RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

SHOULD SERMONS BE READ? DR. WHYTE ON BOOKS AND '• -.",,'■ :: PREACHING; _.'■ ;- : ' .-■ Dr. Whyto (whose election to the"Principalship o£ Now .College,', noted, a few weeks back) conducts a wonderful .Bibleclass for young men: .; On. a.recent Sunday he took as his' subject' Gladstone as a Christian man. .In, the, .course of: his. address,' Principal Whyto\;camd'to'.Gladstorie's visit to Rome',' and told hbw.'Gladstone, had beetf.'strdck; with'.' ing of tho Italian" priests,' and .how much; power -they seemed;- to? gain by;having "their eye. on,-thd ; *people',"Viral -not-'.'on their .sermon-77its.;finiShr."'and;.':,'literary; quality. In his own geniaKway ho then asked,;those who.'preferred? a straight talk from tho pulpit '.to an'elabora'te lite-: rary production,..carefully .read, to- hold up .their handstand -a forest of hands appeared.. Then'?ho''asked?.tbosc.'of.:the : opposite opinion ;to"hold' up:; their .hands. Not more than?twelve* hands were raised;

■ At another;', service,? referring to. thetrashy -navels-'which ?lay -on even .some Christians' tables—and -which Oie'some-, times noticed.'.'.th'oy ..were so,, .ashamed of as to; cover over- with- an;-apron ,'whenariyone whose"- opinion-^they-? respected called—ho asked", his* audience' to' go; back: •to Bunyan, whero'they would find great classics..of ■ the-s'oul; -•' He made the, suggestion 'that ;with .the nean approach of Christmas a. "Tho Pilgrim's Progress" might r be/given to the: girl who .brought the new. .bonnet from the milliner, and to';, the.'.butcher ,boy, and'.'the baker. boy,,to; take the-place'of the trash they, were, at .-present and which' •was,' pcrhaps,'.preparing them for. filling the. gaols. Theyj.could get acopy from a. penny,- or,- if - tboy-wished to give' a 'present to a princes's,-.-they .could, gct,;a copy, at ten guineas; l , ':.■.; ' '.:.^.::,::: 2:.;t ;.;,.;..;;

METHODIST .CONNEXIONAL: SECRET : ■ ::.'.•■.; .-'-. ;•■ /;;/'''; : ;':/; 5 The connexiona'l 'secretary;, of,'' the Church of, .■Now".';"Zealand;'.',has.-.notified his intention :'o£;"Tetiring"from."o.ffice..and. active:work of. J the"Jlethbdist ministry'in 1911,: when '• lie will- have, completed 43 years of .service" in. the Church.": The Methodist "Outlpplc"' v ';endorses ; with' :tke fullest ; emphasis "■■■■ the "following/ tribute the-secretary 'by his committee:- 1 / "The committee/desires : cbrd its .appreciation/of/tie. manner'' in which, throughput ; ;the "whole,, period "of - his' appointment, ;3fr.;Buil has /discharged the: multifarious'duties ,of his onerous office. .'Elected .because of: the; marked ■ability anil fidelity /-which had characterised liis. long* career/in' circuit work and in important'.: official .positions, Mr." =Bull has fulfilled : inthis"'office the high expectations of "his brethren'; and', of; the. Church,at large? The Church Building and Loan i'und 'has'been handled with jealous caio and; \of;; the;/ S.S..' .loans, amounting to JG13;525, grarited-'during.his term, and "very largely, under' his counsel and advice, not: O no- shilling has Been lost, a fact. that, reflects. ; hpnour- upon Hhe various. boards. of. trustees as: well; asupon' bur esteemed- secretary. ; The-evi-dence of- the .confidence" of-the. Church, in "Mr. Bull's' administration is further ,seen in the- continuous -increase of. the strength of.our insurance' fund.; /In 1902 tho'.'value-iof: property insured in. our. office, wa5..'.£83,54(1;. it -is /now, £171,350, .showing;- an -average .increase. of; ,£IO,OOO a:year.'-: As;bonimrtteeinen, we' have found, our/task greatly- lightened by Mr. Bull's business; methods,..promptitude/ of .'.dis-' -patch;- and 'unfailing courtesy.,. Wo pray; that, this'devoted servant..of the. Church may,.be/spared'.- many: years',/to/enjoy .'.his, ■well-eariied ■ rest."/,/ The.', appointment/of, Mr'.; Bull's/: successor.-; will/ make".-.- the. /coming.; conference still', more.- interesting and .important//It-is. understood that the /connexiotial' '/secretary;' - "';has' nominated | three .'gentleiheif, ■ .'andv/in' the/r'fplI lowing': order 'S;-,-'Lawry/'Rcv. 'C. H.- Garland,' and .Eev.' W. Baumber.' '

