Religious Activity.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 9, 5 October 1907, Page 11

Religious Activity.

WEEKLY NOTES'ON CHURCH N'.'.;,. '-.'; WORK.' ■:;.,:■ ..'.'.'■'■-. iThe following will be the ■Wellington delegates to the New Zealand Baptist Conf orcrice, which begins in Auckland noxt, Wednesday:—The Revs.. J. J. Nortlv A,.' Dewdney,;.T.. Keith Ewcn, ,and: J. Spbttiswobd; I 'Messrs. W. H. Gobrgb, A.' , Hoby, if. Cathie,. and R. H. Wilson.' : l--. ;'■ ' ; '.TROUBLES, OF METHODISM. .'By,.direction of the Wesleyan Conference, an important,pastoral address is shortly to' bo issued to. the Methodist, .churches throughout Great Britain and Ireland. It expresses regrot that, for tho '-first time for many years;' thero is a decrease in Church membership, and points out that some of th'e~ causes that hinder the growth of the Church', are a want of .reality ;in; membership,. pressure,. of social questions, and unsettloment of faith. Although there never was a time when more interest was takon in theological '" questions,' or when the meaning and; value; of religion and the Bible were t more'' freely discussed,; this' interest does not'contribute largely to ch,urch membership or strengthen organised : Christianity.' Methodists are therefore Urged to make Church membership a reality and byjshowjng that it is a power-in their own lives to make it an attraction toothers; but at the same time they 'are warned against a false individualism. The pastoral draws attention :to social and moral problems such as,-poverty; .unemployment, the:hous-. ing of the people, the Chinese opium traffic,,-. Congo reform,' intemperance,' and,gambling, which still remain as blots: tin".our national record, and the Metho"dist people are urged to prepare themselves oy thorough study or, "andj: when' practicable; by .personal contact 'with,,. these V; questions, _ to' carry out the full duties of Christian citizenship..'/,,. v; ;r ;'.'.'..' ..'■. • ' r :; ; ' ANTI-CLERICAL EXCESSES. : The .anticlerical,excesses in Italy which..caused the celebration of the Papal' jubileo to bo suspended reached a ; .ciimax at the beginning of .August To ;>tho • assistance given 'by the Vatican to the Italian Government. during the past- four. yeorß in its striigglo with the' and. extreme Liberals, is attributed, by the Rome corespondent • .of the l English ;'.'(Tablet;" ..the' origin ,'6f '■ all the trouble. ' The subversive elements in Italian politics, ; ; according to ';■ this ' authority, have recognised in Pius X a. far: more powerful enemy than they found" even. in v Leo XIII, and they have attacked him and his policy with; a : malignancy and a ferocity but"little understood: outside Italy. 'The'-.,.ungrateful. leaders of • ■ the Gov-. : ernment, wto are further told, "have allowed them; to r do this :with impunity, with- a ;kind 'of tacit pact, that, .so, long as their' organs refrain jrom'i attacking : the King of: Italy, l ■'''they-enjoy'she fullest liberty to put--rage' 1 and vilify the. Holy -Father, and thel'pause."of .religion,','-:'■'.' : . _..,.' • ; The. v" present , popular-'.outburst agaihst ; the-Roman Catholic religion and-religioils is attributed to tho : . machinations of these. organs. Three, recent. occurrences have been misrep-: resented by them-and'made to servo; as illustrations of the extraordinary.' depravity'with which they would connect the -Roman' Catholic religion' and/.religious, ; arid [ the : institutions , managed by them. . Jn-.the first- caso a ; woman who'wore tho habit of a nun and owned an asylum for young girls'at.Milan, was arrested ■on very serious • charges. Tho Cardinal Archbishop of Milan had warned tho pol•ice"against; this, spi-'disant nun, and ordered clergymen to deny to her the sacraments. ■ Yet, when the woman was ; at\last arrested, the Church was blamed' for, not denouncing her. A second scandal, attaching to a: charitable institution which was puroly;-;scculaf, ;has sinco .been totally recanted by its authors, one of whom. 'is to : b'e tripd' for slander.'and at- ■ tempting' to extort '.', blackmail. _ A third/':story 'manufactured" against the Church'has been discarded as too ridiculous to be supported even by tho anti-clericals.' .'• ~ '•;.': ".'. - In ;the meantime, however, the feelings , of: the ,mob, were worked upon', to such effect that attempts have been made in various' parts of Italy,.to burn' churches and religious houses',; and in Rome "two : cardinals have been' insulted' by the rabble in the streets, a.ruffian has spat, in tho ' facevbf' the Maestro Perosi, many' priests have found it necessary to. , apply 'for. permission to : arm,' themselves-- against possible and probablo attacks. The lives' of priests' and nuns are Hardly safe in the public, streets,, and their-reputations are in the'hands of a'Press the-most un-' ' scrupulous in"tho world." ■ ■--.