SUNDAY CIRCLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14447, 13 February 1909, Page 4

SUNDAY CIRCLE.

DEVOTIONAL. Affirmation. Enough of tortured questioning, Tnoiigh of doubt's benumbing sting 1 With sudden flash of certitude Let me. affirm that life iti good. Enough of dull, denying grief, And answers that are not belief. When all the cries of life are heard, Lei Love bo given the latest 'word. Ln| pride bo trampled into clay That higher Will may work its way And reason's light Ik lit anew Into a vision of the True. Because in sooth I cannot 6e9 The heart of every mystery; Because there is a limit set, And secrets that elude me yet; Shall I supinely give my breath To mere negation, which is death, And ever through life's valleys go Asserting that I do not know? Fed by the Godhood that is born To willing souls each risen morn, On peaks of sunrise let. ine greet The glorious passing of His feet. Seeing in fragments, let me guess The Groat, suggested by the lees; The Pure misfeaturcd in the mire, And sin itself a purging fire. —Aktiiub L. Salmon, in the Scottish Review. , Supplication. How poor is the wisdom of men, and how uncertain their forecast! Govern all by Thy wisdom. 0 Lard, so that my soul may always be serving Thee, as Thou dost will and not as I may choose. Punish me not) by granting that; which 1 wish or ask, if it. olfend Thy love, which would always live in me. Let me die to myself, so that 1 may serve Thee: lot me live to Thee, Thou who in Thyself art the true life. Reign Thou, ami let me be the captive, for my soul covets no other freedom. Amen.—St. Theresa. Meditation', tiik long mile. One's long mile will no more continue through the years than one's long hours outnumber the swiff ones. When Christian and Hopeful were malting their famous journey to the Celestial City, they trudged at limes over miry paths; they sometimes missed the right direction; and they had their foes to fight. Nevertheless, there wore days of heavenly sweetness and seasons when tho air was full of balm. So it is with us if. like Christian, we are consciously faring heavenward. Occasionally wo must set our lips grimly, and bravo the weariness of waiting, or snatch a triumph from defeat. Recall th? famous assertion of General Grant in a peculiarly trying period of the Civil War: "T will light it out. on this line if it takes all summer." Courage

ami patience are needed for the long mile; but t-lin courage should not lie drawn wholly from ourselves, and tho patience should bo ours because wo have prayed to our heavenly Father, and have expected a blessing in return.—Margaret Sangster.

Exhortation. CULTIVATE I'Ki'.SONAI.ITT. Great deeds are not great, through effort and strain: they are only great, in reality, as they are the natural and mature fruit of perKmaliiy. No man can suddenly cut .himself away from his way of life and say:

" What. I now do is a noble deed." It may appear noble to the world's hasty judgment ; but unless there hits been a wonder of regeneration—if the man leaps out of meanness or out of mere commonplace, and after the violent effort falls back into it again—Cod does not count it noble. Should not one of the Gospel messages of to-day be: "Cultivate personality"? In such a personality goodness would be norma'., not exceptional; heroism would be ordinary, not romantic: love would bo. routine, not dramatic. Such culture would make self at last purejy unselfish: the crucified "I" would become the Christrisen "f."—Dr Robertson Nicoll, in the British Weekly.

IXTKRKSTIN'O- DISCOVERY. STATKMKXT BY PROFESSOR. SAYCE. Professor Sayco, who recently returned to Khartoum after romo time spent in investigations in the district, made l.h<? following statement, to Homer's correspondent:— "An discovery d early Christian remains las recently been made at Wad c-1-Hadad, on the Blue Nile, a few miks north of Sennar, while the foundatoris of a Kit. house for the Irrhaljon Department, were being dug. A number of graves were found containing skeletons, with feet to the east. Round the. head of each was a quantity of pottery, consisting cf Ixjwlt, and jars, all in a good slato of preservation. Tin bowls are for the most port of dark day, and decorated with what'are known as Nubian patterns. On one of them is a Coptic professional cross, and tire same emblem is scratched inside the lips of the jir, v.-here, ir is associated wth two other Christian emblems, the fish awl the palm branch. On lb? neck of one of the jars U a mason's mark, and wrcithor of the jars, which are of ted ware, has a spout as well as a, handle. A compa.rMm of the pottery with that found on the Nubian sites between the first and sceon/.'. cataracts makes it probable tJiitt. it should be dalcd in the seventh or eighth osuiuryA.n. Tlio pottery has bonii s?nt to the Khartoum Museum. The chief interest, in tho discovery lies in the fact that it is the first time that Christian remains ,liad been met with so far south, and we may therefore look forward to the discovery of olhci* eit.rlv Christian romaina in the. iKigbbourhood of the Blue Xile. At prc-.-.et'.t very little is known cf the history of Christianity in these regions, and we must look to excavation to throw light upon it. A quarter of an hour's walk from the graves are two mounds called by the natives Reyi-el-Anak, 'Hie. House of Aiwk' (or pro-iicb.om.etau people), which dnuhttes mark the site of an early Christian church or monasirv. Excavations would probably bring to light early Christian inscriptions." ABOUT PKOFLR The Rev. George Jackson, of Toronto, and formerly of the Edinburgh Central Mission, is to delivjj; tho Mcnrick Lectures at Ohio Wc.-.loyan University in April en " Homo Old Testament Problems." Mr Jackson is trow nrpfceor of the English Bible- at Victoria College, Toronto. Lord Xorfhclift'o, who has returned to England after an extensive tour in America, liar, pre.-ented a stained glass window to the historic Plymouth Clmreh, Brooklyn, "as a tribute to the American people." Tho Rev. Dvsight Nowell Ilillis, tho pastor of Plymouth Church, is a personal friend cf Lord Xorthelifie.

