RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 280, 7 August 1909, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

WELLS MILLENARY. " ' .

" GLASTONBURY ABBEY HANDED TO ? THE CHURCH. ...'-. Gay 'with flags, and - garlands ; was the ancient city of Wells on Juno 22. Long strings of pennants stretched.' across "the houSo- fronts, aiid drooping: lilies .of gigantic paper roses hung between banner-i>oles, red-draped,top-gilded,. much: beflagged. -The ancient market square Was especially' brilliant.. It was tho -'millenary!.'of i tlio .'Wells .Bishopric. . Tho auspicious event was celebrated by a solemn' service in tho ancient cathedral, attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.-. Glastonbury ,was' also honoured. The groat feature of the proceedings was the handing over.of tho abbey to the ■ Primate and his council, who are vested on behalf of tho Church of - England with, the control of the historic relic. -.-.- '. '; The Prince.and Princess of Wales' drove up from the Palace with Lord Bath, in jin open carriage drawn by four horses, preceded and followed by' mounted Yeomanry. Tho town clerk read tho loyal address of tho city .of*. Wells, and recalled the fact that:"King John had granted it a,charter, and-that its •steady development had often been assisted by .the Bishop of Bath and Wells; In reply, tho Prince thanked the A city for its address, and promised' to • convey,' the - eSprossions, of loyalty it contained to, his Majesty.. ; ,'Tho 1200. school children-having sung "God bless' the Prince of- Wales,"'their Royal ..High-; ■liesses went to meet tho procession of,the Cathedral clergy, who had,,coriie through;tho Penniless, porch from the westcrnVdoor. .'■;:.■ •The' Primate took for his' text tho words"Our ;G'od is not the God of- thedead, but tho ■Gfo'd' of the living," : and...-illustrated,, from, tho history of Wells and'Glastonbury-tho continuity of tho Church.' ,' Joining. .Wells with Glastonbury,' the Primate concludcd : by showing how tho legends, of Avalon.and tho Holy :Grail, had inspired, generation after generation of men to noblo -Forks. .!,'.' ;'■

~ Tho; scene at Glastonbury. Abbey was much more picturesque than that\iit Wells.' Tho white-robed,, black-capped . choir } ■. and , red-, coated:bandsmen were..massed under tho : broken .iva]ls,':,and the spectators..weroiscat-, toredlprodigally over 'the ■ grass and: round .the ruins. .-.'. ,a'.: .-::'■.",.-.■.:;■.:.... ..;'.,,!

.".'After a.long wait.. : the.- procession', of 'tho' clergy; began.. -Before;;;.: the ■;'. Archbishop marched Sir John Hellairi, <apparitor/ of:'the province, in black. velvet;'robes, and' behind him 'Archdeacon Brymcr, his chaplain. Tho band .'struck, up the. National Anthem : 'and "God, Bless' the Prince ;• of Wales,"' and tho Prince, and .Princess,, ascended' the dais,' followed 'by Lords .Nelson arid Bath; Lord Hyl-.ton,'.-tlio Earl, and,Countess'.of .Waldegravp, and-others. . ~ - -....'-, .'•■■ ■'■';

