SUNDAY CIRCLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15433, 20 April 1912, Page 7

SUNDAY CIRCLE.

DEVOTIONAL. A PRATEE FOB TUB NATION. Jndgo eternal, throned in splendour, Lord of hosts and King of kings, (Villi Ihy living firo of judgment Purgo this realm of bitter things I eolace all its wide dominion "ith the healing of 'Ihy wings. Still the weary folks are pining l'or the hour that brings release; And the city's crowded clangour ' Cries aloud for sin to eeaso; ~, the _ homesteads and the woodfands ' lead in silence for their peace. Crown, 0 God! Thino own endeavour; Cleave our darknoss with Thy sword; I'ced the faint and hungry heathen "'Hi tho richness of Thv word; Cleanse tho body of this Empire Through the glory of the Lord —H, Scott Holland. SCPFLICATIOK. 0 i.ord our God. we would lift up our lioarts again to Thee, and besoech Theo that Tluiii wouldsi help us more and moro to order • iwrts and our conduct according it, .. gracious precepts which not only la.\ .pun us Thv commandments, but open up to us our privileges. Help us indeed w reioico ovcrmorc, and that wo may so be glad at all times. Help us to pray without ©easing, and to keop our hearts and minds always in tho attitude of communion with and dependence on Thee, so thai everything mav work for our good', and in everything we "mav be able to givo tlianks. Through Jesus 'Christ our Lard. Amm.

Meditation, thk ci.iue.s - day. There arc two days in the week upon which and about which I never worry. Two care-free days, kept sacredly free from fear and l apprehension. One of these days is yesterday. Yesterday, with all its oares and frets, with all its pains and aches, all its faults, its mistakes, and blunders, has passed forever beyond the reach of my recall. I cannot undo an act that I wrought, I cannot unsay a word that I said yestcrtuy. All that it holds of my life, of wrong, regret, and sorrow, is in tho hands of the Mighty Love that can bring honey out of tho .rock, and sweet waters out of the bitterest desert—the love that can make tho wrong tilings right, that con turn weeping into laughter, that can give beauty for ashes, the garment of praise for tho spirit of heaviness, joy of the morning for tin? woe of the. night. Savo for the beautiful memories, sweet and tender, that linger liko tho perfume of roics in tho heart of the day that is gone, I have nothing to do with yostcrday. It, was mine; it is Hod's. And the other day 1 do not worry about is to-morrow. To-morrow with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its perils, its large promise and poor performance, its failures and mistakes, is as far beyond the reach of mastery as its dead sister, yesterday. It is a day of God's. Its sun will rise in roseate splendour, or behind ainask of weeping clouds. But it will rise Until then, the same love, and patience that hold yesterday hold 10-ouorrow. Save for the star of hopo that gleams forever on tho brow of to-morrow, shining with tender promise into the heart, of today, I have no possesion in that tinhorn day of grace. All else is in tho sofa keeping of the Infinite lxive that holds for mo tho treasures of yesterday. Tho love that is hitrJior than tho stars, wider than the skies, deeper than the sens. To-morrow—it. is God's own day. It will bo mine. There is left for myself, then, hut ono (Jay of the week—to-day. Any man can light the battle? of to-day. Any woman can carry the burdens of just ono day. Any man can resist the temptations of to-day. 0 friends! it is only when, to tho burdens and cares of to-diy, carefully measured out to lis by tho infinite wisdom and might that give? with them the promise, "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." we wilfully add the burdens of those two awful eternities—yesterday and to-morrow -such burdens as only tho mighty God can sustain-that we break down. It is not the experience of to-day that drives men mod. It is the remorse lor something that happened yesterday, the dread of what tomorrow may disclose. Theso aro God's days. Leave them with Him. Therefore, I think, and I do. and I journey but one day at a lime. That is tho easy day. That is tho man's day. Nay, rather tliat is our- day—God's and mine. And vhilo faithfully and dutifully I run my. course, and work my appointed task on that day of ours. God the Almighty and the All-loving lakes cares of yesterday and to-morrow.—Robert J. Burdottc.

