RELIGIOUS-ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 11

RELIGIOUS-ACTIVITY.

ST. JOHN'S "SUPPLY." ■ , A GOODLY: LIST. y r ; : A partial list has been already. published of ministers who will fi]l the 'pulpit of - St. John's Church, Wellington-, during tho ab- - senco of the Rev. Dr. ■ Gibb. Wo aro: now able to publish a complete list, with tho dates of the various engagements. ' The following aro tho arrangements:— Feb. 16 to 23.—Rev. : D. IDutton, F.R.G.S., of CavCrsham. March 1 and 8. —Rev; J. 11. Shore, of , .Hawera. • March 15 to April s.—Rev. G. P.'Macrae, ' M.A., Toorak, Victoria. April 12' to May 3.—Rev: A. R. Osborn, M.A., Warnamboolj Victoria, i May 10 to 31. —Rev.- G.--M.' : : Connor, Sale, Victoria. i Juno 7 to 28.—ilev. W. Grant,' Gisborne. ■; - ■ July o to 12.—Rev.'I. Jolly, Palmerston North. July 1!) to 26.—Rev.'J.'A. Asher, B:A., Napier. August 2 to 23. —Rov._ J; A:'Crookstone, M.A., 8.D., Bendigo, Victoria. , August 30.—Not yet arranged, v September 6 to 27. —Rov. R. J. Porter, I Oamaru. October 4 to 25. —Rev. A.'Whyte, M.A., ; 8.D., Havelock. .■ Tho visiting ministers, without exception, are i men who have attained considerable distinction as preachers. Tho-'Australians jaro understood to be four specially strong men. A NOVEL METHOD OF INTERPRETING 'SCRIPTURE. . :; THE BOOK OF JOB DRAMATISED. "Spectator" in the current number of "Tho Outlook" (New York) has a charmingly written article in Which lie tells how. a lady friend planned and ■ carried- out a dramatic reading of the Book of Job under the'applo trees in her garden. On the appointed day the garden was open to a chosen number of guests seated "So as to.command the rock where the readers wore to be grouped. The "Prolouge," in ordinary costume, sat at the. entrance of tho ' pergola, book in hand, and rose to begin , the j reading when the guests were all seated. Up on tho. crag, concealed-by tall cedars, tho readers, who represented the .Voice of tho. Lord, and the Voice'of ; Satan,"'were waiting'to begin their parts. As tho "Prologue" ■ proceeded, their voices came on the warm still air as if out offthe sky. As they ccascd, Job, tall and stately in his Oriental robes, and followed by his wife in rich embroideries and snowy veil, came up the grassy walk from tho sun-dial, and took'his position on the rock just as four messengers came running up tho different paths towards him, each prostrating himself with a new tale of disaster and bereavement. Then, as they departed, Job, 'stricken yet submissive, lifted his hands to heaven, say-' ing:—"Naked came I out of my'-'mother's wonib, naked ■ shall I return thither: The Lord gave, tho Lord . hath taken away, blessed Jjo the namo of tho Lord.". _.• ? ; 1 A second time Job appeared, this tinio clad in sackcloth, and leaning heavily upon his staff, and his wife, despairing and defiant, cried out to him,; "Curse God and die!" and received his solemn rebuke.- Then, her veil over her face, she withdrew as- the three friends appeared,^"greeting each' other and Job, and sitting_ down; to argue with 'hint on his supposed sins which had brought his downfall. ... ( ' . —' '■

