THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 147, 16 March 1908, Page 9

THE CHURCHES.

REV. T. H. SPROTT ON SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.'

, SOME MODERN TENDENCIES •.■"At ; :.St.r; Paul's. Pro-Cathedral , yesterdaymorumg lho.R-ov- .T. H. Sprottcontmucd.his cop-so.'of* sermons on* Sunday. observance., Ho-. ■' saidithes'inaterial'-prosperity-:of, tho. modem ■ world itehdodito. break down, tho (.observance : of .Sunday- as a-day of worship. ; In spite,of a ■ certain":.amount of .poverty and. economic . .the' world'silnstory, fpr.what wero in,-former days thonluxunes'of. tho fowihad .hecomo t)io,.oi> . dmary necessities ofj.evoryone. Material prospority.iwas.not amevil/in-dtself. It provided; - opportunities.; for, ;a larger ..andi fuller life. Tnofluingry-, iillrclad; • shivering creature -had no, time ;for;!art,. culture, or ,reli<*ion. - Ho wanted-first-to-be clothed, : warmed,, and fed. : Tins-was-, whytthe iremoval and-alleviation -of. f: hivd-always- been-regarded,-; as ojie 'of; the duties, of. Christian people. • But ,|in, these. + dawmonhadbecomccontentwiththo material side oMife: and-had lost that'sense,of. gratb.i tudo 1 andjdependence upon.God in winch the | ■ . instinct'of : worship .-found its natural, atmo-,. : : .'.Bphorbi;,^hero",was^ -'a! tendencyiinSthese-days to' act - like .' tho '.rich man:, in' the;'-parable, ~wlio. '. when .his vbarns >weje.yfidl,-'.:said.-,to.Jiimself, : take;thihe ease; eat, drink, and;,^be. merry,'/. :'. and of iwhom it was eaid, ." Thou fool;' this . . -night' shall:',.thy soul, he :req.-.ired.. 9? .thoo," ' ''-My dear. friondS|". : said''Jlf.. op?btt'i; : .''v;a 110 more boliove that-.-parablo than;the-Chinese or ';,Trtpaneso. ; ,We am' disgracing - the , name ' : ; of?' lias-iHe .doneto;iiaj that; we: shoiild..call:-.6ursplves.:by'His'name?',': - Mr4'Spr6ttVthen.:Vi:eferrfitt', ; t6..- the; easy .means' '; of. trayelling,:especially, the.iricdorri; hicyclo; : as a : .factor woi'kmg agamst tlie religious ,ob-. : 1 servance' of Sunday."- -: Another' factor -was' tho;genei'al!-process of change. . A great gulf , 1 . change' since 1830Jiad .been .greater than that . .'-'Vrhieh' -had;occurred {..during; the .preoeding ': ' lOpplyeirs.',;,-'Some',',- especially ; young and ; 'impferfecflyiodueatcd'people', seemed to think, t ndHii st'iCii tici ri. ill at; nad'cbme/dpwii .from- . .; p'reserying:'v' Tlibjr' wanted; tb''rMbnstr.uct' r s^ I;-';-,, jfaioiily • tb:-so'irie'. as ;'merb.ly'-. /a''stage'':'ih'?;'the';eyolution;,of : 'the : race which' had.Vnbw.'.'butgrfiVfri-;' .- 1 arid -. reg.i'rclcd -' Sunday '.' in' .Iho';.Same -_wayV;N;of: - course, :,it was', tru'o'"that' sonie -'institutions; had: lirfd .their-' day,'- hut 'all * thmgs' v were not jn instate of ■ flux. ; Incleed r it wa| ; cloubtfulf if- within, historic; times" human .nature itself had, undergone any ; ro^l':change.',:: 'The 1 great, ' eleniantal needs' and -passions of' meni wero pracfcically: the,game :to-day as in tho,times, Abraham,: ' and some ,of . the' in-' •, the^'^OTajient^em^W; , bfi'itiman'naftirb'.'.' Another' ''cause; of: t-lie : ;clia"rige' in. public" opiriiori' .■~ as; regards \ Sunday'. was'-to-'. : :b"b* foiind 1 in' r the ..presbnt-day:tendoncy' to Uwlessnessr: : ,;'M(itc-i' rial,: industrial, -and 'social life' was' becoming iiioro'.'and niore subjected 'to the 5 regulation; of, positive''law/'arid; al6ngsidb' , this'"teride'ncy' to ei'pand tho ECope of ,ln\y in industrial lifo to. narrow the.r-copo of'law'in ; tho -'mbral ilifd -'of. the individual; 'tHo- family, ' and'the Church. It: was tlib spirit of reac- . tion.y.Curtail .freedop-i .iii: 0110 direction and it.is in",another.Hewas . '.' 6 ™P?y..,-.^tingj';facts.Perfect;-freedom '~ .perhaprtruo' that if man-s' liigher-nature : was. ; ' to ! be : ; r r ee,:.his lower - nattire miist::bo re-, . Btrained, and Sunday'might thus be a, guardian rather'ithari..;!lii \ enbmy 'of; ; 'mari?s -true! fi-'ee- - ..' v-™ , .i'^^ s .'?® I H.^M^ri^.6r'to.''donouncei tb. M^ r # Bl P.^,'iit l ;must:'be shown,- that -/it, rests - ®ri';pbrinaiieht-:principles -,;wlucli ; still;'.remain' unshaken.

