CHURCH CONFERENCE AT MASTERTON.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 672, 24 November 1909, Page 11

CHURCH CONFERENCE AT MASTERTON.

"^CHRISTIAN''SCIENCE .AND'MENTAL.:' I }SM\- ••:' ;; :' : '.' - 'healing. ■. ;.■•.; •-'■■] ■y-r ';;':""': RICHES AND POVERT\T. ; ' - ; ■ .■, A confereiico of/clergy aud laity held in St. .Matthew's ; Church, Mastcrton, last; week', was largely' atteudud, tho Anglican Bishop oi .Wellington . (Dr.'Wollis) acting ns chairman, Tho first subject of discussion was a paper'b'y tho.bishop, entitled "Christiiin Science and Mental or Spiritual Healing." V" ■:''■'!l .The Bishop'said that pnin and suffering were. 1 not- lilways.in all circumstances, evil things; .Christina Science ■■.teaches that pain, is not compatible . K-God. of love, but God •. is. a God 'of love—therefore pain docs not really exist. ': Christian ..{Science 1 ' teaches;: that God could riqt ! have made His creatures capable of suffering', but Bishop Wnllis remarked that if-' Ho'.made ; llis .creatures '.capable of. they 'sufferqd,.- he saw.Vno difference. . Other systems :hllied .to Christian Science acknowledge the : pain and suffering, but tench that \Vc can so enter into the.life of God ns to bo exerript;Worn, pain and disease/ .Bringing the wholo question to a practical issue, the bishop ,said that wo could enter into union with God j through.' Jcstis Christ only, and'it: was hecessary, .to see '.what ::Christ\taught' about suffering 'and7.what .He did, with, regard /to,'■;tho oufferers.i"' Appcalijie to the New-'Testament;' it;was : found-that Christ did heal, arid so did ;His .disciples.' in. obedience ' to., the ' Master's express; command. ; The question: to be faced, then, was: ; ;Has. : the Church lost this power, to heal, the sick?','ln answer to : this it must be remembered that the cures ; wcro -not .univer- j sals' instances were, given- where euros, were not effected, showing at least that-God did ..riot, always :.think it, bbstrto.,heal,:'.also''-showing that suffering had it* purpose to.; serve.'. It is .quite clear that tho Church ; could and should do more 'in; the :,direction of., mental and : spiritiial healing—but .'only by greatly strengthening her spiritual forces rind.by creat-,, ing in-the mind of the patient a'ihopeful expectation Of recovery. He; thought the \ Church in tho near-future; would do more in'this, matter' by; the, prayer ; of faith- and tho laying on of. hands: for - while 'it was always,; ovident that .there were:cases .which-should, not.be prayed .for,'. : -' as,: for -, instance,'; tlio restoration ,of. an ':ampiita(ed■ limb,.';at the salno';timo ■ many;;remarkable .•'cures had, heen-.effected. by '■■ creating .hi';the mind ,of tho paticnt;.a. strong./and. expectant .'.hopefulness.: For the Church to do this, however, she. must rehew-jand-deepen; her spiritual-life. .'■ ?:-;.' /-,- : ;;.:;. ■'■'■'■■■.■.■:■■.'■: : The::Rcv., V, Kitcat introduced the .second subject /for' discussion, • "The Teaching of the v Ohurch. withv;Regard -to'.the. Acquisition : . and Possession 'of-. Wealth," .-■ Tho speaker, stated that; Christianity .was riot a- system,:but, an unveiling: of God. -It appealed to the -spirit within,- arid daid [ down- the principle of man's duty; to God and to !his'neighbour; but if left men'!tb'wOrk!out;tho application. Christianity insisted .Upon' the responsibility': of -wealth,' and ;,the "rich"wero.'cnutiqned' that they .must /give an account'of..tho use they made; of their /money.v/.//,//.' -/v-: - •. / /-/■:■'-,, '-'.'rf-'■'.::■ / ■/Mr.:.J. T.' Fowler said : the Christian .on -the subject/of .wealth declared that -wealth-.was -a'; trust,-which/must be administered'"faithfully.' In ■ -particular ycases'.-' abandonment was . advised ("Seir,all.-.'that;thou ■ hast iand-.give; to .tho poor.") - Christians of early days accepted this ) call,' '.and/-bishfips /'vied, .with -each . other in '.charity,; v whilo;.a; strong 'feeling !of -.sympathy ./between '. 'the: different dioceses/ -'Tlie 'speaker/quoted 'several at the iLambdth>Conference of .1308,' in' 1 which it .was/heldCthat-property.^was a.-trust/held.in trust' ; for%the:l/sommu'nity;:/./v' -:.r■"'.;■ ■■'?"■'■ : i ■ '■'■■• .fThe/.lW;:'-;W.T':Eaino;stated/;thdt' Christ .did' -not'; propound a/social l : scheme.--.''Tt was 1 his object to, reach; the: individual, for society -vis •not./to/'reform -:the'individual,v;but the 'indiyiduM/had .to reform 'society,'JvCh'rist/Chose" his. followers alike from the poor/arid the ;rich./\Wevhad ; among,.us the superabundantly', .rich, the 'needy poor, /who /were ,'un- • 'able, even to/purchase ; the ■ necessaries, of -lift?; 'Inequality,-;he contended, was.not/orilj.it was a mark-of social progress. But. such extreme" -inequality was a mark of social"disorder, and' should/be-rectified. '■'■:■( '/■'■-:.:,""■: ■',-',•'..'

-.Mr.'.Holtz stated that wealth- came/'chioJly.through,three'.sourceSr7Tviz.,.:tho soil/industry,' and commerco.' /With: regard to I .'the. first,' a man'mast.' not. acquire land which- he' did r not ,intond ,to -usej;.wyo > ~ja, regard^to..>thoi«csilvd, it .-was.the .duty, of an .employer; to see'-'tfiatji his einployees: did ruot.livo.'sordidl'and squalid'' ■lives. .Dealing:with the:third.- he/statedthati in' /nnd:.:tr.tists.. in /food.;^'stuffs,-.co'uld"'' hardly ho termed /(christian: acts.;'.;-: / .'■■•'.' .;.•(•..- -■■■■ ■•,■...,:, ? .■:' Ml ;^>E n Jl is »i«de ; allusion to the'ovils'whicli;miglit. rcsri t fram. the Uign" rents that ob-i tained/iri..the.-:towns of New ; Zealand. -■ ■' - .*! ■:2 'I'he';;Rev./R. ; Young,. Carterton,;:'stated , that? I God.; never 'intended, that 'there /should be" grmdirjg„.poverty,/drudgery„aiid ignorance, aridroforms/iu.this'respect should bo led by the Church. // '//v.; •.. ,■ .-/:.:■/-:. '~„.' ;- 1 :-•'■•'•,.■./■.';'./.