SUNDAY CIRCLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14429, 23 January 1909, Page 4

SUNDAY CIRCLE.

dbyotioxal. TIIK S>AItBATH. All hail lite bk'ved Sabbath Day, The be.-t of all the seven: A day to lift our thoughts from earth And '.(Mitre litem on heaven. A day to read Cod's Holy Word, Anil with assurance know That .lesus <!ic.| and ro?p to save Our souls from death and woe. A day lo meet for council sweet Willi children of our King. And :hank Jlim for his goodness great, His praises gladly sing. A day to climb to Pisgah's height, That we the land may see, Where we may wrvc the Lord in ppaco, From sin and sorrow free. And know that we assuredly ( T pon that radiant shore Shall see our Saviour face to face And praise Him evermore

Supplication. Almighty flod. v,e know that Thou art our Father in heaven, that, Thou dost lake care of us day by day. that we have nothing that w© have not reicived. that every (food gift and every perfect gift eomoih down from the Father of Light. We know this, and it is our life's one great joy. \Yo stand in this truth, and are firm and glad. Our peace flows like it river, whilst our faith lays hold upon Cod. Thou art. our Father: we are Thy children. Thou dost not <lcny us., nor leave us, nor disavow us, but with continual affection and care Thou dest claim and keep us every one. Amen.

JlnniTATios. CHAIUCTKI!. Charac-ier requires a, still air. 'There may be storm and upheaval around, hut there must he peace within for Iho soul to thrive. But anxiety is (Ik 1 reverse of vieaco. ']t teases the mind with questions it cannot answer; it broods over possible evils; iv peoples the fullire with dark shapes; it frets the sensibilities with worrying conjecture. It spoil:- the present by loading it with the evil of to-morrow. It's tendency is. bj- dwelling on evil, to make us cowardly- and selfish. Character cannot grow in such an atmosphoro. Hence, as. ;i matter of fuel, we .seldom find any great height am! sweetness of character in an anxious-minded person, for the simple reason that it lias no chance to grow. All forces go in other directions. But when one in wise and righteous ways has learned to trust in Hod, ami so lias come into pcare. then the seeds of all grace and lieauiy spring up, and spread out their leaves in the calm, .warm air, and blossom out into full beauty, fed from beneath and above. It was to secure' such atn.iospb.orc for an end so ciorne.lly important as this that Chris;, spoke these words: "Take no though:." Oh, how wise the teaching! How blessed to bo able to receive it!—Dr T. T. Munger. Exhortation - . I'IiAYHE AND CAKE. It is not enough for us to way for selfcontirol. We must all study the causes of irritability. If men would often go to a,.sanitarian roneornrng their health habits, they would iincl an answoi' to prayer in Irs revelation of truth. I have known men who prayed for a. good temper in va-in unti! their physician prescribed eating eo much meat, for they could not endure such aiinwlalion. Ho long t\s they ate alifindantly of animal food, they could not control their .irritability; but as scon as they wore put on a milder diet they were able to keep their temper. Their jphysieiaiis, by tho aid of science, revealed to them the cause of that, irritable-

tiees. and their prayer was answered. They were not unwise in praying, but t'hev were vise in ad-;ling hygienic advice, "it is quite ill vain to pray for a tranquil spirit, or a. genial, hopeful spirit, when the oigans of diiiestion are out of order. Not that one who is puttering from sickness should not pray for health, but prayer is to bo conjoins;! t" hygiene. It is in vain to pray for patience and then run heedlessly into iher-e very conditions where experience shows causes which lead to impatience. - Henry Ward Beccher.

SIR 0. LODGE AS CASSANDRA

WARNING TO TUB CHURCH. The Milton tercentenary was celebrated at Birmingham under the auspices of the Free Church Council, at- a. meeting over which Sir Oliver Ledge presided. To him, as not an c:;|>eri, in literature, he said. Milton loomed aimc.st as large as a pamphleteer and a man of stroiii" political wisdom and moral insight as he did as a pet. And in both spheres ,of his life Milton felt himself inspired; ho believed that in his prose writings and controversial pamphlets he was the spokesman of the Divine Spirit. Sir Oliver wondered whether, if Milton were alive now, he would not thunder forth an utterance that would arouse people from their lethargy and make the oomltttanis ill the education controversy bethink themselves of what, they were doing. The education of the future generations seemed at present at tho mercy of rival sects, ami ' differences and slight, discrepancies among the followers of Christ were being far more rewarded than their basal and substantial •unities. The_ squabbles of cceiesiaslicH wore propelling ib straight towards an era of secularism. The "secular solution " was Ixxoniiii!: mere imminent- every day, and «. Church which contemned essentials and insisted'on jmcullaritios of doctrine might find ifsoif in another century to all t-crioiw in twite and purposes extinct. If controversy eonfilmed to be mixed up with religion, peqnln would weary both of the controversies and of religion, too. Yet a.l the present time tlie'ro was a genuine spiritual awaJtcnhr:? among the people, and a keen interest in the essentia! and permanent aspects cf reli-

gioir! truth, and that moving of the Spirit of (led upon our time might lie its salvation and rc-croation.

