RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2162, 30 May 1914, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

MIRACLES THEIR EVIDENTIAL VALUE. Dlt. ' UKADLAM'H JJOOJMIOUSE LUUIURES, Professor A. C> HeasUam, of King's College, London gart) his concluding and. lum! Jtofirkmsi* Itctfrro in .St. ljaul's Cathoural, Melk-unio, ! 011 May 6. There was a STg arelfoiieo .present, and a deep interest was displayed iu the lecture.

Dr. Beadlam said that he did not know that ho was yet prepared to give a iorniit-1 and preefeo defei-ut-ioij <>f what a miracle was, but it might be possible to go so far as to suggest a description of what, was meant by tile rt-i-irat'iiious. He would do it in tl.te words he had used when discussing the matter before the_ Church Congress i "A mirade jneaiis really the l supremacy of tho spiritual forces of tho world to. -an extraordinarily markix). degree over the meie ma.teriftl." To begun with, that -definition was in uccorcianee with the language ttf the New 'festaiiimi't-. It. was Miefed that there was a. spiritual nature iu man responsive to tho Divine spirit, and that the spiritual nature could inllueneo what was called tho tua-terial nntufe. It Was not, therefore, unreasonable or irrational to behove that t'lnst spiiitr.al' nature -could bo s-0 strengthened and inspired by God's spirit as to ii:;ii;e 'its powers. More effective, and enrtfite it still ajaro to m-er-eoins weakness,'or to .euro tlio ills -af the- body, it was something that was believed as being in hanaony with all that was known of spiritual life, only through Bed's spirit working in and through Jesus Christ it was much iiii ossified, liiro, as God was tho creator. und sustains of tilt: universe, and -as tho spirit of (jod Wadset! in tho world, it was that spirit winch must represent tho. fundamental cause of .ill things. _ Nothing ■ rnoro was .known 'of the material world than thufc it was the manner in which the universo was rpvea&d to the senses of man. it Was ryot, therefore, impossible fl-f unreasonable that miracles should take place iu nature, as well as in man. •

•"If I am asked whether this of that miraeto is credible ox not," eoncvltidefl the lecturer 011 this subject, "the answer that I would give would be this—l do not see that wo on it set any limits to the power of God's spirit. _ 1 cannot limit the power of God to suit tlje limitations of my own imagination. • Only I would say to others that if this -or that event seems to anyone incredible, there is 110 reason why a man should feci compelled to say er think that he believes' it.; This is surely one of those cases for the exercise of the suspension of judgment. Wo have only to realise how limited our knowledge ss, how 'very much our imagjnatimi is shackled by tiio particular experience, to which; we hare been.exposed. If, then, to us the .■message of ti:6 Gospel, and through Jesus Christ, seems reasonable and true, I d« iwt think that wo should trouble wursfilves' if sons* particular incident causes us difficulties. I have frankly confessed throughout that while our luio'wledgo. and evidence for miracles as p. whole is good, the character of tho Gospel narrative is not such as enables ■us to be certain i hiifc «very event took place as it is reported'. Th.ero .are discrepancies 1:1 some cases between tho narratives, which mate us feci thatit@it!ier aceouut can he absolutely ae> curate. What tho limits of error may be> it may n<jt bo possible to judgo.i but no difficulty about any detail ought to prevent us from accepting the general teachiftg -.of the Gospel,•' Tho eoucliicling poittis of the lcefcura Mvere the consideration of tho evidential ivahio of miracles at .tho begiuiwi-g of Christianity and. at tho present day. At the beginning, til' Christianity miracles were, said the lecturer, a, part., and. a part, of what made people bi'fievo in Clinstiomh, 11 hile at the present day the facts of history, tho phenomena 1 changes related, all pointed hack to «.no.)>ofnt—tho coming on earth of a. new and inspired teacher, a great outpouring' of Spiritual power, «ho\vu in an ahnctfttial iiM'ijiiTacfiloOs stipreMaey of tho ispiritiwi over the natural, and the iiiten'sitication of tho .Spa:it;.ua , l experiences of human ligo. 'And I would ,ish 501, in concl.u* sjon," iiiiislied tto lecturer, "quietly to pender .over, and thijlk af all these i phenomena, and 'to consider whether they do not harmonise together, aftd iWin in their harmony very strong evidence: The marvellous mnnifestal-icn of Spiritual life is ' witnessed to .by its eifcct oii t-he World, and 'i : s tile natural result e; the. life of Ilim who camo amongst men. Clearly there was something that happened,' sn.mfithi.llg wliicii had.an immense mttuence frn the history of mankind. Tho ajiswer which Christian. history gives .to the question, 'What was it?' is—'Tho manifestation of desiis Chris.!-, tho Son of God. afti tlio new power,that Ho -brought- into the world.' " '

HOLY V/EEK IN FRANCE.

