RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

MODERN PURITANS. r A PRAYER-MEETING THROUGH JOURNALISTIC SPECTACLES. (London "Daily Mail.") "Do you think tho Puritan spirit in England is dead?" said I to tho friend with whom I was discussing tho Week of Universal Prayor. "Come with me and I will prove tho contrary." So wo started off for tho King's Hall, Holborn. Hero, in a room usually devoted to festive purposes, there was between twelve and one o'clock recently, a largo gathering, mostly of men. At ono ond, at a long table, facing the room, sat threo grave persons—ono young, ono middle-aged, ono old. The gilded roof, tho red plush curtains, tlio mirrors reflecting a blaze or electric "ight, tho tapestries in which Dutch peasants made morry and AVatteau-liko figures flitted delicately through sylvan glades—all this made a strange setting for so serious a business as tho offering up of prayer. But that was the object of tho gathering. Here in tho heart of London, on a working day, men had come from the office, from tho bank, from tho shop counter, from the clerk's stool and from tho principal's sanctum; from tho wholesale warehouse, from the doctor's consulting-room, from tho editor's desk —had como to lift up their hearts and their voices in fervent prayer. The Puritan spirit dead? Why, hero it was in full activity. Thus did Cromwell's Ironsides assemble, snatching tho tirno from business, to lay their petitions before tho Lord of Hosts. If top hats were- exchanged for steel casques or broad-brimmed beavers; if tho modem dress of tho City man gavo place 'to big boots, leather breechos_ and jerkin, full-skirted brown coats with long swords peeping out at tho back, then those Londoners of to-day would reproduce tho Cromwollian type. That old man with brows drawn down and a questioning melancholy in his expression might be "What-of-the-night Pym." Close to him sits a fierce and militant Christian, with a "Hew-Agag-in-pieces-bcfore-the-Lord" look. Then there is a young man in tho row behind with a mild and kindly oountenanco like Henry Cromwell's. And yonder old fellow, with the marvellous eyes —tho eyes of a seer —surely he recalls oue of those inspired warriors who prophesied victory over the "children of wrath" 011 tho eva of Worcester and Dunbar. In their Scriptural phraseology, too, these business men are Cromwellian to the core. "Lead us, 0 Lord, out of tho valleys of the ■ungodly and set our feet upon Thy holy hill." "Shino npon Thy servants, 0 Most Merciful. Wβ livo in a profligate and unrighteons world. Ssnd down upon us the rays of Thy righteousness. Accomplish the number of Thino elect." "Quicken our zeal, 0 God. Turn away from our offences. Put fire in our hearts." "Mako straight the crooked places. Break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron." Tho old man at tho table, red-faced, with ■white- moustache and hair, looking like a halo and hearty sea captain, gives a short address. Ho is Spurgeon's successor—the Rev. Archibald Brown. Bewaro of self-satisfaction, ho says. Don't put into your prayers too much me! Daniol was the most perfect character in-the Old Testament. Yet Daniel approached tho Mercy-seat with shame and confusion of face. "Shino on Thy sanctuary," Daniel prayed. Ho didn't say, "Shino on mo." Then Lord Kinnaird, tho middlo-aged man. at tho table rises to speak for a few moments. Hβ is a typical man of business. His utterance is crisp; shorthand sharp. Nothing of the fanatic about him. No sign of sanctimoniousness. Talking to us afterwards ho speaks with quiet assurance of the visible results of prayer, especially when it is offered up with special aims Iby a large body of Christians at the same time. Every year since 1846 tho Evangelical Alliance has organised for the week beginning on the first Sunday of tho year a series of world-wide prapor-meetings. It began in a small way. Now a hundred countries are included in tho annual effort to bring before the Almighty the special needs, social and spiritual, of the age.

NEW ARCHBISHOP.