ABOUT PEOPLE. Dr Frew, of St. Minimi's, Stirling, tho " father" of all the churches in Scotland, has just, entered upon the sevcnfly-fourlh year of bis ministry. Ho is now well over 90 years of age.

Mr Evan Roberts is enjoying much iietitcr Ileal] Iw After resting for two years at Leicester be was expected to resume his work as an evangelist at a convention to be held at Swansea.

Dr Charles A. Eaton, pastor ofMrKockefcllor's home church at Cleveland, Ohio, has accepted ii cull to (lie Madison Avenue liaplist Church, Now York, of which the late- l)r Loritnor was formerly minister. It is reported that, his salary will lie £2400, which is twice the amount he was receiving at Cleveland.

The Senate of Knox College. Toronto, has conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon Ihe Rev. John Dick Fleming, H.D., Professor of Systematic Theology. Manitoba College. Winnopeg, and formerly minister of Wishart United Free Church, Tranent.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's signature is not yet oxactly understood in America. At a recent meeting of tho Massachusetts Federation of Churches the President of the federation, in his annual report, noted among encouraging signs of the times the fact that Dr Clifford had received, on the fifiielh anniversary of his pastorate, u letter of congratulation from " Randall Cantuar, Archbisho* of Canterbury."

At a meeting held ai Owersyllt. Wrexham, in connection with tho centenary of ilie Congregational Church there, three Congregational chairmen delivered addresses—viz.. Dr Wardlaw Thompson, chairman of tho Congregational Union of Knglaiu! and 'Wales; Rev. It. Roberts, of Khoslhnercbrngog, chairman of the Welsh Congregational Union; and Key. D. Wynne Evans, of Chester, chairman of the English Cor.srpcation.il Union of North Wales.

Dr Pagan, minister of Bothwdl Parish, and ex-Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was presented recently with a cheque for £2000 and a silver salver by the various organisations connected with bis congregation in recognition of his long and faithful services in the parish. Unfortunately, owing to the state of Dr Pagan's health, tho presentation wits mad" privately at the man?e.

Dr W. J. Dawson, who is engaged on an evangelistic mission in New York, startled New Yorkers by a novel religious proces'

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME,

siou. Preceded by ,i huge cross 10ft 11ii^li ami electrically lighted (with power from a dynamo conveyed mi a hand can), Dr Dawson led the parade. Tho put iro congregation '.vliicli hail attended the service ill St. George's Church made up tlip procession, which marched to Ihp tunc of

"Onward, Christian soldiers." Returning to St. George's Church, the bla/.ing cross led the way through the church doors, followed by the procession, which had been greatly swollen in milliters during the parade.

Fx-president Roosevelt received the other day it deputation from the Y.W.C.A. of Washington and heart ilv congratulated thpiii on the success of their labours. This was one of the few gatherings at Ihe While House, hi said, that had taken place on his own suggest ion, not. on thai of his visitors. It'was due to a recent call from an African missionary, who happened to bring will) him a young lady connected with the Y.W.C.A.' Tn the course of conversation (he President, became so interested in vital she had to toll him that he offered to give a special audience to a delegation on the subject, "not in the way of giving any advice, but with the earnest purpose of calling attention to the admirable work that, is being done, and lo tho need that our people should support it in every possible way."

Among Ihe nittlliludinoit.s oougratttlaiione showered upon Dr O'.ilVord a! his jubilee was one from Rev. W. Boyden, of Weston-, t-niper-Marc, who is described in the Westhournepark llugasine as Or Clifford's double.' Mr Rovdon «aye, in a pwoual letter to Ik Clifford. "I am a youth of 8" voars of age. and havo been a minister in tho Methodist' Free and United Church for 58 rears. I feel you wili hardly feel complimented when "l tell you that I bay.-, several times been mistaken for Dr Clifford. The other week at Bristol station I was looking out of l-110 train, a man ill my compartment ran across the olatfo-in to' speak to a friend, lie asked Mm what, he was doing with Dr Clifford. Br Ma.<<;ie. ai-surcd me one night: after he \m\ leu lecturing that I was the very picture of Dr Clifford. I feat- you will have (o put up with this poor compliment, that an old follow of 84 should be mistaken for you." j

Dr Wilfred T. Grenfell, -the Livingstone of Labrador, who may possibly lead the Norwegian expedition lor linding ami opening Andrre's reputed grsvo. is paying bis animal visit to the United States, lecturing and shaking in _ilia great cities from Boston to San Francisco. Dr Gran fell wits an athlete in his university days at Oxford, and ill 1833 the presence on the platform of several men whose athletic prowess was work! famous, led Mm to attend cue of Moody's lent meetings in Kist Loiukm.

"Their presence," ho says, "was a credential to me, awl I learned at that meeting that what .those men possessed was a faith worthy of strong men, and I went out into those sordid shuns knowing I wanted it." Dr Grenfell still believes that athletic success is an invaluable asset to a, preacher.

