THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 194, 11 May 1908, Page 9

THE CHURCHES.

A NEW WAY WITH THE SOCIALIST. COFFEE AND SANDWICHES; REV. J.'J. NORTH'S EXPERIMENT. Tho Rev.- J. J. . North took tho -heroic course when, - hooted and robuffed at the Queen's, statue, by. an army "of Socialist. - workers,' <he asked-his . enemies to.come.and gup with him. They came, near!?: a hun- ' , drqd, strong, to the Vivian ..Street Baptist ] Schoolroom on Saturday night, and tho officers. of :.tho church went in and ont among •them; ;helping them to sandwiches and.-cof- : feo.yMr. .North also sat amongst them, a Daniol,-ono might think, in a den of lions.'! But ; whether because they had eaten, his ' salt (or sandwiches), or because four walls have.a restraining influence, or because his most-;, noisy.-. opponents of the previous, day ■; had- not:.trusted" themselves to- be present, Mr. , North's, encounter was quite peaceful. ■He was actually applauded when he rose to .;. speak,: aridV-might have fancied..;himself,, afterwards,-the lion in a den of Daniels. ' A PECULIAR POSITION.

-Mr;-North said that he had ,come to Wei-. ■ lington - threo years ago- with two convic- . tioris:" that Christ was ■ tho solution of all. : the problems that troubled {men,.- and . that there wero certain great evils threatening the best lifo'of tho city, which deserved the: attention of, all serious men. A modern ministerXwas in a-peculiar position. If, he .saidf,:riothing... about; social, and political troubles people called him a dumb dog that could not bark. If lie spoko of tlioso sub- ■ jects, other people called 1 Tiirn an outrageous rascal, seeking notoriety. He had tried ,to preach'religion and- to attack the gambling -;evil whenever-he saw, opportunity • For .his " cairipaign'; against gambling ■he had been :, ■blamed , .b/ tho ;i "unco'; guid,'' who 'thought that . thing a', minister should do was ;to preach the-simple Gospel. He be-lieved'-in the, simple 'Gospel, but ho thought that-it had social applications. There wero Socialists who cired little .for tho removal of...drink; and .gambling,, because these reforms wero only palliatives. , It was impossible,- however, to'bring in a Socialistic stato of., things without having men who •V - would run- straightwithout faltering..- Tho Church'stood''for. the grandeur of man, for . the , golden -year ; that was surely coming with;..its', b'ettei - 'social state,' and for two • heavens, ono ori earth and one above. TURNING THE TABLES. , The Rev. Herbort Hobday, urging a similar . argumont,.:-'dechred ' that :: before men. could' be'lione'st in their attempts to redress wrongs , outside, it was absolutely essential .that they themselves 1 should strive to bo. pure ■' and;clean. " His hearers were fond of asking . . qu6stions'.;' ' : Supposo ,; 'ho asked 'a few ' The . suggestion . was. welcomed, and the speaker made.'-Mis point- as Suppose any . six , of -tJOU : should., be. chosen by ballot, and / that'ithpsowealth; of -Carnegie, Rpckefellor, Vandorbilt, , and three,others of .theircclass.- You'd like that, wouldn't you?,. (Laughter.) 1 . My word, every one.of.-you would: like to to one of tho lucky ones; (Tntorruption: I'd "be satisfied with a cut off -Tattersall's.) > You,would. Then you ■ one.of tho. six. You deserve it for •-. your, modesty.. (Laughter.) ; , Now, then, how. • can. I: bo- sure that you . six men aro : going ;to any/ better, any more human,' any more' merciful; any . more than the six : it now? '■ > : v ■ . A oicesrr" Of 'course 1 not. - We'd bo just tho-snmo." ■ 1 - ... 1 ■ --'i Woll, -then,-what's tho-use of. altering, things? Let the other six. chaps have it." ; Thoscore ". was acknowledged with -frank - laughter;- •' *'. \-. ■ You and I after the same goal," said I the speaker, later,' " but I think that you are ■ ' commencing', at the .wrong'.end.'. If you get - the. city-clean, iand t5 the hearts of the - citizens , you^will havo the city un-clean-aeain.immediately. ißut if you get the hearts ! of:all the.citizens clean they'll get tho city clgftn'jn,no tirfio.' 1 ' ' 1"* II Five-minutes were allowed each speaker, by agreement, in which to ask questions. • ■ ■. A-worker stated that ho did" not agree with the -tUeOry that it was. necessary! to mako. men go6d "heforo attacking other problems. ; The latos of this country, he declared, did not allow a-man to livo-m-righteousness. • God had made man: unresponsible-'being,- giving > him everything that he required, and it rested with; man to - solvo--tho social problems which ho had made himself. • A SLIGHT SENSATION. . . .- i A-, slight - sensation . commenced' when- Mr. Hobday was. replying ,to .another question, which boro onXthe. occasional. iniquities of V clergymen.':..The,minister,had first remarked; " If a man has a clerical coat and is a hypo-• crite -within it-r-,'l when a man rose. 1 at the ■' - back of the hall and uttered, with suggestivo emphasis, the-word " Yes.". , - . Mr. North knew the.man. I am glad to /see -you," ho announced, with dramatic .. emphasis. , . " Yes," was the ironical reply, " you are. v You're very glad toisee mo.'-'.r... 1 ;. " I am-glad to. sco,y(\u hero," 1 repeated Mr. ■North. : ".I-called "j'ou out twico. ■ i " And now I've comej"; declared the interrupter, iwith a threatening air. Ho had not ' -'resiimed'.his seat.". -.. -...?. ,-1 In .spite of '-protests from- the meeting, i tho man insisted on putting a ciuestion m i thoimidst of Mr. Hobday's, remarks; -"Wasv Jesus Chnst Himself a y Socialist?" ho inquired.- ' ■'. Mr. Hobday; Yes, Ho was a truo Socialist. . ";Then- whj-i do . you ;Christians say that - Socialism 1 is- not igood?-".. 1 The. disturbor ■ 1 broke "into ■ a vwild tirade against "Biblo- . bangers," who, he said, made money without-.- workings ' -'.'■' The -meeting /wis- 1 not | with him, and,- after Mr. Hobday had refused ■a answer the man's abuse, Jlr; -North called :>n him -.repeatedly to sit down. Ho sub- • 'iiaed/.: after some -.attemnts to speak, and ;• the-meeting went on. quietly; *

