THE RELIGIOUS WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 16263, 4 November 1916, Page 11

THE RELIGIOUS WORLD

" MOUTH-ORGAN - BIBLES. THE FIGHTING MAN'S CHOICE. The 112 th ~rcport of the British and Foreign Bible- Society, 191516. was recently published. The year's issues of the Scriptures, comprising the whole or parts of the Bible, amounted to, tho unprecedented total of 11,059,617 copies, tho increase' in great measure being due to the fact that more than 2,700,000 '.English copies, jusf double the number of °two years ago, were issued, Nearly all theseadditional books hayo gone into the British soldier's. knapsack or the British sailor's ditty-bojf;. The report says : .With many British, "soldiers the society s thumb-index pocket Bible is a . favpnte. From France ono soldier writes: "When I was in Egypt I bought one of your Bibles for 2s 6d; now I want one for my chum, and 1 enclose a' postal order to pay for it. It is one of them mouth-organ Bibles that I want—tho Biblo with the alphabet running down the side." Another soldier, asking for the same book, described it as "the Bible with all the chapters cut out down tho side." Naturally the present conflict outs sharply across an international institution such as the Bible Society, vet none of the belligerent countries has placed difficulties in the way of distributing the Scriptures, and it is a remarkable fact that the society's depots at Berlin, Vienna, Budapest, Warsaw, and Constantinople have not had to close their doors. The'activities of the society's agents are world-wide, and most readers of tliis report will be compelled, to employ an atlas if they wish to find many of the out-of-the-way places mentioned. Mohammedans not infrequently desire to read tho Bible: At Cairo, a Moslem who had no money gave four eggs in exchange for an Arabic Gospel. Next day he stepped our colporteur and said: "Your book is very good, but the eggs I gave you were no't fresh. Therefore I desire to pay the price of the book"—which ho did. Tho agents of the society asain offer testimony to show that the Biblo"nlonc has become a means by which many have accepted Christianity. Here is a 'typical instance. Miss Mallet, of the North Africa Mission, tells this story : We wero visiting in Sifioo when a countrywoman came in and asked to see tho Nazarene woman who knew the words of Christ. I greeted her and went on with my talk, but noticed that, although a stranger, sho was quite familiar with the facts of the Gospel. '-You understand, I. suppose," T said to her, "that I am speaking not so much about our Lord Jesus as of my Lord .Jesus? 1 ' " Yes, of. course," she answered, " for He is my Lord Jesus, too." "How is it that, for you are quite a stranger to us? . . . Who has taught vou?"" " Yes, I am a stranger, and I havo never seen a Nazarene's face before ; but a man passed through our country some years ago. and left a book with my father, who read it to us. It told us of Jesus the Saviour, and my father believed, and died trusting in Him and \ am trusting in Him, too." Possibly tho man referred to was a native travelling merchant, who had bought some of our colloquial Arabic Gospels, in order to sell them at a higher price. However, it is 'tiot always bought for its revelation of the things* of the Spirit. From Persia it is reported: In the town of J I sold a large number of books to merchants. One of them, who had bought the Book of Proverbs, said to me on meeting me later in the day: " If I can commit this book i to memory I shall become the Governor of J , and perhaps of all Persia." The society's total expenditure has been brought down to £255,098, whilo the total receipts Teached £269,036, but this apparently favorable account has only been obtained by transferring over £19,000 fromthe legacy equalisation fund. Thus, in spite of rigid economy, the society has spent during the past year £5,000 more than it_ actually received, while the cost of sprinting, etc, has greatly increased. ' WOMEN" AS MISSIONERS. * The Bishop of Chelmsford sent to the Press the following letter, in which hs announces the- withdrawal of the sanction he had given to women addressing gatherings of women and girls in churches during the national mission; As chairman of the committee which, dealt with, women's work, I would point out that nothing whatever was said concerning women and the priesthood—nothing was proposed which could for one moment be said to usurp tho position or function of tho accredited ministry of the Church. As to what the individual opinions of those speaking or voting on the matter were we had nothing to do, any more than with the private or even public utterances of members on any other question which came before tho council. The resolution actually proposed has been so overlooked that it may be well to recall it, in order that tho public may compare it with the. pamphlets and statements published:—''To urge upon tho bishops the importance of giving definite directions as to tho best ways of using the services anl receiving the message of women speakers, whether in church or elsewhere." The council, being a body of loyal Churehreople, realised that it was not the proper body to decide upon such questions. It could only p j aC6 the matter before the properly constituted authorities of the i Church and leave it in their hands. I venture to think that in so doinc- thev yore acting in accordance with tire best ideals of Churchmanship. The Bishop of London and mvself acted Upo ? J th n resolution » al «l stated that we would-allow women under certain conditions to speak in church. We never proposed to license them to preach or to give them the same facilities as are given to lay readers. They were not to speak at any ordinary services of the Church, nor from the pulpit, lectern, or chancel steps Iho gatherings at which they spoke were to be strictly confined to women and "iris J hat was all. Knowing, as tho Bishop of .London and I do, the' real difficulties of parochial work, and . tho frequent inadequacy and noise- of many parochial buildings, we wished, during the mission, to secure as far asnossibk? a spirit of reverence, begotten by such gatherings being held in the <hureb, and that there, in the quiet of God's House, a woman should speak to her sisters of tho love of their common Lord. I would ask anyone thoughtfully to consider whether this would have been accepted and blessed by tho Lord of the Church Himself as Ho looked down at that gathering. • I put the matter simply and plainly that Fo^td? p may knw M ' siat was " reall y —The Work of the Devil.— It seems incredible that such a course could have been opposed, hut so it is larty passions have been aroused, controversy encouraged, and all this on the eve of the great movement which has been in our thoughts and prayers for months, burely this has -been the work of the Yet what is to he done? The natural man would say: "R eslst the unfair agitation, largely begotten of ignorance and prejudice.' But such a spirit would eurely wreck the nuesion, for no blessing could rest upon it conducted on such lines I have therefore decided that during the mission I shall not sanction any woman telling her sisters of tho Saviour's love in any church in tho diocese of Chelmsford I know that as a result the work in some of tho most difficult parishes will bj made still more difficult, but in-the wider interests of the Church and of the mission I take-the step in order that the diocese may concentrate again on its great effort After tho mission I shall take counsel with my episcopal colleagues on the question, but G'hurchpeople may be assured that nothing will be proposed that would in any degree be contrary to tiio rules and regulations which concern tbs priesthood. I trust that now the agitation, which ought never to have been raised' may cease, and that the Church may give herself to prayer, and to her great task bf leading the ration to God, and of making her witness of Him Who, as Mr Glad-stone-said, 'iis 'the only hope of fallen humanity.."- ; l ,