■'■ -DO WORKERS SHUN THE ..■'. ' CHURCH? ':. At the sittings of the t General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the retiring Moderator, Dr. Clouston, declared that there was. a decided revolt against the Church. People said that the modern Church did .'riot fairly represent the original society established' by Christ. Christ had'preached to outcasts, and had . associated'with sinners,., and' their church; with its respectabilities and pew rents, .was for the woll-to-do and respected.,;:, A brother Presbyterian, Dr. -Gibb, is not wholly in accord with )ithis\sad statement, which was telegraphed the other day. There is, he' thinks,'a measure of truth in the statement,'-' especially in regard to some*of the churches, and' perhaps some portion of the congregation of every, church, but the] statement is lacking in! and in-deed,-is not just, ho thinks, to the fact of the case. If tho membership, ,of most' of tho churches wero it would be found, he says, that a' very.' considerable proportion is made up by the wagerearning class, and, the list of office-bearers would also show that these again are not yby any means exclusively com-, posed' of people who are well-to-do. Dr. Gibb admits, however, that thore' (•eettis 'to ,be a- breach between tho Church and the working classes in so"fair.' as these are represented by unionism. The spirit that dominates the unions is antagonistic to the Church, but ho thinks that this ,s due to a profound,misunderstantlng on'.both sides, and especially on tho side; of'unionism. Tho Presbyterian Church of tho-United States is represented by a prominent minister on all the' leading Labour organisations, whidh' have also their representatives in the.. Church-assemblies" and'institutions. Results of value have already beon.achieved from this policy of reciprocal interest, and Dr, Gibb has.been considering whether it would not be extremely desirable to attempt something of tho sort in New Zealand. ' --■ . ','• An ordination service was held in the Napier Cathedral last Sunday forenoon, when Mr. i'\ W. Whibiey, of Weber, : was ordained a doucon of the Church of England by the Bishop of Waianu.

The induction of the Rev. J. C. Patcrson to tho pastoral care of tho Maheno-Inchplme Prcsbytoiian Church took place at- Mahono last week. The Row Mr. M'lvor, the interim modor- . .ator, was presented with a purse ot : '[sovereign's .-in-, recognition of his labours. . ■ Seventy prisoners were addressed by General' Booth in tho chapel of tho county , gaol at .Gloucester, and- although before 'entering tho prison the General was requested hot to depart irom conventional preaching, he soon stirrod the emotions of tho men. Ono .man, who had been convicted for wifebeating, foil on his knees, and another imprisoned for theft sobbed and buried 'his faco in a hymn-book. "No doubt," said General Booth, "somo of you are saying, "it's all very woll onough for you. General Booth; you havo not got bad habits and; strong temptations as I have. You can ride round the country in a'motor-car, and havp flowers and fruit thrown at you.' Let. me toil you that Gonoral Booth did 'not-always.have an easy timo. Once I was a wild youth, with strong appetites that were rapidly, leading mo •to hell. I put up a hard struggle, and now you can do it, too." \ ; 'A circular, prepared by tho homo secrotary of the London .Missionary Society, reviews tho history of the v society for tho past two years, and points out that, instead of advancing in consequenco of the special appeal for an increase of income of £16,000' per annum, tho rovenuehas decreased. "■ Tho deficit of £34,481 has so reduced ■ the society's reserve fund that, should .there be an additional deficiency this year, it will be impossible to financo : the work of the society in 1908. ' The Bishop of Birmingham is arranging for. the formation of a Social Service Committee in his diocese, composed of representatives of. the different classes of the community, to encourage tho general study of social and • industrial' problems from the ■Christian point' of view, to assist in creating and strengthening an en-lightened-public opinion in regard to „' such problems, .and generally to promote a more active spirit of social service as a part of individual Christian •duty. Dr. Gore sees that there are ■ many difficulties iff tho way, one or" them being to find tho time when representatives' of employers and workmen can meet in the same council. Nevertheless, ho is resolved to make tho' attempt, : though; he. recognises - ~ that a great deal of public spirit and; sacrifice will be iice'ded if the .com-' iinittee is to be formed and to do. successful work. ■'■'..' .'' '.' ; The acquirement as from November 1, of Pakiitoa Island, in tho Haurald Gulf, for .