RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 437, 20 February 1909, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE SELWYN CENTENARY. PROPOSED CELEBRATION; The following letter, which appeared in the London. "Times"' recently, is- self-explana-tory:— ;■/ . Sir,—The sth of April,- 1909, will be the centenary ;of the birth, of George ■ Augustus Selwyn, tho first Bishop, of .New . Zealand,' founder of the Melanesian Mission, arid subsequently. Bishop: of' Lichfield from 1867■■■ to 1878,. and the first prelate of. the.Order of SS. Michael arid George. : There. is, as: we-learn from many .quarters,- a widely-felt desire that: the 100 th anniversary of tho birth of so noble a missionary and bishop should not bo allowed to pass by uncommemorated by the Church which he so; devotedly served in both hemispheres...; And . this, desire has been in part fulfilled by the appointment of a provisional committee : (whose names are appended to this letter) to make preliminary. arrangements, which they hope, you will, of V- your, courtesy, allow them to publish in your columns.. The sth April, 1909, will fall on Monday in Holy Week, which for many; reasons would be an unsuitable day for such a commemoration., .It .has therefore been • decided that it shall be.observed on or about St.-' ,f or £ e ' s ® a yj April 23, .and . that whatever offerings may be made iir connection .with the! celebration shall be; divided -between (a) the endowment fund" of Selwyn Cam-' iiS rt ,; ' the! building•: fund of theattorson; memorial wing", .of St. - John's. College, Auckland,. New 1 . Zealand.. There must' be not a.few. who knew Bishop Selwyn. per-, sonally, were confirmed or ordained, by -him,01 ' wero influenced by . his life and his words;! whether formerly, iri New Zealand as settlers;, soldiers, sailors, . civilians,, clergy, or; after-! wards in, his English'diocese, in Staffordshire, , Shropshire, arid Derbyshire.Many- of these, we. feel sure, woiild wish, in thanlrfulness for. his; memory, and example, to support-the com-; memoration;:and any;who may;wish:,iri;cohnection with- it to'further-either : of : the! oh---jects - mentioned above- are 'invited to , send their contributions; to tho hoh. : secretary, or Ltd; r l6.St.'James's. Street o. W., or any of their branches.'/ Further particulars' as to the: details: of • the commemoration will be made public in due course; Meanwhile tho hon. secretary .will he glad to - re- ? 61 79 commiinications from persons interested in the commemoration; and desiring, further information, addressed to the Ven! "Archdeacon Hodgson, ; Tho Close, --Lichfield.—We re'-! 'fafthfalljr'-..;- yours. Augustus;--V:lich-.-field (chairman), Edward- Lincoln (visitor ;, of Eton College) F. H Ely, Edward Southwell, Auckland.:-',Cecil!-Wilson (Bishop ofMelanesia), Adelbert Ansori. (Bishop, Canon pw lo .Montgomery :i(Bishop)i ; R. F. Scott (Master of St. John's. College' Umbridge),. R. ; Appleton' (Master of Selwyn C c Cambridge), J. J. Hornby (Provost °f Eton College), Edward Lyttelton (Headmaster,'of,;Eton, College), Robert' Hodgson (Archdeacon, Canon of Lichfield).- -V , - -

TROUBLOUS TIMES IN THE KIRK. MUSICAL INNOVATIONS. . Scottish' newspaper ■ reports - the proceedings at the Edinburgh I ;, ree Church Prosbywry, which; met a few; days before Christmas, ii il ' e . : : '/Musical .'News;",' . that at the Elder Memorial Church, teith/ they - havo . been some would ssay/ ungodly> enough—l - introduce at a service of praise, on November 20, -1908 instrumental music as an accompaniment to psalms,; .solos,- etc. i. Worse ■: to- tell; instru--mental music, was ; being iused- at the< Sabbath school! Worst of ; ally • it; appears-that Rev. 1 Mr.. Watson, the .minister -at.:tlie. offending: and although' a -.committee has .;beei - appointed i to,' inquire into this- .unblushing illegality,", he does' notj.propose to:':take.flying:-down," but' ■ intends .to fight every,,inch":,of the:way.-; The; air -.darkened! ?or. a wme. with oii ( ' interest for the; lay mind, but the outcomc of Mr. : Watson . and this Kirk Sessions are cited-to appear bemeeting of. the TreibyteryV •and.there:to answer for their sins. ' - ; -. prejudice'always .dies hard, and- musical probably the most difficult of i" ij u V ,rh ? instrumental music • should be _deemed anathema ; while vocal music considered suitable to' the' sanctuary, is a poser to the, Southron mind. We know it is commonly said that God made the. voice while man; makes, instruments: but we never heard of any Scotchman eating -his becauso, although God -.made the bullock, man _inakes. tlio oven,, nor of. anv Scotchman '.'-refus'ingirtpVi dnnt.-f'thd -natibnaL brew because; while God.gaye the corn, man makes the VslteaUy, guid' people render .themselves;.supremely-ri&u-' •fei Some -.Mrsons: apTCar.'to. imaginetjlliat the .barer and uglier; they, can/.make'-their religious services; the., .more ' acceptablethey are likely to be to. .the Almighty; ..We trust Mr. Watson and. the Kirk Session will emerge, from the victorious:: in any case, they are on the right side." ."T

