RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 12

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE ISLANDS OF THE BLEST. (For The Dominion.) Where shall we find the Islands of the Blest? Among tho Good and Kind; Their presence is an atmosphere of rest To heart and mind: Tho hours of life they sweeten and refino While with us day by day, And common things transmute to things divino In their own way: When from us in.this world they live apart, Their letters set on fire Tho best emotions of the inner heart That lifo inspire: When passed to Eden they inspiro a hope That cheers the deepest gloom, Of vast horizons of enlarging scope Beyond the tomb. A.Y.T. ANGLICANS AND WESLEYANS. The t ßishop of Hull, as one of an Anglican deputation who brought greetings to tho Wesleyan Conference during its recent sessions at York, said that he had visited Wesley's monument in Westminster Abbey with the late beloved Dean Stanley, and the Dean had drawn his attention to the inscription, "The world is my parish," and to that exceedingly suggestive line whiqji was just under it, "Tho Lord buries His workmen, but carries on His work." -The Bishop also referred to tho indebtedness of of the Church Universal to Charles Wesley's hymns, which were regularly sung in their • churches. 'The Dean of York also addressed tho conference. Ho had been reading Dr. Fitchew's book, "Wesloy and his Century," and as a result ho also read tho doctor's other work on "Tho Beliefs of Unbelief," and also "Overton's Lifo of i Wesley." He was there that morning to welcome them as those who wero working _ with all their might to stem tho tide of sin, indifference, shame, and sorrow that was surging around them. Their appeal was expressed in the words, "If thy heart is as my heart, give me thy hand." When the appeal was made to him ho could not refuse. Ho believed that as tho .years went by their relations would be mellowed into feelings of affection and regard. For the whole of tho 58 years of his ministry ho had lived in harmony and goodwill with tho Wesleyans, whose work he had greatly admired. Dr. Findlay (Headingloy College) responded cordially on behalf of the conference. . £110)000 FOR CHARITY. HUGE LEGACIES FOR DIOCESE OF WAKEFIELD. The will of Mr. Michaol Edwin Sanderson, a maltster, of Kettlcthorpo Hall, • Sandal Magna, Yorks, and of Sutherlaudshire,. who died on Fobruary 13 last, aged 73, disposes of estate of the gross value of £144,528. , He bequeathed £60,000 to tho Bishop of Wakofield for a "Sanderson"Trust Fund" for the promotion of the religious work of the Church-of England in'tho diocese, and suggested the following threo religious purposes, to which the income of the fund might be dovoted: —The endowment of one or more residentiary oanonries in Wakefield Cathodral. Contributions to the endowment of poor parishes and new districts. Evangelisation of new or populous districts and the provision of diocesan clergy. He also left £10,000 to tho Bishop of Wakefield and the Vicar of Wakefield for the time being, upon trust, to apply the income towards providing pensions for women within the Diocese of Wakefield. The residue of his property, which it appears will amount to over £40,000, tksiifiiit'atfiltfldft t'd' the.'BiSlWn of Wakofield for Church purposes. It would appear that tho total ,sum for charitable purposes is not less than £110,000. NEW WESLEYAN PRESIDENT. THE RECORD OF THE REV. J. SCOTT I LIDGET2. . Tho Rev. J. Scott Lidgett, M.A., tho newly elected president of the Wesleyan Conference, is almost as well blown without as within Methodism. Ho has been ■ promin-, ently associated with settlement work for many years,' and the Bermondsey Settlement, of which ho is the warden, has an international reputation. His social and progressive ideals have found expression in book, pamphlet, and on platform. His sympathy for the poor and suffering has led to tho formation of numerous societies for their help and. notably the Guild of tho Bravo Poor Things, and the Guild of Joyful Surprises. It is_ not often that a practical reformer finds time for close theological study, but Mr. Scott Lidgett has written at least two books of first-class rank, "Tho Spiritual Principle of tho Atonement" (quoted in recent local discussions) and "The Christian Religion," each of which has had a large, sale. i In civic matters he has been, and still is, a recognised leader. He has been for many years a member of tho London County Council, and is one of tho few ministers who combines' aldermanic duty with that of " sky pilot." Three years ago he received tho highest honour possible in tho Nonconformist world by his election to the chair' of tho National Free Church Council. In the conference he has been tho exponent of democratic ideals as applied to Church government, and has not always pleased the platform by his outspoken utterances. The younger men of the conference rally to his banner, and last year carried tho nomination vote in his favour. REMARKABLE