Exhortation, chahacteh. The supremo question for modern civilisation is the formation of character. Of what use aro our material advancements if i they loavo only a dismal emptiness within? Of what use carrying the people at 60 miles an hour if they aro fools when they get into the train and fools when they get out? Of what use our latest telegraphy if it flings acrosi the- world no hottor news than of commercial frauds, of society intrigues, of the follies of the rich awl tho discontent of tho poor? You may start your common K'hools, and train tho children into clever devils—to thievo better, to lie more plausibly. You may teach them , to road that they jnay saturate their minds j with filth. Any education that is not first and foremost a training in character is only i a preparation for villainy's moro cfTectwil service. A cultivated scoundrel may do more harm with a stroko of his pen than a .'core of burglures will accomnli*h in a twelvemonth. Aro wo training the English soul to-day? Can wo say of England what Milton said of her in his time? "Let not England forget her precedence in teaching nations how to live." For England has been built on character! on such conformity as shp Jus attained to the inmost nalruo of things; on such obedience as she has shown to tho lairs of the- soul. For her, and for ourselves, there is only one way of the conquering life. It is tho way which the New Testament discloses—of service, purity, and love.—J. Briorley, in Life and the Ideal. ABOUT PEOPLE. | Rev. J. Gregory Mantlo was the organiser of the great missionary demonstration on behalf of South America, held in January at tho Queen's Hall, London, and the directors of tho movement have now asked Mr Mantle to take the general secretaryship of the newly-formed "Evangelical Union of South America." In accepting their proposals, Mr Mantle says he lias been \u\ to do so becauso tllo position olfers "a most congenial sphere of sen-ice." The current issue of tho Illustrated Missionary News, a periodical started in 1866, and for the last 13 years Minted by Mr Mantle, will cease to bo published," and after April Mr Mantle will edit South Aninrica. which will jet forth the claims of ! " The Continent of Opportunity."

T)r James M. (iruy. of Chicago, has been payinp a visit to England, and has i preached twice this week iii London. Or Gray is Doau-of tho Moody Bible fnsti- I tut'c, which, together with tho Moody ' Church, of which J)r Dixon was pastor before coining to tho Metropolitan Tabernacle, was the gift of 1). L, Moody to Chicago. Tho institute has over 400 students, recruited from almost every civilised nation, • and I hey preach to the extraordinarily cosmopolitan population of Chicago in 16 different languages. Dr Gray preached on c. recent Sunday morning' at tho Metro- ' |H>iit«n Tabernacle upon the subject of "The Christian's Hope." and on the Mon- ' day evening ho inaugurated a new Chris- i tian Workers' Training Class there with a Ircture on "Tho Bible, and How to Sttuo* The incoming president of the English Baptist Union, Rev. J. W. Ewing, M.A.,' U.D.. of Rye I/uie Church, Peckham, is one of (ho most notable students trained by the late C. 11. Spurgeon at the Pastors' College. He is a son of tho mouse. He left college in 1686, so that he Itod tlu> '■ ndvantngo of the personal influence and friendship of Mr Spur?eon He was the first of the Pastors' College students to take university degrees, having graduated M.A. at London University and B.D. at St. Andrew's. Hie first pastorate was at East Hill Church. Wandsworth, where he remained for nino y«irs, removing from there to his present church in 1895. The presidency of the union his been conferred upon him at an earlier than on any of his predecessors. In view of what lie's before him during his year of office, hie youth is a great asset. Tho task of tho raising of a second fund within a dozen yrar« «ii £250,000 is a gigantic one, and practically the whole of Dr Ewing's time, apart from his pastoral duties, will bo dovoted to this object. j Rev. Sidney M. Berry, M.A.. a son of the Rev. Charles Berry, has accepted tho

