RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1031, 21 January 1911, Page 13

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

4 CONGREGATIONALISM IN CANADA. THE QUESTION OF.UNION. The Rev. D. Jones, who lias been visiting the Congregational Churchcs in Canada, says: "In Canada, for soino reason or other, wo aro a weak and struggling folk; across tho line wo are a strong and vigorous people. 111 Canada wo are almost swamped by tho Methodists or Presbyterians; across tho line, and especially in New England <uid the Middle West, wo can hold our own with, cither. It is not for me to discuss tho reasons for our -feebleness ill Canada; in part, 110 doubt, our polity is to blame for it. We have paid the penalty lor our isolated independency, and havo been beaten out of tlie field by tho more highly organised denominations." Mr. Jones discusses the movement for bringing about a corporate union between tho Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational .Churches of Canada. 'The advantages of such a union," 110 says, "aro obvious. It will save all needless and .wasteful competition. And in Canada tho .denominations cannot afford to fritter away any of their resources in unnecessary competition. For three or four years committees of the respective. Churches, havo been busily engaged in formulating ..a . basis of union. These committees (011 which, of course, representatives of our Churchcs served).--havo now'completed: their labours,- . and tho results" havo" beon 'submittod' to tho Churches^ami tlio -Assemblies concerned. ' Tho Methodist Assembly has pronounced in favour of tho 'Union, by-a large majority; our. ov/11 unions and churches havo giveii a similar favourable verdict. Everything now rests, with tlio Prcsbyteriaii General Assembly. If tho Presbyterians take a favourable view of the proceed-, ings, union will be a fait accompli within, the next threo or four.years." NEXT OCTOBER AT TORONTO. METHODIST. WORLD CONFERENCE. ; . From October 4 to October 17, 1911. World-wide- Methodism .-will meet in councilat _ Toronto. : Tho •: 'programme covers ' a wide -field; and : is'-'marked -by its:-,width-"of viewv' ahd''-practicni'-'ihar-actcrv. Tho '.'official sermoii oiiHTie'first day -: will 'be' preached'by ! Rev. :: Henry Haigh,' who will then-bo .'President of tho Wosleyan Conference. On October 5 " tho ' progress of Methodism in tlie Eastern and .Western sections sinco tho last :OeciimenciaHCoiiferenco ten years ago will bo surveyed. October 6 will bo entirely occupied by the consideration of foreign missionary matters, and special interest will ccntro in tlio subject of tho .mission of Methodism to, the Latin races in view of Dr. Scott Lidgott's proposal for a united Motho-. dist forward movement 011 Central Mission lines in tho French industrial cities. . On .Octobor -7 Methodist theology. will .bo dealt, with .in. a single/session. October 8. Sundn.y,:.. tho: "'afternoon meeting will have for its,topic: "Religious Aspects of " ' Industry''-'''and Commerce."- .'Tlio: first .session, .on. October. ■ 9,:, will bo -.occupied by v-Bibical questions,-, and tho "New -Theology: will como up for' discussioii■'. iii the . afternoon, 1 with-addresses on the newer forms of .-Unbelief, Christianity and re-! cent-'philosophical tendencies'.and' modern ethical theories. 011 October '10 t-hfe; Conference will consider the Adaptation of the Church to the Needs of .Modern Life, International Relations, and tho /World's'. Peace. Tho subject of' "Thf Cliurch 'and- Social Service," W|ill in two ses-siops on OctobehdTi' aiid 'the next day will be : snent in !tlie..' consideration ' of.' tlio Church and the .home: Tho position of laymen ,and women in the , Church will. occupy.. October' 13,' and .on.Octo-! her 14 Temperance, reform, both legislative and counter-attractive, will form the subject of discussion. On. Sunday, October 15, Sir Robert Perks will ad-, dress tho .afternoon meeting 011 . the. Methodist. Brotherhood. Thn siibieets dealt with oil;, October.. Ifi.iW'U emphasise the training of'tlie'Min'isfrv,' Methodist - literature rind' periodicals'.'"' :ind tlie Church . and Education :';nnd •" "the closing session 011 'October ,17 Vwill' bo occupied .with :tbe. : relations between tlie Methodist !Churches, union, ..and federation. ■ ; ..'... NEW ZEALAND'S DR. CLIFFORD. The "British Weekly" of December S.- states: —Tho clans aro already beginning to gather for the approaching Baptist ... Congress .in- Philadelphia. Somo of these are coming from afar, ■aiid':by'circuitous "paths." During this month (December) tho, Rev. R. S. . Gray,, of Christchurch, New Zealand, secretary and official representative of the, New Zealand Baptist. Union, starts from the .Antipodes for India, .iyherp-ho is..to spend:.about : a month'"in .visiting tlio' mission---stations; of -'.tlio,'!NewA'Zealand ' : Baptist-v. .Missionary Society. From-" ihenco hp comes "forwarii - to England, which ho hopes' to' reach in good timo for the" spring session of tho Baptist Union! of Great' Britain and Ireland. Mr. Gray, who-is ■ colonial born, and has never previously visited tho Homeland, has been called "Now Zealand's Dr. ; Clifford." ■ Among tho Baptists" ho. stands ill tlio front rank of. preachers; lecturers, and organisers, wliilo his ■ position 'in the. 'temperance party'may be' assumed from tho fact .that*the New' Zealand Alliance'hascommissioned' liim, while in America,' to visit the Prohibition States, first-hand information as to their- condition, and report to New Zealand .in time for tlio next general election there aon).- , y /_ ' PRESBYTERIAN STATISTICS. , Last year's statistics of the Northern Presbyterian : Church of tlie ' United States show 'a net gain of 17,614 members, bringing tlio present number up to 1,339,000. Thero aro. 9073 ministers, 10,011 churches, and 1,211,527 members of Sabbath Schools. Tlio' number of candidates, for the ministry continues to increase, thero.being eighty-six more in 1910 than 1909; likewise tho number of churches organised—2o2 being reported in 1910, against 1-10 in 1909.. Tho number added on confession, 75,442, is about 6500 less than in .1909, when tho number, 82,053, was the largest in-the history of the Church, but is over 600 riiore than in 1903. DEATH OF REV, C. SHORT. The Rov: Georgo Short; 8.A., died, on December 3 at tho ago of eightythree. Until a few years ago,! when advancing years and failing sight compelled retirement-, he was among .. the foremost in serving the interests of tho Baptist Churches in England. Whether 011 the Council of the Union 01/ tlio committee of the Missionary Society his zealous attendanco and his valuable counsel were greatly appreciated. For. a long period he 'filled with much acceptance the chair of the candidates sub-eommittoo of the Missionary Society, and in 1894 110 was called to the Presidency of the Baptist Union. After his student life at tho-old Stepney College (now Regent's Park), ho took -the small village pastorate ol Foulsham, in Norfolk, but after a brief timo emerged to occupy the import-ant pulpit at George Street, Plymouth. His subsequent spheres of work were Hitchin and Salisbury. In his manner Mr. Short was over dignified and courteous. Sinco his I'otirem'cnt 110 had: been 'residing at Beckenham. Ho was twice i married, and leaves a widow, but no ' family.