FRIENDS' CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 506, 13 May 1909, Page 4

FRIENDS' CONFERENCE.

A (GLANCE AT CHURCH HISTORY. Mr. W. B. Mathoson (Eketahuna) ad:;s'v'k<3:" r b???d y'\ "if? Conferenco'Vyestordav l oif'-r:-;:ffi'vN&ii jj Zealand 'from ■■ a' . ... ; Spiritual, Standpoint."-. As a' rcsulfc-of'.tlio discussion \vhich followed, the conference dec'ded to send.a-spocial message,of sympathy ™d-encouragement to frionds in tho. back-vy/2;v-V''Plpgks.-.S.^VV.; I;^;,i-' tm r- £ Un i d Gregory (Dargavillo) spoko on ■: „ - r? rln - Question," and;, made. 'several i';;.;!.; '-suggestions for -tho furtherance.'of the torn- : ?■> • ;i" y s :perance cause; M .the afternoon sitting ,J)r. livored an address on "Early Christian Wor- . , He f 111(1 ho thought it possible that ito;earthi%He,;would,not altogethor condomn the-present variety in ;■ . modes of .worship/ Men of different races, . V states; of" oultuTo • jnieht ' require 'diversities of helps" in their efforts : to reach out after tho Infinite and Eternal. t '■' K" a fter,.;,tllb , chief: worship; among His , , jhaciplos was Jewish, , but there was also a' ;. s tately; more; intimaje,"''worship-, in. 1 their' comes. As tho Church spread to other . s Pntrc3 than Jerusalem,-its worship was ■H.• 'fjedificd.. . ijiis , _ .Gontile-Christiari'worship i omcs tic: char'aeter'-"and .w'as: : , c in • ■ pon - ftir or' in. tho, upper Elaborflto: spccta-' worship wire impos- • , ."' l .Ti'" 1 i^ lC 4horefore could not bo regarded as of ll:o essdnco '.of . Such was the picturo of <<arly worship the-Acts '. , wo Ap oS tic S .- i„ tho first-Epistlo to tho tjormtliians were to bo found materials' for Picture It Has a worship m which . •: ;juany ; people, male and female,-, took, part. „,,5° na ? prophesjing (which genorinspiredand; impassioned ~ tion),-tho nijstorious gift of tongues, and more intolleotual. gift of i ■ teaching.' lhcre was no distinction between 1 ;It,was^'in.'.tho.'.socond^bon-' 1 :V^^vV-i? r^vth^ : 1 ino f'giftsV'gavo;way ;to v. thflj ministry -or office. , 'Tho. prophbts.disap--!i;'-v- p. c 1 a , r ? d :and thoro.-arose an o'hioial 'hierarchy, Which, howovor, did good service in battling ?g a !"st tho errors of the time. Tho,chango ' ' tnat.took' placo,.jhstlio:;Clmrcli during the : ;iwo.':ceiiturioß ; -almost ; ! ent(tely : a W: c l tlar )S° 1 ,% tho Christians- surron- ■, dered thoir birthright of ■ froedom to a v ; wi;v ; v :USurping-:biorarchy ; ,.whith' cbntinudd' to' iri;Y: ■■crease its_-pretcnsious until 'it perpetrated the crowning infamy of tho Inquisition and the autos-da-fe of Philip H. of Spain. Much ; y ■: "V; 7 • 01 tho lost heritage of • liberty wa? won back the Roformatiou, and tho tounders of the bocioty of Friends had tried to win back still more. > They had Hot realised tho full beauty of their ideal, but the silent intervals in their meetings were ,a precious p'osscs- . Bion, ana : maao poagiblo; that many-sidoclj vv ®any-voicod- .CQiipjrogational -worship':-- and Chn'stiaii 6 W 0 WW ° knoftn to t! ) e early ' '-j . iho evening sitting :the conference" deClded to memonoliso tho against . a warlike policy and compulsory military - ; training : and a .comnutko - was : appointed ;y 4° . fiirtncr tho organisation of tho sooioty in New Zealand. ' „® r - nodgkin addressed tho conforonca on The Divinity of Christ," Ho said Jcsui) Oflnst Was the. central :su"n-in tho history of our race. From Him tho shadows fell backward and forward. Thoro was something ' , uimjue in the looking forward .of a whole nation to a, coming and - after Uirist the best in all tho;saintliost- mon was due,to Him Even what secmod to the Icc- . ; turer undesirable ceremonials owed its hold .. upon vmen's imaginations to the thought of Christ behind them. Ho: was tho Word of God,.the one transcendent expression of tho thought of tho Makor,to His croaturcs, tho • : ojio voice helpful abovo (ill others' to break the awful silence of .Natiiic, Ho was our ;, spirit's'rightful King, tho Son of God: ■ .The conference concluded .with a devotional period. Many of tho Friends will remain in torn over to-day: for a plenio at Scatoun, woathcr permitting. ; ' -