'/'/ELECTION' OF :^bNVbc)VTIONV '^ . Considerable ;interesfc -will' attach. ,to- the elections to. thb,\Lowcr,-House of. Convoy• ; cation-,i.wnich,/bf-course, ;takp-place-with'; ;lho' , ;ge'TO'ral-:''eieciib'n'.''ftta'te's/an 'English! paper).//,The'subject/ of' t-he'-'reviad'a-off ithev' l Pray&rbo^k ; '-'and/'t]ie--'- i ,the ■ Atlian'risian (Creed- in its present position aid use are/thb "bnrning". subjects' ■ whiqh' are .most. prominently • before tlib minds; of- English • church -people 'at the ■ present'-time.. In all .-probability the .number,,of/ contested' elections ! ;for the 'office ,of proctor, 'two: 'for .each- diocese,; iwillrlie: far, more numerous tlian,,ha's;.fre.quentiy been ,v -the/case- in/times'/past.' The • London election fn'.'particular bids fair to/be/extremely ..interesting. /■ The' .present, senior .'proctor;. for/ the' diocese .of is-tie'Eev.. Prebendary; Ingram, /vicar, of ■} St.; MargiiTefs, who, for.'many: with .the late /grebendary 'Villiers, consistently; followed, .a; .strongly Conservative : policy;in' matters 'ecclesiastical./; On."the,';deatli.-of. Preben- - -dary Villiers, ■ at they ensuing: by-election■; the Reform party-gained an.' advantage, ,the. present vicar '.of Kensington .receiv-. ing tho. majority, of -votes'over his bppo-' nent, ,tlio . Eey.'/'A.'.F./ Hanbury-Tracy/ vicar of St. Barnabas' Church,"'Pitulico. Both Prebendary Ingrain'arid ''Prebendary Pennefather.^are standing; again,: :'whi}e. with them: as candidates-are., -the Eev. -Prebendary/'.'.Ram,'-.vicar, of. Hampton, -and' Dr.' ; A.-W: Bobinsbn, the Veil-known. vicar - - of:.'All-Hallows, Barking. It is.morethaii3rpbablo.that:.that large and,' strong-body of mbdefat'b church', opinion -.' which;' desires ; ; the/ improvement and cnricbment/-of -'the Prayer-book, so :that it' may ;Becpme,l"tho.;.living manual' of a living-church," will go. to the. poll in force, 1 arid.succeed in /returning Pre/herniary Pennefather and .Dr.. Robinson;- ; There' is likely," however, to be" an, inter-: 'csting and keenly, contested flection, and. a .-very-' little" cither' way "will '. affect the result.- '■'•; :,;.,-,>•;"'■'' -;'-; ?■' - -':;■;• -

A GREAT METHODIST,PREACHER. News .is to'.hand of-the death of' the Rev. Richard'rßoberts,-'•; one. of the great men- of English .'Methodism/: at:, an'advanced age. Ho.wasjn.many;ways a,remarkable man. .; ;:;;;.;'.;,.:..;.',':

, His last circuit was Lambeth, where he spent. threo busy. •years.-i'At'.the' expira-' tion of his terni there, at the'.Conference of 1888,.- he .retired,'.' taking.'.• up.'.', his";'resi-' Uence : .in: Sc. * Johu's -Wood,;, where .:he. continued to reside ■until-.'his».death.Y.-But up almost .to. the very, last .he" continued to .travel .and to /preaoh"as .from; the beginning. At the time,of 'his retirement in 1S88; it wag; calculated' that; Be had,' -upon .an average, ■> preachodi 300 times .every year, and' travelled 20,000 miles annually, during ,'>tho; forty-three ■' years .'of. his public ministry ,\'.th"atis 'to say,. had. preached more ,;,thah, 12,000 ..times/, and. travelled inoro than 860,000.:mi1e5.. .It may very safely, bo, said that no Methodist preacher"sinceVthe. days ..of. John AVesley travelled;.so''much > nnd certainly no Methodist preacher "that over lived preached, so many" sermons, opened so many new chapels,' "officiated-on. so-many anniversary occasions, as Richard ltobcrts. There was scarcely a. city, or town, or village ovon,' of any note which he had not visited, nor, during the whole period ■of his regular public." ministry, was 'he more than five Sundays silent, either, for Teasons of - ill-health or. from any other cause. ; r 'There were: places to which he was in the" habit of going annually, and 1 he,preached anniversary ser-' mons at Howden, every, year, for -' over, forty years.. Surely a unique record. • As'a preacher, Mr. Roberts was thoroughly Evangelical. -.: .He'was possessed of a commanding presence,: a well-modu-lated voice, a copious diction,' a imagination, .and a style of: ■• delivery which, while it was impassioned and rhetorical, was at the same time simple and iinpressivo'.' He seldom' preached' less than an hour, and very... frequently, in tho days of his strength, crowded congregations would listen spollbound, not only for. one'hour, but for an hour,and a half, or oven still longer.'..-■•.