NEW ARMY-,CITADEL.' , 1

OPENED AT NEWTOWN.'' Tho'neW; Salviiion ; 'Army Citadel'in Constable ebfc'.was d&lared ; ;6peiv 'ofi'.'Saitiirday' aitcmoQit by Mr W H P Barber, M P ;' ; ,AT:Ia/ge/gathoring;:.df-'; Salvatioriistsj'? stimiii'-.' • wmpinpp.i strains •• ofitho'igoiitlv \\ elhngton Corps' Bind,' tool: pirt m the , initial outsido'the building ' ''After a liyjnii and prayer, Major Dutton, Provincial bocrctaty,>.apologi &ed ,for tho ahsenco of the Provincial Commander, Brigad'ei Albiston, , mioUiasi-beon'detaincdiin lAncklandi . • Mrs' i Albiston then hoisted the Army flag above tho; building, .aimd; loud v 1 ■Mr Barberutraced tho rapid growth 6f ;:/ the;o4rmy!!,in^the'/-Newtown ; congratulated''. ifeupon ■; its,. 1 progress. '/:•>,-Much'' or: the credit for; the', extension of .'its' Noiv- ::. ,«ivrn work was due to - Adjutant- Brown, who ..J' a 4; Poen in , charge of . tho Army's work in , tho district/and-whose energy :and peisist-enconvore-well known. The-buildmg whs not Quite- freo' from debt, and ■■ it remained - for tho; Army's assist in defraying the costr-of :its] erection. ; The Army had done good work im the 'Dominion,: and .116 hoped 1 that it .would prosper, increasingly ■ " , ...A meeting- was:,then held ,msidc the new barracks, which isjjjuilt .to seat 450.'.persons,' about half ifull. ■■ -Major. Holdaway, officer'in.charge of the Young Pcoplo's De- .: partmeritj'v'cqngratulatedv the: Son'ior 'Depart* nieiit ori-its'.new hall;''

