RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 490, 24 April 1909, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

VOLUNTARY OFFERINCS. AN ANGLICAN INCREASE. . The summary of the voluntary offerings of tho Church of England for tho year ending Easter, 1908, extracted from this year's edition of tho "Official Year Book," .shows an increase of £514,502 upon tho total of tho previous twelve months. This is partly, but only partly, accounted for by the Pan-Angli-can Thank-offering. Under every heading there is an increase, which is shown a.s ■ follows :— , . igog 1907 _ 8; Homework... .... 719,605 768,576 Forei R n work ... ' 836,921- 8«2,297 Educational .;. 79,435 95,021 Clergy charities ... 271,814 - 292,943 Philanthropic work 580,797 652,116 Parochial clergy ... 846,719 .. 867,170 Easter offerings ... 105,789 ■; 110,921 Elementary educa- - " ■",„ tion ..''470,118 ' ■670,012 General Church pur- ''.: '■'•■■' poses (church build- ' • ••..■..- ing, etc.) ... 3,65(1,830 3,852,608 General purposes... 2,488,757 2,690,954 Parochial purposes ' 4)973,668 5,285,792 Referring to tho above ''figures tho. Church. "Times" says:—"ln every .department..there' was a material increase, of .subsqriptions, and even under, the item 'of .elementary education, which includes Sunday schools, wo note a. rise of moro than £100,000, the figures for 1907' being £470,118, aud.thoso. for 1908, rising to, £576,012.. Altogether, tho voluntary, offerings' amount to a 1: total; of: nearly eight , .millions sterling. Thisy.'pf course, must ba regarded with satisfaction.; -All this.increase in financial support argues an extended sympathy with the general -"activities of the Church." Tho article/.gbes'on. to refer to the fact that statistics" for.:tho.Diocese of London show a falling off.oil confirmation candidates, and adds: "There "would'appear.to; bo a danger lest, while; : w,o arcso.busy.;collecting funds, wo ;neglccting ;,the duty, of recruiting communicants;.,who, .and; not silver or gold, are tho : material'with which the Church neede'to bobuiltr;!'—. .••—'■

WHERE THE CHURCH FAILS. DILUTED SPmiTOaS;;^;:;:./' The Rev. E. B. Moyerj::wys : ;;that ;;.j''wo liavo heard a groat deal of; the -JLrrestcd progress of .the Churcli; and, alas! -'there are but too mauy evidences of, it, ... As ' I travel over the country. I; meet with' few exceptions to the generaljament over tho Recession of the tide. But, in my. judgment, it is not due to the New"-Theology,-.nor.-to tho rise 'of Christian Socialism,; but to', the • diluted spirituality of the Ohiirc]i; -The oldtime temperature, in which; prayer : meetings, missionary '• effort, family prayer, .-and. twiceattendanoe at' the place of " worship,' ' Used to flourish is vory seusibly lowered. .. . . ■ ."Congregations do not appreciate tho spiritual nutriment that used to bo the staple, of the morning sermon, but demand sometiling lighter and ir ore interesting. The'spirit of praise and worship is slackened, and the choir is requisitioned to voice tho sentiments which once ' were expressed by the full strength of the congregations.' I am not bringing railing accusations, i trust; I know there, are many bright and notable exceptions. r write-these words very tearfully and sadly, and all who know me can bear witness to my broadening outlook on men and things, and cheery optimism. 1 ani no sour-faced bigot; but it breaks my heart to see the decay of the old strong : spiritual robustness of our forefathers, duo "to tho material wealth, the love of pleasure, the superficiality and scrappiness of our age." ANCIENT HYMNS.' EARLY christian songs popular TO-DAY. The Rev. Percy Dearmer, Vicar of St.; Mary's,'' Primrose "Hill, delivered tho first of a series of addresses on "Hymns and Their Music" at tho St. Paul Crypt Chapel recently. '. ■!'. • Mr. Dearmer said tho Psalms were really hymns. All the peculiar notions peoplo had about hymns wero wrong, such us that a hymn was not a hymn unless ; addressed directly .to God. "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus," in the ideas of some people, was not a .hymn. All those objections applied equally to tho Psalms. ■ , : • ; _ Hymns wero sung right through the-Chris-tian era. Pliny said tho Christians met every day beforo tho sun rose to sing a hyhm to Christ as God. There was no doubt at all that wo had somo hymns directly from the Greek Church. "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," belonged to tlie fourth, century or earlier, and the."Gloria' in. Excelsis" to the fifth century or earlier. The "To Deurn." in spito of. the legend ascribing ,it to Augustine, really camo from the East, and was originally, ill Greek. The Greek hymn "0 Gladsomo iLight, 0 Grace," was mentioned about tho year 370 as being then an old liymn. It was the hymn sung at tho lighting of tho lamps, and was tho most 'ancient'hymn in any. of tho hymn-books. ! . y CHURCHES' MISTAKES. WRONG WAY TO ATTRACT WORKERS. Ono of tho most energetic apostles of Labour, tho Rev. Charles Stolzle, of. New York, director of the Church and Labour aiid Emigrant Departments of';tho" Presbyterian Church of Amorica, is now iu'Londoii.