CARDINAL NEWMAN'S FAITH.; . ,A correspondent of. tho London. "Rc'cord" sends that, paper aii: interesting., and hitherto unpublished letter written' by Cardinal-Newman',' in which he reiterated what die emphatically declared iu his "Apologia," that he had'never once 'regretted joining the Catholic Church., In 1877, the correspondent, then a young man, wrote to , the Cardinal expressing

regret; ; after reading ono of his sermons, ,' that.Dr. Newman had left the Church/ " Tho? Cardinal replied , in- a, letter, datei • The Oratory, ■■•November'.-.7,;.1877:—"Y0u. : do not know- the history' of' tho- convicj tions .which so; surpriso you, I cannot answer you better, though. I shall ,pai&i . sou,'than by quoting words which I pub-> v lished apropos of Mr.. Gladstone,, two •on ?. three years since, indirectly speaking of?.'.•: me in tho tono of your letter. I said ,i thus: Trom the day I became a Catholia • to - this day, now close upon thirty years* I have never had a moment's misgiving'.-■■■ that the communion 0f...80m0. is thai Church which the apostles set up aiPentecost, -which -alone has- the adoption; of sons,, and the glory and, the covenants,;.'. and the;revealed law and the service ofl r God and the promises, and in which- th« • ;Anglican Communion,.however'great tho-; excellence of individuals? in- it}-,-hasj', as;; such, no part. Nor;have T,over for. a''.' ;moment hesitated-since? 1845.in my...con- ; yictionthat it was my clear, duty- to join ■ . that : Catholic- Church, as, I then did-join- > .it,, which in.my own conscience \I- felt. \ to bp Divine.. Never for. a,moment hava..' I wished myself, back; never have I ceasod . to thank my.Maker for His mercy in oh- ■■'■ abling me to make the great?choice.?"■■■-!' '■' ..The" late Dr. Bowie,' '.who'; aspired- to; ba -;'-' knowu as-tho modern "Elijah,", seems':' to have been able?to?get together a col- '", lection of books such as' would' have.been *ar beyond the reach of tho prophets'of?;-! ■ : earlier times.' "His ■ library. was sold. th>? l other, day:-in.Chicago for, £im.",\' . ;:'

-".'•; : "' : ??,? : :^ 0 , TT !N GS -''.-.." ':?::??-f: : ? : :There..,woro,'?.,eighteen' Catiolio'.l.? 1 candidates?'.foi\?.Englisli and ■• Welsh.'.'con- '""' stituenciesi.."a..total," says the "Tablet,". . ?:' "exceeding that of .any past election in- f. .? tuo.'nieiubry'of man." ?.■''?.;'??';'■..;?v'?' • Mr. .Virgo, national-?secretary?to. tho;'.... Y.M.C.A. in Australasia; met'the national- *;.; .committee? in; Melbourne',' recently."~and';'i >; pr'c'sDnted.?the annual '.report; .?Endorse-!"'.'.■/' ment, wasgiven? to, the .Easter'tournatMntV."'>. in; Adelaide - this-'year; and to: the- trien- '-■'■■ nial convention? being' held 'in -Wellington,' -' : :». New? Zealand, .in /October."'- Assistance ig;'■. . also to.bo.given;towards the ntting iip.of- ; ?'., ■ aiv Australasian room intheiSir".GcofgV'•!'■ • .Williams'memorial building :in .London^?v? "■'■ It was further.decided to support a'stu- '?..: dent secretary'at Hyderabad, India. Tha '" .receipt of -three" donations, of ',£SO in-aid;? '.'■ 'of. the,national work was, reported, an'd"ifc, V; - •was.decided to,make an effort to ine'reasj? the l national funds. ?? '■■ •.-- '•;-.? .-•?'' ■ < ..Among,- cherished institutions,- against' ', which,'- it' might have" been' thought, it..: ;"; would be' impossible to direct '■' criticism,' :: . is..what, is kuoTO as' the Sunday. School : •' "treat." 'But-a"writer-in the "Methodist? Recorder":;( London) 'is.;bold; enough,'; to? " ' : come-'forward,; and 'to .inquire whether; ?'■' ■the time,, for abolition,, or atf:all .'events ',''? for. reconsideration,:has not aTrived.i?Hi3'; argument is ?thatwhen--Sunday-schoor:. - / : work was in-its.infanoy the" "treat" was ;? " looked, forward' to bj; many ; a?youngster', '■'■ a's'the one' : bright,; joyous day.bf ;. the-' ~' year. . That, he' suggests,, is. not • the case''-': r now,;, at; least in" the. majority "of■■!•:-.in- .? stances.; In' some schools, he says, there'-" '■ is-to-day a summer."excursion,' a Christ''"' ?! inas tea.'anUa Whitsuntide gathering, to? ■ '"; say; nothing?.of;,a; large"snm^spent;, :on;:,; ? prizes:. All, this,. •■it;?is'f obseryed;", comes? V'j' out of. and ; mayabsorb from "otic-' ''•''•' half to two-thirds of,the'whole.'' In short,*" ".I it is contended,'a large: part'of'the "moiiey' contributed;,for 'tlie .education of Sunday. ,;■;. scholars'goes in' directions which cannot? ? be; called- ri eduoational, from the-selecHon'?of instructive.books:as -.;, prizes. ..This .critic of the; Sunday .school???,?? "tre'at''.franlciy;'a'cknowledges that Sunday.,:"'.? -school;, workers'.to.whom .lie ;has .spoken ?? , are .not in accord witli. him., '■■'.'■■:■' .? :;',;.?

