BISHOP OF LONDON IN AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 69, 14 December 1907, Page 10

BISHOP OF LONDON IN AMERICA.

MIS OWN ACCOUNT OF THE TOUR-. A simple and chatty account of his visit to Canada and tho United States has been written by the Bishop of London for tho November number of the "London Diocesan Magaaino." A few extracts from tiieso .c----minisconces will give a (jood general idea of the Episcopal view of holiday making:—. "It has been what the Americans call a strenuous time.' During tho forty days 1 was on tho other side 1 delivered over forty sermons, addrosses. or speeches, and. in one sense, my annual 'holiday' developed into a mission'; but it was a mission which from start to finish received such a delightful response that it has left no sonsovof undue strain or weariness behind.' 1 Respecting tho' Bishop's visit to tho United States, ho writes:— "After the great warmth and enthusiasm of our welcome in Canada, I think that- I unconsciously expected to find a difference on crossing the border, but I cannot honestly say that such was tho case. After being hospitably entertained by tho Bishop of Western Now York at Buifalo on tho night after tho Niagara meeting, wo went through to Now York, aiid after a delightful day's rest in Long Island I preached my first sermon in the United .States next day in lrmity Church, New York, close to ' tho famous Wall Street, and itself tho oldest and richest ecclesiastical corporation in Now lork.

'Tho huge church was crammed from end to end, but the scene afterwards beggars description. Tho crowd was so enormous outside, anxious to shake hands and take snapshots, that two friends had to' get on each side of me, and with tho help of tho police we reached the carriage. This gave mo a taste of what was to come after, and I did not wonder when subsequently 1 saw an American brother Bishop with his hand limp and useless. I asked him if ho had had an operation. 'Oh! no,' ho said, 'my hand has been useless for some years now; it camo from shaking hands.' I' thought of my I'ulhain garden parties, and resolved to ho careful."

■l\ s II s gamo of tonnis at Washington with tho President, the Bishop writes:— How that friendly gamo became so famous I have- never been able to discover; thoro never was a single- combat between us, as tho kindly President thought I should havo moro fun in a 'four' game, hut Mr.' Garfield, son of the late President, and himself Minister of tho Interior, and 1 plaved against tho President and Mr. - Coolev,Assistant : Attorney-General, and when, after a most exciting game, our sido won} .tho Washington I'ostf—a name which alwavs reminds me of the animal children's danco at, Fulham—was quite correct when it said the President-looked as pleased'as if ho had seen a man with twenty children'—a sight' which is supposed especially to gratify his patriotic soul."'

Tho real.object' of the Bishop's visit> to America was to tako part in tho celebration ot tho tercentenary of the American Church, or, as it was at 'present called, "Tho Protestant Episcopal Church of America," and practically tho celebration began on Michaelmas Day at Washington, when tho foundation stone of Washington Cathedral was laid by the Bishop of Washington in tho presence of tho President. The Bishop of London's part in tho service was a double > one—to giro a salutation .from f.io Church of tho Ukl Country, and to present a very beautiful pulpit or ambo from tho Archbishop of Canterbury, made, of stones from Canterbury Cathedral. J

In conclusion,.ho writes that it is certainly true that ho left tho United States alter his visit to thorn with an enhanced .affection and. admiration for tho great people who inhabit them:— '

, I behove that .the supposed ill-feelinc towards our country, of which one hears in certaini books, )s greatly exaggerate.!, and wiiat thero is is rapidly passing away with moro .frequent intercourse and tho kindling of many friendships" on . both sides of tho A %"fe.and I shall -.always make it mv •prayer- tfinfciourfW'g-fcaV Eiigli'sh-speakin" nations may bo into Z brotherhood which, nothing shall break."

•'■' "BAPTISTS AT -MANCHESTER- •;■-. ■■■■\ CATHEDRAL. -' -.' •One_ of the. most" remarkable services ever British Weekly," recently in the Cathedral. In response to the invitation of thoJean (Bishop Welldon), the members of the Baptist Brotherhood connected with Union Chapel assembled in Albert Souaro, and marched to the Cathedral, accompanied by tho Rev J. E Roberts, pastor, the successor, to Dr.M'Larcn. Mr. .Roberts sat in ono of tho seats appointed to the clergy and read the Lesson. In his admirable and broad-spirited address, the Dean deplored thei differences which existed between various bodies .of Christians,.and pleaded earnestly that as little, as possible might be made oil each side of their differences, and as much as possiblo of the vital questions on which they were agreed, so that they might unitedly engage in such causes las temperance, purity social reform, international peace, ami the deliverance of natives of the Congo from tho oppression and cruelty which disgraces Christendom.

