THE CHURCH

Southland Times, Issue 20831, 20 July 1929, Page 12

THE CHURCH

NEWS AND NOTES.

FROM PULPIT AND PEW.

Tire golden jubileee of the Roman Catholic Church in Uganda was recently celebrated by Bishop Hinsley. There are now 300,000 native Catholics in Uganda.

To-morrow afternoon at the Salvation Army there will be a memorial service to the late Commissioner Booth-Tucker. At night the subject will be “Satan Deliverance from the Bottomest Pit.”

The Rev. J. Carlisle will be the preacher at the Esk St. Baptist Church on the Lord’s Day. The evening subject will be “The Second Coming of Christ (No. 3). What His Coming will Accomplish.” »

The services at the Central Methodist Church, Leet street, to-morrow will be conducted by the Rev. Angus Mcßean. The subjects will be: 11 a.m., “An Every Day Religion”; 6.30 p.m., “The Mystery of Pain.” A short community song service will be held during the evening service. The Rev. S. Bailey will conduct both services at St. Peter’s Methodist Church on Sunday next. The evening subject will be “The right viewpoint of the Christian religion.” A warm welcome is assured to any who may care to come, especially to strangers. '

There is only one thing big enough to break down the barriers which divide us, and to unite us together in one great fellowship, and that the common sacrifice which is entailed by the resolute pursuit of the one supreme object, of winning the whole world for Christ.—Bishop of St. Albans.

It has been decided to discontinue the evening services at the Makarewa Presbyterian Church and to hold a regular afternoon service until further notice. Presbyterians at Makarewa are looking forward to the coming of the Rev. John Bisset on August 4, to hold a series of evangelistic services.

The clergy of St. Mary’s, Somers Town (England) are establishing a choir school for boys taken from the mean streets around the church. The intention is to supply St. Mary’s with a first rate choir and the boys with a first rate education, and to help along lads with a vocation to the priesthood.

A gathering was held in Berlin to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Congratulator}' telegrams were received from the Berlin Missionary Society, also from the PrussianBible Society. Appreciative reference was made by Professor Richter to the way in which the British and Foreign Bible Society had frequently rendered assistance to German missions.

Mr Godfrey Fretwell, ex-president of the Churches of Christ, executive in New South Wales and for the past three years minister of the Church of Christ, Epping near Sydney, has accepted an invitation to labour with the local Church of Christ congregation. Mr and Mrs Fretwell arrived in the Dominion this week and the former will be the speaker at both services in the Teviot Street church on Sunday. The congregation are tendering them a welcome next Wednesday evening. Miss Hardie of the New Zealand Presbyterian Church Mission in India, is in Invercargill on deputation work. Miss Hardie is principal of the PresbyTerian Girls’ School in Jagadhri. She will meet the Girls’ Bible Classes at 3 p.m. on Sunday in First Church, and will be the chief speaker at a foreign mission rally in Knox Church in the evening. On Tuesday, Miss Hardie will be entertained at lunch by the Southland Presbyterian Association, and in the afternoon she will address a meeting of P.W.M.U. ladies at St. Paul’s. In the course of a sermon on “The Sacrament of Failure,” preached at Palmer’s Green Congregational Church, the Rev. Joseph Pickthall said: “The only Church worthy of the name is that which is prepared to accept failure, prepared to go out of existence, rather than compromise the truth which it is her mission to give. If the Churches would study less the effect of preaching—i.e., as to whether its draws folk or not; and more the nature of it—i.e., as to whether it is Christlike, perhaps the Church would again become a living power. The Church must be prepared to fail, and when she fails, to make a sacrament- of it.” ‘ ■

Preaching on “The Means and the End” at Highbury Chapel, Bristol, the Rev. Frank Ballard said: “The Church exists to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to set at liberty them that are bruised. It is easy to say this and yet become so intent on maintaining one’s own institutions and balancing Church accounts that the end is almost forgotten. It is especially easy in these days when old supporters are dying off, and new ones reluctantly coming forward to take their places. But whenever the congregation becomes more concerned about maintaining itself than serving the community, it loses its reason for existence, and mortification sets in.” The French Council of State has made a rather curious decision as regards religious processions. The cure of an Ardeche parish, Saint-Georges-les-Bains, had placed before the tribunal an order of the Mayoj forbidding processions in the public streets. The Mayor, in defence, declared that the majority of the people in the commune were Protestants, and that a large number of them belong to the Salvation Army. Also, he said, processions had not taken place for a long time past,- and it was only the. new parish priest who wanted to revive them. The council would not accept the Mayor’s case and annulled his order as being contradictory to the principle of the liberty of religions authorized in the Law of the Separation df Church State. The only solution for the problems of the world, the only balm that shall heal all wounds and sorrows, is the Truth, which is liberation and happiness. It is not mystical, as many people like to imagine. There is in it, as in all things, both a mystical and a practical sidej and it depends on the individual whether he will twist it to suit his own particular temperament. When understood both with the heart and the mind it will lead to the attainment of inward peace and serenity. By solving your individual problem you will solve the problem of the world. This peace, this understanding of the struggles and vain longings and desires of the world, this immense certainty, comes into being when you have grasped the, meaning of life, when you have seen and understood the goal. Truth cannot be understood purely from the intellectual point of view. There is no one who is dominated purely by intellect; nor is there anyone who guides his life purely by emotion. You cannot separate emotions and intellect and hope to understand life from the narrow, limited point of view of either by itself. The fulfilment of life is the outcome of the harmonious blending of the intellect and the emotions. Evolution works in an ascending spiral towards the greater and greater simplicity of all things. You cannot truly help people, however much you may long to heljo, if you have not yourself found that Truth which is eternal. Only that individual can truly lead or help who has found peace within himself, and is certain of his own understanding of the freedom of life, not he who sits in the shadow of his own creation, or is held in bondage as a prisoner in the cage of tradition. —Mr J. Krishnamurti .