" ;THe M delivery, to tho ■ archbishop of. power ! to,,direct tho .use of the abbey'property was .made by the Bishop of 'Bath arid: Wells'. ,''.ln accepting the ■ trust,- tho! archbishop' alluded to the coming of Joseph'of Arimathea, tho .lrigend of. tho' Holy Thorn,- arid;'tlio''long. history of tho; Abbey of Glastonbury,'.which he described as tho ono' great, bond'which united'the modern-English Church with'its l past. ■•'■•■ '■' ;• ' ..'■■ -.:..■ : i ':"'■ :■■'.-[ .'■; ' • ; "MISSIONARY DAY." .., PRIMITIVE METHODISTS AND WORK :_\.:,. i ,-.-;abroad'.v.-'. Tho chief • event of ;"missionary day" at' the-English Primitive - Mc'thodist- Confereneo was a sermon.'by Dr- Forsythj of Hackney College,.•; who .preached •',-eloquently, on . the : Church as the corporate missionary :of''tlio .world.' At tho confererica :tho; lie\v A.vT.' Glittery ■ (general s niissioriary secretary)' : re-: ferrcd toit'he "admirable'step"'taken by the women,.of tho Church in latiriching . tlio Women's Missionary, Federation.;>Ho moved' ai. resolution pledging the conference"to'fiirtberciforton behalf ! of'the missionary fund, and that'at ; tlie least £10,000 bo raised: this year, for African work. '-■:'.' ■-.••••'"■■. "... ; '■ The. president (Sir William P. Hartley) .said he thought. £10)000:.'liitle"c.rioughi':'forthem, to raise.;-' Some of tho delegates had sometliing to" say- about, tho'.Church.of .England but; .the- Church of England showed them a great example in raising money -for-foreign ■ missions, v Sir AVilliam Hartley concluded; by annouuoihg. that, spmo'years-a'(io ho offered to douhlo tlio: amount- raised, for thp-Kus-sando-Mission' by the-ChuTcli, and,,.asi;thoy ; had. raised,£sß9, ho had. pleasuro in handing over a cheque for-£Coo. ; .(Applause:):; ... 'At'-'the conference in the morning; a':rep'prt of the. General Orphanage Committee' :w'a3 considered, and the Rbv. J. Ticketti- supporting a j vote,-. of thariks'-to'-. the president and-'Lady'Hartley,'said the.benefactioDS'to their Church were■ not' only''educating-,their people, but educating-thp'lahd., ■ -;/ ""',.: The president ■ - said * that '•hbT.w'anted ; ' the cpnfefenco. to accept from. Lady Hartley'and' hirnself. anotner -pair of houses. (Applause.) ; A remarkable: scene of-.enthusiasm followed, the-members, of the conference standing and. cheering as the resolution accepting the offer wis carried.;.'' '■-,' '• :;'., ■" ■;

-.'--'.' '.-V. METHODISM.'; v '-:'.''"'-V.:,'-

./";:, TO-DAY AND TO-JIORROW.;i/;-:, 5 A-new "Histxiry of Methodism " edited by . Dr. W. B. Workman, Dr.'.W: J,'Towiiscnd, and the 'Rev. G. ; Eayrs, is '■a 1 comprehensive •' ;wo'rk wliich has, received' - warm praise' from , English reviewers. : We learn that Methodism 'has to-day 52,000 'ministers■ in its 'pulpits, ■ and 30,000,000 adherents in its pews. It.has :built 1)6,000 separate, chiirclies;' it'.feaebes \ in .its schools .every Sunday "more'than, i 7,000,000, children.: /She '.-branches'' are, in some respects,:'more vigorous thaiJ the parent ' stock, v in Canada, cut of a population-of j .'lcss/tlian--, '6,000,000,;: nearly-.1,000,000. .are; J- ;.Methodists. Every ninth person'iuAustral- ,-. Asia belongs to Wesley's Cliurch, the. figures showing- that the. Cliurch owns 075 ministers, 4576 lay preacher's, 150,750 members and-pro- 1 : batibners, 3973 Sunday, schools, with 24,322 officers and teachers,;and ' 231,553 'Sunday scholars, cud ' 6413 .church■ : buildings; Tho [ Methodist Church, in- the United ' States '.. .raised - £4,000,000 ,as a centenary'offort, the largest sum. raised- by ' a : single Chufch in a single effort in Christian history, 'Tlio significance of such; stupendous facts as these hai tobo reckoned with' when tho power, the, - place or the'triumph of Methodism is in l any .i way 'challenged. ~.-.;>' : ■ ■.., .. .The outlook for Methodism'' generally is summed up in several' enlightened 'chapters; - which close tho second volume: That, which bears directly upon the' lines of development/ and steps towards reunion in British: Methodism, is contributed by Sir- Percy Bunting/ Mi'A;, editor of the "Contemporary Review." '"Methodism, it is pointed out, "is undergoing .the same process of theological development as tho rest of the Christian world. It does iiot follow, that its creed will undergo any rapid change." Tho: two.great'advantages claimed for it in this respect over most churches are:—(l) . The Wesloyan creed -is far more elastic thaiuthat of the-Church of England, br/that of the Presbyterians;.-(2) the «still greater advantage is that Methodism is an extraordinarily practical: religion—it has a habitof testing ideas by immediately apply--1 ingvthem to, practice.'--From these circumstances the writer draws the conclusion that , "though .Methodism will move; with thopiogress. of thought, it will movo slowly, and will give itself - time to' get' new thoughts into : practical; order, . reconcile it with tho substance of tho' olej idea's, sharpen-, it'to stHking effect, test it by results, nnd'.acccpt only: what proves to. bo a practically saving Gpspel." - .:,- :■ -.-■,' -.:•-.- : lh its general system of work/Methodism - is held unlikely.-to make any great' change. ",Tho future development of the constitution , must be in the direction of the Presbyterians; or democratic typo. Its own history, displays that trend. Methodism .is.in principle a mocratic '- Church, informed by the modern spirit, and still retaining a largo share of ' its original popular impulse. The Methodist ■' 'Churches, all tho same,; hold the • central ■•' position between the heterogenous'Anglican .: Church, at this time harking back, to Roman- ' ism, and the oxtremc left. in, ecclesiastical parties. They are essentially Puritans,,they- - arc'organised-for work,'and: are, as popular. ; communities, open to new light and new '/ methods. No organisation ' and'no methods ' can dispenso with tho-'vital requirements-of- 'i Kcal and inspiration. It' is.'-an infinitely'more ' powerful influence in,' England than.it'-''was i 50-yoars ago; It is comiiigintb-moro'cordial i jcolations with tho' other vET-aijgjjlica] I i

