THE CHURCHES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16493, 7 March 1914, Page 15

THE CHURCHES.

AN ECHO OF THE PAST. THE COLENSO CONTROVERSY. The reference to Bishop Colenso by the Archdeacon of London on a recent Sunday at St Paul’s Cathedral, when speaking of the Kikuyu difficulty, directs attention afresh to the momentous controversy associated with his name some fifty years ago. Bishop Colcnso had, for a long time, beon dissatisfied with the traditional teaching of the Bible in many directions. and his difficulties were materially increased by the simple, straightforward questions put to him from time to time by tho natives among whom ho worked and dwelt. As a result, states the “Daily Telegraph,”, ho was induced to uiako a critical examination of tho Pentateuch, which he embodied in a aeries of treatises published between tho years 1862 and 1879, wherein ho throw considerable doubt upon tho historical accuracy of tho Bible. His conclusions, positive and negative, created a perfect storm in the Church, and following as they did upon certain theories which ho put forward in relation to polygamy among tho natives, lie urns denounced as being unfit to be a preacher of Christianity. His opponents’ comments upon his "Commentary on St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans ” were that it bristled with heresies, a view shared by Bishop Gray, Metropolitan of Capo Town. In solemn conclave the Bishops of South Africa deposed him, though Bishop Colenso only appeared at tho so-called trial by proxy, and then only to protest against the jurisdiction of tho Court. When he refused to bo bound by the decision, Bishop Gray formally ex-communicated him. Bishop Colenso thereupon appealed to the Privy Council, who held that tho Metropolitan of Capo Town had no coercive jurisdiction and no authority to interfere with the Bishop of Natal. Though unable to secure his legal deposition his adversaries persisted in their attack on tho recalcitrant Bishop. Many dioceses closed their pulpits to him; important mission societies withdrew their contributions from the field of his operations, and, finally, an effort was made to stop his episcopal income. Again he invoked the aid of