-Ro is, perhaps, the only man in the Presbyterian ministry-who has received ordination without going through the theological training course. Ho was a street pedlar at the age of eight, a child slave in a cigar factory'at twelve, and a mechanic from his,.tcens'to:his majority. Ho became interested in mission work, studied at Moody's Institute at Chicago, founded a workingmcn's • church at St. Louis, and engineered the great mission at the St. Louis Exposition. ' Interviewed by a "Daily News" represenMr. Stelzlo said, "I am studying the Labour problems in Europe at first .hand. I have mot Herr Bebcl in. lierlin and workers' leaders in Franco and Belgium." Sly ultimate aim is not so much to get tho workingmen to go to church as to get tho Church to go to the workingmen. The Church must talk less about tho building-up of tho Church and more about the building-up' of tho people. The keen and true criticism of' tho worker has been that the Church has been interested in him simply'that ho might, go to church. Christian men. seem to: 'have forgotten that tho Church is not an end; it is only a means to an end., The end is helping the peoplo to a fuller life. In the past the Ckurc'h has been so much interested, in the evangelical that it has forgotten tho social'side' of life. All that must bo'altercd. Jesus Christ never fed tho hungry or healed the sick because lie wanted them to gather, round Him, but simply because Ho had compassion on them." Turough 300 syndicated' Labour, newspapers, Mr. Stelzlo speaks to millions of workers every week in his leading article, and thus wields an influence second to none oil tho labouring men of America. NEW PSALMS. DISCOVERY BY DR. •R. HARRIS! '' A singularly interesting which attracted considerable attention among exports, was given at Mansfield Collcgo by Dr. Rondo) Harris, of Birmingham, on 'A. rc-contly-discovercd Judaeo-Christian Psalter,'.." says tho "Christian World;" •• "On January 4 lie was searching through a heap of dirty Syriac MSS. in his library when he found a bundle of leaves which lie took to bo an old, edition of tho Syriac Psalter. Oil examination it proved to bo a nearly complete collection of Psalms and Odes of Solomon. At the end there occurred practically tho wliolo of tho known Psaltor of Solomon in Syriac, but beforo this camo a collection of psalms or hymns hitherto unknown—save, for quotations which occur in Lactantius arid in a curious compilation known as tho Book of Faith Wisdom. Tho whole book contained sixty to sixty-one psalms. It was evident that ffom two to three times more Solomonic matter was now to-hand than had been formerly known. "All the missing matter which was current in. the-'early. Church under the name'of Solomon lias been recovered, said Dr. Harris, with t-lio exception of : the little which was lost through a' slight mutilation of'the MSS. Dr. Horns road at length several of tho Pmlmn in English, proving that they were

marked by a fino imagination, and reflected a. lofty spiritual experience. Ho claimed Hint in their raro beauty they would tako rank with tho Canonical Psalter oil tho one hand, and with tho finest expressions of Christian devotion on the other. He thought thoy were- probably tho work of an escaped Hebrew Christian. . Some of them wore quite without Christian colour." ; A FAMOUS HYMN. Mr. Albert Midlanc, tho well-known oo» togeuarian hymn-writer, who resides at Forest Villa,-Nowport, England, was present recently at a memorable service, held in the Market Place, Newport, to celebrate the jubilee of tho writing on his world-famous hymn, "There's a Tried for Littlo' Children." The venerable gentleman addressed ; tho massed Sunday-school teachers and scholars of his nativo town, giving some interesting reminiscences of hymns and liymii" writers formerly connected-with tho Islo of Wight—among them Mrs. Luke (author of "I Think' when I Head") and tho late Rev, Dr. Binnic. The Vicar of Newport spoko of tlio wonderful mission that had been accomplished by Mr. Midlano's beautiful hymn. '.Then, the children Eang it, .amid a scene of : extraordinary fervour. Considering, his advanced age—l|O is over 81—Mr. Midlano is in remarkably good health. Ho has'received .congratulations from all parts of the world. .