Churches;' arid:'willi.receive something from"" thoir special culture; but it will: give mora: 1 ; v v to .'them. •Ifit is faithful and in'earnest, it' -'•" "■ may-have in its hands tho shaping of tho fatobf the English religion." • •Tho, greatest danger Methodism has to enV-i. counter, tho writer holds, is the one Wesley foresaw—the force of wealth. "Wealth is increasing, and will increase. Religion itsolf creates it. Cut' theroarp only .two legitimato uscs ; for wealth—philanthropy iaiid:; culture It is for Mothodists to betake themselves to' both', to scorn display 'and idleness and social. : ambition, to despiso the niero.\nilnar lust of',. possOssing, or of being valued for one's possessions, .rather than 4 for onosolf. ' Plain,) ~. living and; high thinking, devotion' to per- i ,.; j sonal-service',, and'to money on a largo; scales ',]". !freely, to the service.of the poor''and igno'r-|"'- '.7 hnty'the!employment of leisure, for-tlio culti- ; ''.'« •-•'>' vation of knowledge and taste—these are tho-. \:;\i,.. objects to which tllo mind of ..the/modern,.:, .j,.,, Mctliodists, following Wcsloy,...should 'ever; ;,,-,. bo'given.. .This. will. give. Methodism its duo'.;.., -U r place in the nation and the w0r1d.",.; : \ |f.,' .: .'.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CONGRESS. ' ' ''«&.