Mr. 'Barber repeatExl his '.congratulations; Bnd referred iri^"torriis of praise to the Army's social,'V'arid.viinstitiitiorial}. work. 7 He had : heard .;a:-littlo'.'.nimour. .that'( Adjutant'. Brown - stay' .with: thera'-'-mucli • longer,; .-.tThough his departure would, meanpromotion, }they.' would; regret : < the' loss;; '.'As' ii' . pas,t performer -on tHO - Guphoniunij ho heartily-cprigratulat-ed ,tho; band-upon its' quality.. Major .Dutton apologised for the absence of ; Colonel.Saunders, whoso'health did not allow' ' 2 lm ,> be .present/- -.Tlio Army -had" nponed ® r0 ' n South Wellington, he said, in 1891. Its firstimectings "wefe-held iri the old.Alham-bra-.-Hall.' "\Vollingtbri' , ;was then ! 'a. garrison ;wliere Salvation - 'Army cadets' 'Were trained -for 'the':-New''Zoalarid-'field:' ; ' Later,'' the remperance . Hair was used' for meetih'gs and after that;;for-twelve' months, the Army had.-no.-.hallvat-Nowtdwri,-but'met''in''shops arid,.cottages -and"011 tho streets. . ' In''lß96' was.; oponed : ; a building -in Newtown'. Avenue;' which - .now, - for "two years or 'more}-, had -been much' too small- for the 'Armyls needs', and' after-;lorig _oonsider'ation' arid- agitation the' • present-building had-boen-erected, and the formc-r citadel-was,(being handed over to the Junior -Departmerit. - The' new- building/ and land . had-, cost 'about £1850,'. of which : th'b corps-:had. beeri -called upon' to raise. £380.< Tho whole of this amount had not yet conic to hand, and -they wanted every Salvationist in' ithe district-to do .something, towards ;moet 7 ing }the : 'deficieri'cy'.'}.','The .Major read a list of private contributions,''which•'have; been already . received, to -.the ; ; amount of' £138. . Blank promissory .notes for intending do- ' nors.,to }fill}in' wore; then, distributed 'amongst thel aiidierice,' and a .collection}was alsortaken:.' The; notes; boing .printed :on ■;. yellow : slips,' ~are"by' the/Army .called,'"cariarieS;".'. ;'.; Shiver,: 'Presbyterian minis- ' c 'j n s Espied amongst the audience,".was ' '-invitbd''.to .address. tlie. gathering;'... Iri a fen '•■ striking>irords, Mr;" Sliirer ( ,drovo' home 'the . popt'that' he f they, we're;fighting, in a common' Army/ iind that their' duty, tb .'the world: was that}of tho.youthful'British guide, who;. mortally . wounded , by, ■the-; b'neitiy's: first;, volley,' asked "his ,generqi, ;. inead..!.therii'' straight' •». Tl^9^riew-"citadel is ,a plain, substantial, ' building; which. . Should,' : provo - admirably ; suited for its Itcontairis tho usual platformj'and,-at the back, a band room, offioers'>;.rbom,,' : Sisters'.;'room.; : •> ■ ; Major-J).uttori.)conducted- the' first services inV-the: new /.building' yesterday. - They wero ' all, well 'attended.'-.- '•;; ■: •■'" ■

! CHURCH UNION IN VICTORIA.

INTERVIEW WITH REV J F MACRAE. •Tho: Rev. 1 J; F. ■ Macßae, M;A., of Toorak, Melbourne, who- arrived'in'Wellington'on Fri-' day i£b take>up a month's miriisto'rial Work nfcSt/'Jolin's, was able,' in conversation''with a 'Dominion;reporter, to throw some interest-, ■ingvliglit; upon tlio subject of Church - union in .Victoria. : The movement for Church union has advanced further in that State, he oxplained, than'in' any of the other Australian Statc-s or in ; New Zealand. He thought that one'explaivation of this was that the Anglican, .Church in .Victoria had lately.'hadsome rather awkward, troubles in rogard; to discipline/ which had made it f feel the, strength of tho democratic ;spirit; : and 1 look forward-to tho timo when the peoplo would insist on having more control in tho government of tho

Church. The Anglican Church had thus been induced to think uioro favourably than _ it might ; oth.erwiso;,havo; done .of .union with tho Presbyterians': '■ The Presbyterian representatives on tho Union. Committeo wore vory much gratified at tho way in which thoy liavo been; met by tho tives;

