SUNDAY CIRCLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14257, 4 July 1908, Page 4

SUNDAY CIRCLE.

DEVOTIONAL. couKAcr:. Courage, brother! do not stumble, Though the path he dark us night; There's a star to guide the humble; Trust in God and do tho right. Though the path bo long and dreary, And its endings out of sight; Foot it bravely, strong or weary, Trust in Cod and do the right. Trust no party, church or faction, Trust no leaders in the tight; But in every word ami action Trust in God and do Iho rigid. Some will hate thee, some will love thee, Some will Hatter, some will slight; Cease from man and look above thee, Trust in God and do the right. Trust, no forms of guilty passion; Friends can look like angels bright. Trust no custom, school or fashion, Trust in God and do tho right. Simple ride and safest guiding, Inward peace and inward right, Star upon our path abiding, Trust in Cod and do the right. N. MAn.uon. SumiCATio.w Hide the life that is before us mercifully behind the dark curtain of the future. Out of Thy tenderness towards us Thou wilt keep the joy or the gladness, tho disgrace or the shame, the happiness or the woo of the future, hidden from us. Only grant us what Thou hast promised, that as our days, so shall our strength be. We are children in the dark; put Thy strong hand into our poor trembling hand, and we shall not fear. Thou ait our fortress and strong tower. Safe in Thy guidance we shall enter into the life eternal. Amen.—George Dawson. Meditation. TIIE DEPAKTED I'BAYIXO TOR fS. I think wo may feel confident, with a perfect confidence, that they in that world of which we know so dimly arc praying for us. They are alive and awake. Tho words in an ancient catacomb put upon the burying place of one committed to the grave were: "Be at rest and pray for us." They thought of their dead as going into tho other world and still carrying on activity and service for them in that further chamber of the Father's house. I am sure we are meant to think of the dead, as undoubtedly Christians from tho very first thought of the dead, as in that unseen world alive, awake, and exercising a ministry of prayer on behalf of those whom they had left, and I think there is no greater inspiration and help in prayer than the sense that behind our intermittent prayer there is always going up that great prayer, that, as from Christ's mouthpiece rises from the whole of His body, the body of His Church, the dead.as weli as the living. —Bishop Gore. Exhortation', do not wohby! Bo patient. Keep sweet. Do not fret or worry. Do your best, and leave results with Cod. Believe firmly in God, in the fulfilment of His purposes, and the march of His providences. God's laws arc immutable and work with uudeviating regularity. Walk in fellowship with God, and every year you will be a stronger, better, happier, and sweeter man. Do not mar your peace or power by needless worry. Live by faith in the Son of God, who loves yon and gave Himself for you. On some bright to-morrow you will come lo anchor under a haven of sapphire and in a harbour of clam, with chimes ringing their welcome from the towel's that sentinel the city of God, while from tho battlements millions will shout, "Well done!" and God Himself will say, "Enter thou into the joy of the Lord."—Dr G. B. Vosburgh. ABOUT PEOPLE. Dr Newall D wight Ilillis, of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, is to spend August in England. He sails from New York.on July 19. Dr Aked, in a recent sermon in New York, in which he spoke of "the millionaires who are mean, and the people who arc not millionaires, but who arc meaner," added, "I am not pleading for myself; I have no need to plead for myself—a man who has lived to cross the Atlantic once may live to ores.* it again!" The Pope in an autograph letter to Archbishop O'C'onnell, thanking him for a contribution of Peter's pence amounting to 40,000d01., refers to the approaching centennial celebration of the erection of the See of Boston, and congratulates he Archbishop warmly upon the progress of the Catholic Church in his diocese. Dr W. J. Dawson has been preaching in Colchester, Swansea, Newport, and Southpert during the month of May. He was expected to preach at WhitefieM's l>oth morning and evening, and also to address the men's meeting in the afternoon on "The Arrest of Christianity and its Cure." Dr Dawson sailed for America on May 27, preached in New York on the first Sunday of June, and then went to Yandcrbilt University for a series of services. Rev. Frank Dyer, a young Congregational minister, born in England and educated at Chicago Theological Seminary, has been elected secretary—and is to devote his whole time, to the work—of an American Congregational Brotherhood which has been formed at Detroit. The brotherhood is a remarkable spontaneous movement by the laymen of New England Congregationalism Tor the enlistment of men in the service of Christ, for (he furtherance of social righteousness, and for missionary extension. Nothing on this line has been hitherto attempted in American Congregationalism, and in some respects the brotherhood resembles the Laymen's Missionary Movement, formed a year or two ago, to promote foreign missionary enterprise. Jlr Dyer was a leader in the young men's movement in Chicago, where lie will make his headquarters. Dr Westwater, the famous Presbyterian missionary, has arrived in England from Manchuria, whero he has been instrumental in breaking down Chinese prejudice to Western ways. Dr Westwater is a medical man, wdiose services to humanity have been acknowledged by the Governments of China, Russia, and Japan, and it is all the more singular that the British