SERVICE. BISHOP'S SERMON TO DEAF MUTES. Milton's line, "And Wisdom at ono entrance quite shut out," finds an illustration in tho deaf mutes who assembled for worship at St. Saviour's Church, Oxford Street. But the closing of "one entrance" has opened other gates of knowledge, and on July 12 the Rev. F. W. G. Gilby, the chaplain-superin-tendent of the Royal Association in Aid of the Deaf and Dumb, eloquently interpreted the discourso of the Bishop of Glouc9ster. Except for their silence, ono would not have gathered that moro'than half of tho welldressed congregation laboured undei any physical disability. They wore bright, intelligent, and followed tho sernco with tho closest attention. Tho outstanding foaturo of the service was not tho sermon of the Bishop, but the conduct of the service by tho Chaplain. With fingers, arms, lips, and undulations of. tho body, Mr. Giilty interpreted the entire religious exercises with inconceivable rapidity. Without a single pause, and keeping time to the rather rapidly uttered words of tho Bishop, he conveyed to those who sat behind tho "shutters of silence" the lattor's spoken words. . _ j hi the same swift aiid interpretive manner, prayers, psalms, responses, hymns, and lessons wero conveyed. Even such words as Amphipolis, Apollonia, and Thessalonica presented no difficulty. They wero read off on tho fingers as rapidly as tho reader uttered them. Symbolic gestures occasionally took tho place of labial or finger speaking. Thus the index fingers pointing upwards meant "Heaven"; tho hands rapidly twirled meant "everlasting"; touching tho tips meant "praiso"; the hand placed on the top of the head signified "crown" and "King." The right hand uplifted, with finger pointed to tho skies, indicated God. "CANNED SERMON." Tho " canned sermon " is tho latest Chicago product. A popular minister in that city offers phonograph records of his own discourses to any church of any denomination whose pastor wishes to tako a vacation during tho summer heat. Ho guarantees that they will bo found interesting. In commenting on this innovation, an American papor suggests that tho up-to-date twentiethcentury .church, equipped with panned ser-

mons and canned music, will only need to lay in some praying machines fitted with clectric motors to reach a state of automatic perfection. But it is pointed out that the minister who lighthcartedly welcomes this assistance may discover that it has unexpected consequences. It is very well to get an automatic substitute during the hot months, but what if the congregation comes to prefer the eloquenco of the machine to that of its own pastor? Will it continue to pay liim a salary when it can procure better sermons at <a cheaper rate? The time may come, it is humorously predicted, when the preaching for the whole country will be done by half a dozen silver-tongued speakers, constituting the canned sermon trust, and undertaking to supply any brand of doctrine that may be called for, with a 'side lino' in funeral and wedding services. WESLEYAN MEMBERSHIP. PROPOSED NEW BASIS. At tho Wesleyan Conference in York the Rev. Henry Haigh submitted a report of the Committee on tho Conditions of Church Membership. The report was, a lengthy document, and dealt.with "Tho Nature of tho Church," "The Church Universal and Particular," "Tho Ministry and the Sacraments," "Methodist Fellowship," "The Rules of Society." It further dealt with "Membership on Trial," "Entrance into Full Membership," "Privileges and Obligations of Membership," "The Class Meeting," and "The Society Meeting." The committee concluded by recommending that every member should attend with reasonable frequency the meeting for church fellowship, and that any member who, without sufficient reason, persistently absented himself both _ from the class meeting and the society meeting should bo considered as having excluded himself from church membership. The- Rev. Allen ltees submitted at an amendment, that it was undesirable under present ..conditions to send forth to the Methodist people any new definitions of laith and practice. ' ' • Tho amendment, was not seconded, whereupon the Rev. F. L. Wiseman moved that tho committee bo thanked for much of the reportj but that tho proposal to substitute for tho present condition of membership au occasional attendance at the meeting, instead of as now constituted, failed to securo that effective observance of fellowship which tho committeo rightly pronounced essential to membership in tlie Methodist Church. ; : In tho course of an interesting discussion, tho Rev. James Lewis said John Wesley nevor mado tho class ■ meeting a principle, but regarded it as simply a- prudential arrangement. ■ ■ Finally, Mr. Wiseman's ■ amendment waa carried by 271 votes against 208.