nis aowniaii. ' "It was a beautiful and harmonious group in the full afternoon sunshine • hush of the -garden. ~ ~ The '.old,"-"'old ' arguments' of the prehistoric Calvinist'," the old impassioned cry of,the suffering heart to the God it cannot understand, but; to Whom it holds fast —these rose. and fell' across tlio sunny air. There was no effort "a;t ejocutipn;. the reading was clear, simple, dignified, and dramatic only becaiiso inevitably and naturally so." The "Spectator" .carries away as the climax of the whole/ the moment when Job, rising and lifting.. I eyes' and hands to heaven, his declaration of unshakable faith: ''I know that my Redeemer livcth." Other moments were impressive, but none quite like this. . Tlie/Vdico of tlio'Lord camo again from tho 'dr'afe' the group clissolved from the rockj, and Job and Ins friends went their ways,. Tho .Epilogue was read, and ended. Hut -there was left in the garden a hush, a sense.,of something sacrcd. The "Spectator". writes,,;for one can never sit •there' again.,'without■■ remembering the voices from, the ?<sck aud.i in ' the air—the tumult, the suffering, t.ho "appeal,, and the | final abiding'peace. And/lie. has copied the favourite verses of the Mistress of the-.Gar-den in his copy of J0b:,... v V-' : .-i "A garden is a lovesome".thing, God wot!;. - Rose plot— ....... Fringed pool— • Ferned grot—' . . .w - The Veriest school , ~;\V i Of peace; and yet tlio.fool , ■ Contends that God is -riot —'■ •<•••• .' Not God? in gardens ?, ..when .tlio' eve is COOl?' ~ . . ■ . Nay," biit I have a sign— ; -■ ■ 'Tis very sure God walks in mine. , THE. ENCYCLICAL ON, MODERNISM. /. LETTER FROM THE ENGLISH BISHOPS.The English Bishops, at their meeting to select the Tenia for Northampton,-drew up and forwarded to the Holy Father .an •fddross.; in Latin: thanking " Kim" for 'the En-cyclical-oil Modernism. ' The following is a translation: — , .' Holy Father,—We, the Archbishop and Bishops of England, assembled to put for-, ward names for the vacant See,of,, Northampton, prostrate at tho feet;-.of,your Holiness, most gladly avail ourselves'of this suitableoccasion to return- our most profound and most heartfelt thanks foi ; the Encyclical"Let: tor "Do Modernistarum -Doctrinis" recently, addressed to tho Cat-hojjc world. ;;; The impious and insane 'errors condemned by tho Chief Pastor ami Interpreter 'and Defender of the Faith for.the'safo, keeping of the wholo flock in the divine Catholic doctrine havo infected merely a-few, .at least amongst th 6 Catholics, inlSiigland. - -. But, warned and enlightened by .tlio, words- of your I-loliness, we earnestly 'pray ' Almighty - God through- tho Intercession of ,-the Immaculato Virgin Mary that those who' iii any place' whatsoever aro-'tainted'"by all theso errors may return to the: truth .and -that' all others may : bo kept free from'errors of .tho kind,being ready to'render whatever assistance.we can in order that all tlio' instructions lately given by your Holiness may; bo carried into effect. v . . For our whoso Catholic faith and obedience to your Holiness aro well known, and for ourselves, we imploro • the Apostolic Benediction. ■ , . , Westminster, October 10, 1907. - ENLARGED ACTIVITY. IN CHRISTIAN ... SERVICE. ' Referring to what lie calls, in a "rough-and-ready phrase," the "stagnation of the Freo Churches" in the Old Country, a contributor to tho "Manchester Guardian".says: —"Both tho Wesleyan Mothodists and the Baptists record a decline in membership. At ithe Wesleyan Conference' in 1906 the.membership reported was .498,464; at tho. 1907 conference, it-had reeded to 496,450—a, reduction of 2034. Tho Baptists returns aro ovon more unsatisfactory. , : They started last year with 434,731 .members; thoy begin this now-year with-429,877—a loss. oV' 4864. It may bo that in', tlio one case the class meeting is the deterring infliiouco,; and in tho other the water,. The Congregational Union reports a diminution of 15 in the number of its churches, but this apparent shrinkage 'is really the result of.; the 'Forward Movement,' in transferring U . number of small missions to largo central institutions. Tlio day of tlio- 'little .VBetholsNrrin,great towns —is over." '- ~. But- tlio contributor then puts tho position in a different, and .'perhaps.'.moro-hope--fill way. He writes:—"Probably the churches were never so.,activo.. for good as they are to-day. They are continually orecting new buildings in larger capacity and moro imposing architecture, greatly improving their Sunday school; accommodation and methods, branching out into extensive enterprises: of social service, .' enlarging ' their homo missionary activity,' extending their foreign misions.' The increase ill the-number of churches, even whcrVthero' is a decline in membership, is very significant. Practical Englishmen do not go to the espenso of putting up buildings for vacancy. The Bap-