SALVATIONISTS IN TRAINING. 500 STUDENTS ENTER COLLEGE. College at Clapton has, just opened its' doors for the 1909 for training, including 66 women cadets, who ] ®* c f y dovoting 'themselves to: rescue, . "jstermty work under, Mrs.', Booth! training of an Army; captain at Clanton The young enthusiast is. taught,; in.addition to theological how,,to hold a crowd how to deal with drunken disturbers of his to do in case the baby is taken ill, the-.best •way to-scrub. .1 floor and cook a dinner, how y? ep acconi ! ts ) «n<] when:to resist an overbearing or unjust police official. .-.AAA:,.; ~. Ihe new students have been gathered, from oyery corner of the British,lsles.- Thcy C, Rtlnhot ? art ' P?ot>.l e : in humble eircumiWo I • r a - T6 h » dv to' exercise eonsideS in 3n ' a^?. ord ® rto .P roT i'ie:the.'outfit'. that is .to : see them through till tlitf end 'of the year. . Several childrenVof prominent .cers .are/ included. .. The .Army is finding it increasingly difficult, to enlist tte servicef : 6f young' men of good position •in its sert c f imnn ft. ?i, vory S re! >t demands made and fnfe'? the ;y»J' of discipline, sacrifice,■ and forfeited . ambition, since it is believed that under recent legislation from heaStors t^ey. : will_havo to spend several years in ; the lower, qfficialship, whatever their gifts and capabilities.; .This sets a somewhat severe; strain on' .their; enthusiasm; 1 Jd ITI result the / higher-spirited among them seek other opomnga. ; Probably, however, the liresent unrest :Will .be rectified in a year or tw o : hLd?„\r?e r r 0 s g . rCSS,Ve . aClion ° f

WHERE TO BEGIN. ' >VISE RULES FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. Some frank _anil bold arid. wise things are said in_ "The .Hibbert Journal" by. a MethodUst missionary ;in. Fiji j( . the Rev. I J.... W. burton. Discussing foreign mission 'policy,-. ti.fi 08 i M - more important' that Japan should be Christian in life and spirit than that the..whole of .the South beas should be converted. . '■ Seeing ,it is -manifestly., impossible to attempt at once'the ,oonversion_of the . wliole world.: as wise Christian Empire-builders ,wc ought to select our fields, .and. espemlly v conceni r ateVsffort on -the living nd progressive peoples. who hold m their hands :the--keys of the future. In regard to the; doctrines to bo taught '■ Mr. -Burton again points out' the' unwisdom of attempting ..to. thrust 'Western ideas arid conceptions^, Christianity, upon the peoples of the . East.. The mission of - the; Holy Ghost in the, East jnay'Jie to produce an" Oriental _Christiamty different in institutional' form and temperament .from the Christianity •of Europo and America." Should wo be wrong, asks . Mr.: Burton,, in allowing the' moro ovolved races to placo their Old Testament whore wo place the Jewish? Ho has something pertinent 1 to- say- also'on the mistakes, and friction and waste .of money caused by the control of . all mission-fields from: one far-off centre*,.; Ho seisms to think that there is a good deal to be said for tiie '.method of the China Inland Mission, by which the missionaries on the field determine •the-policy arid distribute the grants "without interference fifom outside.."

CONGREGATIONAL STATISTICS.

INCREASE AND DECREASE. A decrease of 13 churches and halls, 1291' church members, and 13,976 Sunday scholars is!, shown by the latest year book of . Congregationalism, as compared '.with that of last year. • ■ . ■ , \ "On tho other liand," states the "British Congregationalist," "there is an increase of 236 in the seating • accommodation-of the churches, and of 527 in- the number of Sunday, school teachers. 1 The: decrenso of churches is duo to tlie closing of a.number of small .mission halls and other buildings. Tho. falling-off in membership, too, may bo aocounted for to a largo extent by tho omission of certain ■ returns in tlie Welsh • list,- and. by the fact that in England there are forty-eighti churches for which no figures are available.In regard to the number of scholars, it. may be pointed out that the. new movement in the Sunday school world is to somo . extent responsible for the apparently anomalous posi-: .tion of an increase in thc number of teachers ■at the.'same time!as. there is: a: falling-off in the figures as to scholars. are in a transition stage, ' the plan of smaller classes for the younger children 'being : adopted - in' many places, while a number of scholars have been : promoted to' the rank of -. assistant, teacher." ' ;!-/-' ;-!.!".'

