RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 October 1907, Page 11

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

.-.'v. ; ..■: -.♦.: i'. /r ; c . ,-THE SOUL'S OUTLOOK.,.'.. • ' t.U~X- '(For.^'Tho.-Dominion.!')--,-:. Be you broad-minded—no belief you have; And lifo, but so much matter do you find, . And purposeless, as;seeems the hurrying wave That oriels in empty froth upon tho shore; 'And having'nothing'spiritual-to adoro/ ? rio''living-me'ssagd'for mankind;'-;-• you but survey' ■ '■*' "AipOpr horizon, cabined and/confined; i. ■ ■<).. '_■> •Wherein'-the-few perceive a'kind, of day.' 'And all the" rest in 'darkness evermore: — •". But-broad-of mind and orthodox is;ho v;i • Whose' '''clear-cut' ''visions ■ arei -' of • boundless .'■'■ scope '■■-'■ : >V;-nn :•-'/'■;•■'• ;-r--.-:- -.■.' Wherein all men do reach the eternal hope, Whose living,eyes-clean through the, mist do . see ' •:""" ." -''''"" '-".'•';'-'_: : .-. figures--ill'the far-pffi light; i - ■ Aii'd'Gbd dispels the shadows-of (the night;,-. ' 'And--men's ; best ■ selves'emerge.ifrom cast-off -rl/CHimCH ; •":' . ,j':',':A':meinber"'of thb'Presbyterian'Assembly pf the; Presbyt'eriari' union 'in Church of Australia, "which! has beoi'i 1 clisussing- ; the -question ' of/Chufcli "union," writes":as.' follows to a " J minister ".hi 1 'Wellington:—-It' is ...stated, that,'with ,a' view, to .union between '"the Presbyterians/and Anglicans, -the "fur-, these' Presbyterians will, be likely to" go' Will • be/to' accept'bishops; 'but, not consecrated-into' ■ '.a Second'order,;and appointed by the General Assembly. I ;'Tho're is an impression that the "two /Churches will' find no' 'difficulty : in "tho of' creed' .and .'liturgy/' but -it is • < not ""'deemed'at' ; all likely :'th'at'the'-Ariglicans will '''givy'upf'the r idea' i qf 'the consecrated bishop " ahd ; the : ( one ! 6fdairiihg ; power."'-' 'It has .'been' J dedided , that : 'tho''Gene'ral' Assembly shall;not ''meet'to 'for/'yearsj so 1 !as','t6 •allow full time for straightening out" tho entire -'matter..': i /' THE CHUrW ; AND'MARRIAGE: j :i!> . 'Thepast'few'wceks-havo' witnessed: very im-: Vpprt'aht'cliah*ges' r in';th'e : laws' of marriage, ''nwde''by r the 'State',"' in England,- in-defiance, of " r 'Ajiglicah r Church canons,/and'by:.tlie;Gongrc-; .- vgationJin'Korhe, ''aS';affecting;-Roman:Catho-''..'.The-Anglian Chnrch'at Hpme;is'inclined,to; ? take' very" quietly:; the'' change in'4he \ law,; of ■•"marria'ge which was effected by the'passing of "tho Dec'eaSed Wife's Sister's Bill;: Some stir / will/tie'made'" in"'the Church, press; states- a. "'lucid writer in the r "Manchester Guardian,'': ''»lthough' ! 'the i; '"Chur'ch Times"; takes a" very reasonable view of the' r 'p6siti6n', aind- points t out what strong grounds Parliament had for ; 'fmaking'the:change. : It'-.is.;agreed that,there, -is'no Divine,declaration forbidding;such mar.-; triages: improbably, there is far "clearer Scriptu■«ral authority to forbid tho,seoond.marriage of i'» priest or; bishop.than to fo.rbid:.any J man:to sister-in-law.';-.'. The. prohibition is,a matter of Church authority alone.. The clergy ' late wife's sister. Such marriages will be dismay/not .themselves marry within the forbid-den-degrees.'' •Neither/is any, clergyman comP' th . er to/conduct -a '..marriage or' to lbrid his church for the'coh- £ duct'! of,' a'.'marriage';.botwebri''a! man and'his 'laterwife's' sister.',' Such marriages wil Ibe.dis.'coura'gedlby'the Church; just'as it discourages v marrying. v du'ririg.l : ent' and other' breaches of /ecclesiastical customs. 'But no clergyman will be/ able' to : refuse' the Holy Communion to .'those 'i'who, ha've : contracted' such/marriages, ■" ngiywill he';!(if .'he is/discreet and charitable) show; any disapproval' by omitting such'per-, sons in his pastoral visitation. '" . '•'■'..' ' The Church's view on the great question is •Hhus'put:—"The' : law:-asvit •-fec'tly logical.." A'marfupon marrying became a full member of his -wife's family; (and his ■'wife"vice Versa).' <• Her ''parents! became, his .'also; her brothers and sisters'his brothers and ■' sisters'/ :r .Th'ey'* became ■•- (what - they.