/ Sir Oliver.' Lodge,: gave- an : . impressiva -,; ',' address in'"a'Birininghani Congregational •-./ .Church; recently. 'He"begari.-by "emphasis- • ■'"''•:< iig,'the indestructibility of the-Pniverso;: -V;- • There was'iio end, he said;'to: any/exist-/ ence; 'neither was there ! any. beginniag.- /' - There, was/in some sense, truth-in; tho/;'-' dividuals.'■• Turning 1 , to"- the'< frealbm'vpi''-'...••>• will,'.Sir*:Oliver said,/infthb:procesa', offcaV .'eyolutiou. that must have., '-. •; knowledge of good and evil and the power -.--'•■ of choice.-It'was called "the Pall;''.-Wliy/:./ ;not'"the. Rise?" poivor, tHey/ over the.stepj:bnf,they had' arrived at the step. ",'lf they';-asked-for help, '.: tbeyiwero-helped;. ..That3life[.-.b'elieveU ;joii:"-. be;literally..true. ■ --Then, Christ,■ realising;;- ; : blundering, "laid'aside.'His •>; 'majesty, .entered' into: oiir.flteh,'a.nd-lived. . 'on'OUE^-planet-asi ■'a/Tencher:-; declared-;, that-he;; had -been iled ibyiscden-''; •; 'tine' research: ib: realiso.;the• pdasibilities ,' ': of that. ;.,The/Cuurclics':had';hold i . bf a:.'.'great'trath: in it,'alth6ugh;all;/they said;':'.'• ,abont it might:not be-true.-.;Glirist.camo; ;;; : to. tell -what ■tlie'' , lCiigdom of. - Heaven ■waa/,-. 'really;Kke.'.Only-get'the. human; will.iii-'..': liarmohy with'the;Divine,-,and. tho king-/; dom had.'cbme here on earth. Somo-peo-';- ; . ■plo' thought''.they wburd .get thronjh-aIV., 1 ;th«: trouble;"in this.world.aml then in ; the ,i';..-■. nest sit; ; and.'do - nothing; ,:After. ; d-.-few..,;- :; : 'thousand;years;:thiit'. would .get nibnoto* ■ •, .nbus-V.-Ais' they rose- ii,the.sbile of- crea-; -'. , Hon;; so would 'their .responsibilities ip/".'. ■ I'brease.; ■;/-./- ;;.;": /; : ;.; ,;-'/ ;■ /V.'/'-,'•'''■ !;' i' Easter - falls v so , early ; this/year, - that'/i; Good ■ Friday- will/coincido with, the feast..:.. of. the"Annunciation of 'Our, Lady (March; £ - j 25):'/An.'old English L rhyme luns^'.■ /; '/.