QUESTIONS. ' - • ",Doyou call land speculation gambling?" j was one question asked, and Air. North reI plied: "1 do." . "Then-'why do tho Churciies speculate ,in .land? ■ "They don't." r ■ A ".ase was alleged in which a parsonage, standing on land specially given by the peoplo for that purpose, had been shifted back, and three shops erected, which, it was alleged, were let at c-xhorbitant rynts. ■ :Mi\'/North replied that his church did. not do .such things, and; as a rule, churches did . notAsp.;culato in land. • /. ... 1 . After' further questions, in which' the i business dealings of piofessiii:; Christians were.'assailed, Mr North state 1 1 that the law. should bo -amended •on tho .snbjcst of - /land speculation; and' mat there should be enbugh" :inoral energy'.: ;n- the.irommunity to alter- it. .Reference was also mado to critain church raffles, ■: and Mr. North . stated .that. raffles ivere vi ot.'held in his ovn ehjrch, nncl htaadi tried to persuade other peoplo nit to sold them. . ' ' The meeting closed quite amicably. 1

ARE MEN BROTHERS?

v SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY. At tho Baptist Church, Brooklyn, last night,-tho Rev. Arthur Dewdney gave the second address of the' series, of "Plain Talks , on Puzzling Problems," when he dcalt ; ' -with' ■■ the; question, " Are Men Brothers? or: tho. Socialism Jesus, Taught." Socialists were incorrect, the preacher said, whd 'thought' that Christianity stood between and : the'realisation of their ideals. With . the humanitarian ideals of Socialism every true man mugt have a large measure of • sympathy; ; But those very ideals -were the children of the Christian faith. :' No-'Socialist had ever propounded- a programme So' splendid as that propounded by' Jesus' Christ , . Was Jesus Christ a Socialist-then?'"No! Jesus Christ was not an -"ist" : of any sort. He did not elaborate a code of laws, or specify a form of government; or. propound, a specific remedy for tho : economic . problems of .'.the ages. . But He onunciat<kl great principles, and liberated great moral forces, by, which His followers were to apply them to- tho specific needs of lie ape. He did not in His lifetime attack

