RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 11

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

r :—. ■ NEW PREACHER FOR ST. JOHN'S. The Rev. A. R. Osborn, M.A., wlio follows Mr. Macßao at St. John's, is a Victorian by birth, a distinguished student of Melbourne University, of which ho is a graduate, a student of theology at Ormond College, and a licentiate of the Presbytery of Melbourne. For a. short period after the completion of his. studies, he served as assistant to the Rov. Dr. Moiklejohn, in South Melbourne, and while there received a call to Chalmers' Church, Launceston. His ministry in Launcbston was extremely popular. He was Moderator of the Tasmanian Assembly, and being widely known as a fine Hebrew, scholar, lie was namod for .tho chair, in. that language in Ormond College, and failed to receivo the appointment entirely on tho ground of, his youth. Eighteen months-ago lie, was translated to Warrnambool, in Victoria, whero ho has been doing excellent work .as a preacher and pastor. Mr. Osborne has a liking for ecclesiastical work, especially in the department of Sunday school reform, in which he may be regarded as an- expert. Ho is said, to possess fine pulpit gifts, and the congregation of St. John's will be well served during the next four weeks. BISHOP NELIGAN IN ENGLAND. The following letter, addressed to Canon Mac Murray, by the Anglican' Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Neligan) whq : is at present in England, is published in the Auckland "Church Gazptto" :— - . My Dear Commissary,— I do not know whether, or not the enclosed may be of interest to the peoplo of the diocese. It will show, at''any rate,'that'l'am not altogether idle whilst T am away from New Zealand'. I found on my arrival Home that my Commissaries had made, as you will see, a very complete list of engagements for mo. I was at Cambridge" last' Sunday,"and had-a ,*ery happy time indeed at Selwyn College. There I met, amongst other men, a Now Zealand undergraduate, Anderson, an old St. John's man. His record ijt Selwyii is good. Of course, everything about .Selwyn College rs connected with, our diocese, and Melanesia and Now Zealand generally, and it n as with no; small feeling of emotion that ono took part in worship in Selwyn College Chapel. The interest throughout England in ;the approaching Pan-Anglican Congress is very great indeed. Great things are expected from the Congress, both for missionary work within the. Enipire.and outside it. The work of preparation seems to have been most carefully undertaken; and it certainly will not be the fault of the 'secretaries of th'j Congress, with Bishop Montgomery, tho secretary'of S.P.G., at their head, if, so far as human abilities cani'niake it; it is not a great success. Mrs. Neligan and I dined at Lambeth with the. Archbishop ;of Canterbury a few nights ago, and wo found him. immensely interested, in everything in the Empire, and very keenly alive to all the problems of tho autonomous Churches. His interest in New Zealand is very real.' It is a matter of great encouragement to find on coming Home again, that the reports from both Oxford and Cambridge are full of hof>e concerning 'tho religious lifo in both Universities. It finds its expression l in various ways, not the least noticeable of which is the keen and _ intelligent interest that is taken in all social questions. I am told on reliable authority that in both Universities many of tho men of keen intellect aro definitely I Christian in thought and in aspiration. ..We had an excellent ■ voyage Home.* The weather was,: on the whole, wonderfully fine. We landed at -Plymouth at. 1.30- asm. on January' 31. Wo stayed the night thero—or rather such part of it as remained —and arrived in London ,ori\the evening. of January ,31--at Paddington. Many old friends met us at the station, and it has been a very happy time indeed. coming back and finding the faithfulness of friends.. Daily do I commend you all, and tlie .work of tho diocese, to the. care of our Heavenly . Father.—Yours very sincbrely,-: . ' 31. R. AUCKLAND. AUSTRALASIAN MISSION TO INDIA. -• As a first step towards .starting a mission in India, the 'Mission Board of the Methodist Church of, Australasia has 'just resolved:— . : ,''l. To select and dispatch to that country two missionaries who, for tho purpose of learning the lenguago and mastering the best methods of missionary work, shall bo placed upon selected stations belonging to tho;Wesleyan Missionary Society: ono such agent 1 to be attached to a mission station in some chosen city, and another to a mission'station in a oountry district. These agents ■ will, be attached to such stations for tho spade of two .years, at tho end of which period the Board, with, the advico of its representatives in India, will organise and set in active operation, its own mission in that country. "2. In harmony with tho general plan of policy laid down by the Board, it is desirable that thj missions selected for the training of its agents should bo: (a) In the districts from which tho streanr of coolie labourers to Fiji and tho other islands in the Pacific is flowing.; ' It is further desirable that the stations (b) should'include all tho characteristic features of/the best missionary enterpriser-schools, "orphanages, zenana workers, laco factories, or other industrial enterprises, with': a well-equipped hospital, etc. As the Australasian Mission in India, while using every applianco and method which will tend to raise, tho people amongst > whom it labours, is < to be mainly of the' evangelistic type;. the Board desires (c) that the mission • stations on which its agents aro to be trained may be of'this