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME

pastorate of Carrs Lano Chapel, Birmingham. The interregnum between Dr Jowetl's ileparture and his successor's appointment has lasted just, about a year. Tho announcement ot Mr Berry's decision was made simultaneously on a recent Sunday morning at Carre lam and at CJiorlloncum-llardy Congregational Clwreh. Rev. A. 11. Cullen, of Ilcion Mersey, who was preaching at llirmingham, congratulated tho congregation saying that ho was sure that Mr Berry would uphold iho high traditions of tho Church. Tlw Doxology was sung at the close, of the service Mr Borry'6 decision was cabled to Dr Jowctt in New York, and at tho evening service the following cablegram was read at Cam fjano:—'Session and Church send heartiest congratulations and prayorful good wishes. —Jowctt."

There arc few American ministers so ] well equipped us Professor Daniel Evans, of the Andover Theological School, for a discussion of tho relations of the Church of tho social problem. Ho worked in a Pennsylvania coal mino between the ages of soven and 16, and therefore knows tho needs of the worker at first hand. A recent address of his at Springfield has caused much comment. He attributed tho alienation of labour in soma measure to the prominent position given by the churches to financiers. Referring to tho "Men and Religion Forward Movement," Dr Evans said: "I do not beliovo in the efficiency or effeotivonoss of an organisation which pretends to carry on a great work under the advertisement that tho men who are linancbig tho movement aro Mr Blank, and others with offices in Wall street, New York." In ropry to tho address it has boon denied by some leaders r.f tho movement that it has any such Wall street backing On the other iian<>, it receives its financial support from tho towns in which campaigns are conducted, and from peiEonal contributions, most of which are comparatively small.

' FROM ALL SOURCES. Thoiighoiit Scotland on a recent Sunday a cor.Mdor-.iblo number of sermons wore preached in connection with the promulgation of tho organisation known as the Pocket Testament Ixtxgue," and to which Dr Chapman mado repeated reference dur- [ itiir his Dunedin mission. All mombcrs are expected not only to read a portion of tho i Bible every day, but also to carry a Bible or Testament with them wherever they go. Iho movement litis received the approval r of most of the 'heads of ohiirohcs in Scotland, and has already aohioved remarkable success. Mombors havo boon drawn in largo numbers from all grades of society. : It has been decided to reorganise tho work of the Young Men's Christian Association in Canada on purely rational lines. A (J&iNulian National Council and national headquarters will bo established, and tho ' work will no longer, as horctofore, l>c under tho official guidance of tho Now York International Oommitteo. Tho cluingo is dowribed by tho Canadian press as " tho most radical cvor contemplated by the ; i.M O.A in America." . A hymn contained in Alexander's Hymns , 2 was adapted by Mr C. M. Alexander [ and his brotlior-in-faw, Dr Neville Bradley, ■ of Pakhoi, a worker for tho C.M.8.. that 'it imgJrt bo of special eervico for missiouary , work during Lent. The music is by Mr i f\ pianist, Mr Robort Harkness. t lhe first verso only of tho original word . has been, retained, throe specially-written verses being contributed for tho hymn in , Mercy and Truth, where it is published [ by permission of Mr 0. M. Alexander. . i In a report of tho work of tho Korea i Mission of tho Presbyterian Church of the i U.S.A., mention is mado of a sad loss • customed last year in tho Sycn Chun perI tion of tho field. "A leader and deacon , camo down to attend tho men's Hiblo-studv ' Conference, and stayed to a Bible 'insiii ; lute held immediately afterwards. On • their way back, towardi evening they camo » to the foot of a high mountain pass. As ! it w-as Wednesday they wanted to cross : over and worship in a little gathoring-placo . ; that evening, so they attempted it. Night ■ j camo_ cm them, they lost their way, and i lo 'l. " I 0 i [frcat snow-bank, whore they i penshed. WJien they were found, after tho | snows had melted, their bodies wore in tho . i attitude of prayer. Further investigation •; rcvealod tho fact that they had left their •: inn without breakfast that morning, us thov 1 • iad used up all their money, and thei'r : . tired, weakoned condition lessened their i | ]»wor of resistance.