Government lias withheld from him Iho official recognilion he undoubtedly deserves. He has spent 25 years in Manchuria, and stood between tho few European, residents and annihilation at the timo of the Boxer rising. In the Russo-Japanese campaign his services to Russians and Chinese brought on him a deal of odium on the part of the Japanese. Few men in China exercise such individual influence as Ur Westwater, and he is .worshipped by the Chinese and revered by all foreigners. A man of middle age, he is £ most delightful companion, and is marked by a singular sweetness of disposition. Tho death of the Rev. E. J. Poymler, rector of Whikehapel, in the prime of life, and at the time when he was entering on his great work among the East End Jews, is an event to be deplored as deeply as the recent loss of the Rev. Claud Eliot, from Hoxton. Mr Poymlw had a strange secret sympathy which won the hearts of the Jews. Though belonging to another race, he felt, as Heine did. all the poignancy of their age-long matryrdom ; and ho accepted as a call from God the offer of a Ghetto church. Ho heard in London, as Heine did in Venice, "a voice, with a ripple of fears that, were never wept by eyi>s. It was a. sob thai could only come from a breast that held in it all Iho martyrdom which, for 18 centuries, had been borne by a whole tortured people." Mr Poynder's strenuous and patient efforts during his too brief career in Whitechapel will long lx; remembered among (he East London .lews. He was profoundly conscious of the debt which modern Christians owe to the Jews, bt'.oauso the most, perfect of the earlier Christians made their lot so hard. NOTES OX THE MAY MEETINGS. The splendid meeting of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel was the culminating point of a May meeting searon which lhas been unparalleled ifrom the missionary point of view. Events have crowded upon each other almost too rapidly hut there can be no doubt that the societies are prepared to accept the appeal which comes from waking heathen lands, and to make a great and practically united forward movement. At Anglican and Free Church meetings has been heard the same strenuous note. If a volume of iiiie month's utterances could be compiled for the inspiration of the Christian public, it should include Dr Horton's sermon for the Wesleyans, the speeches of Bishop Tugwell and Archdeacon Motile for the C.M.S., Professor George Smith's noble .termon for the I Congregationalists, and the Bishop of Lou. don's speech at live Albert- Ha-11, AJI these.

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME.'

speakers showed a remarkable closeness ol touch with the heathen world, and they prophesied a great development ot the missionary enterprise. In listening to accounts of the awakening of China, for instance, to the benefits of Western civilisation, many must,_ have remembered the. words of Kzekiel: ''Ye shall know that lam the Lord, when 1 have opened your graves, and caused you to come up out of your craves, O my people." 'Die breath that, blows over heathenism at 1 Lis moment is as bewildering as the air of dawn to those who have spent the night in a darjc cavern. The events of the week for the May meeting journalist were the sermon of Professor Smith at the City Temple and tho Bishop of Stepney's superb temperance " speech at the Queen's Hall. Dr Smith has recently visited India, and he gave an account of his talk with a learned Sikh Rajah, who has written a. commentary on St. Mark. Dr Smith reminded his hearers that the Sikhs are the Protestants of •India, who worship their Bible, the Oranth, and whose services consist in a perpetual intoning from the sacred book, mingled with hymns and prayorc. They appear to be. pure Ihoists in their fundamental doctrines. Dr Smith asked this learned Rajah whether ho believed in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures. " No," he replied, " God is not body, but spirit. Ho put the thoughts in the minds of holy moil, and they wrote the words in their own language." The learned Rajah of this fighting racs asked Professor Smith- to explain the passage in which Christ bids a man who is smitten on the cheek lo turn the other lo his enemy. The difficulty was not scfiled in their interview, but later on the Sikh scholar sent this message through his interpreter: "Tell the sahib that I understand it thus. When Christ was on the Cross, and God smote Him on the one cheek, He turned the. other cheek to God, and said, 'I will take more; I will lake all that Thou dost, give me.' That, was the most wonderful thing that ever happened in tho history of the world, and that . ; s why God has spread the name of your Lord so far abroad." FROM ALL SOURCES. Sunday observance has undergone so great a change in the last few years, and church attendance has so greatly been sacrificed for the pursuit of recreation, that the clergy have continually to deplore diminished congregations. Whilst many lament the change and simply hope for something in the form of a revival, others take a more practical and hopeful view of tho present condition of affairs by making some provision for worship for those who are on pleasure bonf, and who, without such provision, would 1 ho absent altogether from Sunday worship. The Rev. .1. C, Macdonall, of St. Andrew's, Surhiton, has at the request of a number of golfers, cyclists, motorists, and others, instituted a weekly Sunday morning service which they can attend before leaving for their various recreations. Tho first of these services was held on a recent Sunday at 9.45, and was attended by about 50 men. It is but a. half-hour's Sunday observance, but the Surhiton parson regards