-' are .now "no'longer by Act of '.'Parliament)..brothers, in i! law'and sisters tint' law. si fl&isArelat&onship is ;,: hb'w'brokeri ; 'down'.' ; A-womari- ; is still, indeed,; • r ''fKe !; sistffih-law f ;;6f her rtiusband/fe brother, -'she/is'"no" longer; sister-in-law.'to her, sis-'ter's-'husband,'except-by canon.law.. Now.it "is a-really-serious matter—far;more' so.than many may think it,—to weaken the fences which hedge round the sacrcdness of marr i riage.', Churphmen may. well be jealous, as 'good ''citizen's,-- of"the'marriage law of nheir ' 'country':''"lf a'woman 'desired'to. marry'her ; deceased husband's brother'it wpuld-'be dim-; t'cult'hbwjtb justify-tlie'prohibition'-ofthe law. '"I tiave- : k'no'wh'atleast'two cases'within'recent .''■ years/in''- which a mail has '.married'-his niece. X "OP' course the [marriage was ■ illegal'-and'-in- " valid I 'brit'tho'pfohibition'of- such a: union beiold Church rules';is impaired and-tßeir author ' rity ignored/,' I'.khbw a man'who aske'd;,lus ' the. banns of "marriage ," between'himself, .arid ;his , deceased, wife's ', niece.'/ Th- clergyman pointed out theVpro-■/'hibition-aV-'the end "of the- : Prayef ; Book,, Ohj ' I'/kiibw- about', "that," was-the" reply :.;-'but ".thW'are'going.. to "alter the law about: the: de- , /'ceased'lwife's.sister; and'l cannot see why- it "is any : more wrong'to lriafry' her niece/ bhe knows my children so well.' Ido not deny the/apparent hardship. But the case serves vto-show the' Churchmen who are.not.so stupid i-,as'"some.suppos'ed,themfwhen;they feared the . '-, posible'- consequences, of .this in . the -marriage laws:.; Events will show.'!'/ ,'/ /; :',:.-, An dmportant, Roman Catholic. on r, marriage issued by the. Cbngregation"of Council, makes..sweeping changes/m , the rules which have .been in force, in many European countries. Only two of the proyi"'f'sions gre'atlyicbncern:this country, i; biit/they - are'.of : "an'important;nature.', It-sis: provided "'.'tha't iu 'future'^lio. marriages:,will,.be.-reco"-r - nised-as -valid by the Roniaii Catholic.; Church -'.unless they/are.celebrated in the: presence.of - ; th'parish priest oriSomopriestliaving his per•';iriissioiif and two'witncsses.vllitherto, in some countries,in eluding -England, .America and New Zealand, the Roman Catholic Church , has recognised as valid, marriages of Roman VCa'tholics which/are not'performed by priest; /'that is''to; say; marriages-performed-by-a r 'Protestant'minister or at the'registry office. The law is now the same over the whole Recountries the law of tho Council of Trent on .this matter,,.which was not enforced in.them -ibefpre,' although it was/enfrirced' iri;'Eurppe. :/Thelaw: ishpw.tho same over'the whole Roman Catholic world/ ' ~/_... .. _/ .'/ The second important, provision, as relating • to New/Zealand, states that if a priest can- ' •' nrtt b'e'fouhd'to'perforin a marriage, and this .'state of affairs'hhsl'alrea'dy'lasted, a 1 month, "the marriage/can be: lawfully performed with- ' but a''priest—-in'a registry office, for example - on"- the ! bride "arid bridegroom ■ expressing " tlieif' fpfnial cbnsent' in the presence of two /This"second 'provision is an m- ■: '/'dulgence..new/to'Europe. ' , '- ] . .;/.''. . PALESTINE FOR THE JEWS. .-■'-Mrs; Lauronce"oliphant,-.who- made.ro-. "' :%J ntly,a.prolonged-sojourn' in the,- Orient, is ~ , v-nresscd'with'tho idea, which actuated her ' more than one actual at-■j.-tempt at colonisation., that Palestine must, «■ nelong"in! future, to tho Jewish, race. Sho .■.".claims.-that her faith 'is, founded; not only upon Divine.- premise; but ,upcn, ,practical grounds. The rank and file cf the Jewish . race, believe that Palestine is their own apr /pbinted.' land,/and already it has been found i "that ,a" : : Palestine, colony has a'pcrmiincnco 'which'.''is' la'ckirig'/Mn'settlements which are T made in other' countries. Furthermore, said '.''Mrs,' Laurence Oliphant, in an' 'interview, which appeared in the "Jewish Chronicle," a • great change has come over" Holy Land lately, ' which will 'greatly,'aid' the colonists/ "When "Tleft/Palestine, on one.of 'rhy return journeys some'bight year's ago, it'was not'a'floiifisliing land. On niy recent return L left behind mc ii prosperous country. There is a great alter„;atioh for the ; better. The railway between '' Haifa/and, Damascus lias been/finished, and it ;/is being pushed beyond Damascus/.'