News and Notes.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 12, 1 June 1921, Page 286

News and Notes.

There is a wonderful educating influence m the daily assemblage of the family for prayer. 1 There is an elevation of tone that would not otherwise come into the household. It impresses the children; it 'gives a practical- and personal tone to piety.— G. B. Hallock.

At the V.M.C.A. Convention held m . Calcutta last November the word"Protestant^ was eliminated from the Constitution/ and active membership,-^ was , thrown open to Roman Catholics. ■"■'" • We have received from the Yen. Archdeacon Chattertoh a copy of an excellent 1 leaflet published by. him, .beiilg outlines of addresses for Confirmation classes. The "Outlines" ar,e specially suitable for- distribution to candidates m. backblock places who are ; uriabie to attend classes. Copies may be obtained from Archdeacon Ghatterton at threepence each. ■/■'■ 'Mrs. W. D. Pattison, of Waipawa, a Roman Catholic, who died recently, bequeathed the sum of £100 to St. Hilda's Home, Gtane, and the sum of £1000 to be devoted to charities m the Waipawa district, whether religious, educational, or other charities. The good work- of St. Hilda 's is. ; win- , ning much sympathy from friends outside. 'as, well' as within the Anglican Church. All who come m contact with the Home and its results . feel bound to help it. We respectfully request contributors to J the "Waiapu Church Gazette not to send to us articles or news items which they are also sending to th'e "N.Z. Churchman." We have, by courtesy of the Editor of the "Churchman" just received the proofs of tne June "Churchman" m which an article and a news ■item appear that are already m course of being printed m our own "Gazette." Such "double-banking" is a waste of space and time. . There is no more momentous social, religious, or political problem facing the people of America \ than that of Marriage and Divorce. History tells us m unmistakable language that when the family is destroyed the destruction of the nation follows inevitably. In the year 1916 there were no less than 112,036 divorces m the United States, and the increase every five years is over .30 per cent. . . . There is an urgent need that Christians of every name should make an organised attempt to stem the fearful torrent. America, among all ithe Christian nations of the . world, stands lowest as regards her treatment of marriage, , and among nonChristian nations is only exceeded m her degradation of this most sacred . relation by Japan.— Dr. Gwynne. - St. Philip's Church, Buckingham Palace Road, London,,, has } been as- , signed for the use of Rußsi^pi exiles of the Orthodox Church of Russia.

late Major H. WV Wainohu (chaplain) gave me this warning, and I have ) found it was most ; nec.6ssary. This alone is sbmetimes the cause of complete failure. . . : When exorcising it. is certainly advisable (if .possible) to pray first for the sufferers; and, bejfbre commanding the spirits to come out,, to ask (m the Name of Jesus always) how many they are m order that me may know how many, we have to deal with. If this is not' done we \may , be deceived, and some remain m possession': It is well also to see that no child, or weakly person, is sitting m front of the possessed one, ; lest it ' should be seized upon by the demon m coming out. Often a demon will try to obtain permission — as m the case, of the Gadarene demoniac and the swine— to enter, or attack, another person as a condition of its coming out at once. This, of course, must not be agreed to. . Some apparently quite clear cases of possession are very difficult, to . exorcise, some refuse to come out, and: for a time there is failure, as m the case of the disciples while Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration. "We do not yet know sufficient, and must learn the reasons why we fail. We shall be taught. According to accounts' given m Dr. Dearmer's book, "Body and Soul," some resist for "days, x weeks, and even years, but m the end have to obey. Where the sufferer has deliberately given way to a life of open : . sin, or given himself up to Spiritism, , and become possessed, the control" seems specially strong and difficult io dislodge. In exorcising we have (I. know not why) placed our hands upon the head, and then m the Name of Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out, to go to its own\ place, and never return to the sufferer, ! or to us,, or to anyone else. In most cases a definite forthcoming has be'en seen — m a breathing forth, ,a yawn, a coughing out. In one case the victim was flung, out into the room and -suspended m the. air at an acute angle backwards with only her heels touching the ground. She then collapsed, but suffered no harm. Collapse always seems to follow m severe cases, for a longer or. 1 shorter time. I have made it a practice, as soon : as possible afterwards, to lead the patient to a definite act of consecration of all to Jesus, as an act of gratitude io Him, and to the acceptance of the gift' of the Holy Spirit. And thusi.farl.have found all most anxious to show their gratitude m this way, and eager to receive the Holy. Spirit as Indweller and Sanctir'and Keeper of His Temple. ARTHUR F, WILLIAM&