the cruel and exacting autocracy 1 of Rome, but He laid down general principles, which have made that autocracy impossible wherever He holds sway.: The great watchwords of tho Socialist were tho children of the Gospel; and they found their only effectivo sanction there. Science proclaimed the survival of'the fittest in the-struggle for oxist,once, and'if this life wero all, if there were no Heavenly .Father to whom .all were related,', why should a man burden himself with/ the unfit ? , Tho anti-Christian Socialists, it had been said, "do not believe that wo ever had a ■Heavenly Father," but they are clamourous in asserting that we are brothers. ' What is this but stealing tho clothes of Christianity and rejecting the jiving body of Christ? It is playing with fine ( words.-.; What , makes brotherhood but fatherhood. There, is no reason apart from God why tho man of refinement should admit: to .brotherhood the man ' of' soddened intellect ; no reason why tho strong should bear the burdens pf the weak. Where existing ; conditions hindered character .production' and robbed a man of his God-intended heritage, the voice ,of the Christian minister must be raised against them. Tho social order' of Christ was based, riot on tlio accumulation of wealth through, self interest and i competition- but on ; human well-being through association and self-sacrifice. The3o wero the essential principles of Christ's teaching, and the/ must ' apply thom to pre-sent-day conditions. - The Gospel did not propound a system of .land tenure, but it stood utterly , opposed to the conditions that allowed land..to bo held for- pleasure and ornament (as in England) while .multitudes, wore starving The Gospel ; djd not, necessarily declare for co-operation as a system of traded but it stood .'utterly opposed to a, system that grow at ono end the _ multimillionaire, and 'at the other the grinding, sordid;, poverty which was. its . necessary accompaniment. -The .Gospel did not regulate the price of goods, but.it stood utterly opposed to tho system of cruel cheapness 'gamed • by. tho. sweated industries.; ' The Gospel did not announce a special liquor law, but'it stood .utterly opposed to the open baits to evil, , and 1 the consequent degradation of men., .The preacher, appealed to Christian .men and womon to carry out the principles of their- 1 religion in all the_ relations [of life; and he appealed to' Socialists to turn again to _ the Christ whom .they slighted, . for in Him they would, find the first, best, greatest advocate of each man's truest rights, and by the, moral power of His ' Spirit they' would : the - sooner '-.realise their aims. - "

i ANNIVERSARY SERVICES,

COURTENAY PLACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The twientieth anniversary of Courtenay Place Congregational Church was yesterday in. the -newly-renoyated; building; Tho Rov. W. A. Evans and tho Rov. J. Reed -Glassc-n. preached in the morning aud afternoon 1 respectively, to congregations' fairly large, in spite of tho bad weather..ln the evening the Rev. Macdonald' Aspland preached-to., ono-of the largest congregations that have ever filled the church. Mr. Aspland's.•'subject.was St.- 'Mark''si, 17;."Mv. house shall be called .the house. of grayer. Special 1 -anthems - were, sung hy the- choir. ; Tho .report to be presented at tie annual ! meeting;.I'tomo'rrqw'1'tomo'rrqw' :nigat. sho\vs ; that- progress % in' the several of church work ■has 1 .been . woll -maintained.'. 1 The attendance, 'at the Sunday services i lia's been fairly,-good' 1 thrbughout -tno year, and . has improved very much during, the last three month a. ■ The Wednesday seryico: might be ,be|ter , attended. Spnie months ago the members authorised the 'deacons to' look ; for< a suitable,'site for a '-new; church and buildings- closo. to tho present place of ;As the; priccs'asked were too high',,- it was. deoided ito 'renovate the present, chiirch building.. A membership of 108 was-recorded, for tho. now year.'; The :Chris7 iian Endeavoiir Socioty's, combined meetings have proved very helpful, and were much enjoyed by those • who , attended.. The Sunday ■ school, under the.-:superintoiidence pf Mr. W.' 'G.-.:HoldOTr«atH' anil' J ait eariiest' staff, of .tea-' chers, has^. continued ,to do good work! ,In November' 11907,. .the 1 ladies . of .the Sewing Wieir'Jannua! :.sale = of twidihg/'io'veT! .'three''.■.'d'ays^v-'A^net'ireturnvjqr £87 Is. was. received.Th is' amount. en-, abled'the;ladies, to reduce .the mortgage on the ibarise by £75,..besides paying rates, taxes, and insurance.':- The-, society, gratefully, acknowledges . a donation of, £15-from Mrs. W. R. 'Williams. During i.the winter months of tho year '..the/social institute .mot. eveiry week, and- carried out the programme set flownuijjthe. syllabus.. Somo ; very, interesting papers were-read; and mnsical .and elocution-, ary ov-enings wero given 'by members and friends. ..Special! mention should be made of an elocutionary evening given by Mrs. Williams, nco - Miss Tonics, when the schoolroom was crowded.-, Tho Aspland- Club, - comprising young men. belonging ;to'tho church and; school, met regularly, every week for sooial intercourse,.and during the'football season camo off victorious in a match with the : young men. of the'.Terrace Church;- In, conclusion, the deacons 'thank--those who haveserved, .the' .church, 'and trust, that the-en-thusiasm shown -in-the past will ho eclipsed during' tho new, year..-; . -; y- .. ■ ; ■:':

