CHURCH AND PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 740, 12 February 1910, Page 6

CHURCH AND PEOPLE.

CAUSES OF INDIFFEEENCE. (By Telberapli.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, February 11. A conference : took place this morning at the sitting of the Council of the Congregational Union! upon the important question of the causes of popular! indifference''io organised Christianity.

The subject was introduced by the Eev. W. J." L.; Closs, 8.A., of Trinity Church, Christchurcli. He said that during tho last few decades' there, had . been a steadily increasing indifference to organised, Christianity. Sir Oliver Lodge claimed that thb present indifference was dub to over-pressure, but the speaker argued that this was disproved by tho ,fact, that iri times -of .stress the .... attendance at.' church' largely increased.' The unparalleled prosperity of the world for, the- past few- decades had increased the comfort-of the people, and the consolation,- of religion was , not- apparently so much required as. in time of stress. There had been a great movemont in tho direction of social reform on economic lines in recent years, but it was not led : by; the; Churches- In fact, the tendency was the other way,, for -it taught men that they; must reverence others and* bo contented with the place in which God had placed them. A great part of tho people • could never be saved individually until they were-saved-socially. The'infallibility of the Church had passed away, and even the. infallibility of "The Book" had been'.attacked by the Higher Criticism. : Christian leaders now denied ' the truth of much ; that was. in the Bible. Some , even denied the divinity; of Jesus Christ.- He mentioned these points: to argue that; they had an'iconoclastic effect on . the . faith of the multitude who considered there was .now no need for religion. What they , needed was to give men' something, positive to" which ■ they, could cling; that had-got to be done. The Churches nowadays :did , not want;-mini-sters of, God, but,popular preachers; Miui-, sters'werb to blame, as they, too, often' in their! preaching 'were iot,in:.touch , with the world; in i which the business men move. In. too many churches the worship was mechanical: "and the! preaching was platitudes.'; In .conclusion, Mr. Closs said that- while - hej was laid., aside-'for six months ; he : ! visited ■ many . churches. j and heard-viu-ious sermons, and he was fain to admit that'!the -sermoris-.were mostly those of-men,'-who' regarded preaching; as a - profossibn.;. In. conclusion; -.'Mr., Closs said, he heard' one . sermon, in ;which the preacher's grammar was afecocious;and his miSrpronrincia'tiori 1 enough - to 'shock, ', but still he spoke from: heart -to heart,. warm, loving,:,and-living.-,.''-! ,-!. !-.Mr.,'A!.' Lindsay ■ said, they! were : preaching too much ' ari .ethical -'iristead pf!' ari. evangelical ' Christianity;' -!;V '!■!;!- !'pJh'e said ■ tho !Chu'rch had allowed;,reforms to .come; froiri; -outside* for 'the .'general! improvement of,men. : The -pulpit-.was all right'; thp;irien :in- the;!pulpit; felt /that all the;doctjrines'• of of'-the past were with tberii still; .but wore; being construed ,in, a - fuller light. .-: '. .■ ;! ■ The Eev. W. Saunders arid others .took .part in-.tho discussion, which lasted until tho luncheon .adjpurhnient'. . ;:;; • .No resolution- was. adopted; r..