SUNDAY CIRCLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16243, 28 November 1914, Page 12

SUNDAY CIRCLE.

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME. DEVOTIONAL. 'laii uood-Cahvkh. I carve my wood to Uio glory of God; And in ttiu cunning ot mj riyht liarwl Uo toucn my soui to a pritfo of earth May the I<ord Christ pardon and understand. For the sweet Lord Christ was craftsman true, And knoweth the joy of a craftsman s skill; The roughest of closo-eet woods for Hun Gave up its secrtt. and took ilis will. 1 trow He wrought with the tools oi men The hidden glory ot heavenly things, Tno Princes and Powers in Uicir dread array And me groat Archangels with burning wing. But not for ine are the heavenly host,— I fashion tile things tnat i love and know, 'i'he shy, small creatures of woodland shade, Tho dear frail blossoms on earth that grow. I carve the oak-leavee and acorn-cups, And the furr,y squirrel that peeps between, 'I he field-mouse slung on thu barley-ear, 'Ire lily bursting her sheath of green; And the little devils that pull the heart To leave the task and came out to play, I catch and set them among the n.at To leer in wood till tho judgment day. —Eva Dobeil, in "The Vineyard." ABOUT PEOPLE. The many friends of Dr Campbell Morgan will liai'Ji with much regret tnat he is at present in a London nursing home, sufffrmg from typhoid fever.

Dr J. Wilbur Chapman and his singing companion, Charles M. Alexander, in their mission work in London, have had an honour probably never cenferred before on any minister outside the Anglican Church and certainly never before on any evangelistic preacher—they have been permitted to hold evangelistic services in the famous Guildhall of tho City of London. The Guildhall is a great "old Gothic structure commonly used for the most ceremonious occasions of the London municipal government. When the hall was turned over to the use of the American evangelists and the committee supporting them, the great auditorium of 3000 sittings was filled, especially tho recruits enlisted and under training for tho European war. Services were held daily 'every noon for two weeks, and the place wa6 continually crowdcd. Mr Alexander's new song, "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine," was sung with great _ fervour, and bids fair to become a marching song with some of the British soldiery. After two weeks at the Guildhall, Dr Chapman and Mr Alexander transferred their -work to Spurgeon's old church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, where they were invited by Dr A. C. Dixon, the pastor, formerly of tho Moody church in Chicago. Here the meetings continued with striking power.

Dr A. C. Dixon, of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, has arrived home from the United States, bringing with him a firm conviction that American sympathy is entirely with England in this war. Dr Dixon wa« the preacher at Bishopsgate Chapel recently, when the lunch-hour services were resumed after the 6ummer recess. Before the sermon Dr Dixon said: "There are over 15 millions of Germans in the United States, and yet I did not meet a German in sympathy with Germany. Mr Carnegie once said: ' Germans lovo their country and hate itfe institutions,' and I never knew what that meant until I read Bornhardi's book, in which war is glorified as the climax of civilisation, even among Christians. I for one do not believe that the beginning of a war is_ ever justified. But when the Dragon and his angels began war in heaven, Michael and his angels cast them out, and that is what Michael has to do yet. When war is begun, then it is right to fight, ajid if it is war upon war, as this is, it cannot but be a righteous cause. You may depend upon it, the heart of tho American people in prayer and sympathy is with England and the Allies in this conflict."

Quite a number of Scottish clergymen have volunteered to serve as chaplains, but one or two have gone further and joined the fighting lino. Thus, the Rev. Dr Bruce M'Ewan, of Oklmacher Cathedral, Aberdeen, .who is a captain in' th© Bth Royal Scote, has been granted leave of absence by the Presbytery of Aberdeen. At a meeting of tho Presbytery of St. Andrews, the Rev. W. N. Monteath, Elie, stated that he had decided to join the army, and asked for leave of ataence during the period of war. Th© Presbytery signified its hearty approval of the step, and wished Mr MonUath Godspeed. To the TJ.F. Churoh has fallen the honour of furnishing the first minister from Scotland for active service. The Rev. Mr Nfcismyth wa« inducted to St. BoswelJ's. He had preached only once to his congregation there when he received instructions to proceed with his battery to Ireland. Hie time as an officer would havo expired two or three days later.

Dr Kelman will not go to the front after all. This announcement was made by Dr Jowett in St. George's United Free Church Edinburgh. It is learned with widespread regret that Dr Kclman was prostrated with a sharp and sudden illness. In oonscquence, and to his own bitter disappointment, he is now unable to get the neccssary medical certificate for service. Dr Jowett added that a message received late on the Saturday night stated that Dr Kelman was going on very well. He could not leave the- matter there, he continued. He felt that an one occupying the pulpit that morning; he should like to express the feelings of tho community, extending far wider than the membership of that particular church, or even the community of that city. They all regarded Dr Kelman as a very strong and masculino man of God He for one had long admired his chivalry, the chivalry which led him to offer himself as a chaplain in a fine soldierlike spirit. There would be a very wide fraternity who wouid pray that Dr Kelman might be restored to perfect health again, and that another door would be opened through which their friend would render great service to the Kingdom of God.

