APATHY IN THE CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1585, 31 October 1912, Page 4

APATHY IN THE CHURCH.

•A CALL FOR NEW FASHIONED • CHURCHMEN.' Addressing a large number of men at St. Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, recently, Bishop Long, of Bathurst, New South "Wales, said tho church to-day needed her sons to stand shoulder 'to shoulder for the welfare of the faith which drey possessed. There was unbelief and scepticism on every side, and there were those who had no time for religion. An opportunity for service presented itself in many directions, and tile Church was calling- for loyalty nnd heroism. There were difficulties to go through, but that inado them men. Tho weight of apathy killed more men ill tho church than anything else, and it was for the Church of England Men's Society to bo enthusiastic in her interests. Hie oldfashioned churchmanship was good in its day, but now they wanted new-fashioned churchmen, and if they were not going to bo manufactured in the C.K.M.S." ho did not know where to look for them. He had visions of a rejuvenated and quickened Church. They were on the eve of hotter tilings. Some people smiled and ridiculed tho C.E.M.S., and said there were too many outside attractions for men to be interested in the work of the Church, but he believed the society wns doing great work among men. It was a big movement, and made' for a big Church. The men's organisation was growing to such an extent that some of tho timid souls were becoming alarmed at wlmi it was going to do, and lie for one expected from it great tilings for Die benefit of tho good old mother Church, particularly iii the far-distant parts of tho great Commonwealth.