tists, who . report so heavy a loss in membership, actually record an increase of 29 new churches*. built during the year; and the Wesleyans, whoso decline in membership is also striking, aro foremost among all churches in their crection of central halls, land their promotion of town mission work in the great centres of population. "There seems to bo an increasing reluctance to enter on the strict obligations ol church membership whilo there is an enlarging activity in Christian service. When we consider the growth of brotherhoods, adult schools, and young people's it becomes evident that the Churches' activity is increasing and bearing fruit very widely, and with marked effects.

"Tho other consideration touches 'the Churches in their relation to the outer world. Surely it is safe to say that tho' spirit of Christianity is more abroad to-day, thau over it.was. Tliero' is more hatred of war, more concern for tho poor, mora ; anxiety to promote justice, above all mora! sympathy, more readiness for mutual help-i fulness outside the Churches than formerly.. Less 'than ever can tho Churches now say -, that thoy who are not with them are against;, them. It is true that there arc loud-voiced' social reformers who wax eloquent in de-' noiincing the Churches, and some eccentrics; who even declare themselves Atheists becausethey are philanthropists. But the real mission of the Churches is now appreciated as it was never appreciated before; for this mission is now seen to bo not to pilot' a few select saints into heaven, but, in Blake's words, which have bccome the motto of so many social workers of our day— To build tho new Jerusalemv In England's green and pleasant isle.' A PARLIAMENT OF NATION'S. STUDENT CONFERENCE AT LIVERPOOL'. A century ago (writes a special correspondent of tho "Christian World") our fathera wore founding _ our great missionary societies,moved by an impulse that- would not' bo denied expression, though tho gateway of tho; East-was closed, and the heart of the Church in tho West opened but. slowly to their appeal. Marvellous is tho story of tho century. But there is a rebirth of missionary enthusiasm that bids fajr to make the* opening, years of tho twentieth contury more wondrous still.

.Tlio Student Volunteer Missionary Union 1 , may well claim to have tlouo much to bring this about. Its motto exceeds in daring even tho words of tho pioneers of ,a hundred years' ago. It looks towards nothing less than-"tho evangelisation of the world in this generation:" Its endeavour is to get every student' who has entered tho, service of Christ, to consider definitely tho claims of tho foreign'field upon him or her. _ From America, where, tlii. Union took its riso 19 years ago) 3203 stu-; dents have gone to represent,it upon the for-; eign field. . Tho British section, founded in 1892, has in 15 years attained a membership of 2854: Every member has '-signed 'the: declaration/ "It is my purpose, if God permit,; to becomo a foreign missionary," and 1249; havo already begun work, abroad. These 4452! student volunteers from America and Great' 1 Britain arc serving under ouo hundred differ—i ent missionary societies. '- . '