" Chris.', I am sure," he says, "wants football, baseball, and track l r ani men in an age when theological expoMrions. however deep and learned, when orthodoxy, conventionality or even correct, vestments and ritual, have so litt.le attraction for the young men who shall be leaders to-mor-

Rev. .lolm M'Neill has just three months of his year's pastorate »t Christ Church, and the members are enthusiastic about him iiitid the new vigour he has infused into every department, of tho work- of the church. Attendances, at the Sunday services have shown a. marked increase, and tho congregations at the Thursday night service hove risen to £00, while for the tmmlrer of demands made upon him by tho religious organisations of South London it seems likely thai the present pastor of Christ; Church will become as personally popular*as his predecessor. Rev. ¥. B. .Meyer. Friends of both are often amused at the striking contras; lietweon tho two men, their chainetorislies being as strongly unlike as th-.'ir appearance. They aro alike, however, in their evangelistic '/ca\, and thoir " humaimcss." Indeed, one member of Christ Church has declared that one reason why Mr M'Neill wills tlic hearts of the young people it; because he has a touch of ineradicable boyishness that is particularly delightful in combination with his stalwart phvsiquo. Mrs M'Neill has already made herself beloved by her friendliness and sympathy. THE SONG OF SONGS.

A LIVING-PICTURE RKCITAL. Madame Irene Fan Carolo gave recently a living-picture recital of "The Song of Songs" in the Cavendish Rooms, Mortimer street, London, She used Kenan's, translation of the lore idyl of the Old Testament, which interprets the poem as meaning that, the Slinki mite woman reject* iho advances of Solomon and cleaves to her shepherdlover in spite of kingly offerings. One can, however, see much dramatic interest and plausibility in the theory by which Dr R. li. Moultoti has arranged " The Song" in his "Literary Bible," where Solomon adopts the shepherd disguise to woo the maiden for his own sake rather than for his position.

The song is'divided into five acts, which were illustrated in living pictures by the Slnihuniie, Solomon, the shepherd, and. attendant maidens. Madame San Carolo dramatically rendered the words white the performers simultaneously went through the appropriate actions. Tin; most, difficult part, that of the Shulamite, w.-.s played with feeling and sympathy, (specially in facial expression. The costumes bad licen. carefully prepared with a view to Oriental accuracy. 'Tho whole, effect was to cvyc~lallise and make more picturesque tho impression gained by reading the poem, though its ardour and 'lyrical sweetness were to some extent lessened.

Interspersed between the acts wer Oriental and Greek odes find hymns which were quite interesting as re-creating the atmosphere of the Orient in its pastoral and mournful expression through scng. The performers made merry in the t'hrvgian fashion and lamented alter die Syrian manner; engaged in a. solemn ilante or expressed more festive spirit in the Mahanaim dance (in the llypodoriatt mode). The pictures would have keen men; elfeetive if they' had been run on uninterruptedly as tin; second half of the programme, with the odes and dances which had no relation to the "Song of Songs" placed in the first part. But apart, from this breach of dramatic, continuity the audience, which well filled the hall, found the presentation impressive and picturesque, while the voices throughout were well trained, lying at once physically strong and sympathetically exmessive.

FROM ALL SOURCES. An interesting feature of the "institutional" methods now adopted at Trinity Church, Springfield, Mass., is the provision of a. " rest-room " for women and gin's who are not able lo go homo for their midday lunches. Free coffee will ba served, and " facilities" will be given to the visitors for the preparation of their mock. A sewing machine or two will Ik put in for tlio benefit of those who have any. sewing to do, and there will be a supply of comfortable ohains for ilrase who wish to srcwl the interval less strenuously.

The United Free Church colleges maintain their position as centres of attraction for those inclined either to theological stwly or to a theological career. At New College. Edinburgh, there are 78 etudents, of whom 16 aro studying privately. At. Glasgow 100 are enrolled, comprising 79 regular and 21 private Etudents. Aberdeen with 20 on the roll.. two being private, brings up t-he aggregate of the three colleges to 159 regular students, in addition to 39 who aro reading theology for love of it. As indicative of the efficiency of tho men who have e.ni<?red tho U.F, halls this, winter, it may he stated that out of 45 entrants 33 completed a full arts course.

The Church Missionary Society is able to report an extraordinary example of selfdenial on behalf of foreign missionary wor>. A foreman employed as a painter in the worl.-s of a- railway in the Norih of r/ng ; - lantl, being a holder of a church missionary l>ox. brought it to the clergyman of the parish to bo opened. He said when doing so: "I don't know how much you will find in it. but I expect about £26 or, perhaps, rather more. I paid in 10s every week out of my wages of £3, and now a.n'd then I have added an extra half-eovcreign." The astonished rector hardly knew what to think or say, but he proceeded to empty tlie box, which was found to contain the almost ineredib!© sum of £35, tho result of a, year's sslMsnjal,