The will has just, been proved in London of the Key. Joseph Leycester Lyne, bet'er known as Father Ignatius, the Anglican monk, of I.huuhony Abbey, Brecon. His estate lias boon valued for probate at £2710 7, r " ? , s ' " ie " et personalty amounting to £&4 5s lid. (This probably does not inelude the value of the abbey, over which lie appears to have held power of disposal.)

Professor Cm-re Martin's selection as joint forcgn secretary of the I/ondon Missiuuvry Society locks at. iiret sight like an experiment, says the writer of a portrait skotcl. in the Sunday School Times. A scholar is hove invited to ralijiqirish New lcstament cxegofics lo 'become one of the officials responsible for the. admrnistraliop. of a great .Missionary Scoie.tv with an expenditure of about £160,000" a voir. But Professor Martin has been a professor for only live of his 18 years of ministerial life, and in his pastoral charges be proved his business capacity up to the hilt. He is a Scot, born 43 years ago, and is a keen Congrcgationalist -he helped to foum] the Congregational Historical Society—a writer of many articles, a student, of liymno'ofjy and Ixiiany. and a thorough outdoor man". H e is an excellent preacher, a ready and forceful speaker, and a man of tact, irood temper and driving power.

While nothing new has occurred in connection with the Principalship, candidatin"would appear to be preceding with regard to flic vacancy at the IS'ow College, Edinburgh, created by the retirement of Principal Marcu-'. Dods from the chair of New Testament Exegesis. A coram ii tee lias taken up the claims of Dr W. M. Macgregor, of St. Andrew's Church, Edinburgh, who has been prominently associated with tho work of tho Church in the Highlands since the death of Principal

RELIGIOUS READING- FOR THE HOME.

Rainy, and who was a sueccsror of Dr Doils in tho pastorate of Reniicld Cluircli, Glasgow. A memorial is understood to be in circulation in favour of Professor Kennedy, of Knox College, Toronto, occupant of the similar chair there. Dr Kennedy is a Scot, and began his ministry in this country. Professor Donncy's name is also associated with tho vacancy, in which case only transference from Glasgow would be involved; but, as was to be expected, the never-failing suggestion lias again been made that the Aberdeen U.F. College should bo abolished and the stalf transferred to Edinbmgh. The United Free, Church is exceptionally rich in possible occupants for such a chair, and as one of the very strongest candidates, if he allows his name to stand, is Dr James Motl'att, of Droughty Ferry. lie is tho. author of the famous "' Historical New Testament," a production of great brilliance and scholarship, and is at present engaged on a larger and cognate work, lie has written copiously on literature and theology, and is one of the managing editors of the Ilibbert Journal.

DECLINE OF THE BAPTISTS, Tho outstanding facts in the static-tics of the Baptist Churches of the United Kingdom, as given in "The Baptist Handbook for 1909/' is that, for Ihe s;cond year in succession, there is a very large decrease in the membership. In IGOS, as the result of the Welsh Revival, there was a phnomenal increase in the total membership of upwards of 31.000. For the following year the increase was normal, some 8000. Then the inevitable reaction set in, and for IM?" there was a decrease of 4504, followed again by one of 5869 for the year just ended. The total membership of the 30-16 Baptist Churches in Great Britain and Ireland is now 42-1,009. The greater part of the decline in membership, is duo to tho Welsh Baptist Churches, which report a decrease of 4220 members. Of the Welsh county associations, Flintshire is tho only one in which there has been an increase, and then it is a very small one—only 54. In every other country there has been a 'ailing oil', fir? largest being in Glamorganshire, the county where Baptists are strongest, and which was tho chief scene of the revival. In Glamorganshire the decline has boon 1337. England reports it decrease of 1118 members, the iargest falling oil being in London, where the churches report a diminution of 780 in th,e total membership. Scotland, Irelaud, and the Channel Islands all report a decreased membership. Tho only exception to- the rule is the Isle of Man, where the solitary little Baptist Church has added eight to its membership. More ominous, perhaps, than even the decline in the membership is the falling oil' in Ihe numbers of tho teachers and scholars in jhe Sunday schools. These number respectively '£3,637 and' 578..341-decrfia*:s of 115 and 8816. What gives greater significance to these facts is the concurrent increase in the number of chapels and' churches. During the year 29 new chapels were erected, giving an increased seating accommodation for 23,451 persons.

