Sunday Reading.

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17973, 23 August 1930, Page 6

Sunday Reading.

A UNIQUE SERVICE. Every Whit Monday a great openair service is held in Gwennap Pit, Cornwall, conducted by Methodists. This was first commenced by John Wesley, and has been carried on continuously every year since. Strange to say, no one can remember a Whit Monday that was wet for this' service. This "Pit" is some two miles from Redruth. Crowds come from all parts of the country to this -service—some had come from as far away as Scotland, and more than 5000 people were present. The preacher this year was Dr J. H. Ritson, the secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society. A Chaplain's Views on India. On Sunday afternoon, at the Central Hall, the Rev. Clifford Lever (of Wolverhampton) addressed the Westminster. Fellowship upon the topic, "An Army Chaplain looks at India." Mr Lever said that having spent three years in the sub-continent as an army chaplain he might possibly .be able to approach the subject from a new angle. The missionary standpoint was naturally" the standpoint of sympathy. The' standpoint of the army officer—paid to police the country—was not quite the same. But "I take off my hat every time to the I.C.S. The I.C.S. man looks at things from every point of view, and holds the balance of justice in his hands. It is to him that we must look to avoid a critical situation." India is a land with over 300 millions of people, of whom roughly 70 millions are Mohammedans. The remainder, apart from Christians, are Hindoos of many different sects. The Hindoo is an inferior tyP e °f being, while the Mohammedan is virile and strong, with a) "conquering complex"; so that the minority is really equal, and more than equal, to the majority. "The fact is, it is not simply a political problem you are up against in India, but a religious problem. That is why it is so exceptionally difficult to govern India. In Hinduism you have caste and inertia, and in Mohammedanism you have virility and exclusiveness; and t ne two religions regard one another with a deadly hatred." This religious strife has its repercussions of bitter hatred in the political life of the country. In closing, Mr Lever asked, "What is the solution?" His answer was: "Nothing but the way of Christ. Only that will break down caste and bring about the realisation of universal brotherhood. To me it seems it is Christ alone who can solve the problem o India. We must 'hang on' until India realises that all men are brothers, and that, in Christ, Hindu and Mohammedan can meet as sons of the one great Father."

SALVATION ARMY. ■General Higgins, of the Salvation Army, is to visit New Zealand in March next. Several centres will be visited, and he will conduct the annual congress in Wellington. Some 8000 people jammed the Armoury Beautiful in New -Afork recently, for the Festival of Music and Song, held in connection with the Army's Jubilee Congress in the United States of America. Lieut.-Commander John Philip Sousa, of the American Navy, conducted the massed band of 700 instrumentalists in a march, specially composed by himself, in honour of Commander Evangeline Booth. A choir "of 1000 voices also took part. Commissioner J. Cunningham, leader of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, is paying his initial visit to Thames this week-end, and wlil conduct the 11 a.m. service in the Salvation Army Hall on Sunday. The Commissioner has had a wide experience, extending over 40 years, and including the leadership of the Salvation Army in South Africa, Holland, Java and New Zealand. Important posts have also been held in the United Kingdom, while he has rendered service in China and India. ANGLICAN CITY MISSION. For many years past the question of what to do with men who have no means of support, has exercised the minds of the social worker. Time and time again when men sleeping out in the Domain and other places have. been charged with having no visible means of support, and i;ent to prison as l'ogues and vagabonds, Mr Calder has taken their part. During the last four or five years a quite different type of men, through no fault of their own, have found themselves without means t° obtain a bed. and four years ago the Mission took premises in Lower .Federal Street and opened its first night shelter for homeless men. It only operated during the worst months of that winter, but during the period of its existence the "necessity for such a place was amply shown. The police were very taken with the idea, and helped in every way by sending men to it instead of to the police station. Since then the Shelter has opened each winter, and the number of men taking advantage of the facilities offered has increased from year to year. Last winter the Shelter was running from May 2 till October 20, and the total number of free beds supplied was something over 16,000, and free meals amounted to over 32,000. We are very fortunate in having a really good staff looking after things. They are keen on their work and have the sympathetic, tactful manner which is so essential in an institution of this' nature. Of course, another essential is proper discipline; and this is most efficiently maintained. The Shelter opens at 7.30 each night, and within a few minutes the bulk of the men have been booked up. Very full particulars are taken of each man, comprising age, name, married or single, war service (.flif any), occupation, and where he came from. The man then goes upstairs, and is. given either a bed or a shakedown. . CHURCH UNION. A movement which may prove of rich import unto the growth of Chris-

ITEMS OF CHURCH NEWS.

(Contributed by Thames Ministers' Association)

tian unity among the churches of our Dominion saw its official initiation at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at Dunedin in March last, when the Wellington presbytery was appointed the Central Committee on Church Union, with branch committees, to be set up, by each presbytery, to ascertain tin mind of the Church on the matter of unfon and repor tto the next Assembly. Further, that the Assembly recommend the Youth Committee, the Home Mission and Teological Hall Committees to approach corresponding committees in sister churches with a view to co-operation. Since then, the Wellington presbytery, as the central committee, has moved in the matter by getting into touch, with the various branch committees, and these in time with presbyteries.

Of Interest to Thames.

In view of the more recent part, this movement cannot fail to be of local interest to not a few, who must remember for upwards of 20 years, a branch of the Congregational Church in Thames was associated in fellowship and worship with our local Baptist Church, both being ministered to simultaneously by the same minister for different periods during that time. Apart from the powerful appeal which comes from the sinking of minor points of difference, in the common call of the Gospel rendering such conjoint worship possible; surely such case of Christian unity is not without its lesson of economic advantage, and that more especially to Thames at present. Could not something of the kind which met successfully conditions in the past, be attempted again for the present!

"My tongue feels as if I'd, massaged" it with a nutmeg-grater," laughingly remarked a City man to his tobacconist the other morning. "Smoked rather a lot yesterday—always do on Sundays. But I find my tongue gets sore now after two or three pipes, and I sometimes think of chucking in smoking for keeps." "Try a different brand," said the tobacconist. "I can recommend the toasted New Zealand. Coolest 'baccy I - know. Nice flavour and beautiful bouquet. You can smoke it for hours without burning your tongue. It's toasted, and toasting extracts most the nicotine—a big point in its favour. Too much nicotine in the imported stuff. Brands? Only four brands of toasted —Riverhead Gold, Cavendish, Navy Out No. 3, and Cut Plug No. 10 —and I am selling all four. They are all different strengths. I know you like a medium, so suppose you" try a tin of Navy Cut No. 3? It's really good." The customer nodded. Now' he smokes nothing else.