Mr. Macßao 1 gave the following illustra-. :tion■of: tho kindliness of feeling that .oxists ,b'otween'.tho;twb denominations.. In Toorak, which is jthe fashionable;..suburb ;of Melbourne, thero. aro but two churches-^ari' Ari;. glican church atid tliat of Mr.! Macßiib. The Presbyterian; minister is- on very" friendly, tarmis, with his ' Anglican', neighbour, :who.. i,s- a member,, of.■ a;;theological, arid, .ecclesiastical> .(jlub, j .'composed , entirely; of Church;, of .'.England clergymen. About', two ago, , tjie" iinglibaii {minister .tblcl'-Mr.' Ma'cßae that 'this club' had ' been, "discussing;} in: ari'-'hohest ' attempt ito vfirid i; somo. solution of the difficul-; .ties;-, the-question of union .betwcen;tlie An'glir, can and Presbyterian Churches..Hp had been asked ,to -prepare a paper presenting, .the positions pr -.lioth .denominations, in, the .mat; tor, ; but, .lip',,suggested, that it 'would; be 'better, if-Mr; Macßao would write .a paper, to which the Anglican ;might add . his views; Mr.-Macßao agreed, and though lie Joes not know'whether the .club ,has met. since to.disqiiss- his',paper, he,is qiiito convmced that the request',of..the;Anglican;minister'. : T?ould riothave bceii;rnadoi ten .;,;. . Both, churches show a dosiro to face, the problem : ofunion' in a , thoroughly liberal : spirit.''. Hi ff, ,:.( "Of course," said Mr.-1 Macßao, "1 don't .know..hoWvithe, ; dignitaries' of. the, .Anglican'; Chu'rcK who have' gbrio'-to, the ference will .look at, things: jvhen they, return. 'Personally';;! don't .'think there is very ,;much ohanco :of?'union ,till tho Anglica'n.'phurch in Australia n becomes, an (independent 'church, ; and. claims; its freedom to .-.revise ;-its formu/ laries,.graver-book,', ctc., as , the .Anglican jChurch;';in'America-lids done; vßefore 'uriiori , can-take; place' .cqnsider.able must bemado on botH sides. (.Wo! were ..^iiite'.will-.' ilig .to 1 concede-;diocesan - bishops, . provided they .'were.; subject to 'tho. Assembly; and also tho optional ;uso .of the • Liturgy.,, The chief; difficulties ..are.: obviously ithe historic episcri-pato':arid-'sacerdotalisiri; 'So far. as the theo- ! logical ,-ljeliofs .-'are '-concerned;- - thore'are.' prac-; tically-'no;difficulties.": ■' (:': As.::Tegsrds;7unibn'. ,witH other,- ;denbmina-.tions,-'Mr.'-Macßao stated, that niost;.trouble, 1 is presented in'-.tho"'caso of the,' Congregation-} alist-s', :who- fear that they. would be bntirely ,ab'sorbod.(:.';As they are, in' Victoria,; pilly; : a sriialli',b"ody; riumericallyj - this. fear: is ,-not, nn.natural.'.' :As;;.regards; the -Methodists,,'iMr;; Macßao 'thinksi that they are perhaps" dispo3ed' to be a , little, jealous of the negotiations : between, -the' ,Anglicans and:: .I're.sby-, teriaris. Y. They:, feel; that: thoy -have not* been 1 sufficiently, recogriised, and the'visitor, is: not pbrfcctly satisfiedith'at .they ! hayp : not' soriio rcasbn: to feel : a littje' ; hurtin 'the' ; mat.ter. He 'suggest'ed -that' probably', thc , ''fact: of i tlie ;Presbyteriari : Church being the Stato Church in j ; m'ade ; : tlio ■ Anglicans' more :'will-; ing'to negotiate with j;ho i Presbyterians.than' with the' '■ Mbthodists; .whom'' they '"might regard as v a dissenting body. I Mr. is quite ' sur.b,'.;:sb','faf as : the .Presbyterian Chrirbh;' is concerned,'' .'that '• there is . not '. the least^de'sirp":to slight, • cpiiferences':,which -have' been) held of t i y'.thovarious'; chri'rches','.- a';- series of : articles': of 1 . beli;ef( : has; been'.drawri:up'and agreed!to, as the.basis of negotiations.'.';. ' . : They y-inake:' it "quite : plain,"said.; 'Mr'.;. Macßaej' M.'that iri ' of 'the dividedi ' of Prbtestantism, the-Prbtestarit.-Church,-. so. far.'as'.thormain-;.beliefs;'of 'Christianity: .'are' concprpodj' still 'speaks tb ;th'o 'world , ; witlv,an undivided Vyoice','' and' to' 'tave .reached , that knbwl^gb''is>a';'great; seryice''tp ; religion';'';:,;;':; ■'■' 'Mr/ Matoßab'-was questioned l ,,as' to .the,'lite-" .