. There is '/what.we in':America call'a "boom."', To my J', knowledge, .certain \ plots of land have. been /;bbld r .witnin the past three.months for ten f.'times ;their,, original price, '.and there, is a '■.'biipyarit atmosphere cverywhero. "'All food'"■tiiH's how find a ready salo at considerably 'increased prices, aiid.tlierb is an' air, of pros'j'perity^whicli 1 formerly had been lacking. 1 v'was'particularly "struck 'by/the woll-bemg of "Ithe' Gbrmari' colony. at;' Haifa.' : Tliiis' the time /'ia'.propitious/for renewed effort, and many "'Jews/seem, tp'.' be aware of this fact, for I '''was"told by■-'a well-informed and reliable q ,authorityH'hat'hundreds' of them landed in ""the'last ten months at Jaffa arid.Haifa."

PERSONAL. Tho proposed . visit of tho Rov.Dr. Gibb and Mrs.: Gibb to England next year will mark the' conclusion of tho twenty-fifth .veinof Dr. Gibb's ministry. Ho was ordained by tho Presbytery of Mclbourno in February, 1883. • ■• • '■■•■'lt is believed that, the s ßov. J. J. Halloy 'will bo unanimously chosen as chairman of tho Victorian Congregational: Union for 10089 to mark the jubilee of his ministry; which dates from 1859. Mr. W/Hi AViso, of, Dunsandol, has been appointed to Mangawoka, and frill take up the work; there some time this month. The Rev. G.'Frost, states tho "Methodist Outlook," ; has keenly felt-the need of a Homo Missionary for the'southern end of his largo circuit. ■"'■■"■ ■ '■■''•■'. ' :,: .;:. V-H-;'■" /JOTTINGS. ~ '. : ,/ '/ The Warig'anui Catholic Club has-a roll membership of '350."' Sixty-five members havo been elected,this'last' quarter. ' ■ The annual prayer arranged by the .world's,comiriittee of tho Y.M.C.A. has been fixed td.be given pn .Sunday,. Novomber 10, and, close oil Saturday,, November 16, inclusive. It is expected that over two hundred delegates will ;attend.the;Genera] Assembly, of ,the, Presbyterian Church, to be held in this .city,next ; week. /'./. : • To-morrow %ill be "Young- : People'sSun•day '■ in Mothbdist ; . churches over all tho world. ■' . , i . : ," : The anniversary .services of the Courtenay Place CongregatiorialChurch will be held tomorrow. The Rev.; W/ A. Keay will preach •in. the morning, Rev/4-. Kennedy/ in tho .. afternoon, and Rev... M'Doijald Aspland ' in the evening. The annual tea and public ~mecting will be held on Tuesday night. .•" Tenders have been called for the erection of: a new Congregational Church at, Alice- { town./ : ' ; , : ' '//;/'■ /' /' .-'■ - •'■ ;■''■■' -~ The Very.Rev/Dean Regnaultj S.M.,'who ; has just-been appointed Provincial of tho : Marist Fathers in New ; Zcalarid, is preparing ; at present for the erection-of a-new church in ' .Waimate, having signed only a few days ago a. contract for the, building, which,'will cost about ,£4OOO. . , "/ ,' .'."' . '/ / .. Anew Congregational church will be opened i at/To Kuiti on October 27. The Congrcga-' tioiialists havo four home missionaries-work- : ing in the King Country. : ' !,Mrs.:.Wiliiams',..who has ma'do such lavish, : gifts to the YjM.C.A.-movement in' this city. ■ is a inember of, the; Wellington Terrace Con- ; gregation'al Church, which had the chief control of. tho.old Y..M.C.A...movement in Wei- ' lington about' a. quarter of a 'century ago. '..: '.The annual ''confirmation' in Connection ' ,with.St.'.'Peter's'Cliurclr/takes place to-mor- i rbw 1 ...'. ;".,-'.' '' ■'■ ■ '':•■ ■: ■'".■•'■" ••■ . ! ~-: The ."Tablet" states'that the wild tempest ' by anti-clericalism which sweeps through the valley during several weeks was practically over by the middle of .August.. , ..... ,'." ■■■■! Good, progress is being .made, in tho can:vass:,for the ■ necessary funds, for, tho.erec■tion of a.'.new Catholic hall arid club-rooms in i Wellington. .The /'Catholic Magazine" states that an energetic and, enthusiastic canvassing committee, is now aptively en-' gaged intho work of procuring the balanco of,£lßoo required tp'.supplement, tho three ..donations.-, qf £500 each made to' the fund ■ by genorous supporters of the scheme. Of this balance the sum of £800.