character. " 3. The Board further' resolves that, the Mission House in London should be at onco communicated with, and advised as v to its plans. The.Board authorises the Rev. Dr.Brown and the Rev. J. E. Carruthers, when in London, to place themselves, in communication with the "Mission Committee and arrange _with it, in with,, the lines of policy hero laid down,, on' wliat missions tho agents, of the Board, are to be placed. ! Tho names of such" selected missions aro to be cabled to the Board," so that its agents may_ be despatched' to these with the least possible delay." . ' * Tho Board resolved to invite volunteers for the new mission from all tlie Conferences. AN ACTIVE COUNCIL. Tho annual Federal Report of the National Free Church Council states that every whero during the year there has been seen the quiet, persistent application to the'work'for which tho Free Church Council moVemont was originated. There are now 918' local Councils, . grouped in fifty' District' Federations. Eighteen new Councils were formed. The Council's Missioners give reports of much successful work c'arriea on along'their respective lines. The President; : Dr. Rendel Harris, travelled many thousands of miles in the performance of his duties. He also originated and organised "the "Cambridge Summer School, a quite,,new idea in Free Church Council work. It'was a remarkable success. Since Rev. F. B. Meyer entered on his work as special missioner of the National Council, lie has visited ai' large riuinber of Federations and' Councils/and had "overflowing audiences and congregations at his meetings and sermons. ~ Mr. Meyer, will im-' mediatoly pay a visit to the South Councils. The wot summer told against open-air services, but many Councils did excellent .work of this kind. Birmingham held 138 meetings at forty-one sites during its annual Simultaneous Open-air Mission. This idea is likely to be widely copied by other Councils. Th<i Social Questions Committee is strengthening itself:by tlio addition to!its membership " of representatives of tho denominational Christian i Social .Unions. . Reference .is mado to tho '.valuable.'.work done by certain Councils in the 'intcrest of social purity. ■ , .-. . .. \ : A JESUIT IN THE'EAST-END. FATHER B. VAUGHAN "AT HOME." Father, Bernard Vaughan "At Home" 1 would fittingly describe what I saw in the , great church of St. Mary and St. Michael , (writes a correspondent of the Noncomform- ■ ist "Christian World"). Surrounded by | about a thousand cluldron, many of thonr - hatless and bootless, and most of whom J wore descendants of those who left Ireland ] to escape the ._ great famine, this Jesuit < Father catechised; advised, praised and ! blamed, but nover preached. . ( It was only a few hundred yards from tho ! church to "my little room in tho East," as e Father Bornard Vaughan lovingly <

his home with tho unfashionable address of Lucas Street, Commercial Road. But, Bhart as the distance was, the journey was difficult. So many harried mortals sought - the attention of tho priest—or was it not rather the sympathy of tho man thoy craved? The room itself was not so luxurious as a Salvation Army shelter. -A* deal table, & very uncertain sort of chair, a camp bed, that was all no, not all, for above, there towered a lue-sixed figure of tho Christ, bleeding and torn. . ; . . .. , n., . • Eathcr Bernard Vaughan, tho fashionable preacher, the genial companion, tho friend of the poor, this personality was known to m ?> but I was now to mako acquaintance with Father. Bernard Vaughan, tho cook, liven the Buckingham Palaco chef could not have treated'that steak, which tho Fathoi had carried home, more tenderly and scienti> Really than did the-Jesuit priest. For, fail, ing that steak, tho priest and his . guest would, go dinnerloss, there was no. larder to draw upon, nor were the host's finances sufficient to allow of moro expenditure in thai direction. ■ -After dinner a small prpccssion\femergo£ rrom that room into tho murky atmosphors of a London night. The only relief to the grim squalor, tho dull monotony, was given by a few raucous-voiced street hawkers an<7 an occasional crying child, but' even thesd were silenced as the Father sounded his beW and called upon all and sundry to "coma ta our meeting." And they did come. Men. and womon, boys and girls and—certain objects whoso semblance to ■ humanity was ol the meagrest. . . .... , ~l n, . °f the most crowded courts, undot the light of a flickering gas flame, tho great crucifix was planted, and the modern disciple of Francis Xavier—or. a Greater thaii'ho~-« took his stand on a rickotty deal table' m? Rom on o of the- houses. i Tlie old Evangel was then proclaimed witK an earnestness which General- Booth might havo envied, as the priest 'sought to unravel thei riddle of life to those who were faced with: such tremendous odds. There was no shirking; of difficulties, 110 glossing over ol faults, but a strong human sympathy which sought to wean brothers, and sisters from theierrors of gnm despair to a recognition thi™™? ° 7e ; Woro the y '' won? ■ Some- ! iff r, e '. \ s ' a ? accomplished as the scolfers fell on their knees on tho cold pavement, with the rest of the crowd, for a! Sherjm r ave to almoSt J** THEOLOGICAL UXREST. _A manifesto is being' addressed .to the Congregational Churches, of England and Wales, signed by representative . ministers* heads of Congregational colleges, and in which they say that, in view of the theological , unrest which has invaded : tho churches, good may result from making-'a: brief statement of some. things, most surely believed among 1 them, which require at the present time emphatic ' affirmation..' '• They specify the