RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

METHODISTS AND MATERIALISM. .... .... , , . . ■.. •■-.... ■ ■'.•■ .'X--.'■■•;■•■' WESLEYAN. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. •' The President of the: English. :Wesleyan Conforencej-tho Eev. : J.'.Scott;Lidgett, M;A.V: has issued a long, New Year's message to the Church. 'It iopens with a : reference ,to the tone of the Churches;which he has visited during his "ceaseless journeyirigs throughout the country,"' and : declares that everywhere; ho found increasing activityand ':■ an intense desire to securo the efficiency and success of all organisations and;agencies.: .He notes with satisfaction a wide movement towards a' return to the simplicity'nad sincerity of early. Methodism. ; Hβ points out the great opportunity for acts of faith to be found in the revival. of the society meeting, at which under .'.the' new legislation the elective ■representatives of the Church are to -be chosen from the leaders' and quarterly 'meetings early: in the New Year. ' , '.'■■ ' ■,': : : .

. The. President calls-attention to the imprisonment of modern life, in the hard-and-fast externals of. material interests., "Hideous forms of selfishness stalk about in ,tho noontide, and the diseased eye of society sees them beautiful. Property counts for more than humanity. Men. aro scared from the precepts of Christ by. Mr. Worldly Wiseman." The weakness, and disrespect into which the Church has, fallen is largely due"to'.'its-:ah-\ sorption of the evil of the time. The cure of all these evils, adds Mr;-Lidgett, ; would.be found in:tho'renewal and extension of the enthusiasm for.. God: and mnn. which was the mark.and power of early/Methodism. >■■"■' '... Mr. liidgett: names;four great, .subjectswhich should receive the most 'ungrudging: and courageous support of all , loyal Method-, •ists.' :The 'first -is foreign missions.'.' '•': Every effort must be putiorth, .at whatever.cost'of self-denial, ,to bring ;up the-income of the Missionary 'Society, to double:, the" present amount.; ■• The '.second point is the Licensing; Bill arid the Sctionof the House of Lords. ; The Wesleyan Methodist .Church; says : '-:the President, stands by its principles and ad-' 'heres to its demands. "Let us have the courage :and:.determination of John Wesley-in' this matter.'Let.us voiv before God'thatwe will not rest , until.the nation obtains.simple reparation for this wrong.".' : .'., ':.:■ '„..:,:. : V\ , On -the educatioji' question, the President states that the .'failure.of the,'late:'Bill will not: alter, the; principles ■' or policy, of Wes-: . leyaris. . On the basis of. a completely national :system 6i education set; entirely free..from denominational tests and .interests, .they will ■endeavour to maintain, the 'Bible' , ' : in the schools., and to deal sympathetically, with the ■.convictions of'all sections of" the '■ community. Finally, in relation .to the pfobleni of unem-: ■ploymerit. ;Mr. Lidgett emphasises 'one primary-, duty—to secure : the essentials of eco- , well-being -to; the,.least;''faypufe.d' bf their:fellow-citizens. '■'.'■'■'■-'-■ \::-V.'V'"v;U.'v ''V.