(approximately) in cash or satisfactory .promises has been, obtained during tho past few weeks, arid it is anticipated' that' the remainder will bo pro'ciircd/.and the erection of the. much-needed building commenced at iiirearly date., -.■The National Committeo'.bf Australasian jY.M.C.A.'s is endeavouring to arrange a Secretarial cpnferenco to bo held in Brisbane early, in, November,, prior to the departure for Washington, of Mr. Lyman L. Pierce, tho ;national, secretary...';:;,',// His of St.' PaU, ' Miriries'bta; ''iff addition to 'the • brdinary ; collec- < tibns ■ for'thp Holy■'■ Father in the -churches of.,his.'.di''6^e , , f ;pr'6J&seV l tli^t^lie' f crei'g"y 'mako ■'■ up "annually; by their-own personal offerings; a /"Clerical Papal Fund," to bo ferwarded . bach; year, to the' Holy' Father, as a .special tribute of filial affecticri from tho priestheod of.tho diocese. ' This proposal has been submitted to the counsellors of;the diocese, and they have assured him that it will be acted upon by/tho whole clergy with-joyous alac- ' ( rity/' t "'!'"':''■':'/ /';■ ". si: The Church Missionary/Society -has , '." ceiveda promise,of £1600, from a friend, who .. desires to-remain', anpnympus., The money ( is to be.applied,to sending out and maintain-: ing in the mis'sion.,field somo.of the available recruits whoso • detention atiiome,had been determined on,, failing, special provision for ■their-support. ,- ' 'Waipawa Circuit has" recently raised the stipe'nd'of the'rainister'to £180; Hastings to ■£185,';;and':"Napier froiri £200 to £220.' '' ■ i_Tho congregation, of Knox Church, Dunedin/ has 'endorsed' tho decision of, the Session and/Deacon's G'nurt. to appoint Mr. James AV. \ Shaw,' 'of „St: Andrew's .Church, as assistant minister at Knox .Church for three years. : Tho'Rev.' W. H'ewitson, of Knox : Church; '• Dunedin, : has been granted two nipnths'leave pf absenco to visit Australia, whqro his father is in delicato health. 1 ■The Roy'/J.,C. Jamieson, for the past fivo •years travelling' agent "of the' Presbyterian Church -in .cbnnection , with .its Bible class work ; has intimated his. desiro, to resign that / position. ./.Tho. youth of, the Churclicoinmitteo - has. resolved to.;recommend, the, General Assembly to. accept tho resignation as from De- j cembe'r. 31. .And to appoint two agents for tho future,, for tho supervision of both Sunday i schools and.-Bibls. classes.-.,'.,., "•"..'. Of tho eight candidates for thciforeignmis- ] siori field (sevori men and oiio woman) whose claims will be determined by tho Presbyterian . General" Assembly 'next riiorith/'lialf wish to go to China and the other half to India. Tho Now'Zealand'Presbyterian Church at present 1 has.no missionary of its omi"in India, though jt .contributes half the salaries of three ladies iri the Madras district. The: Gonoral Assom- . bly. will": decide 'next. month" whether : thp • Church, shall commenco missionary work in India on own account./ Meanwhile the question has been referred to members of the church and office-bearers fpr' consideration; since a decision to cpriimonce independent ■ work in India would necessitate a great increase.'of missionary funds.". / "A CHIEL' AMANC US." Vnero has been "A chiel'amang us, taking, notes," and under the signaturo'-'-'Tho WanUerer" ho has printed ltoms in tho "Australasian Independent,", a Congregational monthy magazine-published in Sydney. They givo an impression of a visit to tho Welling- . ton Terrace Congregational Church,- and of its pastor, the Rev, J. Reed Glasson. ; 1 After a description of beautv of t;iechnrcb, "Tho Wanderer" writes:—"Thb service itself was in keoping with the appearances of things. The singing, led by a strong and well-trained choir, was at once hearty, ■ and full of expression,': and over all there was a sense of quiet order and fitness both soothing and inspiring. Tho passages of Scripture woro read quietly in a singularly pleasant and musical voice, and tho prayers, which woro; brief and simple, seemed to gather up the' aspirations of those present, and bring us with our manifold wants, into the very presence of our Father." A brief analysis is given of the sermon, of which the subject was "Do wo want a new