• PRESBYTERIAN. UNION. . At a civic reception accorded to the members of tho Church Congress of the Church of boot-land, held recently at' Dundee, Lord Provost Loiigair, who is a-United Free Churchman, deplored the Presbyterian divisions now so manliest in Scotland, and said they all hoped and prayed for a brighter and happier day in Scotland. (Applause). Ho hoped there would bo no secularisation of the funds which pertained to the Scottish Church and people at a time when the Presbyterian ministry was notoriously inadequately rewarded for devoted service and labour. Ho for ono would never ho a consenting party to such a secularisation. . Dr. Mitford Mitchell, Moderator of tho General Assembly, said that ho earnestly trusted that a brighter day was dawning for Scotland. (Applause.) It was a good thing to take one step at first, but whatever their futuro. aspirations might be for a grander unity, there could bo no doubt that the only possible union at present was between tho scattered branches of tho . Presbyterian Church. Ho was perfectly clear that whatover ministers might think and say, the great body of the Scottish laity was- anxious for this reunion—(applause)—that thoy were sick of the divisions which divided those-who ought to bo ! at one, that they felt there was a great waste of energy and money, and a great many men's hearts eating themselves out, having far too little to do: in isolated parishes, and that they looked forward to better and more consolidated work if the Churches could only come together. How that was to bo done they did not know, but thoy sincerely trusted that if there was a better feeling, a kindlier feeling, between the members and ministers of the different sections of the Presbyterian Church, they would come so to like each other,'so to respect each, other,- and so to bo ono in each othor's work, that they could not stand long apart. He hoped that day \, might spcedilv come, and, .perhaps, when it did—it'would not probably bo in his time—their friends could look forward and try to agitato for'a wider union of tho scattered branches of tho Church of Christ in Scotland. (Applause)

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. The report of tho British and Foreign Bible Society for tho 10,3 rd. year of its work, 1906-07, states that the society's circulation of the Scriptures for that vear reached tho total of 5,116,560 copies. "Of this number over one million copies were circulated in tho Chinese Empire, and 693,000 in our Indian dominions. The total issues by the Society since its foundation have been 203,931,768 copies of the Scriptures complete or in pnrts. Tho languages into which the Society has translated, arid .in which it circulates the Scriptures, now number 409, eight new languages having been added during the past year. By means of the colporteurs alone 2,200,000 copies of tho Scriptures woro sold in many tongues in the.many lauds in which these way-faring Bible-sellers pursue their calling amid many difficulties, ami often in face of opposition and persecution. In Russian Poland one was beaten and all his books torn to pieces; another was pelted, in tho island of Slitylene; another was assaulted in Portugal; another was arrested hi

Peru; another was beaten by Moslems in ■kgypt; .and another in Persia was robbed of everything he possessed. For eight successive years the annual expenditure of the Society exceeded its income from all sources (with th'o exception of the Centenary Fund), till the accumulated deficits had reached the sivm of £119,000. The committee, therefore, resolved that they would not expend in any one vear more than the estimated receipts for that vear, and last' year much useful work was 'curtailed, fewer .Scriptures were printed, and the work of colportago cut down. The committee appealed to their auxiliaries and branches to increase their contributions by one-third, and there was happily a net surplus on the years working of over £12,000, but much larger contributions are needed to enable the committee- to'maintain t-lio ofiicicnev of the work. ■ . *

PERSONAL.. > The Rev. S. Baker, Congregational minister at i'almerston North, who lias accepted the pastorate of Christ Church, Launccston. lasmauia, will leave the Dominion on January 23. ■■ Mr. Baker has been seven years at Palmcrst'on North, and previously had charge of .Trinity Congregational Church, Cliristchurch. :■

;,Tho Roy'.;Dr. Clifford," the great Baptist leader, at. tho age of sbveirty, is'learning to play billiards so that he can join the men in a, game at Clifford's Inn. He told n Westbourne Park audience recently that he lised to be'proficient at bagatelle, and even now he is prepared to "take on" anyone at that game. ! ■."■-. •-...■, .

Pastor: Charles Wagner, tho expbiujht of the simple- life, ' lias ■ designated .his new church.in Paris "The Homo of the Soul." -Mr. Wagner's great work is among tho young roughs of Paris. • Though thov defy society ana the police, 'they respeofc Charles \Vagnor. . His Church' has n creed so loose and oasy-fittmg that practically no one need be crowded out.

The Rev. W. A. Newman Hall, formerly a Congrcgationalist minister hi'this'city.'-arid also an ex-presidcut of the Congregational Union of Ireland, was recently among the candidates for Holy Orders in the Oxford diocese. Mr. Hall, who is a nephew of the late Dr. Newman'-Hall, of Christ Church, Westminster Bridge Road, was ordained in the parish church of High Wycombe. '

JOTTINGS. ;-'iFive nuns,of the Sacred Heart'; principally from the Rose Bay Convent',- left Sydney this week fur Tokio, to establish the (irat house of that order in Japan: / Tho friendly relations-subsisting of recent years between the Greek Orthodox Church and tho Church of England---have.-fostered the formation of., an international society under the title of "The Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches Union;" of. which the Bishop of Gibraltar is', president, and tho patrons are 'tho Archbishops of'vltiga (Russia) and Nicholas (Japan),, and tho Bishops of Kissamos (Crete) and. Fond •du Lac (America). Tho general objects of the union are the removal of-misunderstandings, tho encouragement of study, and-the promotion of sympathetic action" ,- \. .-,- .