But this great addition-to the number-of: workers in the field is not tho, sum of either,the accomplishments or tho purposes'of thai Student Union., It recognises that,tho mis-.; sionary problem must find its. solution largely, at Home. It perceives that the apathy of the: end of tlio nineteenth century was duo ..to', a'--' lack of leaders, whether ministerial or lay.j It feels that missionary enthusiasm must bobegotten, early in thoso who are at work'.at: Home, as'well as in those who aro to serve abroad. Tho Union is tlio missionary department of the Student Christian Movement of Great Britain and Ireland, wlicih hands' to-, gether for prayer and Bible study- the little group of decided Christians in every college in the country. The influence of the Unionhas been so exerted that together with Biblo Study Circles, there have been founded in our colleges Mission Study Circles. Two decades ago tlio founders of the Student Christian. Movement and the' Student Volunteer Missionary Union discovered that the'.'true method'of missionary propaganda is to' make "thef facts'': speak for 'themselves, and this principle has' been one of the chief factors in making clearer and more compelling the call to sacrifice arid service that lias proved so effectual.. For seven:years/' also, Student Missionary!,campaigns have been conducted among the young people of tho churches in as many of the great centres of population in -England as could be compassed. \ - .- - , - PERSONAL. . "The Bishop of London" (says the "Record") "has. decided to dispose of his horses and carriages, and henceforward rely upon motor cars. Tlio Bishop, only/began motoring a few, months ago; but,since that time lie has travolled thousands : of miles bycca r and has'never once been delayed on the road or late for a' single appointment. \ Moreover, tho Bishop finds it possible to carry, out many more engagements than he , formerly could. His lordship has just placed' another -order to supply him with a 14-20 horse-power double landaulette. _ As the Bishop .is a great lover of fresh air, it . willi be made'to completely .open by, day and to close at 'night, when the inside.; of /the. car will bo electrically illuminated, as the Bishop ..' always reads when travelling." ..Not longago a correspondent" wroto to an English,• paper gravely' expressing profound regret that General Booth and some of the Bishops . should go "motoring" in tho course of their, duties, and ho'just as gravely asked, "Would Jesus travel in a motor car if he were on earth now?" '7 - ; JOTTINGS. The democratic-principle has recently ol>tained further recognition in the : Methodist Church. The General Conference- held in Sydney last- year conceded to /the members .of the Church the privilege, long demanded, . of electing direct a proportion of re-.- - presentatives 'to the local Church' courts. - Wesley Church, Taranaki Street, availed itself. of this legislation last' Sunday. The following were elected.:—Messrs. Keall, < M'Dowell, Mourant, Farmery/Barrett, and Kucli. Considerable interest was • taken in tho event. ' The Archbishop of ; Canterbury, •. in that; - Now Year's Message which was the subject; of a cablegram published in the Now; Zealand' papers last: month, and referring to the great! Anglican gatherings aboutto be held, said:— "Wo shall have to face in England in the coming year large .questions of polity--and 'practice. in matters educational; social,liturgical, and I know, not what beside'. It is strangely difficult for us to look detachedly • and. largely upon tlieso familiar controvert sies. They are ; always with us. Wo dwell,of necessity, upon tlio details rather than upon the big principles, and our views are apt to grow narrow and technical and dull. .'• This year should lift us into fresher air.; Many of us havo already learned the advantage of bringing to bear upon: present-day : difficulties in English life the intelligent' .criticism- of a .friend—American,, Italiau/o'r German—who is eager to understand,' but - who views the wholo ' tiling, in a somewhat ■ different "setting 1 - from that which .is ' familiar to ourselves. We may find that we have-unconsciously been distorting the shape of our problems or-exaggerating their size, and it may wholesomely startlo lis to find' • how they strike tho fresh cyq- of, say, a Japanese Christian, or an American teacher, or. an Australian politician." ' Tho . "Boston Congregationalist,"; in-'a,. study, of tlio methods of Dr. Torrey, Dr.. Wilbur Chapman, and Rev. "Billy" Sunday '(an evangelist who is exciting much in-; terest in tho prairie towns of; the Middle West), after declaring, that-"there is a great deal of superficial evangelism abroad," says: —"There is ari emphasis of the spectacular both in method and in measure which makes of much of our evangelism a subtle in ? - fidelity moro destructive of faith in spiritual forces and. spiritual ideals ■ than- much' that is denominated'unbelief. A great deal of evangelism is moro ' worldly in ' its results than -tlio incidental worldlinoss ' winch certain evangelists very vehemently denounce. Some who aro sincerely seeking to 'build up faith ill tho Book aro doing intelligent Biblo study moro mischief than tho Higher Critics whom thoy so severely condemn. 1 And tliero is an ovangelism which behind tlio label of the : 'pure gospol' conceals a Pharisaic' concern for formulas and formalism on tho part of moil who still grind' the'; faces ! of the poor and 'devour widows', houses,' and for a pretence make much of converting 'sinners to their own dogmatic, definitions, imoral proprieties, and ecclesiastical relations. These also shall receive 'the greater damnation.'