Y.M.O.A; NOTES. ■■;"■■• .■''.■■-.'• (By H.N.H.) .The Australasian Y.M.C.A. Easter Tourna* niont.hold in' Sydney last week was, in every .way, a remarkable.success. Tho star attraction v was tho. Marathon raco, of 26 miles 885 yards, which was , , won by A. R. Sime, of the Sojuth Sydney Harriers, whoso timo wai 31irs. oniim 30 l-ssec. .:.'.'' Tho British" National Council and the Liverpool" Y.M.C./i.,".together will conduct work" for "'emigrants' at Livorpool, Upon tho v I invitation of.the.National Secretary (Mr. W, .'HS"Mills),Y.M'f.' Johiv Sumner, of.-'tho Indue* trial.Department, will shortly spend somo months.in Liverpool in this co-operative effort. This will bo the third port at which .work: for emigrants has been started, secretaries having previously been installed at •Naples; and Genoa. Tho breadth and generosity "of spirit of the European associations in undertaking this work is suggested by the fact that a Ijirge proportion of tIiCBO emigrants will" never.', be more than aliens, for; whom tlio'-'associations at ' these 1 port .cities': lie'ed not feel; great responsibility. Work by American associations may have some ..element'of- self-interest, because thcEe new "converts are coming Americans.. Not so '.with' associations in England. Theirs cau only.: bo the .unselfish motive. From tho civic and ; economic point of view, they have all to give -arid , nothing to gain in their scr-Vico'of-the emigrant. ....'. .', 'Tliero is,an engineer, in the north-west of, America known as MY.M.C.A. M'Mann.'' This is how-he got his initials. Four years ago,..when, howeiit to tho west to take a position in" the town of K ,ho was directed by the master mechanic ,'.to,; tho Atlantic Hotel. Hero ho was frequently iuyited to drink, and always.declined. It was iiot long before tho proprietor, said to. him, "Mr. M'Mann, 1 am not in the hotel business for my health. Since, you spend nothing at tho bar, 1 think you would bo uiorc comfortable in a private, bqardinghousc.' 1 The hint was as good as a kick. But two of M'Mann's friends camo from the east to this hotel, and though not drinking at home, soon lost their position through intoxication. M'Mann began to "talk Y.M.C.A." He secured , £130U in cash from railroad , men, which, is now being spent for the furnishings of tho association building, erected by the railroad company, and costing £6000. It will not be necessary now to send a railroad ..man to an hotel, for ho can sleep and cab at the / association building. "Y.M.C.A. M'Maiin". ■ says: "This is. my revenge." ■.'.-'During the Easter Camp of the Boys' Department of tho Y.M.C.A., which was at-;, tended by 150 lads, the following provisions wero consumed:—6solb. of meat, 325 loaves of bread, 901b. of butter, 70 gallons of milk, 1401b. of sugar, 751b. of oatmeal, 561b. of Hour, and 501b. of jam. , Tho daily routine of the camp was as follows:—-Rouse,; 6.30 a.mJ; soap and towels, 6.45 a.m.; setting updrill, .7 a.m.; character; building,' , 7.ls-a.m.; breakfast,. 7.45 a.m. j tent inspection, 8.45 a.m.; camp routine, 9,15 a.m.; sports, 9.30 a.m. < swim, 11 a.m.; dinner, 12.30 p.m. j sports, 2.15 p.m.; tea, 5.30 p.m.; camp fire, 7.30 p.m.; roll call, 9 p.m.; prayers, 9.20 p.m.; lights out, 9.30 p.m. , . . ' , JOTTINCS. I''"' 1 : "Tho Rev. Evan Jones is anativeofCorn's, near the border c-f the counties of Merioneth and Montgomery," says the Rev. K. Elvot Lewis, M.A., in an interesting character sketch of the new president of the Freo "Clvuroh. Counoil, in the "Homo Meseengor." "It ia a Hand of narrow glens and rugged hills, commanded by the towering height of Cadcr Idris. It is no fanciful flight io say that he bears the impress of tho natural sur- ' roundings-'of early life. Tho conditions 61 Welsh life about the middle of tho 'last century helped to make him what ho is. Religiously, Walks was then growing Nonconformist'; but politically it was only begin* ning to find its voice. Ho has preached, ho lias, taken. prominent part in the organic development of Welsh Calviniwtic Methodism j ho lias also written iiicesrantly on the questions of tho day from the standpoint of e Welsh Nonconformist!" ■■ ■"";'■. Tho Rev. Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler, tho American preacher and writer of world-wado fame; died at Newark, U.S.A., on February , 26, at Wio ago of 87. From 1860 to IS9O Dr 'Cuylor was.-minister, of. 'Lafayette- Avenue" Presbjtcirian Churcii; Brooklyn. In. the first twenty-five years of brV Brooklyn pa&toraie he is eaid to .have received into church membership 3010 persons,..'ls6o of.them on con-' feroion of. for-fii. During the same period he preached' 2300 kc-rmbns, and gave 1000 other addresses." Brcides this, he furnished in. all nciriy 'four thousand aiticlos and liters to religious jeiiimils in America and Europe. Of liis twciiiifcy4wo - milCulicd volumes, one has" boon. tr3iiV/lat«r,uito Dutch and five- intoSwedish. Many of .h's.boc-kB have bean'Mpublished ill England. With, theological questions and 'controversies he 'nowise cc-nconied himself;' tliou(dv strongly, conservative in' has; vdews, ho-devoted'all jiis energies to tho caw practical aim of winning nic-n to Clirkt and building-them-up in Ckrstisn' character. On Easter Day, l§9o, Dr. Cnyler leagued the burdoai erf his pastorate, receiving a memorial gift.of: £.6000: froin his , Hβ. then: devoted 'himsV.f to a ministry ct large, publislicd, ■"iii''l9o2;'"-liis\ "Rccolkctions of :& Long Life,"'and contributed a great deal to t.W ve-iigiouß press. ■ '■■'•" •■' ■ 'In Joint committre on Union, although 'coniploting tho work for which it was originally appointed, did-not dissolve itself. It maintained life and organisation in order to deal further with the interesting question whetlibr it may bo possible to include uie Anglican. (Episcopalian) Church of Canada also in thiS'combination.' A communication received frok the ''Anglican General Synod., emphasised strertuously tho ."historic , episcopate." To ; this tho joint committee, alter longthy discussion,anatlo tho following reply: "This committee, regrets that it is unable to accede to this condition, but if the Church of England in Canada shows that it is willing', to interpret the ' historic episcopate' in a liberal spirit and to meet the joint committee on a free and equal basis to explain its interpretation, the joint conference on Church Union will be glad to meet with tho proper representatives." In;relation to air this movement toward Church Unity in Canada, Principal Patrick,', chairman of the Presbyterian representatives, declared ati tho close of tho conference, that what has so far been : accomplished in tho greatest stop forward, in. the" religious world sinco the Reformation. The practice- of repeating tho Ten Commandments in Sunday school has found an, assailant in Mr. H. C. Huglies, a wcllkuown educationalist. argument is that tho Commandments aro dcfectiio in their moral and filial aspects; and that they make;'out God to: bo unjust, 'whereas the prophets and tho Now Testament prove Him to uo a. just and merciful God. Further, he points to tho absence- of humanity or: philanthropy in tho Commandments and to tho omission of any condenuiation of vices like slavery, "gambling, and drink." Altogether ho regards tho Ten;: Commaudments-as being umtorthy of tho'high standard of the SUnday schools, j Quite recently- wo heard.;.a', popular preacher describe tho "Golden Rule'.', aa_ a "Brazen Rulo." Evidently tho spirit of ioonoclasm is; in, tho air.