BURYING THE DEAD UNDER FIRE, A fine story is told of how, after a certain bitter fight,.the Church"ol England and Presbyterian chaplains went-"out- together to bury the dead. It was not only hard, but Mangerous, work, for as they dug they were sniped at, and an enemy machine gun was playing uncomfortably near. When the work was done and it came to tho Presbyterian's time to read the service, dawn was none too far away, so, knowing well the stern quality of his Scottish companion, the Church of England chaplain ventured to say to him: '' .Now, brother, I hope you will not make it longer than is necessary." The Scotsman turned to him in the dark and said: " Brother, we have been a long time digging this grave, and not all the Germans on earth will make me hurry with the service oyer it." And he did.not hurry, but did.his full duty even more deliberately than usual. Fortunately no bullet found them, and both afterwards received the Military Cross. The burying of the dead, often under fire, and the marking and recording the "position of graves are only a part of the dangerous duties which chaplains at the front have to perform. Tn the official account of the deed bv which Mr Mellish won the V.C. it is said that his work of carrying the wounded back and dressing their wounds under fire was "quite voluntary on his part and outside the scope of his ordinary duties." It is far from being the only case wherein chaplains have done similar acts, if not under conditions which gave opportunity for showing courage on so splendid a scale. In the trenches the chaplains are, of course, constantly exposed to the same danger as the'men. i'he opportunities for holding service before action are less now than they were in the, days of pitched battles. Actions, too, often begin, on the enemy's part, without previous warning, and even when the attack is initiated by us it is not always possible to hold formal service. It remains for the chaplain to do all that he can individually, man to man, iii the trenches, and it is in such work at such moments that many chaplains feel that their efforts have been most fruitful. Tn ail, six chaplains have been killed in the war, as many more have been seriously wounded, and a very large number slightly wounded. That men in the presence of death should be more impressionable, more susceptible to emotional influence. Is natural. There has been not a little said in English 'religious journals of tlfe great "spiritual revival" which is reported to have occurred in the Army. Those here in tho best position to judge would like to discourage all such talk.'— 'TimesV correspondent. ULSTER. AND THE RKLIGIOFS QUESTION. In many quarters (gays a London ' Times ' correspondent) there is a noteworthy modification of the old political bitterness and religious bigotry. Recent oppoituu.i-os of more iuthuale acquaintance have led to quite a kindly disposition towards Nationalist leaders," although it- is still denied strenuously that- a Dublin Parliament under their control could possibly be a success. No one knows but that'it may be something gained that in spite of political differences anv beginning of goodfellowship should be reached. The abatement of religious intolerance on both sides is not far advanced, particularly among the poorer classes, but it :s evident to a satisfactory extent among some public men. _ Yet the contention remains—and statistics are used in support of it—that ■poverty, lack of enterprise, and the " levying of blackmail" on the British Government are prevalent only in that part of Ireland which is under the influence of the Roman Church. Many Unionist lepresentatives, rightly or wrongly, deplore the recusant attitude of Roman Catholics. They say that Roman Catholics have generally refused to mix socially with their Protestant fellow-citizens, and that- in a community in which collaboration could only have led to friendship and success the members of the two religions are strangers yet. In this respect there are occurrences which deeply affect the Ulsterman's mind. To give an example, a magnificent technical institute has been built in Belfast for the instruction of young peopio in every craft, from shipbuilding, naval architecture, engineering, and the textile industries down to- cookery and plain needlework. This institute ordinarily has about 7,000 students, and the result ot its activities has been to produce a oigh degree of craftsmanship, ami largely to increase the prosperity of the city. Belfast citizens are rightly proud of this achievement. It did not help, therefore, towards a better understanding when the Roman Catholic clergy forbade parents to send their children to the institute, and opened instead a comparatively insignificant institute of their own. This, the Protestants think, was an inexcusable demonstration of aloof-' ness in a case where there could Lave been no conceivable opportunities for attempts af proselytism. Actions of this kind do not favor the advent <u the broader thought towards which theie is undoubtedly a tendency. There is, however, a realisation of the value of amitv and_ a disposition to remain open to coil- I yietion in some respects. That, after all ! is a frame of mind which should give heart to all reasonable opponents, and put them upon their mettle.