tho Courts. The question was brought before tho Rolls Court, and Lord Romilly gave judgment that Dr Colonso was still Bishop of Natal, and fully entitled to the temporalities of tho see. The society which called itself the Church ol‘South Africa was declared to have no standing in the eye .of the English Church law, and the principles by which Bishop Gray had been guided wore strongly condemned. lhe payment of all arrears of income was ordered, with interest thereon unless Bishop Colenso’s accusers should bring him to trial for heresy. This they refused to do. Prior to his return to nis diocese Bishop Colenso received a signal proof of friendship and admiration from many .English Churchmon, who _ welcomed his fight in the cause of independence of thought. They presented him with a sum of £3300 and oihei tokens of esteem. Thus encouraged, lie returned to the scat of his labours, devoting himself with tho utmost energy to the completion of Ins critical study of tho Pentateuch, a work which fltill remains one of the most valuable contributions to theological literature. . , , , Compared with the passion and heat introduced into that controversy _of fifty vears ago the ono concoining Kikuyu is comparatively tranquil, a fact perhaps natural, having regard to tho relative importance of their respective issues. Then the very foundations of cherished belief; seemed to be assailed; now it is mainly hut a difference of opinion as to the administration of Holy Communion. Church discipline may be at stake, but not any vital principle of Christian dogma. Nevertheless, this echo of tho past is not without interest at a time when serious Churchmen are sincerely perturbed at what has taken place. DECLINING CHURCH ATTENDANCE. REASONS FOR THE FALLING OFF IN GERMANY. In Berlin it ia an established fact that tho number of those who make a practice of going to church is rapidly decreasing. A serious Berlin journal has been investigating tho causes_ for this, and as the result of its inquiries among the working classes it has obtained the following six reasons for the falling off:— (1) Tho influence of the anti-religious press. . (2) Tho Social Democratic agitation against the Church. (3) The influence of evil-disposed neighbours and fellow-workmen on thoso who would otherwise attend church. , (4) The notorious unbelief of the educated classes. , . (5) Hie widely spread suspicion and dislike expended on the clergy, especially the belief that they do not themselves believe what they teach, and that their piety and truth is merely hypocrisy. 1 (6) The fact that all public places of amusement are open on Sunday and that it is on Sunday that the proprietors of these places use the greatest efforts to fill them. Another reason given for the increasing absence of young people from divine service is tho recent institution of associations such as scouts, wanderers, and boys’ and girls’ brigades, all of which have their gatherings on Sundays. The great horse races are held on Sunday and also tho chief athletic events. It is stated that all these things help to deplete the churches. Another Berlin journal in examining the causes at work in emptying the churches does not hesitate to remark that “ tho antiquated methods employed by the clergv in addressing their flocks and in conducting their services are becoming ‘repulsive’ to church-goers. Modern men in modern life will not tolerate a man in a pulpit calling them ‘ beloved hearers.’ They hate the sanctimony and unctiousuess inseparable from so many pastors. It irritates them to hear, ‘first, mv beloved,’ and ‘secondly, my dear brethren,’ and ‘ thirdly and lastly.’ Then there is a strong impression that much might bo done to modernise the service of song. Tho Germans are the most musical people in the world and possess some of tho most magnificent church music ever written. But they are beginning to lose all patience with those slowly droned-forth chorales in which there is neither force nor fire. With a sigh they think of the bright services of song in English and American churches, THE POSITION IN CALIFORNIA. “ Why do not more men attend church sorvices?” This questiou was recently put (by circular) by the Rev R- Franklin Hart, minister of St Paul’s Episcopal Church, at Oakland, California, to 800 men. Summing up the answers received, Dr Hart said that it was apparent that there were three principal reasons why men, according to their own confessions, do not go to church. “ The church welcomes the wealthy and is run bv them, but the poor are not welcome, 5 ’ says one of the letters, which is supported by many others. “ Too much technical talk about Christianity and not enough practical Christianity,” says another letter, which Dr Hart assigns as reason number two. “ Business and social duties take up a man’s time to such an extent that on Sundays he wants to stay at home and read his papers and rest, and perhaps take a. walk,” says still another letter, which is given by the minister as the third reason. CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR MOVEMENT. REPORTS FROM MANY COUNTRIES. For the thir-.l time the Nebraska (U.S.A.) Christian Endeavour Union has conducted its sessions in Esperanto, the new international language. Move than 100 attended and took part. Esperanto makes for ono of the ideals of Christian Endeavour—“Peace on earth, good will and understanding among men.” Tho island of Funafuti, in the Ellice Islands Protectorate, holds a record in Christian Endeavour membership. There are 240 people on tho island, of whom 150 aro members of theChristian Endeavour Society. More than £SO has been raised by the society to provide for local church and missionary needs. At the last meeting of the State executive of the New South Wales Christian Endeavour Union it was decided to invito the Australasian United Socioty to hold its twelfth biennial convention in Sydney, from September 3 to 9 next. Writing to the “ Endeavourer,” the organ of the Victoria Christian Endeavour Societies, Dr Francis E. Clark, founder of the movement, said: “There was never a time when Providence seemed to be smiling upon our movement as to-day. Societies are multiplying: unions are being strengthened; conventions are more full of spirit and power than ever before. In mission lands the works is extending in a marvellous way.”

The recent nineteenth German National Christian Endeavour Convention met in the Ts.onigsburg Zoological Gardens. Delegates were present from Russia and Slavonia, and also representatives from the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, the former being represented bv Rcgierungssrt Gotte. The final meeting was attended by an audience of more than (5000. THE TRUE PURPOSE OF A CATHEDRAL. Archbishop Wright, of Sydney, in an article on “ The True Purpose of a Cathedral.”, published in an English journal, states—“ Wo should have a great ambition: that the cathedral

