The Church Congress at Hobart.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4867, 5 February 1894, Page 2

The Church Congress at Hobart.

BISHOP JULIUS. In the course of the proceedings at the Hobart Church Congress, the Bishop of Christchurch spoke favourably of the work of deaconesses. They served under the Bishop, whilst the " Sisters " served under come Home Society. He preferred deaconesses. (Applause). Yet, so great was the nee_ in New Zealand for help, that if he could only get "Sisters" there, he would have them, and thank God for them. (Applause). He believed they preached the same great principles of the Catholic Church. They had no stipendiary lay readers in New Zealand, and he hoped they never should ; but they had a great number of honorary lay readers, and very ' splendid work they were doing. He objected ( to lay readers being put in charge of any : district, and becoming priests in the eyes :of the laity. (Applause). [ Bishop Julius was also one of the : speakers at a meeting of men, held in con- : nection with the congress, and in address ! ing the large audience his lordship said j there never was a time in history when ! men more wanted a leader. They were ! jußt beginning to be intelligent enough to ' see what fools they were. He believed : that the attraction in Jesus Christ to men j was that he was a democratic king. ■ (Applause.) He never knew what it was j to be free till he took Him as his king. Christ waa democratic because he ruled in the hearts of men. Materialism for a while— only a while— had taken hold of us. If there was anything that could crush a man it was the loss of a horizon. j Man was jast as great as the horizon he [ could see. A man who only lived I just to earn his dinner was but little ; better than an animal. Christ oame and took the lead that made it possible for man to go on and on for ever. He would come and clear away materialism, and we should go on again. The Church had to be to men of the present day what Christ was to them, and if the Church was what he would have her to be men would love her better. (Applause). Were no* all our social schemes breaking down for want of the work of the Church of God ? What made our Parliaments such failures ? Because we got such a rotten lot of fellows , into them. (Laughter and applause). What he meant was that men got there who were not lovers of their country. ' Men who made 3uch a jobbing concern of it. (Applause). All this and muoh more would go on til! the truth of God was put in the hearts of men; He appealed to them ' to rally round the Churcb, and support it ■ by money and intellect.