Y.M.C.A,

; There- was a very. full gathering , at tho Y.M.C.A. Biblo Class yesterday afternoon, tho large room being crowded in evory. part. Tho • address was given by Rev. : H. Hobday, .of Mosgiel, who told his hearers he but recently camo from London. The speaker expressed .: his : great interest in yourig : .meri, and; Y.M.O.Ai, work generally, and in the': course 'of a, forceful and earnest address emphasised • the possibilities that lay before) tho young nian'.-whoso life was fully surrendered 1 and w'holly ' consecrated to .'the service of Jssus . Christ. He ■' urged - those; hei; was • addressing to' avail themselves of, and'utilise ,to the utmost, ■ the opportunities that-they now had for serving Him Who had done so much for them, opportunities that'they would' not' have to anything; like the same extent as -tho; years went by. ' The address 'was founded on* the second .chapter of St. John's first epistle, and the words, "I write .unto.;you, young men, 'because ye are strong, and the word of God .Vbideth in ye, 'aiid "ro have 'overcome tho wicked one." . The Strangers' Tea that'followed was also very iargely . attended, necessitating a relay. At tho close-,of tho tea the gathering was briefly addressed "by the General Secretary, and also by several members of the Board of- Managomont, each- of whom, referred in same way to th'o fact'that that wbuld be the last ■ Strangers', Tea held in : the. old rooms, as next Sunday's meeting would be held in tho new Association Rooms, .Willis Street. The many happy memories and associations inseparably connected with: tho upper rooms they had occupied for the past few years would long ,bo present with those who had been connected : with the Association therein; and deep thankfulness, to Almighty God for all His goodness and gracious' leadings, and tho blessings vouchsafed to them, was expressed. Tho Association entered upon tho occupancy- of those rooms some four . or fivo years ago with. practically no assets, in tho way of property or funds. Shortly after the building in which their previous rooms wero situated in Customhouse Quay was ■ destroyed ■ by fire But, notwithstanding, the losses they had experienced in that and/other ways, and the many disabilities .in connection with (ho top-floor rooms | they had si'neo occupied, the work had . flourished and grown in evory direction, and the way been wonderfully opened up for them; and they wero, liow shortly to enter into possession of a splendid new | building of their own, erected on freehold' lan'd, and worth, when fully equipped, probably Bomo £20,000—a thing that many would have folt And said but a few years back wa3 impossible, or, at any rate, highly visionary, to expect. The memories of tho past gavo them new hope and courago to enter upon the larger .work for God and young '-men that now lay before them in the . new building. • ' The Secretary (Mr. Holmes), in the course of his remarks, referred to tho fact that the present ■ Association was the outcomo of the Torrcy-Alexander Mission in 1902, the 'first step taken being the establishment of the Saturday night young men's devotional meeting, which had been regularly, held ever since, that on Inst Saturday evening being very' largely attended and most helpful and inspiring. He also reminded them that the name of Williams was msruu>-\Uj no»'i£cted with the

work—the founder of the Y.M.C.A. movement beincr the lato Sir George Williams. Mrs. M. A.. Wiliiaius gave the. Wellington Association its grand freehold sito' iu -Willis Street, besides "contributing largely otlierwiso to •' tho cause, whilst the late Archdeacon Williams had also contributed most liberally towards tho ctfst of tho new building.

Soyeral of those who spoke referred in terms of deep appreciation and gratitude to the splendid service that had been rendered so long, so faithfully, and so very efficiently by tho young men comprising the Strangers' Tea Committee.' For. several years past they had regularly devoted much timo and energy to . the discharge of the duties connected therewith, and in so doing had rendered most valuable service to the Association. Tho proceedings throughout were marked by a spirit of thankfulness for : the past, and hopefulness and enthusiasm for the future, and wero brought to a closo by singing' "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."

MISSION SERVICES*

• Tho mission services at tho Wellington Baptist 1 Church, Vivian Street,'last night, wero very well attended. • Tho Rev. Herbert Hobdayconductor of the Mission, officiated, his subject being " The Dilemma." The Mission services will be continued on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings.

CHILDREN'S EVANGELIST.

Between thirty and forty ladies and nentlebicn attended a meeting yesterday, convened by.'the Sunday School Union, to confer with Sir; W. H. Staries, children's evangelist, re-' garding the mission to ho held in South' Wellington for boys and girls. - Mr. .Stanes explained his methods and objects, and a hearty interest was shown in tho mission. The Rev. W. J. Williams occupied the chair.