RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

. 1 FRESENT POSITION OF THE FREE CHURCHES.* INTERESTING CONFERENCE .AT OXFORD. On July 10 and 11 a conference of Free Church .ministers and laymen to consider tho present position of the Free Churches was held at .Mansfield College, Oxford. The proceedings were strictly confuloniial; but the outcome is lo bo a Commission of Inquiry, followed- by a conference two years hence on the lines of tho World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh last year. Rev. F. B. Meyer, in an iuteiview with a representative of "The Chri.-lian World,'' explained the origin, nature and intentions of tho Onlcrd difference. When the figures indicating the "slump" in Free Church membership ,camo under his notice.earlier in the year, Mr. Meyer, who had been deeply impressed by tho World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh, felt Hint steps should bo taken to hold a conference on similar lines to deal with the present position of tho Churches and their responsibility to the non-churchtjoing masses.. In the first place, it was necessary, he felt, to ascertain tlio bed-rock fads of tho situation, and to review carefully, in the light of modern needs, tho methods of the Churches in relation to both adults and children. In the spring, after careful thought, Mr. Meyer propounded to tho Free Church Council Committee a detailed scheme, which was adopted in the following form:— That a conference be convened in tho autumn of 1913 by the Frco Churches of this and other countries for tho purpose:— (1) bf manifesting their essential unity. (2) Of conferring on methods of concerted action in the Home Field. (3) Of incjui'iing into causes of weakness and lail'uru aiv.l methods ot successful nggrossvo work, wit!: the view of overtaking the spiritual destitution of tho innssss. That the gatherings be of a consultative character, the membership being in proportion lo the numerical sizo of Iho Churches taking part. That the interval until the conference bo spent in obtaining materials for its consicleration, and in' individual and concerted prayer that its deliberations may issins in great advance and world-wide revival. That tho conference be prepared for by Hie inquiries of the following commission on:— (1) Tho message cf tho Free Churches. (2) Our ministers (candidates, training, recognition of lay agency, ministry of women). (3) The value and place of the activities of the Institutional Church, and especially as affecting our work among the young, re-creation, amusement, etc. ; (!) Co-operation and overlapping (suggested one Church). (8) Varieties of Christian agency that may be employed to meet the exigencies of the time (parochial visitation, ■Brotherhoods, Sisterhoods, adult schools, etc.). ' _ (G) The laws of spiritual revival. (7) Our relations to other Churches of Christ, and our thankful recognition of their contribution to the causo of Christ. As a preliminary step, Mr. Meyer decided to call a conference of leading men of the various Free Churches, including some who are not actively associated with the Free Church Council, to discuss the situation in private. Tho Oxford Conference of J illy 10 and 11, was the result of this initial action. About forty responded, and letters regretting absence were received from a number, of prominent ministers. ■'. ; . -.:

Two days of most interesting and—Mr. Meyer thinks—"history-making" fellowship were spent at Mansfield. Tho wholo atmosphere of the College and the University city contributed to tho spirit of tho deliberative sessions, while tho informal conferences were delightful in tho cslTeijio.us3-'hO| strictly privcta ivcrO' marked frankest interchange of thought—facts v:erc. faced and things said in the spirit of absolute ; candour and perfect sympathy. Dr. Selbie opened the conference. The subjects of the three conferences wore:—(1) The minislry. (2) the state of the churches, and (3) 'the outado masses. The upshot of the Oxford Conference was the fullest approval of Mr. Meyer's project of a Commission of Inquiry, and a great conference in ISI3, and tho utmost co-operation was promised iu such sleps as are foreshadowed in 'Mr. Meyer's scheme. This is regarded as substantial progress. The Coinmission of Inquiry is the.greatest undertaking the National Free Church Council has,attempted, and i.t is, moreover,, a project liholy to command the. support of all tho Free Churches, including.some whoso association with the National Council has hitherto been only nominal. PRAYER-BOOK REVISION. COMMUNION AND MARRIAGE SERVICES. ' Both Houses of the Convocation of Canterbury have been considering Prayor-Bobk revision. The Upper House of Bishops—in view of tho fnct that four Houses in the two Convocations were discussing the subject—agreed that their decisions should bo regarded as provisional ( until they could bo compared with tho decisions in the other Houses. The suggestions of t'ho Revision Committee were then considered. It was decided also that the' two Archbishops be asked to appoint a committee of liturgical experts to give advice on the proposed Prayer-Book changes. Tho great question considered was the Ornaments Rubric of the Communion Service, and finally, it was decided ('hat it'was undesirable to alter the rubric, and Ihat neither of the two existing usages as to the vesture of the minister at' Holy Communion ought to be excluded, but that a diversity of use 'under specified conditions and with duo safeguards'' should bo authorised. The Archbishop of Canterbury said it was very unsatisfactory that they should be obliged to declare against any alteration'of a rubric that was interpreted in absolutely contrary ways. But the framing of a new rubric was apparently, if not impossible, too difficult to attempt. 11 was a eurious and unique fact that a large number on both sides of the controversy did not wish the rubric altered.

