THE SUNDAY CIRCLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23161, 10 April 1937, Page 7

THE SUNDAY CIRCLE

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME SONNET MORNING How softly falls the sunlight on the hill While Night folds all her dusky robes away And makes obeisance to returning Day! * , How holy seems the silence, and how still . ' The pregnant Dawn before the miracle When burst full-throated choirs of melody, . , , , In requiem, chorale, and roundelay Blue-vaulted aerial corridors to fill! In litanies of joy-uplifted song The birds begin their day in praise of TiIGG. But we, more precious ever in Thy Do render thanks where they Lord, wide our eyes that we Thy a facef and laud Thee with each new morn’s light. \ Hi. /V. PRAYER Eternal God, Whom no man can worship aright unless he worship Thee in spirit and in truth, make Thy sanctuary our benediction. By peace and quiet, by sacred memories and beautiful associations, by many a secret intimation in our own souls, allure us from the world’s crassness and vulgarity. Some of us are discouraged by the world. Its waves and its billows have gone over us. All that is excellent, beautiful, and of good report we see hard bestead. Some of us are weakened by the world. The endurance of its troubles and the enticements of its temptations have overcome us and we have been defeated. Some of us are embittered by the world. It is not just. We have not received our fair deserts. The things we should have had we have lost, and for the things that we have lost our hearts bitterly cry out. O Spirit of the Christ, Who has overcome the world, walk with us, we beseech Thee. Lay Thy hand in victory upon our hearts and lift us up. increase our wisdom. Give us grace to see beneath life’s surface. Redeem us from sight to insight, and let our vision fall more clearly upon whatever is beautiful and excellent. FOR EACH DAY’S MEDITATION Sunday.—“ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”—Matthew xxvi, 41. “Jesus said. Come ye yourselves apart into ,a desert place, and rest awhile.”—Mark vi, 31. . . Monday.—“Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.”—Mark vl, 50. “When Jesus had called the people unto Him and His disciples also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and followed Me.”— Mark viii, 34. Tuesday.—“ He that Is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”—Mark ix, 40 and 41. Friday.—“ Jesus answered again and said unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."— Mark x, 24 and 27. Thursday.—” Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son shall give unto you; for Him hath God.the Father sealed. He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.”—John vi: 27 and 47. Friday.—“ Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say rejoice. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in everything by prayer and supplication. with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.’’— Pmlippians iv: 4 to 6. , Saturday.—" And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’’—Philippians iv: 7. “The world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth fo r ever.”—l John ii: 17. —H. R. Higgcns in A. C. W. HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS More than two hundred members of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria met recently to bid farewell to two missionaries leaving for Korea, and to a deaconess who will do pioneer work in Hobart, Tasmania. Miss Margaret Alexander, who has been 25 years In Korea, and has enjoyed her fifth furlough during that period, is returning to that field, while Miss K. Ritchie will make her first visit to foreign fields, going also to Korea. Miss Ritchie will be the representative of the Presbyterian Girls’ Fellowship in Korea. Deaconess Manton. will help with women’s and girls’ organisations connected with the church in Hobart. It is hoped that ultimately girls from Hobart will come to Melbourne to attend the Deaconess Training College, and return to Tasmania to carry out the work of which Deaconess Manton is to be nioneer.

KOREAN STATISTICS Statistics reveal that there are 500,000 Christians in Korea, but more pagans than 50 years ago. This has resulted from the tremendous increase in population and the comparatively small number of missionaries. But the 500,000 does not tell the whole story In Korea are three cultures—Korean, Japanese, and Western —and the missionaries are depended upon to bring an atmosphere of conciliation and peace between them. CHURCH UNION Considerable interest is being manifest among the Methodist and Congregational Churches in Victoria concerning the proposed union of the two bodies, and most appear to be optimistic about the prospect. From the statement issued by the two bodies there does not appear to be any great reason why they should be operating separately. It is hoped that with the consummation of this union a larger union will be effected until there is one great united Christian Church. It is difficult to see anything but good coming from such a united Church. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCHES “Are Sin, Disease, and Death Real? ” is the subject of the lesson-sermon in all Churches of Christ, Scientist, tomorrow. The golden text is “The Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.” Among the citations which comprise the lesson-sermon are the following from the Bible:—" O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (■Romans vii, 24, 25.) The lesson-sermon also contains the following passage from the Christian Science text book ‘ Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," by Mary Baker Eddy:—“The notion that mind is in matter, and that the so-called pleasures and pains, the birth, sin, sickness, and death of matter, are real, is a mortal belief; and this belief is all that ever will be lost." A NOVEL EXPERIMENT King’s Weigh House Church (London) has been so long separated in spirit from Congregationalism that the news of its passing into Anglican hands can scarcely be called a shock (says the Christian World, London) The Rev. C. P. Gliddon, vicar of St. James’s. Walthamstow, is to become “priest in charge.” and will be assisted by the Rev. J. E. Alcock Rush, who has for some years carried on the work of the church on the lines laid down by Dr Orchard. Mr Rush will seek ordination in the Anglican Church. It is hoped that King’s Weigh House will now become a “ bridge church ” between Anglicans and Free Churchmen. The “Catholic sacraments” will be administered only by

" priests whose orders arc approved by the bishop of the diocese,” but the pulpit will be open to Anglicans and Free Church ministers alike. Dr Donald Soper. Rev, Edward Shillilo. and Rev. F. C. Spurr are amongst those who have declared themselves willing to preach at the Weigh House under the new dispensation. Canon "Dick" Sheppard is also interesting himself in this curious experiment.