SIGNS OF A KELIGIOCS KEVIYAL. Tho Paris corresjiondeiit of the Jjiindon "Tillies" writos as .fellows regajdiHg the Holy Week observances :— . is there a Catholic revival in France? The question is one which as good many people are asking just now, and, althdugh it admits of no dciinito reply, itis signiiicar.t that it should lie asked at all. Ten years age, when France was in the threes of" the great anti-clerical Campaign which followed the Dreyfus ca;-e, liiaiiy fereign oiiservtis suppesefi that- she had definitely forsaken her -eld. allegiance and bcconio psrnian-e-i'itly ai.lieistic.

To-day lew who faiow France would go $o far as that. Jnditfcrewe to ro ligioa is very widespread here,, its indeed it is i» majiy other •ceuatrii^s,. tat while it- ivffttW, perhaps, be 100 much t«> assort that there is a revival of tile. old faith, it is Mno tile less true that fere is a significant stirring of the dry bones, 'and that, for the tims being at least* there is a revival M t)u< • lnatter of riligifiUS controversy which augurs well for tha future. .

'Flics ftnst ©usual observer eimiiot J»«s failed to be struck during tlio pH>sost week by tin; large congregations which have a'SSfcittWod in -the iflany cbwfshss of Franco. Giiiy last Saturday ail Kr.Klishman pu.Shiir.; by the- Madeleine at .0 o'clock in ibo evening was overhear.:! to express EAirpvisc at the crowd of «or-: slbppers issuing #t that tnrur from the church, aiid iris cMngxtmen replied, "Vous rove* hiotr, il va en far© -des devots en .France," . It was the' eve of. Pitbi Sunday, mi which day tlie: churches weft tlir-tiUgsid with ißcn, -wo-. men. and ohi-Mmi. carrying tlio boughs ■ green bos which, in France ate tiro. s»bs.titvit« for prims, aS the willow cat-. kins are in EnglaM. Tx-nt is always iu France » Season of; gr<s»t activity in the churches, and tliisyear that a-etivity would scejji to have • j»c,i? redoubled, if one may judge from i the number of courses of Lenten sferinons which have-, been, given in Pari?, ami t.ho crowds by. which t li cy have teen attojidwl. Tho Archibfehop: of Paris, }.u counselling the preachers as to their subjects, recftrtiftte-ndpd thoj-u ftonccfitra.te on the spiritual life considered in its various aspects, and nbnve all to avoid politics. This ilioy woiiM. cefirii to hare done, and or.e lws heard ; no oritiaisnts luldressei! against tlrd'H on i this score [ At Notre iJaroe I'erc Janvier has I proarlied An Christian c-li.lr'rty. and ixi. 0110 point in his sermon of Su'mtav week. wlmMi lw came to totals on patriotisffi, tin? fongrctcatiiin was moved in tlio w»itsual deaiec of a.tifil-ittviling in the Cathedral,- But- this -'manifestation was an exception- " I At the Church of St«.. Clotildo, the ['Abbe Sertillanges, & dist®g.iil6 : W. pro-

fessor of tho Oathotic Tjistitvi'te of Paris,; Ims delivered ji series of di.seoit.rses oh: religions unity. But .perhaps the lncsi notable of tho Lenten preaehets of this year is tiio Abbo Conho. life Is at any; rato one of the two or thren preachers or ieeinrers most in dcnnnid, and to a groat facility of eloquence unites all tiio external gifts of the-orator. His sermon at tiio Trinito mid at St. Hoeli have atraeted large wttgnegatiotw.

ETHICS AND RELICION.

Tills NEW TICSTA.MTSNT. The April issue of t ho '*Hibbort Jour' nttl" (Williams and Norgaio), opens with striking articlo on bj- thp Deasi of Dorhaiii (D'r. Unison), and iha Rev. B. il. Coats, a Birmingbani Baj> tist clergymai), contributes a tiayer on and Uiiity," whicli is well ■wartliy of careful consideration. Tho Headmaster of Eton writes on ' '0; itic.ism of I'ublie. Schssols," and the Rev. li. 11. Stm-terou "The Sirtfcring of fiod." t'rofessor W. M. Dixon has tiojne interesting things to say abavit "liispifation'' in its broadest sense, and "Tiio Great Altornativo---liither Gwl is or 'I'liere is 110 G-od," U tj-eated in an arresting manner by the Rev, C. P. Du'e. Tho above papers, simibined' with other interesting articles, discussiona, and reviews, iiia.ke up ft really first-clasß MUinbor. Those intertstod in tho trend of Ir.ode.rn piiilosophv will find much to think aiiiiut in the reviews of Sir. F. H. Bradley's lino book, en'titled "Essays on Tfutti and Reality."

_ Mr. J. J, Chapman, in an arficlo entitled "When* Faith and Morality Moot," desk at. some length with tho relations between ethics stivd theology. Referring to a koturo and conforenw on Epie'tetirs which he at ton tied cn olio occasion. .Mr. Oliflpwan ivrites;-« During the- «mforenco I kept flmttering to rny&df from trmo to tifi®, "Why Ejifetis-tsts ?" Veu see I was trying to fix :n.v mind on Kpietotus ai.d to remombfr who ho was, Of cotirisa same word was inentioned now and then, about fuofaltiy and tiuiy. sprvieo,. ar.d so forth; but I could not seizo or identify tlteso flying* tlioiiEhts. I kney,- thitt I had read about all tlwso things some.who.ro kifiue, hut I could not reffleaber yjvsre it -wag. ~ At last .my eyis caught sight of a small gicv volume, which did not look like a 'book, hut like—like an object, a. e'ethesbmsh perhaps. It- was n .littjo hotel Bible, which n'ajs part- of I'he' furnitino of the loom, but which had r.ot heen noticed Gi- mentioned during the pio<:eedings. . . . There in that little wizened package lay tho grca.t Hebrew mind, tiio only "ntind that is worthy to bo called mind at all, .so far Jit hies goes, tiio fountain of ail enduring o.thieal thought, tho source of ail enduring ethical power. . . .