"When Our Lord falls in Our Lady's lap Some .-grio\ ous ill to this realm shall

.'...' hap."'. '..'•: •;'.■;', :-.'■.■ :■'■■ , : ':- : . ;' '■'/:';"; Mie'coincidence,': however,.:occurred; iaj-. " .1853 .and; 1804, .without,. any ;-■ calamity, and it is due- again' in'-1921 and. ] / 1932. -; •'. Some .the ■: English. Anglican ~ : bishops, have, issued 'directions : -for ',the ~'\ : transference of ■ the .feast-of: the Annun-.-;; ,'oiation!'this year in-.their irespectivcidio-;'.'..' . ceses to sonny day boybrid' and' outside; of the', octave/of Easter, on which -.the -''.','., ■ festival"can '.have;its two proper':.even- ;, songs; :■ In'several, instances April 5,: has !;'-" been selected/that-being tlie: first such. day-..available. Somei direction on this ■ : : point 'will 'probably form ; part of-; the , Lenten o Pastoral, .which fit' is. ■ understood : ,that' the; Archbishop :of .Sydney :intonda!'.; to,issue early, next month. ■'.".■' . ; ; Ct.

;' The-Fourth : World's Christian'.-Endear/,;. •' our Convention,, held .at -jAgra/ in. vembcr,..;appears '. to* have .been;;a ■ huge / success. :,Two' hundred, tents, wereerected . ■.- in .the .magnificent city' to' accommodate-->'■■'■'■ tho:V2ooo;sdelegates.' 'Dr. Clark,'- ;tha'.■ ■founder -and president; of tho movement,::; '•' was present, and: wa9.treated, with ivell-".- : merited-.honour..' The Rev. 'H.: Auder-.'. v -I son; president:of the.lndia, C.E.' Uniou', v -. v . gave', a : splendid address. -,-'' This;* union;;'-■ 'comprises,l339: societies', :witti 40,290. mem- ■;.' ■;■ bersi- . Sufficient; to support ; . 20 , secret '.-■■■' taries:was;subscribed: in a quarter of an'.,' 'hour, ;■ after'.ah,.', earnest appeal by.:.tho;; .' general ise'eretary..;'. Twenty-six languages .;•- were represented: ;in. the responses, to. tho ?; : ' roll-call. "Many/.costly , t )resents'-'wcre'. :.* E. Clark. .':This-Domin-.,-,. ion -was 'represented by,- Mr.;C. R.;i N„'; ; ;:. 'Mackie, of .Christchurch. ; ','■': ::' v ■ V,];:.'

•.Mr.,: J.- Bayniond'Hemminger, :o£'.the': ; Cliapman-Aloxaudei" party,' ,'whb. together'v witli-thb.Bev.'jWl-'P'.' Nicholson,'reniainidf iuvAustialiay -is. at.,present ■•: in .- Puuediri on a holiday. Messrs. Nicholson."-' and 'Hemminger have- been:working un-s ceasingly. throughout various;-.parts."of-.:, Australia,-' where their work has been'■-' much .blessed... It.is probable (states the j "Outlook") that they will'bo open for a■-'■ few months' engagement' in ■■ the Domin- '-.., ion before' proceeding to Queensland, for an'extended- campaign in that State, . Tho translation, of: the New' Testament ; has: been: completed, in two; more ' lan- f guagesMJlava and Saa—both current .'in''. ,the Solomon Islands. : Tho translator, the; Rev. -W.: Ivens, of" the. Melanesian; Mis- i sion,'; writes from Kilbirbie,,. N.Z. (states ' tho monthly."record of the British and'-. Foreign Bible Society), that both MSS.' - are now ready.'.. ..The society 1 has already ' ■ published' a ..version of the four Gospels:.; and; Acts in these ,two tongues. -". Sir.'-:'. Ivens announces that'all the copies of : , the books already, sent out \ have /beentold, and-'ho/sends a further remittance. , of £3. lis., as"-the; result of these-sales.. ' Asia, rule•'tho islanders who ..purchase■;'■ copies pay: for them with.combs;;'and; ■' as Mr. Ivens sells the combs; he': remits ''" the. proceeds.'., The committee have made - him a further grant of 100 copies of,tho.'four Gospels and. Acts''.'in' each version, '■ .which will bo sent out at .'once.-: 'The' New Tcstamont in both . languages': will > be'' printed for the uso of the Melanesian ' .Mission as speedily as j.possible. .'■ ■'• .The .Rev; Charles '.Wators, the founder' of .the:lnternational ißible-reading Asso-' elation, passed; away, oh .January 10 -' It ■ was Ills .ambition ;to seo a- million mem- '■' hers enrollcd.in the ■ association; but tha'•' *' number is yet -some 50,000 short.- Few a ogencies have' been more fruitful; • 'Ita -- beneneient .ministry '.'has-spread :fu'r : ' :iud ' wide aud.-it has.: united / vast ■ hosts in '• the; Uaily study, of the Scriptures and in-,-' mutual prayer. ~