The. arrarigements. for tho, Tftii-d^'Austrak*' '^! : .'\. asinn '■ Roman Catliolit" Cougl'css.Ttb'.b'o held';';;"',', /- in Sydney: at tho ond of .Soi)tcmJiei : :and.tlia J beginning" of: .October, are" woll";^dyanced.'" ';","•;• and mucb has already •boeU.dono'towards,sb-' '',';' .'-, curing the. smooth running.- of:by'ery. dotail.l ',';-,;■'(, Among" tho many papers'\tO; be"read are:—.''^'-:;■;' "The, Church and tho Pagan World iutbo,.. 1 ; :,.-,'. First, .Centuries of t our ,E.ra',", .and. ''Tho-;.-''■' Beginnings of our'Church'in itlibjTJnitcdf States" .(Cardinal Moran); "Devotion .to'tho'.. j, " Blessed;,jVirglii Mary,-, Illustrated ,'from tho,;.',-/,;,!,-',;; Roman .'Catacombs" > (Archbishop/V Kelly);';',' ;,i| "The, Girist'iahs under the,- Emperor Tra-' jari" ;(Epv.., v Dr.'Hagen, • of-Hio ■ ,'„,r t , Irish :Cdllege",'!ltome); "Science 'orVSceuciy''/ ~ .;'! (Professor ,Tv Edge'worth David):; -'■ 'IlnsK- j',''.' ■Music" ;or'.' M'Cartby); "Prinhtiy'o Man, .JB;';„ ,'..;'. Ancient,.A'iiistraliai" and VScieuFp Teaching.-' ;r.'v. : in Catli6lic'.,Schools" (Father.Cji'rraii) j ■ Eu'choiristib.'League': its-'-Establishment'- in.A.':.' I '',.;.' 'Australia";.'(Dr.. Drrybr, Mait)aud)'( girial ;Mis'sibii in West Australia" (Abbot of' % ;'.';;£ New'Norcfa) i '.'The Church and' Democracy.. '~. ",! j, (Dr.; O'Mahoney); "Papers' on;the. Develop-';''.'/'., me'nt of:thc Mission-among tho Maoris", (tho ','■',-,"-' Bishop of. Auckland and Dean Liglvtheart); '.;; •' "History .of St.. John's College,'' and "Tho,' '.'; * ,Attitudo.!.of.'tlio Church' to-the Biblp'' (Mons'.\:,.;. : ./ - ; .O'BrieuY;. "Tho Church in Relation to '-; Question's" (Archbishop Delaney';'of "Hobart)':'''•,';'.,':' "Tlie. Catholic .Guild'in' tho. Middle Ages"',;;;"'';. (Mr!, Jolm Hughes,- M.L.C) ."Art,.under tho, •£.. ; '■■Roman: Emperors" as shown in Contemporary., '; |>' "*.■. Coins: and, Medals" <Mr. J. L;'-,;Mullins,- ;■'"•; ,M.A,.)t V'Th'cC ladies .of the Itoraari;,Catholip,";';.;; ,£ community.,'are arranging for ail,exhibition. ■"' of school work' in-tho Cardinal's Halt during. *:\'.'; Congress week. ":'" ;' : ■''"'".

;':' !--/: ;, ;::..fY,M;d.Ai,'NoTE63i.'' ; '~"-' ; ;■ T ;

.'.- ,SktyJK)rio ..student Y..M.C.A.'s,i',inl ' Clunii/; have seriiC'in; reports,'of their past :'■ work.; T-hey,show'a total of 40Q?. members,'/'. : or ..a gain of 387 on .the t namely,. 2862. active' members .arid.,llls' asscn f,, eiato's; .'.T-ho. number of Bible Classes has creased. from , 182; to 229, .with "an averaga-C!; weeldy attendance.of 1575.'' , : ( ■'.'■, .;•■'■' :( ' : ' '~ Dr.; Josiah. Strong, of New* York,', recently 1;. •used a good argument in favour of etiio Young),'. 1 ■Jldnjs Christian Association'. He' 'said that:'.",. o'ut..of-2,700|000 men who entered the UiuiodL' States ' Atirmy durig ;tihe War of,Seoossioui'v about: 2,100,000 were under twenty, years or. ; ',' ageat the'tinie, of: their enrolmeiit'. 1 It .'was >. ", therefore,', said he, the voting men,who to.the aid;,of the nation shaken to.its founda-v!. ,tions.. And-, again',' to-day,' if [ it, is' to ba; . said'.frpiu 'tbe' riioral peril' which "threatena!., it,-: it. will ..bo, by .means of ''thp,,',yp ( u,ng' iiiqiii}, whonv.wp',,'plight' _to steorigth^m..' l .',nidrally;,(|; spiritually, and. Ijlus is ciblo if-,'Wo'oncburago as mnch'as.-wo'can.£he<''. worky tho.Y.M.C.A; '■./•' ' ■: '..J.■'•';.. ':' .,',!., ThoMastertbri has sucocedod. in Iscqurinj, ; ',.; 74 hew,members during tho past.'threp weeks.'.. ' ' ,'Mr.' Wf, H.'fGeorge, of -'Wellington',:' represent'tho,Australasian,, associations -at,' . tho world's conference, to bo held i this montiV in.Germany. : :i.„..'''.' ■ ',' ■■> J-r'-l'■ " '•.'•,!,-■ : Lord Kinnaird said to the people of Lari-' •' caster, uEiiglaud, '■ when Mipciiingi iits' , new'/,- ■ •building :■—"The association; is ' encouraging;' : ■ yoiing morf.to nobler ideals of business, than'.;', money-making, arid of amusement than moro-'V professional athleticism." Hp, added • "I am"'• ,' not sorry for any part 'I-. have'., taken in oil- ■ couraging the association 'to cngago .; in ; i athletics, ■ but'T', am • concerned tylien ■I , sea nion standing in lino from 8 a.nh to 3 p.m.,' to \ get a,-seat at'a., performance." Lord' . Kinnaird is president of. the English -Football Association. as as the National, Council. ■'■<■ of.tho'association. .- : "-."'. ■■■■■'/ ■ ;-■■'.. ( : '1..1, Tiki'hew building : of k tho. r.Christcliurch'-'-J Y.M,G.A.';'wiir ; bo' opened- next"montk. ',;.- ,'.•• t