various ' articles of their "faith," ,"hicu' the following may, be quoted as in* .dicativo of their theological position:—-, ' We believe that the Bible is God's Book, because it enshrines the.Divine revelation cnl. m mating m the historic coming of Christ. His life, death, and resurrection,, and tho Gospol therein contained. We believe that all truth' is to be received as from God, : and that the apparent conflict between ■ science and religion not only can be adjusted, -but, is at tho present timo approacning a reconciliation." • . To the manifesto the following, signatures are : appended:—Walter F. Adeney, Georg* S. Barrett, Charles Chapman, J. ComptonRickett, William Cuthbertson, A. M. Fairbairn, P. T. Forsyth, Alfred E. Garvie, A.Goodrich, E.' Griffith-Jones, Robert F. Horton, J. H. Jowett, D. L. Ritchie, J. .Guinness 'Rogers, Alfred Rowland, Caleb Scott, Albert Spicer M H; Arnold Thomas, R. Wardlaw Thompson, Owen C. Wliitehouse. v JOTTINGS. /. ' ' Yesterday' was the 79th birthday of Gen. eral Booth. ; • ■ " The Baptist Missionary Society is ing for 20. volunteers to fill, and, undertake' new work in.the'iorei'gri liefrk" >' •? A , Ladies' Guild has been formed in the To. Aro Roman Catholic parish, to assist in the.work ,of the St. Vincent' do Paul Society. Brigadier Albiston and Mrs. Albiston leave to-day for Palmerston-North. At Easter,' tho Brigadier and Major Dutton (Provincial Secretary) will conduct' special, services at Napier. ■. 1 The Rev.' J. S. Simon, President of tho Wpsleyan Conference, .recently touched a point of interest not only 'to Wesleyan Methodism, but to the Freo Churches generally, especially in view of tho alleged defections from Nonconformity to Episcopalianismi It had been< stated, he said, that one never met j with a Methodist of the third generation; that; was riot true; he himself was a Methodist of the fifth generation; He had incontrovertible evidence that • their young, poople'did remain with them,, and were alike staunch-and enthusiastic. But there was another side of .-the same question, which often caused him much anxiety, for he wondered whether tho young people understood ,what was meant by .their being Methodists.' If they did they , would see that the future had great ! possibilities for them. ■ ■■ ': ' Tho' protesting. minority in the . United Free Church of Scotland, which was recognised as legally the Free Church, does not seem to.be prospering, in spite of the liberal endowment which Parliament, awarded it. Those " Wee Frees" have only gained ono settled minister during the ,year. ■ They have now sisty-two pastorates, as 'against • sixtyone a. year ago, while they 1 have 125 vacant, churches yet to be filled, and but ten theological students in the' College at < Edinburgh, which was sot aside for their ,-nso. Only one of these students has entered during the past twelve months. The United Free Church has 144 students of theology in its three seminaries, and the Established Church of Scotland 160.' Of the smaller Presbyterian-bodies, it is said that the Free Presbyterians' (distinct from;-: tho Free Church)' have eleven "ministers' and twenty churches; tho Reformed Presbyterians have nino.,ministers and twelve congregations, whilo the, Original'Seceders have twenty-one ministers and twenty-eight churches., The; next; destination of Commissioner M'Kio has not yet been notified/but tho following paragraph, from an Euglish weekly shows where expectation points :—At the age : of, ten Tom M'Kio—at present commanding the Salvation Army s forces in Australia—was taught all that Tyneside bet-ting-men could iteach him. A few ' years later'tho budding rough was captured by tho Army, and at once threw all his energies into Salvation Army war. He _ hold several important in Great Britain, became a travelling commissioner touring the world,, took command of tlio German forces, led them on through. three years of wonderful religious revival, 'and then went to, the Southern Hemisphere. Just prior to leaving for Australia ho married ,a German lady, cultured and clever, who has been his right'-hand assistant in a thousand and one . ways since.' Ho and his wife; havo just re» coived 'farewell orders' from the General. It is generally expected that Commissioner and .Mrs. M'Kio-will return 'to this country and tako ud important positions in connection with, the work here." ' The United Free Church of Scotland has been severely criticised for making a publio official appeal for £150,000,; with which to replace church buildings that by tho Parliamentary Commission wore allotted to the " Wee Frees." It has been inferred from this action that the .United Free leaders intended'to erect rival churches besido all the churches that had passed into tho control of tho nnti-union,party. The fund, however, ia not for; putting new churches into communities where the " Woe Free," peoplo are really ministering to the parishes that they havo inherited. But the cases, whero tho'United Free, authorities do feel justified in spending fuiids are parishes which the successful " Wee Free " claimants ara not able to man. Tho anti-union church is 'so small- that ,it cannot supply proachcrs to occupy all tho pulpits, or even to live in all the manses, to which it has been given legal titlo. Sixty . buildings all together—manses; and chnrchca —are standing idle, ,becauso tho ■ " Woo Frees " can't use them ,and won't rent them, [n almost every case, a United Freo congnv Ration at hand offers to pay any reasonable" rent, but " as a matter of principle " ultra-' jonsorvative owners refuse to listen to any' such proposition. There is in such circumstances nothing to do but baild new houses jf worship. '• .. .