The Archbishop was asked to 'appoint committees to deal with certain minor reforms—t'o select additional opening sentences for morning and evening prayer, ■to recast' suffrages of (he Litany, to consider additional 'Prayers and* Thanksuiviiißs,' to provide forms for sjjocial burial services, etc. . A discussion on the words of the marriage sorvieo look place in the Lower .House of the Convocation of Canlerburv. The 'committee recommended that (he paragraph beginning "First, it was ordained" should bo amended (o read "it was ordained for. I ho increase of mankind according to tho will of God, and that children might be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of His holy Name." After further .discussion the proposal of tho committee was agreed to. Tho committee proposed that the'paragraph commencing "Secondly, it was ordained" should bo omitted altogether. This was also carried. PROFESSIONAL EVANGELISM. REV. B. J. GIBBON'S CRITICISM. The value of such organisations as the Christian Endeavour Societies, BrotherSisterhoods, die Sunday School and United Missions was challenged in a striking speech delivered from the chair of the Bristol and District Baptist Association by the Rev. Benjamin Gibbon, of Old King Street Church, Bristol, and formerly of Bloomsbury Chapel. Mr. Gibbon argued (hat. (hey should require all religious organisations to justify themselves by their usefulness to tho Church. Not a few of those organisations Were simply parasites. The lest nl' til? value of the nrpomsalion wns whether it served Ihe Church. If it did not. it had mi legitimate place. Mr. Gibbon oxpres-ed his strong conviction that tho time had come for a scientific' study of professional evangelism from the standpoint of sprviceablene-s to the Church. He did not us- the phrase "professional evangelism" offensively, but merely as a concise dc«erinlion of a well-known form of modern religious endeavour. ■ He was Ihinkiitg id tin l undenominational mission, or nominally "united" mission, run on the great scale by a powerful com-.

mitloo, extensively advertised and expensively produced, hold in ;i large 1ml), and lusting for "Vjvcral weeks, and the central figure in which is a visiting evangelist nf l';:mous name. The test liy which all religions effort nm«t stand or foil is its service to tbe Christian Church. .And. it was the amplication ofihat test which must decide whether the modern gigantic mission and tlic professional evangelist is a development of religious activity, to he desired and welcomed, or to be regretted and checked. They were giving the Cliuivli so ninny helpers that she herself was becoming something of a superfluity. The Church was merely the convenient, emit re lroin which we operated our patent machinery, and she was. exhausted by the effort to keep it nil running. The Church might; well cry today, "Save me from my friends." God forbid that he should say, "A plnguo upon them all." But he did seriously ask that they should be compelled to servo Iho Church, and not allowed iu their affection to cripplo her.

ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. DECISIONS OF THE BIBLICAL COMMISSION. The latest decision of the Roman Catholic Biblical Commission, established by Loo Xlll, deals with the burning question as to the authorship, date of composition, and historical truth of the Gospel according to Matthew. The decision consists of answers to seven questions which havo been proposed to the commission. To the first question the commission replies that Matthew, the Aposllo of Christ, may and must lje regarded with certainty as the author of the Gospel known, by his name, according to the- universal and conslaut. conseut of the Church from the lilist ages. : To the second, it affirms that there is a sufficient basis in tradition for tho opinion which holds that Matthew composed his Gospel before the other Evangelists, and .that ho wrote it in tho language in use at tho time among the Jews of l'alcstino for whom ho destined it. To the third it denies that the dote of redaction of the Gospel of St. Matthew-can be put after tho fall of Jerusalem, which is prophesied in it, and that tho passage of Irenaeus often quoted, is . sufficiently clear and strong to compel tho rejection of the opinion tnoro in harmony with tradition, that the redaction of this Gospel was made bjforo the coming of St. Paul to Rome.. To the fourth, it replies in tho negative to tho inquiry whether it can bo hold as even probablo that Matthew did not write tho Gospel as it has conic down to us, but only a collection of tho sayings or. sermons of Christ, which an anonymous author used as sources for the Gospel known as that of Matthew. In answer to.the fifth question it affirms that the Greek text of tho' Gcspel.of St. Matthew cau- be proved to he substantially identical with the original version as written by the, Evangelist. To the sixth question it. rcrdies that it is not lawful to impugn the "historical truth of tho facts anysayings contained in this Gospel, on thu ground that the author had chiefly in view a dogmatic and apologetic scope, and that ho did not. always follow I he. chronological order; nor is it lawful to assert that the doings and sayings of Christ as related in the Gospel according to Matthew underwent an "alteration and adaptation under the influence of tho prophecies of tho Old Testament and ofiie growth of the Church, and that, therefore, they are riot in harmony with'historical truth. Filially, it declares- that there is no solid foundation -for the oivhiions which cast doubt on the historical authenticity of the first two chapters in the which the genealogy.and infancy of Christ nre-.narrated, and of certain sentences of great (dogmatic importance, such as the Primacy of' Peter, the form of baptism, the. universal mission, to preach given to the Apostles, tho profession of faith of the Apostles in tho Divinity of Christ, and others o£ tho kind. ,-, -•.-.■. .. .. WESLEYAN METHODIST CONFERENCE AT CARDIFF. ■ THE LEGAL HUNDRED. Tho one hundred and sixty-eighth annual conterencp of the English Wosleynn MethodUP Chftrcli.''.liss.'omhl(.'d in its .v'eprei sentalivb session' en July 12 in the Park Hall, Cardiff, under; the chairmanship of tho Rev. John Ilornabrook, the retiring president. This is the second time • tho conference has met, in Cardiff, the last occasion being in' 1893, wholi Dr. Henry J. Pope was elected to the presidential chair.

