RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 152, 21 March 1908, Page 11

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

• EXCOMMUNICATED. THE OFFENCE OF ABBE LOISY. A recent cable message stated that at tho -express; command of the Pope, the Congregation of the Index has sentenced the Abbo Loisy, who was prominently identified with tho Modernist movement in the Church, to tho greater excommunication. The French correspondent of the " Tablet" referred totho Abbe's latest offence in the' following message to his paper:—"Tho Abbe Loisy has, 1 regret to say, issued a book in reply to the decree of the Holy Office (which people Call tho Syllabus) and to the Encyclical. By. this act I understand that he has placed himself within tho aotion of the Motu Pronrio of November 18,, and excommunicated himself without further action on tho part of the ecclesiastical authorities. In this book ho stands by his previous works, and describes the Pontifical document as 'in defianco of ovidenco ./. , in contradiction with reality . . . and a gratuitous assertion, if indeed it has any meaning.' Ho furthermore declares that the divorce between the 'Roman Church' and the modern i spirit, modern science and modern society, is now complete, and ho appeals to tho future. He recognises that he is directly struck- by. the Encyclical, for he says: ' I think I may state without any vanity tbat I have furnished a greater proportion than any other Catholic writer of tho materials which-the theologians'of His Holiness have worked into-a system.'" A HEATHY TENDENCY.

CO-OPERATION OF CHURCHES. During tho last few months, says a Manchester correspondent of tho "British Weekly," a scheme has been inaugurated of which wo are justifiably proud. Anglicans through their Bishop, and Frco Churchmen through tho "local Federation of Free Churches, have decided to jointly approach tho Manchester and Salford Parks Committees for permission, to hold, religious services in tho parks.' -.The utmost ■ fairness and friendliness have been displayed between tho Bishop and the Federation,- and an excellent working arrangement has been agreed upon. The parks have been _ geographically grouped in. pairs,' the Anglicans taking No. 1, and the Free Churchmen No. 2 of each pair for ono month, reversing the order each succeeding month. Permission has just been granted for 1 the three largest parks in Manchester as a beginning; and it is'-hoped that a joint demonstration of Free Churchmen and Anglicans will mark the commencement of this great open-air crusade) from •which much good is expccted; , _ It - is hoped l that London _ will soon show an example of religious co-operation on . a much larger plan. Lord Kinnaird is taking a leading part in a movement for holding next year an evangelistic campaign' in London on. a' strikingly large scale and'with Anglicans : and Free Churchmen co-operating. The proposal, is to hold a series'of simultaneous missions- in several largo : halls. -. At each mission an Anglican and a Free, Churchman 1 aro_ to be joint missioners. Rev. F. B. Meyer is suggested as one /of the six/ secretaries. The mission is to be an attempt to move London in the-namo of "our common Christianity." The movemont has already got well past its preliminary (and 1 perilous) stages, and though tho impression ;is deepening that evangelism has- failed in, London, thero is every probability that a great united effort will be made. '

RELIGION IN THE COLLEGES. Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir Edward Russell, Lord Avebury, Mn Alfred Hopkin'son (Principal of Owens College), the Bishops of Liverpool, Ripon, Carlisle, and Exeter, Dean Fremantle of Ripon, Canon Beeching, and Rev. F. B.' Myer are among the signatories to a powerfully supported memorial which has been presented to the English Prime Minister on tho question of 1 \ religious instruction for teachers -in 'elementary, schools. The memorial points out' that the debates in Parliament on-/last session's _ Education Bill showed' that tho vast -majority of both Hpuses of Parliament desired religious instruction of some kind to form an integral part of the daily teaching in elementary schools, v. Until recently teachers havo, to' some extent; been trained to give such instruction, cither when pupil teachers or in residential' training colleges. ■ Tho memorialists feel' strongly the necessity for vitalising and deepening any religious or Scriptural instructions'which candidates for the 1 teaching profession have hitherto received. They deprecate the view that teaching in an undenominational- college must : necessarily be "secular." Tho provision of Biblical instruction by University teachers—as lat Manchester—and the inclusion of religious knowledge among the subjects for tho Oxford and Cambridge' local examinations show that both religious instruction and -examination are possible without denominational tests or .restrictions.' The .'.. memorialists - therefore, strongly urge upon the Government that opportunities for ethical and religious teaching, and for tho study of the contents and use of . the Bible, should bo provided in all schools and training colleges where teachers aro prepared. ; ,

v A NEW BISHOP. It is now definitely announced that Canon Keating, of, Birmingham, lias been appointed as the new Roman Catholic Bishop of Northampton. Ganon Keating was'born at Birmingham in 1859," and underwent his theological studies in the Benedictine College at. Douai and St. Bernard's Seminary, Olton. The order'of priesthood was conferred on him in- 1882, and after holding general profes'sional appointments ho was given tie pastoral charge of AVednesbury. In a very tew years he wiped out a relatively serious debt of £1500, and placed the schools in a good financial position. In 1898 ho' was •• appoiuteti Administrator of 'the Cathedral, Birmingham.- Again, says the English "Tablet," lie had to encounter the discouraging burden 'of a debt upon the school buildings of £5000, a long-standing encumbrance, which ho cleared oif with the aid of a-well-or-ganised staff, of lay and clerical helpers. He raised, funds for the restoration and decoration of tho Cathedral Church. Ho systematically and energetically organised'the visitation' of tlio parish, and brought hundreds of negligent' Catholics-to the practice of their religion. And, not to mention other works of charity, it is mainly to his initiative that tho diocese of Birmingham is indebted for tho formation of its Rescue Society, of which ho . has been the vice-president and chief director. In March, 1900, Pope Leo XIII. honoured him with the degree of Doctor of Divinity. A-fow weeks afterwards he took his seat in the Chapter, and in January, 1907, was-appointed Canon Penitontiary. , On tlio occasion of the celebration of the silver jubilee of his priesthood at the close of the . same year, his flock presented him with handsome testimonials of their affection and a purse of £150.