Tho Evangelistic Committee of the American rrcshytoriiui Church will mnko a pro-1-csa.l, to other Presbyterian bodies in America, ami to the Dutch' and Gorman Reformed Churches, that thoy join it in plans toenrry rovival work into tho Prolestant CMirelios of tho principal countries iof continental Kuropo. This committee is vffinfn* ,or , tlro , ?W*™nt that of the ttfSSNZ? PCo?]c ? l France » ot raof* 'nan 8,000,000, are connected with any Christian 600,000 l'rrebytorian ndhoronls in France, but that Republio represents, tho committeo says, a necessary field of not fowor than 30,000,000 people. In Germany ™,| ■-witwrland tfie committee reports rationalism on the increaso. It oxprcwes tho desire that LnghslKs-peaking Presbyterians tako up this great task of Europoan evanj golism, mentioning Italy itself as a field whore Protestant effort will yield results. i A most remarkable movement has been going on recently in connection wiUi tho Chinese Student Mission at Tokio, in Japan. The work among tlw students was commenced live years ago by tho Chinese loung Mens Christian Association. Thev then numbered 8000. Thoy rose to about doublo that number, and then began to wine, till last autumn thoro woro onlv 2034 men and 200 girls. In 1907 tho coinniittoo of tho Cmirch Missionary Society invited two or tlireo of their missionaries in China who e peak Mandarin to volunteer to go to lokio to ongago in special evangelistic work among tho students, and at the end of that year tho Rev. L. Brydo and tho Rev. W. 11. Elwin began to work in general eo-oporalion with the Y.M.C A j On news of tho outhrcak of tho revolution | reaching Japan, some of the students at onop began to think of returning to China and with tho desire to help their country in tho hour of need, thoro conic to some tlip realisation that, in Christianity was salvation. Men bogan to ask for teaching moro than over More, and then for haptiwu, and this movement lias extended to tho girl students. During tho first fivo years Air Elwin baptised 15 monj in two months recently 24 havo been added to tho hstr-vw., seven girls and 17 men. The general idea Mr Elwin has formed is that' tho men who had giveu a certain mental place to Christianity now find that it is deeper and moro important than their studies. I I "GOD'S FUNERAL."

A STRIKING POKM BY MR THOMAS I HARDY. 1 Mr Thomas Hardy's poem ;n tho now Fortnightly, with tho arresting title of "God's Funeral," is described by the author as " an allegorical conception of tho present state of theology." , The opening stanzas dopict " a slowly stopping train of mournors" bearing "a strango ami mystic form," which At first seemed manlike, and anon to 1 clutngo To an amorphous cloud of marvellous size, 1 At times endowed with wings of glorious i range. Tho procession, as it. moved, "struck out sick thoughts that could bo overheard," arid which several of tho succeeding sUnzas embody: — 0 man-projected Figure, of lato Imaged as wo, thy knell who shall survive! Whence cstmo it \vo wcro tempted to create Ono whom we can no longer keep alive? And, pricked by our own early d:eem Ami need of solace, we grotr fiolMoceived, Our making soon our maker did <ve deem! And what wo had imagined wo believed. Till, in Timo's sUykss stealthy swing, Uncompromising nido reality Mangled tho Monarch of our fashioning, Who quavering sank; and now baa ceased to be. So, toward* our myth's oblivion, Darkling and languid-lipped wo creep and grope, Sadlicr than thoso that wept in Bab* lon, 'Whose Zion was a sjill abiding hope." Tbo poem extends to 17 four-lino stanzas, awl is, artistically, a typical example of Mr Hardy's rugged and mordant vorse.