RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 247, 11 July 1908, Page 12

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE PASTOR IN SOCIETY. BISHOP'S FRIENDLY HINTS. The Bishop of Norwich has been touching on present-day questions in homely and suggestivo style during his visitation addresses. Speaking of the clergy in society, tho Bishop asked what effect tho clcrgy had .upon society; had they dono good or not; had they by falling into tho general worldy tono put a stumbling block in tho way of either their hosts or tho servants? Thero was nothing necessarily wrong iu a clergyman taking part in social amusements, concerts, dinner parties, and outdoor exercises, such as cycling, tenuis, croquet, and golf. Yet somo clergy in tho diocese, he knew, were keenly criticised for the time they spent on the golf links, thereby losing spiritual influence over some of their parishioners. Though thoy might not bo called to live , as ascetics, yet their lives should not bo dovoid of overy element of self-denial. They could lead simple, retired, unworldly lives, abstaining from all pleasures that had any deleterious effect upon themselves or oxposed them to the charge of worldliness or pleasure-loving. Thero was especially need for care on the part of a priest in his demeanour towards those of tho other sex. The popularity of tho clergy with tho ladies—which some of tho laity mado'the subject of raillery or sarcasm —was due to the goodness of women who, with their religious nature, wero disposed to idealise those who ministered in holy things. How could clergymen think of this idealisation without being filled with shamo? Anyway, it taught them to be circumspect, and to avoid tho reproach of being called clerical flirts, or tho danger of letting -themselves be flattered by a little cotorio of admirers. CHURCH UNION IN SCOTLAND. PROGRESS OF THE MOVEMENT. TJnion and co-operation was ono of the outstanding subjects of discussion in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which has been meeting in Edinburgh. A letter was sent to Dr. Laws, Moderator of tho United Freo Church, expressing willingness to take all possible steps, consistently with the continuance of tho national recognition of religion, to promote tho Union of Churches, and requesting a conference on the ecclesiastical situation in Scotland. Dr. Theodore Marshall, presided as Moderator. Thero was a full dross debate over the reports—majority and, minority—of the special committee appointed to consider overtures on co-operation and reunion Tho official motion, outlined above, was put forward by Dr. Norman Macleid. He had hoped, ho said, that they would have had tho joy of presenting tho olive branch in the full expectation that it would be received in tho same spirit as that in whicii it was offered. But, so far as tho majority of tho other Assembly were concerned, tho policv of tho olivo branch had been anticipated, hastily—designedly, it seemed to him—but at any rate, anticipated by what appeared to be tho policy of tho sword. At the samo time ho believed that they had, at the present timo, a better opportunity of going forward than they had cluring'any past year. The relations of the Churches wero certainly vory much better than thoy used to be. They understood oach) other ; and, moroover, ther f.'as at tho present time a stronger desire throughout tho country for union, for cooperation. ' . Regarding tho Established Church, Dr. Macleod said they wero not dissatisfied with hor position. They had never been stronger in influence and in the affections of the Scottish people. It was not. out of their weakness, but out of the plenitude of their Divine .power that thoy wished to make advancos. Ecclesiastical Union must not bo rushed. If co-operation was properly ontcrcd upon it would prove tho safest ana tho surest road to Union. Dr. Norman Macleod had spoken to a doepjy-impresscd house, and Professor Paterson, who supported his proposals, said the committee had a motive—it was a very simplo one, that of Christian duty. Professor Cooper, of Glasgow, submitted the minority report, which in effect sought -to lay down certain principles—(l) the necessity' for a separate security for the Church's witness to the Faith; (2) effective recognition by tho State of the Church, and not merely of religion; and (3) "conservation for ■' tho Church of its proper patrimony. Tho Rev. A. Warr, of Roseneath, moved that tho status quo should be preserved, and ho argued that unless they wero prepared to tako tho question of Disestablishment and Disendownment into consideration it was folly to ask thoir brethren " over tho way!' to come into conference with them. Two other motions were put forward, but ; finally by an overwhelming majority tho recommendation of tho committeo was approved. / Tho correspondent of the "Christian World" comments: —" As is now tho expected _ order of the day in all Assembly gatherings, thoro has been much talk of Union. And it 1 must be said that the atmosphere in which tho proposals were discussed was an atmosphere of sincerity. The day is passed—that is ono of tho indeliblo impressions left bohind—when the talk about Union can be characterised as mere palaver. Tho question of Union is now one that milst be held in mind in tho shaping of all new schemes and tho introduction of all new policies. • It has not yet, perhaps, corno within tho region of practical politics, but it would seem-to be not so verv far away. For 'an Aberdeen elder roundly declared that if the question of Presbyterian reunion were left to the laity it would be settled in six months. That is, however, a way somo elders havo of