■Jihbpd;;bf - another';poll-,beiilg .taken-.'in'jVic--: ■toria'.on tlib q'uestion;pf introducing tho.Biblb' irito' Statoyschboiy7}on' which ariViridecisiye re-'. ;ferbndum:' 'iWs! ago;, 'The:; jvisitbr : : ; did') .'notl'seem tliat :l ay seb'ond , polU.ffoUld -boV.held,;though; some ptrbiig-Tifgitatipn-liri i this '."direction;'': Tho : wholb.. tendency-;' of tho'; pcbple..iri ; fi Victoria,;he 'said, .Tfas'becpmirig more: arid' mpj : o' Bccular. ; , The ;churchos;,were •strengthening ' : tlieir'• ordinary;'...;moth'o'ds,-.. "' of. '.wprk tb. combat ',this. wav.O" of 'secillarisriii :,'arid rth'b;: phiirches' we're-'}well' attended," ■but'.'it'. I 'coul(l.'not ,bb -denied'.'that the 'sec.ular very,; noticeablo. 1 ';;! ■ • john's;ghurch.. ' • . Large: c.origregationo greeted '..-the Roy/ J; F. '-Macßae;-;;pf,'Toorak; -~,St.' John's Church'; yesterday. ■ In' the-'evening■ ; the;,church irwas'. packed,, upstairs' - and . down,, and;extra seatirig. accommodation had-to bbprovided.; Mr. Macßao preached-on-St.-; Mat-'' tlieip, , j27::,; ".Then- • a'nswoj'ed Peter,,, and said .-.unto Hiriiv Behold,. we,..havo . forsaken; all, and .followed thee; what.shall wo liavo thereforb ?-''.r; ( Thby'preacher; how". this question ' had followed ' tho departure of, the .rich young'.man,-who was:-told-i to sell all -lie r.bad;. and }give to'- tho poor, ; and who went,- away.;sorrowful'.'•; Ho stated that tho.so. who wcro religious N solely for . tho sake ■ of-' what tliey'bxpectedi to, get, would experibnee,. great disappointirient.: l%e first; roward of 'the. true.Christianjwas,fellowship}.with" the.living .Christ, .which alone could satisfy, the longings, of;.tho. pul.:lflhe.were to,say,that;the" world offereci nb' pleasiLres ho'would'-ho'uttering a pulpit lie;ybut; thb.;soiil of nian .was made for loftier; ,niore,,enduring -tilings-than :the/ worldcould offer.: The preacher dwelt upon tho happiness of eternal cominunibn with Christ, and, as the reverse. of.;the -picture,, described the place of punishment, "whero the worm, dieth not; and,,th'e;fire, is , ,uriquenbhed." (Let them loot upon ..this picture and 'on that. It was ;a simple question of profit arid loss.The wages.;of ' sin ,' death;-..and; the "(gift: -.of God was everlasting life. } ,' ADULT SCHOOL' FOR WELLINGTON. ■. A meeting ,of those interested in adult school I'.workr Tvas held .yesterday 'morning at ;the Druids';Hall;;'Tarariaki 'Street'} wlien. jt: :Was r decided, "owing' "to. thb.'oncburdgirig' at-; tendance, .to foriri a school to'be lif'med •'The" Wellington' Adult. School,'.''.which shall meet each ; Sunday nibrriing . at . the .'.Hall ' a.t' 0:45 (/'block.'' /} A J}' ,; (};[;', !." , '}" 1 : Tho ..object; of ail. adult school}is,primarily' . the'."study",arid ' discussion of scriptural ;subjficta',''.arid.,eVon'.'bf everyday .'social .masters' arid questions in so. far as ,thoy may, .bear' on Scripture teachiligsv An adult school aspires to help - men iri their daily lives to , live up' to the.utmo.st of'their physical, nierital',aria spiritrial"capacity.' ' In..the' Old Country, this, .adult school 1 movement," .which;had 'its origin; from' the Society, of^'Friends', .'has mado great strides} during' the} last years,, tho total iubmbprehip of the,;schools' in England boing about,B4|,opo.';'Many..schools,.liavo}thoir own with; which ,aro...associated .'clubrooms, hWario's,', savings -barika,' sick fund, and; other;benefits. 'In Birmingham,.- what was' once-ii 'public-house .is now .-an adult ' school building'( with "a largo membership.! ■ Mpmbtrfs of adult Ech'ools , are. usually, very .mixed as regards their.social, positions in life,; each sbhoo! forming','ossoiiti&ny a. demooratio ' brotherhood.'-'-'.; The upkeep o'l" tho schools is mot; -by purely voluntary contributions, and anyonois welcome to become a member., ' THE DRICINOINE NUNS.. The community of the Bngindino nuns, which has a: convent in Masterton, , has suffered, a, heavy loss'by tho death of Mother Gertrude Kelly, the Suporioress, whoso obsequies; took plaoa' in TiiUow,' Co., Carlow, recently.' - Born iri Ennisborthy some sevoritvfivo''years ago,"she"oritcrcd tbb' liovitiato .'at an early -age. : After filling with' credit .various positions,' slio was. appointed Supe'riorbssGoneralvin 18S9, a' position which she hold with-.great credit untilher death." tlnderhbr' administration (cays the "Catholic Times" of January 31) tho Order has flourished not aloiib in Ireland, : brit in Australia and Now Ztaland, where' riiany- branches havo been established; and- wh'ere.' 110 doubt, Mother Gertrudo's death .will be, mourned by her Sisters in religion as deeply-as at homo in Ireland.