ST. PETER’S CHURCH

QUARTERLY MEETING.

The quarterly meeting of St. Peter’s Methodist Church ‘was held on July 10, the Rev. S. Bailey presiding over a fair attendance. The reports for the quarter from the Young Peoples’ Board showed that the Bible classes, Sunday school,' Junior C.E., Morning Star Brigade, and Temperance Club were all working well and in good spirit. A committee was appointed to go

through the senior membership roll so that a correct report could be furnished for the September meeting. Letters of appreciation are to be sent to Mcsdames Bailey, T. Cushen and V. Clark for their valued assistance to circuit fund, by holding very successful vanishing teas; also to the choir for a donation.

The balance-sheet showed a small deficit, but the Home Mission effort was reported by the secretary as about £7O. A committee was set up to arrange for foreign missions and also the visit of the president in the near future. Letters of sympathy were sent to several members who had been seriously ill during the quarter. Temperance Club.

The Temperance Club held its fortnightly meeting on Friday, July 12. Master Alan Breyley presiding over a good attendance. The company rule and pledge were repeated and Mrs W. S. Pasley welcomed the Rev. A. Mcßean as speaker for the meeting. Mr Mcßean quickly won the interest of those present by telling them he made his first speech as a young fellow at a Band of Hope meeting. He then gave an address full of instruction on the evil of alcohol, apd concluded by congratulating the junior officers on their conducting of the meeting. Master Alan Breayley thanked Mr Mcßean.

Mr George Brown gave several very enjoyable gramophone selections; Mr L. Alton a recitation, also several humorous stories; Miss Nita Bragg a pianoforte selection; the Rev. S. Bailey a reading; Miss J. ClevJand and Miss M. Clevland recitations. Mrs Pasley then announced the winners of the Temperance Essay Competition, and presented prizes to Miss Sabine Pasley 1, and Master Russel Hicken 2. Ladies’ Guild.

St. Peter’s Ladies’ Guild entertained the Central Methodist Guild on Thursday, July 11. There was a splendid attendance of members of both circuits. Mrs S. Bailey, president, opened with devotions. Mrs Baker extended a welcome to the visitors. A delightful programme was given by Mrs Edwards (recitation), Mesdames Clark and R. Bell (duet), Miss Patton (solo and a lecturette), “Life and Photography” by Mrs Bailey. A competition was held and the winner was Mrs Greenwood, of Central church. Afternoon tea was served by the St. Peter’s Guild. Mrs A. Mcßean voiced the thanks of the visitors for a very enjoyable afternoon.

VALEDICTORY

SOUTH INVERCARGILL FUNCTION

A large gathering of parishioners and friends was held in the Parish Hall, South Invercargill, on Tuesday evening in honour of Mr and Mrs Bridges and family who for the past 20 years have worked hard in building up a firm foundation for the Anglican Church there. Owing to the absence of the vicar, the Rev. J. A. Lush through illness, the Rev. S. A. G. Hurd, former curate of St. Aidan’s, now vicar of Otautuu, acted as chairman. Games and dancing filled in the first part of the evening. During the interval a presentation was made to Mr and Mrs Bridges. The Rev. Hurd apologized for the absence of the vicar and read a letter sent by him, outling the good work done by the Bridges family. The chairman called upon Mr A. H. Stock, another old member, who, after complimentary remarks and wishing Mr and Mrs Bridges every happiness presented them with a handsome travelling rug and a bottle of lavender water respectively. Others who spoke were Messrs Dalton, Gunn, Tapley and Miller, all referring to the excellent manner in which Mr Bridges had carried out his duties as secretary and looking after things in general and how they had both been so helpful in the social life of the church. Each speaker wished them health and happiness in their days of leisure. In responding to the speeches made, Mr Bridges, on behalf of himself and his wife, thanked everyone for the beautiful presents. He could not see how they should be singled out from the many who had worked in the past years. He recalled how in 1908 a band of people used to meet in what was now called the Council Hall. The late Rev. Swinburn ministered to them. When the Parish Hall was built it was the hall of the times, and services were held there till 1925 when a new church was built, now known as St. Aidan’s. Although not in active service they were not going to lose any interest whatever in the church' life. I