" First impressions are distinctly favourable." writes one who was present on November 1 at tho Toorak (Melbourne) Presbyterian Church, when the Rev. John Mackenzie, M.A. (late of Christ-church), commenced his new ministry. "We see," tho writer goes on to describe, " a tall, firmlybuilt, manly man who knows his mind, and understands his work, who has experience enough to be calm and clear, and impressive while thus conducting scrviec3 in his own church, although its acoustics are as yet unknown to him. With clear voice, distinct articulation, and natural emphasis, his reading oj Scripture is with understanding. He leads tho devotions of the congregation with sympathy and quiet earnestness, while in thankful spirit referring to the work of the consecrated men who had ■ preceded him. His sermon to the children gets in. It is to themselves, and without any tone of condescension. All unite in the Lord's Prayer. His d ; scouree is clearly divided and easily remembered by its simple analysis—a truth, a power, a principle; tho first' satisfies, the ■second saves, the third sanctifies. The message goes home, and my impression is that the worshippers, as they came away, had thankful satisfaction that tho gospel of the grace of God by Jesus Christ was the theme upon which tho preacher loved to dwell, while he faccd tho problems of our day with clear vision and eager hope. Tho evening service confirmed the impression of the morning. Mr Mackenzie will be a power in Melbourne, we are sure." FROM ALL SOURCES. " The Inquirer," referring to the British theologians' reply to Professor Harnack, says: "We take our stand with the plain man who knows in his heart that all the bodks which Harnack has ever written and all tlfe philosophy with which Eucken has deluged the world cannot be put in the balance against one outraged woman or one slaughtered child in the ' necessary ' invasion oi Belgium." The Chapman-Alexander Mission, which was to have been , conducted throughout the autumn and winter months in Scotland, has been postponed. The Dundee General Committee unanimously dccided that the proposal should be dropped for the present, and the decision was approved by Dr Chapman. The intention is to make arrangements anew after the war is over, mid all the committees arc continued as already appointed. The question of church union, which has bulked so largely in the minds' of Scottish churchmen for so many years, will probably be little heard of during the cawing winter. The Church of Scotland Committee has issued a letter to Presbytery clerks, in which it states that the national crisis has rendered it difficult to proceed with the arrangements authorising the committee to send deputies to Presbyteries to give explanations of the draft proposals. At a recent licetiug of the Business Committee it waa

unanimously resolved to delay for a time tho sending of deputies. "It would he unwise to proceed with conferences on church union when the mind of the community is otherwise so fully engrossed, and it would b* inconvenient to do so when church courts and church workers luivis the added burdens of care and responsibility in con licchon with our soldiers and sailors and their fninilies "

Professor August Longe, of the University of Halle, in Germany, addressed a ietter to l)r iV. H. Roberts, of Philadelphia, making a pica for American churchmen to ,ccogiiit*.> tho German view of the present war in Europe. Professor Lunge is >111 eminent in tho Reformed Church of Germany. and lie addresses l>r Roberts as American secretary of the Pan-Presbyterian Alliance, -.vith which the Halle professor has been prominently identified. Apart from tho political argument made in Germany's behalf, it is .mteresting to note lliat l)r Large expresses the opinion that war will bring a religious revival to Germany. He says: "The churches are full and overflowing, as they have not been for decades. .Religious sentiment, which seemed to have been among tho masses of the people, hart Icken a new lease of life." Always in trial and trouble the human heart turns to God, and where so many infiuitely deplorable results of war aboui.u, it is no small comfort to hear that this one item of ffood can be so plainly traced.

Dr Ambrose Pope, professor of trts at Yorkshire United College returned Home recently after a three months' stay at Ludenhuusen, Germany. lie was taken a prisoner of war when war was declared, but a German pastor with whom he was staying succeeded in liberating him. Dr Pope ij so convinced that the -British are going tc be blotted out by Germany unless every man—young, old, weak, and strong —places himself at our Government's service, that at the close of the service at Salem Congregational Church, Bradford, one Sunday morning he asked permission to address the congregation and emphasise tho urgency of the crisis. The people of Germany, ho says, are of one mind over this war. They believe that England has been working up ior this war with the ono aim ot smashing Germany. The hatred towards Britain is intense. The Germans intend, after beating France, to tako over the French Navy, ana after then boating England on sea to invade u-j and reduce London to ashes. Dr Pope says that the chaos in the German industrial world is such thai tfce bankruptcy of the nation seems inevitable to him.-, Germany can hold art a year as regards food supplies, fe Pope, however, detected a o? nervousness about the future. German newspapers stated That Germans were being put to death in England without a trial, and Dr Pope " felt very queer indeed ' vhen there was an outcry for English prsoners in Germany t.o be similarly treated. The German pastor who helped to secure his release travelled with him to H&nover, so that Dr Pope would not have to speak and disclose himself as a foreigner. From Ludenhausen to .Flushing Dr Popo never opened his mouth to say a word. Dr Pope has offered his services to tho Government as a lecturer to aid recruiting. " I am an old crock," he says, "but I want to do my share."