talking." ( ARRESTED CHURCH PROGRESS. STARTLING FACTS IN AMERICA. Tho statements as to tho arrested progress of the Churches made at the recent May assemblies receive startling confirmation from America. Tho London "Christian World" publishes an interview with Dr. J. W. Dawson, who has been paying a brief visit to England in the interval of Tub evangelistic labours in tho States, and states that at the same timo thero comes the report of a striking sermon by Dr. C. F. Aked (late of Liverpool), preached recently at his church in Now York. These two witnesses deal with tho same topic, and to tho same effect.' Their burden -is of the arrested; development, ono may say, rather, of a swiftly-eating decay in the Church life of Amorica. Dr.. Dawson speaks of tho splendid buildings, beautifully kept, well financed, but without congregations. Tho rich support, but do not attend them. Dr. Akod says thero are "large buildings through which on any Sunday 'you can fire a shotgun without danger of hurting anybody." Tho religious authorities aro all at one as to the position. Dr. Akod quotos Dr. Atterbury, of Now York, as saying "this city is becoming a nest of iufidels . . . Commercialism has crowded out Christianity." Dr. Jofforson, of Broadway Tabernacle, declares that "Manhattan Island is more and more tho Paris of ploasure-seekers and tho London of business. _ Of our 2,500,000 population . . . thero is a Protestant remnant of only 720,000, which is' 50,000 less than it wt.s ten years ago. Only tho smallest fraction of these 720,000 nominal Protestants havo any connection with tho Churchos." Another authority assorts that the Baptists of New York havo not only failed to gain anything from the outsido, but havo actually lost two-thirds of tho children born in thoir own homes. Ho adds that tho Mothodists havo in tho samo way gained nothing from tho outsido and lost one-half of their own children, while tho Presbyterians havo only managed to hold two-thirds- of their own children, "without gaining an inch on tho dark mass beyond." Tho statistics of tlio theological colleges tell the samo tale. Students for tho Presbyterian ministry aro fewer by 400 than ton years ago. Andover, which has graduated over 3000 ministers during its history, has now about twenty students. Thoro is an enormous increaso in tho number of "barren" churches, that is, of churchos which report no increaso in membership. Of thoso thoro wero in 1905 2390 Congrogationalist, 2270 Presbyterian, and 2276 Methodist. It is singular,_ too (adds tho "Christian World"), that, in a country so alivo and so full of social experiment as America, tlio religious organisations should show, such littlo initiative, should bo so apathetic with

reference to tho now movements of the time. Tho English Churches seem in theso matters far more awake. Tho Brotherhoods, the P.S.A. Associations, the Institutional Churches, the Central Missions, with their myriad organisations, which form such a featuro of our modern religious life at Homo, are yet largely to seek in tho States. It would seem as if the crcativo, dominant minds there, the brains fertile of ideas, tho powers of combination, of moving masses of men to a given purpose, liavo been for tho present absorbed into tho material activities of the nation, leaving only the routine minds for tho service of tho Church. A WESLEYAN PROBLEM. Tho Wesleyans in England have tackled the class meeting problem with an earnest desiro to seo how present-day needs can bo mot. A committeo appointed last year by tho conference has just drawn up a report on the question. It enters largely into the history of Methodism, especially oonoorning church membership and tho importance of class meetings,, where " the ' fellowship of Methodist people has found its most adequate expression." The report proceeds to stato that a society meeting should bo held regularly once a quarter for purposes of general fellowship,, for personal testimony, and for pastoral guidance and common counsel, both as touching personal religion, and the work of God in tho congregation and neighbourhood. At this meeting new members are to be introduced by their leaders, and also members tjansferred from other churches. Baptisms and deaths are to be reported, and new appointments and retirements of class leaders and stewards announced. At tho first meeting in tho year the roll of membership is to be read, and each member expected to answer to his name. Also tho Communion shall be administered at one at least of these meetings. The names of persons who cease to be members are to be reported to tho leaders' meeting. The difference which this report, if adopted, will make in tho basis of church • membership is only to make attendance at the society meeting as well as at tho class meeting • obligatory; and although attendance at the Lord's Supper is enjoined as a sacred duty, it is not mado compulsory, as in the case of tho other gatherings. Nor is any mention made of classes which do not meet —a type of class which probably numbers one-fourth of tho total number of classes. It is believed that this recommendation will meet with stout opposition in the conference by those who have striven to widen tho basis of membership, and to secure the recognition of attendance at tho Communion service as at least as important as presence at' tho class meeting. JOTTINGS. A number of clergymen in Sydney have made an appeal throughout) the Englishspeaking ■ world for special prayers on Wednesday and Friday evenings on behalf of the Lambeth Conference in London. If tho appeal bo responded to generally, a chain of prayer will ascend on behalf of the conference from all round