After the opening devotional exercises the roll-call of the hundred ministers who comprise *tho Legal Conference was read, ana dispensations of abscueo were granted to one or two senior ministers nnahle to attend. The first act of the conference on its assembling is to fill up vacancies in the Legal Hundred caused by death,.' or by absence for two successive years without'it dispensation; Ministers who have been in tho active work for thirty-tiro years .and upwards aro alone eligible for election. The only vacancy this vear was that caused by the death of Rev. Charles H. Kelly, and after a ballot I!ev. Then. Carrier, of London, was declared elected in his place. The choice of Rev. Henry Ball, of Lurgan, by the Irish' Conference to fill tho place of the lato Rev. James D. Lamont was also confirmed. The vacancies in the ranks of the lav representatives were filled up as follow:—Mr. Charles Slater, in place of tho late Viscount Wolverhampton i Mr. Isaac Pretty, in place of Sir AY. H. Stephenson ; Mr. William Grecnhalgh (Southport), iu'place of Sir Clarenco Smith; Mr. Phillip Ashworth (Middloton), in place of Mr. James Mack; Mr. James Shone (Holylakc), in place of Mr. John Hill. Special letters of sympathy wore directed to bo sent to Sir AV. H. StephenTwelve months ago tuo Pastoral Session of the Bradford Conference nominated Rev. Henry Haigh, of Nowcastlc-on-Tvne, as president for 1911, and tho nomination only required tho vote of tho fullyconstituted Leqal Conference to confirm the election. This was unanimously given, and Kev. Simpson .Johnson, of London, was iu tho same way re-elected secretary.

••STARTLING" ACTION. HOUSE OP LAYMEN AND BISHOP OF HEREFORD. At the meeting of the Houso of Laymen at the Church House, Westminster (Sir Alfred Cripps, M.P., presiding for tho first time), Mr. AV. S. de Winton (St. David's) drew attention.to the Ecclesiastical Law Amendment Bill, the object of which is to "declare and amend tho Law Ecclesiastical with : respect to tho relation between the Church of England and Protestant Dissenters, and to tho right of admission to tho Holy Communion." Ho described tho Bill as a wretched one, but warned the House that it must not bo passed l>v with contempt. Ho considered that the'action of tho Bishop of Hereford at the Coronation service at Hereford was one of the most -startling that had ever taken place in the Church in their time, and, in regard to tho second part of tho Bill, ho argued that the State could' not dictate forms of admission to the Holy Communion. Ho proposed a resolution, which was passed, that tho House should express its strong disapproval of the Bill. GIPSY SMITH. Gipsy Smith is to carry out another big mission tour in the United States. Leaving England early in September.Jic opens his campaign at Spokane on September HO, going on- to Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Ho hopes to'reach England again in March. Committees are being arranged in each town the Gipsy is to visit, and tho keenest enthusiasm is being displayed. Gipsy Smith has received an invitation from' the secretary of the New Zealand Methodist Conference, suggesting a mission in that Dominion next year.

The linguistic capabilities of Russian reporters and printers seem to have been unequal io coping with tho difficulties arising out of the recent visit of an American squadron to, Kronstodt (states an exchange). The orchestras at tho various music-halls visited by the. American sailors rose, to tho occasion by playin jr some of tho national airs of tho United States. Hut the titles of these, as they appeared in the Russian newspapers, were hardlv complimentary to the grea.t Republic. "Tho Star Sponffo I,edl3anner" may have been merely a "printer's error," but in view of the Riait scandals anil trust prosecution?. "Yankee Doodle" reads like a. malevolent-joke on,a condition of ou'airs fitly summed up in whit Iho Russian reporters termed, ."llell, Columbia."