In tho last resort, if they will not listen ti: mo, gving 'wav to them." . i ■' ■