FROM ALL SOURCES. Recent events in China make it fairly certain that the reiorm.s promulgated by the late Fmpercc it) years ago, and whicn were then for a time neutralised by the late DoWßger-Kmpivss, will now be pressed forward. It has been said that if once Western knowledge and commerce get roc.otl without ibeuos.cl of Christ, China will become the gicatesv, stronghold of malerkiiistn the world has ever seen. The Uov. W. S. Pakctihatu-Walsh. a C.M.S. missionary in Cliina, litis recently staled, after some years of experience, that the country to-day is 1; ripe unto the harvest." China has shown that, she is thoroughly awake, and is demanding a constitutional government. This present is China's day of opportunity. Foreign teachers tiro honoured and welcomed everywhere. If it is China's opportunity, it is also the Church's.

Sir Jowidt's sermon on a recent Sunday morning lusted only about half an hour, and it may safely ire said of his discourses that none ever wished them shorter. There

is, however, a. marked tandency among some of JiOndon's best preachers to lengthen out the sermon. Dr Campbell Morgan usually speaks for about threequarters of an hour on Sunday mornings,

and he finds thai this time is needed for the elaboration cf his subject. Among Anglican preacher:-, tk« Bishop of P.ipon is most iomptcd to exceed in length, and among Roman Catholics. Father Malnrin. In reading an account of ihe first Lutheran visitation of the churches in Thuringiii, we ruiiced that the local pastors were warned against long sermons, first, lest they should injure their own health hy much speaking; next, lest they should fatigue their hearers. They were reminded of the saying of Gregory that, no sense becomes so quickly wearied as that of hearing.

The resent Proctorial election in the Archdeaconries of lioudou and Middlesex has created more than ordinary interest, and lias been a warmly-contested one. The two candidates for Convocation were the Rev. Prekindary Pennefather, Yica-t of Kensington, ami the Kev. tlio Hon. A. I l '. A. Jlaiibtiry-'lraey, Vicar of St. Barnabas, Pimlico; the former has heen elected by a majority of 6t). What, has made the election tin? merit difficult is the fact that both candidates are mm of power and both highly respected. The new Proctor may be said to voprc-ont the Moderate section in the Anglican Church, whilst. Mr 1 (an-bury-Tracy belongs to tlio more advanced party. " Moderation is the noblest gift of heaven," which the clergy will remember from titeir school days as tho dictum of Euripides; and the result of tho election is further evidence that the majority of the clergy are those wdio are desirous of avoiding extremes—who are willing to sacriiice rlio lesser for ihe greater essentials in connection with Church teaching, and prefer to favour the via media. It is probably in that fact, as much as in any other, that, tho future strength of the Anglican Church will lie found to rest.

SPIRITUAL IJEALINfi IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH. Strange signs and wonders are being wrought in the West End of London by spiritual healing, through the agency, as it. is claimed, of the Society of Emmanuel, an organisation with which an ex-Indian bishop and "several clergy of I lie Church of England arc connected. The most wonderfill cures are instanced. From the committee's last, annual report it appears that during the year ICC6 treatments have been given to poor persons for physical, mental, and spiritual troubles.

The society which makes those claims has boon in existence for some lime now, ami from (lie first it was backed up by influential people. The president, is Mr James .Moore Ilickson. No. 2 of a little magazine called the Healer, which is edited and published by Mr Ilickson. supplies the information that. Bishop Mylne is vicepresident, with Lady Mosley as lion, treasurer, and that upon the committee there are Adeline Duchess of Bedford, Countess Pieaiichamp. Lady Henry Somerset. Mrs Ilickson, other ladies, and five clergymen. There are also an official firm of solicitors, a chartered accountant as auditor, and a chaplain (Iho Rev.'C. 11. Mylne).

The specified aims of tho society are four, and two of them are these:—

1. To develop the divine gifts left lo His Church by the Master, especially the gift of healing by prayer and laying on of hands, with the object of using these Divine gift*, not only for the healing of the body, but as a means of drawing the souls of men nearer to God. 2. To further this purpose by opening a hostel, especially for poor gentlefolk, a. class who are beyond tho reach of ordinary help, whore their cases may be diagno?ed by duly qualified medical men, and where a band of healers may develop and use their gifts to further die work.

Mr Ilickson litis already given his views to Londoners on spiritual healing, for he discoursed on the subject at one of the Pa#Anglicau meetings last summer. As the result of what passed thfti a meeting was held in December last at Sion College, and a resolution was passed, on the motion of the Dean of ''Westminster, constituting a Central Church Council for the Diocese of London to consider the same subject.

Mr Ilickson also spoke at. Sion College, and told how tho Society of Emmanuel had been formed some three years with the object of reviving the gift of healing in the Church of England, and that it operated by prayer and tlxj laving on of hands, to which was added anointing by a priect if the pateint desired it.