Moral truth is h'.rn in tho form of religion. Afterwards cofaos.. theory and rakes in the ashes for precepts. You cannot win tho Salvation Army upon Ethical sfcafte : me.irts, nor abolish. Slavery through Ethicnl Gnltufe. The movement would have to be heated and vaporised into strain power before, its blows would tell. In the process God wauld discovered. 1 Pure Ethics has a weak voice. She- has no poets of high rank, no prophets ivitji. heartcleaving ward's. She is a handmaid, a. Hate at th<J bottom of another's Ethics. lias a weak voice, it is true, : and has said little of importance to ■ hunmiit.}' cr about humanity %. but She; has a stjroiig hand, and has done much for humanity. Slio sometimes saves the fragments - whoro theologies clash ili.d hope to destroy one another. But let mo tell you my belief. AYiikout Theology she would perish, Tor Ethics is a. fi>el)lo plant, hardly self-perpetuating. Ethics must draw '-onstant life from'religion—and ever new life from new religion,. .or it IwoorocS a. . aTOl.^iiti.' it. . » . iniVtii 'iii)" Follow tlis stream to its .source, iioad Browniiig and Danfee and SOltoli then po to the soureo of tbem, which is tho New Testament, and read that. Bead it ilot- merely for .Ethics, but unreservediy for all that comes out of it. If T.!;co!o'?v comes to vou oui. .of flHnnd it will— accept it, and have tio jfear of ft. The fear ftien have of Thwlopcj' is. (loie to tiljo abtiSe's of tho past. Wo go eti trembling at- tho ; :'jfohe., after iiho tyrant is dead. . . . *' fflie Ne« Testament is tho Thesaurus of sacred wisdom compared to which there is no book or inonnmeiit that deserves to be nai«ed. It is a persotiat : record and. contains things—ono mict.t : say—almost tod personal bo piihlisihed. Df this nature is its and from this source--ltesthor front Clr.trch .nor from commentator—flows its powftr. ... Mr. Chapman's article was onsinally tr-iven as a lecture before the Ethical Culture S-icioty of Xeiv York.

CONOR!: QATIONA LiSlSi

IIKV, H. YOt'VG OX "CHURCHMAXSHIP AM) THE UMON." At tho animal conference of tho London Ooiliircgatiuna] Uniori, tho Roy. Hugh I'." Young, the chairman of Iho -anion for tho current, year, delivered a;n. eloquent address Upon ' and r'iio Union. 1 ' . Ho claimed that spasmodic-, efforts could never accomplish tho aims they had in view..' The various Chinches nnist ho mado to feel that they woro members ano wßn Yfeii' year ther-o was ait ovor-inereasing 'desiris for 3. bioitdcr a wider oiit]no.t', and a more catholic conception, of tfefr ebligatitsHS. Tf 'dongfesgatioilalism was- to bo inado an oitcCtiivo instrument for Clsrvst, it would bo necessary for them to "bear one another's burden" move fully in tho future than they had done ill the past-, As loyalty v;as oxpect&d ftatti tho individuals who ' libido up- a clvurch -to that church, so tho individual churches must bo loyal to tho Wftiort. "Without deprecating .in tho' sKglitet degree the spirit <»f- iiidopendonce, a spirit>ol intor-dependenco was also essciitW. and tho wort; of their union could only become ■ strong ■ ■ by adopting, that course. Wlia t hold good thirty yefii'S ago-was wt of date, and effete io-dnv; and they BHist look #st ■situation fairly «ftd squareh-111 tlio face. So groat all authority a* Charles Hooth had . said that ■'ConKrcgatfoiialiSin a religion for the middle classes. But that was all erratic view to take, sinco it had a. message f.ir all manliiiid. '■ T!;c> I!ov. James Crogan, who lifts ro* cently bncii appointed to tho ministry o.f Paddingtoii Chapel, told thoso ;pro» seilt tliat ho bad been made a nlenvtier of throo Congregational Unions— tand in 1552; iiaiJeasliirOi, in 1984T nwd I oiiilon, Personally lie believed that the unions were going to save Congregationalism throughout tho country. It t>uist not be forgotten that jgrea% and good ivoric was being done in very obscure places, fiS well as at Whiteiield ? s, ■Ckreftont, antl Grosswa.y. He.'wa,s pe-r----fectly sum ilwt tho battle for Jesus Christ was going to he lost, or won in ilie Sunday Schools. It w absolttfcly essential to seo that the nation's children wore trained, guided, used in tin? sorvko of God.