\. On this becomiug tho substantive motion the secretary of the conference moved a'' further amendment, the substance of which' was ag follows: " Tho conferenoo again expresses its conviction that the time has como for a more, definite statement, as to what constitutes membership '.in the Western Methodist Church; in view, however, if tho grave issues which the question involves, tho conference resolves to take no further action until the mind of our people generally has been ascertained." The secretary's amendment was carried by a largo majority. ... JOTTINGS. The Oamaru' correspondent of j;lio Christchurch "Press" telegraphs that the retirement of the Rev; W. C. the wellknown Wesleyan minister, will'take place after the-, conference in March next. Mr. Oliver entered the ministry in 1867, and has laboured in many parts of New Zealand, including Duncdin and Christchurch. He was elected president of the conference in 1887, and during a long ministry has earned the respect of the whole church. Sir. Oliver, who is at present-stationed at Mount Albert, Auckland, will: probably settle in Christohuwh,; after ; -bis' retirement.'j i .Thjj |.)vel|-kn6w^ t ',theplogian, Dr. ;Clieetham, died on' «Mly 19 at his residence lVxiii Cathedral precincts at Rochester in his 82nd year. The immediate cause, of ..death , was pneumonia. Dr. Cheetham was born at' Hambleton in 1827, and received his education at Oakham Grammar School and Christ's College, Cambridge, of which he was an honorary Fellow. From 1853 to 1858 he was assistant tutor at Christ's College, from 1863 to 1882 Professor of Pastoral Theology in King's College, London; Chaplain of Dulwicli College from 1866 to 1884; and Archdeacon of Southwark from 1879 to 1882. He was editor (with the late Sir W. Smith) and writer of many articles in the Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, and was tho author of several works,. including a history of tho Christian Church during the first six centuries. Westminster Cathedral was crowded on a recent Sunday evening, on the occasion of the religious celebration in honour of the centenary of the late Cardinal Manning, organised by the League of tho Cross. His Graco tho Archbishop of Westminster presided, and others present were his Lordsliip Bishop Johnson, and the canons and clergy of the diocese. Ten thousand people at-tended-a later demonstration in Hyde Park in honour of tho late cardinal. The late Bishop Potter, of New_ York, ruled the most important diocese in the American Episcopal Church, including 250 parishes scattered over nine counties, and his unflagging devotion to his duty led to the breakdown in health which recently terminated fatally. Bishop Potter came of a well-known American family, whosenlembers have taken a distinguished place in affairs from tho days of Bunker's Hill onwards. It has been said that he "guarded tho consciences of more money-kings than any other American clergyman, for nearly all tho wealthy magnates, .from tho Astors down, belonged to his church." He was in some ways an unconventional ecclesiastic, not ashamed, "The Times" says, to acknowledge his enjoyment of cigars and billiards, and his wit, humour, and eloquence made,him a favourite' at public meetings as well as in Society. Ireland has presented a goodly array of Jubileo gifts to. tho Pope through Mgr. O'lliordan, Rector of tho Irish College.. They consisted of over a thousand articles for divine service, eighty-two sets of vestments, a handsome cope of Irish' poplin beautifully embroidered, and a richly-bound album containing photographs of all the living members of the Irish hierarchy. The Irish Sisters of Charity ■ distinguished themselves especially in contributing to this rich Jubilee offering, but many other sisterhoods also took an active part in it, and a great many Irish sodalists gave their time, labour, and money to mako tho Jubileo present a worthy one. Tho Pope expressed to Mgr. O'Riordan his appreciation of the affection and generosity shown by his Irish children, and declared that ho would take occasion to return thorn his thanks personally. Tho Pope has granted an indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines to all who spend fivo minutes in presence of the, Blessed Sacrament praying that the success of the Eucharistie Congress and tho conversion of England be brought about by frequent and daily Communion;/and has like-' wise granted a plenary iMulfconco to all win, pray for tho samo objects after Holy Communion. The China Inland Mission, which was founded by tho late Rev. Hudson Taylor in 1565, and which has cone on increasing, until now there are over 900 missionaries on its staff, is sending forth another band of workers from Anstralia. This will brine: tho number of Australians at work in connection with the mission up to 115. There are threo Sydney ladies in the new party, Missw Parr,. Campbell, and Haslam, one from Queensland (Miss Crystal: and Roy. E. Cannr from New Zealand. These are poing fonvatx for tho first time. Mi. and .Mrs. Lnck. of Sydney, and Mr. and Mre. Powell, who have been representing tho mission for somo time in Sydney, and others aro returning for a second period of service.