that as better than none at all. "What would become of this country if it were without the work of Sunday School teachers?" Such is the testimony borno to the value of Sunday Schools by the present Prime Minuter. According to .Mr 11. B. Williams, of tho Sunday School Union of Birkenhead, Air Asquilh gave expression to his opinion in such words in the course of a conversation a few weeks ago. There are thousands of Sunday School teachers of all denominations in the king(Join who will be glad to know that they have the sympathy of the Prime Minister in their good work, and according to the report, just issued, of the Church of England Sunday School Institute (Serjeant's inn) there are in connection with that body alone 203,603 teachers. This report is ii very encouraging one, for, regarding one feature only—namely, that of the number of scholars and members of Bibb classes, the increase is 12.769, the present total being 5,022,529. The increase in the number of Bible classes is a very satisfactory item, indicating a hold upon the elder .scholars aftor leaving school, as against (ho suggestion that tho influence of the Sunday school upon children is only a passin" one. ' '' The remarkable record, cowing 352 years, of tho Maeleod family of preachers would appear after all to be eclipsed by that of the Bonar family. The historv of the Bonars begins with the voar 1693, when Rev. John Bonar, of Torphioh.en, was ordained. Ho. was a minister for 54 wars. His son, John Bonar, of Fetlar, liad a ministry of 23. Two immediate descendants together covcred*a period of 52 years. Then wo come to Dr John Bonar, of Larbcrt, Aberdeen, and Glasgow, 37 years: Dr John James Bonar, of Greenock, 56 years; Dr Horatius Bonar, of Kelso ami Edinburgh, 52 years; Dr Andrew Alexander Bonar,°of Collace and Glasgaw. 54 years; Rev. Andrew E, Bonar, of Fogo and Edinburgh', 24 years; Rev. Horatius Ninian Bonar,°of Salbonn, 12 years; making a total of 364 years, and surpassing that of the Macleods by 12 years. But to the Bonar record maybe added a further contribution by descendants not of the name. Rev. P. O. Purves of Morebattlc and Wardio, and Rev. J. R A. Gordon, of Borgue and Kenmoro. may be allowed to supplement the record by 53 and 9 years respectively, and thus bring up the grand total to the amazing figure of 426. The Maclccd record, however, remains unique in the respect that that family laboured entirely within the borders of tho Church of Scotland, while the Bonars served partly in the Church of Scotland and partly in the free Church and its descendant—the United Free. Rev. J. 11. .Towett preached the. Sunday senool anniversary sermons at Castlcalc Church, Nottingham, on a recent Sunday, the, evening serf ice was started 10 minutes before the usual hour, as the building had been packed for some time. Mr Jo we ft preached for 55 minutes. There wee to-day, ho said, two tendencies workin'osue by side, tho first to desentimcurali*° religion, and the second to depersonalise it —to tike out all the pronouns and to insert abstract notions in their stead. But there was equally great dangers in a religion in which amotion, had been entirely excluded The perfectly, dry eye was blind, and a perfectly blind religion had no sight. Men ami women •whose- lives s tood out like Alpine heights were all characterised by tho personal appeal, and by true sentiment and devotion, 'there was nothing more sin-nifi-cant about Spurgeon than his darim* n<e of tho pronoun, and his emphasis of the personal. Never must they let their recoil from a wishy-washy sentimentalism impair their lives and lead them to denude themselves of all emotion. The tost of holiness was not tts oxclusiveness, its seeludedness from the world, bub its positive reaction upon the world. It was manifested in hearty-giving, sin-destroying ministry, and thus, because love was holy and sensitive it was reoemptive and facriticial. By faith it was appropriated by the individualfaitli, not a deliberate blinding of the judo-, incut, but the reasonable dealing with" reasonable things. In the last resorHt was the surrendering of the life to Christ, which was followed by certain manifestations, certain vitalisation. and certain mortification, things which now Jay dormant would he quickened; things now active, would b» mortified That, was his Gospel, and it was worth preaching and worth accepting. THE SCOTTISH COLLEGES. A PROPOSAL FOR UNION. Memorials on the subject of the union or federation of the Theolosieal Colleges m Scotland have been lodged by the Church Union Association with the Clerks of -w sembly of the Kstablished, United Free, and I'roe. Churches for presentation to the forthcoming general assemblies of these Churches. A similar memorial, presented to the Congregational Union mcotin-'s Iwt month, met, with a. cordial reception, and representatives were appointed to meet rn nrescntatives from the other Churches, fhe memorialists slate that they are impressed by the enormous saving of energy and means which co-operation would bring about, and in particular bv fhe gain in completeness and efficiency of Ihe theological curriculum which would result from putting the teaching staff of each of the Churches at the common service of all the students. They urgo that a conyniittoe of general assembly be forthwith constituted to meet representatives of the other Ciiurches concerned, and to undertake with them the consideration of possible methods, not only for giving opportunities for joint work, for ."baring classes, and for friendly intercourse of every kind, but also for ultimately carrying out. the federation or union of the colleges in Edinburgh, Glasgow, 1 Aberdeen and elsewhere.