CONFIRMATION AND PROTEST. The decorous dullness of a small street in Westminster was suddenly enlivened on Jannary 19 by the appearance of four young men carrying a large banner which bore these words: "Warningl The new Archbishop is a Romaniser." ' In front of the banner walked another young man in a silk hat, wearing a large paper scarf inscribed, "Oh, for another Cromwell." Other placards were ■ exhibited declaring "We want no Popery," and denouncing "Asqnith's betrayal of Protestantism." Arrived outside Church House, this odd little procession halted, and Mr. Kensit, a small and nervous figure, detached himself from it. Accompanied by two older men, ho knocked at the door, and, after a littlo parley, was admitted. His object was to protest against the confirmation of the Bishop of Stepney's election to be Archbishopof York. This ho was obliged to do, not in the large hall where the ceremony took place, but in a eommittco room, to which tho general public were not admitted. Around a green-baise tahlo sat the Archbishop of Canterbury with six other prelates, all in their robes. There was the Bishop of Durham, with a rosy countenance like that of the conventional John Bull, the Bishop of Rochester, with a legal air about him, and tho'Bishops of Winchester, Worcester, Southwark, and St. Albans, all bearded, spectacled, and scholarly of mien. There wero also several lawyers, gowned and bowiggod, Mr. Cripps, the Vicar-General, looking like a legal portrait that had stepped from some eighteenth-century frame. _ The proceedings were short and businesslike. Mr. Kensit read his protest, the Primato ruled it ont of order, and that was all. The Archbishop made it quite dear that he was expressing no personal oninion as to the acts alleged against Dr. Cosmo Gordon Lang (toleration of and participation in "Mass practices," defence of "confession," and so forth). The subject was, he admitted, "open to wide differences of opinion." But the lav laid down on tho subject was definite and distinct. As Royal Commissioners appointed to confirm tho election, ho and tho other prelates had no power to consider such allegations. "I am quite satisfied," Mr.. Kensit declared, and promised thai there should be no protest at tho ceremony itself. Half an hour later the Commissioners and lawyers filed into tho Great Hall, sparsely occupied by spectators, and the legal formalities were a;ono through. The Archbishopdesignate took the oath to bo faithful to King Edward, and swore that he had not obtained his office by means of bribery I His appointment was declared valid.

. SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

WESLEYANS AND THE CONNEXIONAL UNION. There arc nearly a million scholars in. the Sunday Schools of Wesleyan Methodism, meeting in over SOOO soparato buildings (says the London "Daily News"). Out of this number less than one-half are affiliated with tho Coiuiexional Sunday School Union. The problem of the Connexional Committee has been to devise a method by which all tho schools in tho denomination can bo brought into lino. A committee appointed at the last conference for the direction of the affairs of the Sunday school department, has had its final meeting, and has decided upon some important constitutional changes. Henceforth, all tho Sunday schools m Great Britain shall bo expected to become affiliated with the Connexional Union, the compulsory affiliation fee is to bo abolished, and every school will bo required to nialco an annual contribution to the department, sucli contribution to entitle the school to the benefits offered by tho union. In conversation with an official at the union offices a representative of "The Daily News" was informed that tho Wesleyan Sunday School Union was engaged in a forward movement which would increase the efficiency of tho schools throughout tho dejwnrinatton.

PASTORS AND CHURCHES,

BAPTIST UNION'S DOLD SCHEME. The Council of tho English Baptist Union lias decided on a scheme which will put an. end to tho loug-standing grievances of pastorless churches and churchless pastors. Recently a ."Daily Nowe" representative interviewed the lie v\ J. H. Shakespeare, secretary of the Union, who will present tho schenio to the Baptist Union at its spring session in 131oomsbury Central Church. "Our object," said Mr. Shakespeare, "is to securo tho freedom-of the church to terminate its engagement! with its and_ to prevent the Baptist pastorato Incoming a harbour of refugo for fools. The first part of tho scheme suggests tho fedoration of tho existing Baptist colleges, the abolition of tho right of tho selection o£ students by isolated and uncorrclated committees, and tho transference of that right to the Council of tho Baptist Union, "Then, granted that tho ministor has been accepted by tho denomination as a, whole, we want to secure him tho opportunity of changing his sphero of .ministry should lie desire to do so. Wβ hope to secure this by a voluntary federation of tho. churches under the control of a central representative board. These churches must agree not to invite a person as their pastor without tho consent of this Board. The invitation will bo for throe, five, or seven years. At tho end of each period tho invitation may bo renowed by a vote of not less than two-thirds of tho church members—an approximation to the Methodist system. "Should a minister be without a chtrrch-i the Board of Control will appoint him to u vacant charge for twelve months, and if at! tile end of three successive yearly changes| ho is still without .1 pastorato or an invita- , tion, ho will be quietly dropped. "A sustentation fund is tho- necessary completion of the scheme. The minimunt stipend will bo from £100 to £130, ing to family and to the absence of posJ session of a manse."

CHRISTIANITY AND BUSINESS.

A DIFFICULT. EXPERIMENT.