ST. ANHE'S, NEWTOWN.. A , sacred, "concert, was held -in St. Anno's Chureli, Nowtown,'. last cvbning. Tho programme was selected from the works of tho great - composers of classical oratorio' and mass music,:- voluntary oxcorpt-3 from Gounod's "Mcsse Solcrinellb," Rossini's " Sthbat Mater,". and Haydn's''".Creation." : Tho concert opened with the " Credo ":chorus and trio from ith'o Mcsse;Soleniiollo "(Gounod),' tho soloists being Miss K. Gallagher (soprano), Mr. J'.-Littlo (tenor), and Mr. Ti. B: lleado (bass). The characteristics of tliifc' fine number were admirably interpreted. Mr,'

J. Flanagan followed with a soloj • Pro Peccatos," from • Rossini's ' Stabat Mater." This was also a goed number. Madame Evoleeri Carlton took tho solo part in" Laudato Pneri Dominium" (Zingarolli), which was sung by tho oliorus, and also gave an exquisite-rendering of Schubert's " Ave Maria. Neidormoyer's fmo solp. "Pater Noster," was -sung by Miss Abnes Segriof (St. Mary's Convent); her singing being finished and artistic. Mr. J. Little took tho solo part in Gounod's "Sanctus "' chorus,. from', .the. " Mosso Solcnricllb," his performance boing a very successful effort. ' Tho celebrated chorus " Gloria," from tho "Messe Solennelle" was an exceedingly' good itom; the. soloists wero.Madanio Eveleen Carlton, Messrs. J,. Reade -and E.'By Reade'. The ooncludfng : numbers ' wero ' from Haydn's " Creation," the recitative "In Splendour Bright," sung by Mr. E. B. Roado, and the chorus and trioj ".The Heavens are Telling," in which'the soloists, wore 1 Madaino; Eveieen * Carlton and Messrs. J. (Littld and E. B.: Rea'de*:- "-Tho 'concert; was followed by; the Benediction of the •; Blessed Sacrament, ' the music selected •■being Murphy's " 0 Salutaris" and " Tantuni Ergo, Gounod's " Avo Vorrim," and Elliot's " Divin'o Praises."-Mr. D. J. O'Keefo. was musical conductor, Miss K.-' Henderson; organist, and Miss Evatt pianiste.