Theology ?" " It was a, : great sermon," writes "Tho Wanderer." "The'sense of grasp and knowledge was behind it all'. It was the work'of a ripe student, who has yet the skill and power to bring his thought to the level of the average understanding, and who can ' speak to the hearts pf men as well as.to their .intelligences. In a word, it was the sermon of one who is a strpiig 'thinker and wide reader, but who is first and before all things i man of God. . . . "I left tho Terrace Church that ovening profoundly impressed. Yes, my chanco acquaintance has told me tho truth, tho Rev. J. Reid Glasson is a man. lam prepared to go a groat deal farther than, that, and assert my conviction that in all the true essentials of tho Christian speaker, as apart from that which is merely meretricious and histrionic, he is tho foremost preacher of any dbr.oiniiin- - tion living and "working in New Zealand today."

A SUCCESSFUL EVANGELIST. , The Rev. James Flanagan, tho English Primitive Mothodist preacher, who will hold ovangolistic services in this city early next month, is thus referred to by Professor A. S. Peako, who has written the introduction to Mr. Flanagan's recent book, entitled "Scenes from My Life, both Grave arid Gay": — "Mr. Flanagan has for many years proclaimed the Gospel to Methodists all over our land, and to'his enthusiastic and faithful ministry thousands owe their experience of its cleansing and redeeming power. Ho could make his own, Dido's immortal words: 'Myself not unversed in misfortune, and learned to succour the wretched.' Ho has toiled in the slums, among the outcast and tho hopeless; ho has faced deadly disease and loathsome squalor for their sake; he has kindled in the lost a now hope. "His work began in lowly conditions, with none of tho glamour (bat now often gathers about the successful missioncr. Through discouragement and difficulty he held steadily on his/way, impelled by a love for his fellows, which drew its inspiration from the Cross, and sustained by a faith that would not despair of the worst.' Ho has lived to find'his, quality tested by the subtler temptations of success." , ' From the book itself space only allows quotation of this one incident:— "The most unique gift I received during my tour to raise funds for tho building of St. George's Hall was from a tramp. One night, when preaching to a largo audience in tho Mechanics' Hall, Burnley, at the close of a powerful appeal, I cried out, 'Who will conic to Christ ? Is there anyone who will now yield to the Son of God.' :■. Slowly, and with much painful effort, a poor fellow,in rags, who seemed the very image of misery and disease, staggered tp his feet close by the platform. , His face, white with pain ; and weakness seemed ghastly in tho gaslight. Stretching out his hand towards me he cried: 'I will; I will come to Christ now.' Ho trembled as, ho stood. Two men stepped quickly., to'his side,'and prevented him from falling; then slowly they bore him to the ante-room. There, with a broken heart, ho knelt' at tho feet of the Son of God. It was a pathetic scene. Food was brought to him, and a placo of lodging found for the night. His story was one of continued failure, arid siri. The next day he started for Manchester. Arriving there, ho sought shelter in the casual ward. His case'was'desperate, and' the authorities placed him in the hospital ward! Ho soon passed away.' 'Just before ho died he called to the nurse and said:— ; -.' /. '"Nurse/when Mr. Flanagan was preaching at' Burnley I gavo my heart to Jesus. Ho said ho wanted money to build a hall, whero poor chaps'like mo could hear the Gospel. If you feel in that old vest pocket you'll find a penny. 'That's all the money I havo in the world." Will you please buy, a penny postage stamp, and send it to him to buy a brick for, his now mission.' ...,.,- " The penny was 'duly added to the fund, but the/postage stamp is still imcashed, and after theso many years is still treasured as one of my most sacred- possessions." Canon Hervoy, Domestic,' Chaplain to tho King, has/owing to'ill-health, resigned the living of Saiidringha'm, which lie has held since 1878." Canon Hervey was Honorary Chaplain to. Queen Victoria, from 1832 tp -1886. '