-.the institution of! an inebriates' :home, marks anow development in tho Now Zealand work of the Salvation- Army. The island contains sixty acres, of which about twenty will bo devptod to tho growth of vegetables "and produce, and the rest used for grazing, for which purpose it is eminently ;,suitable'.'' ': A residence of twentyfix rooms can readily ,bo converted into tho institution proper, and thero is another largo house adjacent which will servo ■ for officers engaged at the home. Two motor launches and four sailing and rowing boats aro - included in the purchase. Tho Army, hopes to .establish later, inebriates' • homes at Wellington, Christchurch,, and Dunedin. ■ Tho Federal Conference of Churches of Christ-in-.Australasia, which has just closed its ■ sittings in Adelaide', was most .enthusiastic. Tho next fed-. .' oral conference will'bo held'i".. Sydney" in 1909, and as that year will be the, - one hundredth anniversary of ' tho foundation of the Christian.;.As'sccia- .-. .-tion'-of Washington,: U.S.A., and the: ••' issue of "The Declaration and Ad-, ■-dress" by Messrs. T. and A. Camp-. bell arid others, tho conference will bo a special one. A Sydney committeo has been,appointed to plan and, arrange for a fitting celebration. The Holy See has for a long time I been .in excellent relations with the Emperor and the Government of Japan, especially since Mgr. O'Coni nell was sent'to tho Mikardo 'with aii autograph letter from, the Popo in l which Pius X. thanked tho Emperor for the liberty and the favour shown Catholic missionaries in. his empire A very, significant sign of theso good i lelationsj according to the English s -'Tablet," was given recently when ■the' Pope received- with [ unusual i solemnity, his i Excellency Yas'uya Uchida, with his Attache, G. Kikich'u,. i : .who arrived in Ronio a few days be- : foro_ as Ambassador Extraordinary, ; bearing with'him an autograph lotj ter from the Mikardo. Tho Pope, in ■.his reply, said "while we receive i: with.the utmost satisfaction the lot-. ■■' tor of which'you are the bearer, wo i. be gyou to convey to the'august' Eniperor our gratitude not only for i the reception ho accorded our envoy, but also, and far more, for,tho pro- -. ~ t.cction which ho and- his Government i besjow on tho Catholic missionaries .'■ -, throughout his - vast empire'- -For - ■this favour shown to our children, iiiid which we regard as done to curself, we wish to express our gratitude .and our' sincere, good wishes that niay for long years' grant all prosperity to tho august sovereign' of, Japan, for his own glory and for ', the welfare of his subjects."- , ' The Now 'South Wales; BaptistUnion has again shelved-the'question-of the federation of the Baptist dci nominaton throughout Australia.. ■ A motion to adopt tho scheme recommended by the Intor-Stato Federal .Conference was withdrawn after discussion; and ;an-'amendment' finally passed that tho question be referred back to tho Churches for considera- . tion during the year. ! :' At the eighth Ziopist Congress, ! which opened on August 14 at'Tho Hague, Dr. Max Wordau delivered a [ speech, which was warmly applauded, '- in which, roforring to tho coincidence 1 of the Peace Conferonco and the Zionist i Congress, ho said that the former f would be a comedy if Governments i 'were not disposod to do justice to a • raco of 12,000,000 of people Zionists s ist Congress, he said that the former -, should show Governments what they ) wore, what they wanted, and what , thoy could do, and then they might i perhaps see the assembling of a' now ; conforenco of-tho civilised States for s tho international solution of tho > Jewish question. Unforeseen difficulties havo arisen, 3 ' states the "Church Chronicle," in con--5 ncction with the proposed sito for an 1 Anglican Church at Miramar, but it is 7 . hoped to havo matters settled within 5 a week or two. , • ; Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Stephens, who ■• arc now conducting a mission in tho new Christian Church, Vivian Street, have been for many years devoting 'their .time, to the strengthening and, 1 establishing of churches in tho West- ' orii States, U.S.A., whero there aro close upon 1,500,000 identified with tho movement, which has for its aim " tho restoration of tho faith and practices of tho Primitive Church. During j their residence in Now Zealand they f havo conducted protracted meetings at .Wellington South, Petono, Wan<;a,nui and Hawera, resulting in over 100 accessions. Mr. Stephens is a fluent and forcible speaker. He was cdun catcd at Drake University, Ohio, and y illustrates his addresses with charts ','•■ and diagrams) Mrs. Stephens assists if -her husband in the work, conducting p the chorus singing. Her solos aro I very clfcctivc.