may be the centre of diocesan worship. This function has always found a place in the charter of every old cathedral. Day after day, year after year, century after century, prayer has gone up in those old cathedrals to tho Holiest; the Psalms of David have been sung or recited; and the Scriptures have been read in systematic sequence; and the diocese has been the better for this diocesan worship. The cathedral type of worship should not find a poor imitation in every parish; but its helpfulness to the ordinary parish church is that it sets an example of tho best in tho worship of God, even as the cathedral is the typo of tho best architectural gift to G-od. And so there should bo nothing slovenly or slipshod; but everything should be of tho best. “ Above all, the -worship of the cathedral church is not only intercession from tho diocese, but intercession for tho dioceso; and I know of ono cathedral in Australia where it was found of great use to havo regular services, week by week, in which intercession was mndo for diocesan needs. None knows what help it brought to the lonely clergyman in a bush parish to feel that in the heart of the diocese he was being prayed for.”

MISSIONARY WORK IN PAPUA. An interesting address "on mission work in Papua was given in Bathurst recently by tho Rev Ambrose Fletcher. The missionary stated that there were only about 800 whites in the Commonwealth Territory, while the native population could not be estimated, because of tho unknown tribes inland. Tho Methodist missionary ground included all the archipelago to the south and the south-east of the mainland, embracing all the islands which were strewn over a sea space fifteen times as great as their land area. The London Missionary Society, which had begun its work before any other body, was settled on tho coast, south-east from the Dutch boundary. The Church of England Mission Society was situated on the coast north-east from the German boundary, while the Roman Catholio missionaries cared for the inhabitants around the Gulf of Papua. There were eighteen magistracies, and the police were recruited from the young natives. Touching on tho native resources and industries of. Papua, the lecturer stated that the Methodist mission controlled one cocoanut plantation, where converts, trained as artisans, were employed. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS IN CANADA. Commenting on the results of the last census, the Canadian correspondent of an English journal writes:— “In religious denominations tho Church of England has made the largest percentage of gain in tho decade, this being due to tho largo English immigration, nearly all of which is nominally Anglican. The Roman Catholics aro still by far tho largest individual denomination, with slightly ' more than one-third of the total population. Presbyterians are now in second place, having passed tho Methodists during tho decade. The populations of the leading denominations, with comparisons with the previous census, are as follow, the figures given ten years ago being printed in parentheses:—Roman Catholics, 2,883,041 (2,229,600); Presbyterians, 1,115,324 (842,442): Methodists, 1,079,892 (916,886); Anglicans, 1,043,017 (681,494); Baptists, 382,666 (318,005); Lutherans, 229,864 (92,524); Greek Church, 88,507 (15,630); Jows, 74,564 (16,401); Mennonites 44,61 l (31,797); Congiogationalists, 34,051 (29,293). NOTES. The Rev C. O. Lelean, a well-known Methodist missionary; from Fiji, who is at present on a visit to Melbourne, told an audience last week that he was tho seventh missionary to labour in his district in Fiji. The first was killed, cooked and eaten. Somo of Mr Lelean’s circuit stewards, ho said, know what the taste of human flesh is. One man, who had just entered the ministry, remembered, as a child, his father carrying home portions of tho first missionary, already spoken of, in a box. To-day, however, the Fijians were a law-abiding, generous people, who were heart-whole in their religion. He denied that the Fijians were lazy, but 6tated that they refused to work nine hours a day for a shilling. A cable message has- been received by the committee of the Australasian Cliapman-Alexander Bible Institute, which is established in Adelaide, and Las a local advisory Board in Sydney, that the Rev John H. Elliott, D.D., of Chicago, has accepted the position of principal of the institution, and will leave America on April 15. Dr Elliott has been doing extension work for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, which is on similar lines to those proposed for the 1 nyville institution. He is a native of Ontario, and a man of past middle age. After preparing for the ministry he entered into Y.M.C.A. work, and became one of the best-known men among the older Association secretaries in America. He is the author of several books on Bible study, and gave up his Y.M.C.A. secretaryship to assist Moody in his great world’s fair campaign. He was subsequently associated with Dr Wilbur Chapman in evangelistic work, and held meetings in various parts of the United States and Canada.