Y.M.C.A. NOTES. --.Mr.- P.- J. Virgo, secretary of tho Sydney ;Y.M.CiA.-,V!has, ; l>eeri,i approached by the International Committee, of; the Young Men's Christian Associations':with a view"to his: acr ceptance: of fan important ' position. in; h the -': religious work- department/;- <The ; .'oommittee.;'r has planned, a great movement to extend over;: the next quarter-of a century, with, .the, object of. stirring every .great civic, centre of! tho world with; an evangelistic cam- . paign. Mr.: Virgo's reply' will be anxiously awaited ,by his many friends throughout Alls. -; tralia. -; - ; - 's'-!:' ■■:■! ; The_ new .building of tho - Philadelphia'■ As* : sociation cost £210.000, and'.is entirely froi of • debt... ;; It-;has . four acres, of floor space, • and in sixty days its mcmbership esceedEici - 2100 men and 400 boy's.;] ;•;'.. : .;./:>-!',' . Mr- G.' Stenning,! general -secretary. of the. Christchurch . Association, -who has ,i>eeri :a®istant;SMretary; of.- th.e;Holyqaki'.Associa-:. tionin : Americai,■■■.returns'.-to ::New, •;Zealand ,■ earlyfin-April;'"-; ■ .Mr.; J. M'Farlane, ■ late. secretarv •in '.Dun--. ertin., is assistant,-religipus work director of the Brooklyn (New York) Y.M.C.A. .. . ■ ;.; Eightv-four !new :bnildings!.were .complete. -; in. tho United States and Canada' last' year, • at a cost of £2.000,000. . ;-v : -'/. , Governor- Hughes. of New York ' State, recently ' naid, 'the: following . 'striking, ' testi- ;; mony_to the Y.M.C.A. movement: —"Woaw;: here' to-day upon- a platform upon which all'.: good citizens -can stand,- becauso ; there is: a' -knowledge in this association/ a'nd .in any. : a;athering;of American citizens, .that'charac--.-ter! is tho .basis of, industfy.'? the' ,-snrety; of:-. the of - the Republic. -What a. - noble_ thing iit is to see a man well enuipped l for.; life's work, not a narrow-minded man, hot one ! who tries, to shield. himself. from nIT :; nleasnres of life that-:go to -.make a well. rounded. and., symmetrical - cha!racter ;■!' but - a young - man !.wbo realises • that he; is -here; in! • : •the, world to, do . something, -and 'before ha can do something worth while, ho must be southing worth I ,while. ;-;:^Wliat';-.a'noble-'thins : r-i it .is ,to' see in a 'democratic community. with ; all .'-the .-sefl.uptioMj/xhicli: tend to:. ■! interfere with;ithecyOTel^ment-of^^'the^capacity!.; for • .work, xwhicH; .tend :: t<i -interfere': with proper enfo-rcemerit:, of. legislative work—l« -see atf .; the ( ;same.;:tirne;:.the. : soundness ! of.sthei! views'; of our o n -ivliot' sl-mds for decency and.-for v'-tioß. The !YsM;C.A. constit-ntes,'-'n.my importanfcnctors for M'e rioint-ennnco of proiier stan- -: dards of !if«. and oxerts a ix)w<?rful hiflu«nce' nnon . the young ineii of this coiintryJ !• -Tt,' f ;isN'wholesome; !obSei%ed\it,';: .has; -.been broad-minded, and iff ' the best sense patriotic." i-. >: jottincs; l ' - ' The nse of unfermentod wine, at - the cele« bratiori of, tho communion lieco'mes every '; year ,more general. (write a .Scottish corres-: noriderit);'. 'Of the ,various -, !denominations r: , the.United: Free^' Church 'stands: first in fh» movement .6^34 pwotising--such : use. ,i.s;;an; increnso of! 39 sinco last year. :; There are only 6S ■ enngreffatibn? ; of samo:mirid.'iTi -the -Kstablishrf Church. . . The Biirvf.iste ■ have\l3l and .the : ' alists>lß7. ~. -V:?"':.;v;, ; v : ■*'