The holding of the Eiicharistic Congress of 1908 m London and within the'-Westminster Cathedral (for such is the intention)—this year's meeting at Met-z making eighteen in all that have been held—will, it is safe to say without exaggeration, bo one of tho ! . greatest events in connection with Catholicity in England during the last three hundred years. The object of assembling membors of the episcopate, clergy, and laity, iii " order to bring before the.'multitude, tlid meaning of the mystery of tho Holy Eucharist,-and all the spiritual benefits derivable from the Sacrament and from _ the Sacrifice of tho Mass, is of the highest importance; but it is ques-. i tionable if, a successful of this representative kind could have been held in London a few years ago, as its prestige would perhaps, have been inconsiderable without such,.a, locale as''.the. metropolitan cathedra]..,- ~..-,. ,'.. ','■ >;:'.': ! ■ .'■•'■rV' Tho special deputation from tho London Missionary Society, consisting-: of the-.Rev. A. N. Johnston, home'secretary to the'.Society, and Mr. Edward Smith,-, a loading English Congrcgationalist layman, will arrive, in Wellington- on January 4. The object of,the. visit is to consult with tho various auxiliaries of the Society, in the Dominion with ■ a view to re-organisation. During their stay the visitors will conduct ■ services at Congregational Churches in. Wellington, but.it is not. expected that there will be many public' meetings.

The Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor,' which has Houses in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin,- but not in Wellington, has boon definitely approved by tho Pope through decrcoof the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and,' Regulars- Tho decree is intended "to confirm the approval granted on July 9, 188G, by Pope Leo XIII. of holy memory to the constitutions'of the Little Sisters of the Poor, with some modifications introduced to favour the diffusion of the-in-stitute' throughout the world." •

Dr. M'Clure, of Mill Hill, had a fling at bazaars a few .weeks ago. His condemnation was caustically summed up. in. his remark that ■■■ bazaars were, mentioned -in the Bible—'the woman' beguiled me.' .Principal Griliith-Jones, in presiding'at,the opening of the Balhani Congregational'-: Church Bazaar a littlo later, retorted upon Dr. declaring that in his ministerial 'experience he had been associated with several bazaars, and so far from finding'that they had any evil inHucn'co, ho had actually found that thoy contributed oven to the spiritual strength of the Church.' His main, defence was that bazaars enable people who.cannot afford to give money to oinploy. any leisure and skill they have in making articles .which othor people are glad to buy. The only evil effect ho had over discovered was that ladies in their enthusiasm sometimes ovorstriiiued their physical resources. . .

Several Marist Fathers bavo arrived in Sydney from Franco (says the "Daily Telegraph"). They aro destined' for-•, the Solomon Islands Mission, and are staying at Villa Maria for a while in ordor teJearu tho English language Some Sisters, also came out iwith them for the Fijian and--Solomon Islands fiolds of apostolic work. Dr. Clifford, Dr. Newton H. Marshall, and Rev. J. H. Shakcspoarc have been appointed by the Baptist \Vorld Alliance as an Arbitration Committee to visit Buda-Pcsth with a view to bringing about an amicable settlement of the long-standing dispute between two Baptist' Unions in Hungary.'H'ho. deputation, which will probably start- from England on November 1!5, will bo assisted by an eminent German pastor, Rev. .ClansPeters, minister, of the leading Baptist Church in Hamburg. It is hoped that,-by the end of the year the .Baptist-Churches of Hungary will bo united in one-strong organisation, which should then.-.'embrace .1(1,1X10. 'members.. Hungary has-proved- one of the.most receptive fields for the'.Baptist movement, especially among tho peasantry, where during, the last .ten years tho. membership .has grown, with great rapidity.. Tub work was originally started by a German, Mr. Hoiurich Meyer,' Who was a colporteur under the auspices of the British and Foroign Bible Society, and is still actiro in the Baptist cause.

■ Iu a letter of congratulation to the Pcpt on the jubilee of his priesthood, the Irish 'Romiin Catholic Bishops say:—'"Vc 'rUo, giro thanks to your Holiness for .your splendid encyclical letters regarding modernism; which we have lately received, and in which the "more recent errors daily springing up —errors equally dangerous to religion and society—arc so clearly' explained,. refuted, and eondomned by the supremo niagistorinm of tho Church.' The Catholic teaching expounded in these letters we cordially accept and profess." In a reply addressed to Cardinal lioguo, Cardinal Merry del Val t.hnnhn the Bishops for their dutiful letter and for , tho fact that they have joined in the common joy with, 'which tho encyclical letter, so opportunely published against the errors of i the modpmisUvihavo boon received. Cardinal Merry-del Val 'declares that tho Pope bn.i the. most .implicit 1 confidence that these mokt'< pernicious. heresies will "not find a foiiling; among the' Irish Bishops.

Tho Rev. Thomas who 'wit' rcswi: lt» hundredth birthday m April, celebrated tho sbventy-third . anniversary of. his ontranr« into the ministry by preaching at tho Ilorncastlo Congregational CbOrob. fie ' ta4 preached over 6000 sermon*.