An extraordinary decision was amvod al l recently at a religions conferenco in Clovoland, Ohio. The conference was the outcome of a revival which has been in progress in; Ohio for some time, and which has given riee ( to numerous scenes of religious enthusiasm' similar to those which marked the revival ia< Wales a year or two ago. The conference-] was attended by 1800 delegates, representing;' 11,000 revivalists, and was held for the pur-] poso of deciding upon some scheme to givethe world practical proof of the genuineness-i of their Christianity. After discussion the delegates passed a resolution pledging the whole' of the revivalists whom they represented to live for two weeks exactly as Chrisfi would do if he wore on earth to-day. Butt the practical result has not been satisfactory.] In accordance with American business! methods, tho cases were all card-indered, and{ the reports at the end of tho first woek won*/ very significant, if rather depressing. Very,] many of those who took the resolution said,j after a week's trialj that they must "cither side-track the Christian life or lose theirj It was those who were in subordinate) positions and therefore not masters of their own actions who complained. Clerks said re was impossible- in an American offlco to hi genuino followers of Christ. They wero r«M quired to tell people things that wero nott true, or to write deceptive or lying lettered It was comparatively easy to keep one's prvj vato life in acoordanco with the teachings of Christ, said a young lady clerk, But it wast another thing to try to live like Jesus whom you had to work with those who did not synw pathise with your aims. In epito of dis-i couragomonts the experiment in Cleveland! goes on, and the plan is to be tried in Nowf York and other cities. One religious papet suggests that the experiment ought to hava some good effect—if only that of bringing to the light business and social conventions that are glaringly inconsistent.with the spirit an! 'teaching of Christ. ■■"■;. ■' ' ;.

Y.M.C.A. NOTES,

At tho annual reception, given by Mr*i Hugh Dkon (president of the Sydney' Y.M.C.A.), a farewell message was read fromj Sir Harry Rawson, the retiring Governor or Now South. Wales. "To young Australian manhood," continued His Excellency, "L would onco moro urge tho importanco of that small word 'duty.' In it lies so much. Oα its observance so much depends. There iaf duty to one's God, duty to ono's King, duty to ono's country, and duty to oneself. To» be a manly Christian is.the aim and objecfe of every member of your association. Loyalty; to tho throne and person of our Sovereign, and love for the Empire is but tho naturaF sentiment of every sou of Great and Greater Britain. Long may it continue to be so. Tho future of this fair land lies in tho hand* of its young men and women, who can, ly{ their individual and collective action, makes or mar its destiny. Duty to oneself, thoughjj last, is by no means least, and I would entreat the -young Christian men of your asso-j ciation to try and remember that in biddings farewell, my last words to tliem wore:—l 'Respect yourselves, respect your women- , kind, bo thorough and straightforward in, all your doings, and avoid sham, and s» prove yourselves to be gentlemen of the gre.vfcEinpiro to which we aro all so proud tobolong.'"

Tho fifth annual dinner of tho Levitt Y.M.C.A. was celebrated on Thursday ovening, when Mr. H. N. Holmes, general secretary of tho Wellington Y.M.C.A., delivered an address. The Wellington Association contemplate ft big extension in educational classes during tho coming winter, and a splendid prospectus is boing prepared. Tho Ladies' Auxiliary of tho local association arc arranging for a monster sale of work, to bq held in June, to complete furnishing building. Tho first open night, for ladies and gentlenion will be hold in tho Wellington building; on Monday next, when a unique biograpli and gymnastic demonstration will bo held, ia aid of tho Penguin Disaster Fund.

JOTTINCS.

Mr. J. H. Coates, for several years in the service of tho Homo Mission department of the New South Wales Presbyterian Church, is coming to the Dominion with an excellent record, as supply in the New Zealand Home Mission scheme. He will probably bo stationed at Seddouville, Westland. At a recent meeting of tho Presbyterian Homo Mission Committee, northern section, it was reported that , 19 stations were in need of agents, and that to supply their warns there were only twelve men available. Thoro is reason, however, to believo that in a very short time tho supply will bo much noro nearly equal to tho demand than it is now. When Sister Lilian, tho former deaconess of St. John's Church, was married, prior to Dr. Gibb's departure on bis visit to Britain, it was decided to: leave the appointment of another deaconess in abeyance- during tho minister's abseuDo. Dr. Gibb lias now l>ecn authorised to appoint a deaconess, and this is likely to bo douo during tho next few weeks. Tho Presbyterian Theological College at Dunedin will bo ready for tho reception of students early in April. Tho ceremonial ot official opening will take place early in May, whon the building will be entirely completed, Tho Rev. G. M. Rice, who is returning to England after holding the pastorate of the City Tabernacle at Drisbano for the past four years, states that at present tho Baptist churches in the Commonwealth are too loosely organised. He has great hopes that the Australian Baptist Congress, shortly to bo held will promote a closer brotherhood among them. Tho Rov. B. J. Williams, who hns been acting as assistant Homo secretary to tho London Missionary Society for the past two years, is leaving for Australia, when ho will succeed the Rev. Joseph King as organising agent for Australia. Mr. J. D. Jones, of Bournemouth, who ii about to enter on his duties as chairman ol the English Congregational Uiiion, is one of the youngest ministers who have attained to this responsible position, being only fortythroe years of age. Dr. R. \V. Dalo wae only thirty-nine when ho was chairman, and Dr. J. H. Jowott, chairman in 1906, forty-' two«.