the world. Meetings were to commence in Sydney this week. Tno conference began last Monday, and is timed to last until August 5. According to the last English mail, Dr. Lcnihan; Itoman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, had arrived in England, and was about to visit Rome. He was then staying with rolatives in Clapham. The Rev. Dr. W. J. Dawson, whoso recent book, "A Prophet in Babylon,". has been supplying subjects for sermons from many pulpits, hoth in Great Britain, America, and Australia, preaching in England last month, saidlf over I had a church again, ' I should refuse to admit anyone to its membership who'was not going to work for Christ. I should refuse to acknowledge as a member of a Christian Church any man or woman who was not positively engaged in doing some service for Christ." Bishop Tugwell, who hails from Western Equatorial Africa, has been asking if it is wise to bind Bibles in black leather. "I do not know why it is," he says, "but we seem to associate black with that which indicates melaucholy; sometimes even mourning, sometimes even hypocrisy." The Bishop thinks that if the Bible was bound atttactively in colour much: of the disinclination to be 6een carrying it about would disappear. This year the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland contained a majority of members from the Highlands, and as'a consequonce, perhaps, there was moro than ordinary divergence of opinion as to the propriety of setting up church organs, singing hymns, and placing flowers on the' Communion table. The Moderator (Rev. AV. Al'Kiunon, of Gairloch), in his address, declared, that the religious outlook was very dark. He complained that tinseriptural changes had been introduced into the worship of the Church, and that time was devoted to musical performances instead of to preaching to perishing sinners. A further allegation was' that Christian teaching has in a great many cases adopted baseless scientific and philosophical theories, and that universalism is now a popular doctrine. Lord Hugh Cecil, in. presiding at tho annual meeting of tho Christian Evidence Society, London, said that the defence of Christianity had to take slightly different shapes as the current of thought changed. We had probably passed beyond the stage, at which Christianity was supposed to bo dying rapidly before attacks made upon' it, though among tho less educated the crudest objections were still most potent. A large number 'of people, however, were beginning to think that Christianity was unnecessary. There had been an unparalleled change in the circumstances of human life, owing to.the advances of medical and other science, and the great evils resulting from poverty were steadily diminishing. People, therefore, felt much less need of religion as a consolation than they did a hundred years ago. Side by side with this movement there had grown up a disposition to ■ deny the importance and reality of moral evil or sin. People thought of it as sanitary, ignorance, to bo easily removed by instruction and exhortation, so that to lovo one's enemies would come as natural as to wash ono's hands. This, ho believed, was the great problem now to be faced. They had to vindicate the roality of moral' evil as something which, if not fought by religion, would lead to the destruction-of human nature. Morning and evening on Sunday, May 24, St. Peter s, Rome, was densely thronged, soveral thousand pilgrims having come from France to bo present at the solemn Beatili-. cation of the Blessed Magdalen Sofia Barat, Foundress of the Ladies, of the Sacred Heart. Tho decorations (states tho English 'Tablot") were those that served for the Beatification of tho Blessed Mary Magdalen Postel, with exception of the "Glory of tho Beata in the apse, tho. painted banners representing tho miracles approved by the Congregation of Rites, and tho epigraphs. A beautiful now Mass had been composed for the occasion by tho Maestro ltemigio Renzi. In tho morning ceremony Mgr. Ametto, Archbishop of Paris, pontificated, and among those present were tho Bishop of Amiens, Rodez, Poitiers,. Montauban, and Mendo, and a groat number of nuns of tho Institute of tho Blessed Mother Barat, and ladies educated in their convents. In the afternoon tho Holy Father came down to the basilica, attended by his Cardinals and court, to venerate tho relic of tho Beata. Tho United Freo Church of Scotland, like tho Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, has chosen for itself a missionary Moderator, The ltov. Dr. Laws, of tho Livingstonia Mission, iu returning thanks for his election at the recent mooting of the Assembly, said lie took it they had called him as a missionary, and also as a medical missionary ,and asked him' to forget Livingstonia, if he could, and bo the representative of the wholo foreign mission work of their beloved Church. Yea, more, by doing so, they woro saying to ovoryono of thoir missionary sons and daughters, "Your work is ours, and our hearts go out to you all, sorrowing with you in your sorrows, sharing in your trials, longing with you iu your aspirations, rejoicing with you in your joys, and supporting you over with our prayers at the throno of grace." In fact, their calling him to that chair that day was ■ tho pledge that thoir Church was true and loyal to the last command of her ascending Lord. At a meoting of the electors in May, tho Rov. Walter Hobhouso, M.A., Hon. Canon and Chancollor of Birmingham Cathedral, formerly Follow of Hertford. Collogo, and afterwards Student of Christ Church, was elected ll(xmptou Lecturer at Oxford for 1909; subject "Tho Church and the World in Idea and in History."