,Tbo ;RoVi .Frederick C. Spurr, :■ of. " 'Mnzs : - Pond; Chapel.- has, by cable, received an invitationvto' the . pastorate' of;. Collins Street.. Baptist''.Chnrch,-'' : 'MelbonrneV, and :.is ■ giving^... ,it 'consideration; but .will not ■ Kb;.answer\'; until ho'hears from Australia by letter a;: ' month or six weeks hence. Mr. Spurr hfia • wfitterirsomo o.harmiiig descriptive articles for. English' weekly' papers. ' -v- ; • Some .Anglican; clergy mi phi profit. bv;thp*\ . warning that; the nractice; : of ; intoning;'s)iould" liot I be' i allowed to,harden;into. a .habiti'trhl«!3. : , .rlisotiminatirinis ,useds the 'effect- of this. 'ppolMi^stro(il ! 'on'gta^vThay.'' , iw7iin I ytPi»5 l '. i birt'; :; ':: solemn. 0"<? Sunday'morning it foil to tho lot,of one: of Archdeacon iWilberforoe's curatesto,announce:a lecture that'wasito;be giyeri ia the ;. parish institute! Part : of;.the>hndiihcte.. : ment ran something like this:—:"Th«ro vril? be.- delivered; a humorous lecture. The title' of the lecture.will Vvcart-oons from Punch.*' This notice: was: delivered 'in : indn<itore wit¥.'.' 1 the;;: exception. of . the last svllablo of : "humorous" and the word "from." At botfr, of these places 'the', voice;vwas. dropped, l as in. some of tho Prayer Book responses. It if safe; to. say; that. the. lecture, itself will .corK :■ tain notbing:nioro.diverting. A A; : .- There; are,,,no; doubt,.- Catholics;of.;manycountries';, far .aipartr':.. besides : ; Catholi& ; England, to whom-St. Anselm is—just St. -. Anselm, a Doctor of -perpetual authority and A a saint of nniversal iame . (states .the English S.. ".Tablet"),;;;lf wo' English, .at any;rate, wera-i.. inclined .to; call ;hiih; St. An'seliii ofvany'place, -V:: it would be St.;'Anseliri of England, so much' was he ours—Archbishop and Apostle. It.is'., interesting;; therefore, to'' be, reminded th'at;ho is really St. -Anselm of Aosta,' arid-it -iij by. this title that. Mgr. Tasso, Bishop of Aosta,writes of him in the paistoral: announcing -.tha:-:. celebration "of the eighth centenary of: liia : death, next September. The close and! glorioiis.:coniexion.'<>f ''St?Anselmtof^Aosta A with England has caused tho Bishop to invito' ' thoiArchbishop'of Westminster to preside at tho. solemnities;: in- the' Alpine valley;; and ■'■ the. invitation ;has. been accepted.' 'There will bo Aa' great meeting of tho .Bishops • and clergy ■ ' of all: subalpino Italy. : Italian; mountaineer; Norman abbot-, English archbishop, St. Anselm of Aosta was born, in: tho early' parti; Aof tho- eleventh . century,'. a kinsman ;of :the. ' House of Savoy, and thero -becanib' a .. of a lienedictino monastery. We are'accustomed .to look. for. Benedictines in mountain ' fastnesses, whether on tho precipiccs ot , Subiaco, or by ..the ancient .cityunder lh»snows .of the Alps.- Benedict: is' no nioro dear • in-the sanctuary :of the Sabino Mountains' than St. Anselm in the beautiful city of the . iPiedmontsse' ravine. "An6elmus' noster: es' 1 - • is the motto of Aosta, happy in' heading' her V-' list' of ' many sfuiits with that' illustrious name. : , Tho Irish Presbyterian Church has sent out a donation' of .£SO towards the ■ causo of . church extensi6n' ; .in;New: ; Ze'alarid. : A strong effort' is being mado'.to push forward this • causo: ... .:Presbyterian v authorities in New Zealand; - are very much concerned just, now ;at the J': deficiency in, tho supply of men for the ministry,- and- homo mission ■ stations, and steps ,'ha'v.e., Ttte'ii I 'taken ' to"obtain', men from, vthe Old' Country. . The, services;, of 40 a'ddi-;':. tional men for the. regular mihistry. and 'S mission station's could be utilised at the pro- : : sent time. There' is feeling that the, deficiency of supply;: while due. to: many ;' ;causes,.:iß .in ,ho. small measure owing to tho very inadequate salaries generally;, paid. This would not; weigh with'many-men if the ' church woro not so prosperous ljpth in cities and ;in rural districts. While this:- prosperity' continues it is felt to bo a more incentive to solfishness .thatVmen -should undergo tho long training of the. university and- vhcologi- ; cal liall, ana volunteer for ministerial: workat a less wage, in many .cases, than is .earned by the day labourer.