;"!,:,': : ";V- i; '.;',:':j'OTTINCS.'- : M'';','v. : ' ■■>^-.

I Tiie visit of'.the/ representatives 'of- British ;,'' Churches to: Germany' last month: appears U> /■'■■■; .have been'remarkably successful. /'.'.Tho ia.-i <■"■ flueuco of tlio' visfb is: woll-expf cssed by Sir'- I '. John Keunaivay- in'theso words :'■■'"ln mjf-' .opinion, it is : a decided step'towards' the -' 'establishment -of closer 'relations . - betweeu / the'pebplcs/pf,.England and Germany./ They-'i_'. have ; never-', been heart /to < heart' as tliey. a ft'' were ;dii this': occasion. ■'■'! thin'lythere is a af?'.'< genuine desire on the part,of the thoughtful}:; l ' —and more' especially, the rcligjoiis^-elemcift?^ :: in-,Germany 'to, join .hands with-"us'.: ,>Tha':?/' influence' ; of,' the religious 'element' in Gdr-'"'-'. -many'is'.great'; it will make itself felt * mora'. ■' and-'inbro,' and' I' lippe that', tlio' same "will '■'":' ■be.itlio'.'ca-so.in England.'■ us .go: our,!own: way, \ahd' to 1 '"; do our/duty'.to. ourselves.: and- tq'/biir ; country/ r!: but itneed,hot bo dono',in'*an/bfterisive or .in a'.'spirit of -aggression and-'suspicion^'j : ' Wo,'cannot, expect,; while human",nature ro>., !i mains',what-,it is, to'-enter into/.an atmds- '■'-;' ■phero of peace which nan bo guaranteed'to/' be,' permanent. But thero is .between Eng-i;,',' laiiil.and Germany a comiminitv/of race and''.', of religion,' of .home, and of' family assbcia- .' tion, which. should be cultivated'.to the ut«' '' most.. ..Tho.address ,<jf tho; : Krjse^ f - gentlemen and brothers, was but'a. reflection j'/ of, tho spirit,, wo; havo, met throughout. .It'.'. 1 '! would:be strange, indeed, if we, came away//.' without a. strong feeling of liopo for. tliofuture.'',,;'.. -. :'. ,".'''../■' ■:,':''.',., . '• : . ,, .',;,V!.'''

. Rev.- Dr. Fitcbott, .; of Melbourne, ' has cabled to 'America,; saying that .lie finds .it.:'.' impossible 'to- deliver tho , Cblo.iLecturcs at - , Vanderbilt; University:, in 1910.'• The-./difli-.'/ -eult.v -of' arranging for tho administration;,of'his college duringhis absence-has led Dr.,,;Fitcliott.to como'-'to.' this decisioiuy No. less'., tliaiii tlirco American universities, havo invl ■vitetl 'Dr. deliveiv-lecturcs to. :■, their -students", and the .Biblo' Institute,..-:^ very powerful 'organisation, has- invited ■. him; ■■-j ■■ to'/undertake,a courseof six nionthsV Ieoo.:; tures on Biblical subjects. Dr."Fitchett haa,-:. found jt necessary .to docliuo all these iuvi-' •■ tationsV'."' ■■••,-'' --v. •'..-: ■ : v-y.\ The, following figures aro of/.interest .-.in.i':' connection with the Student .Volunteer move-)-ment /in/..Now .Zealand. (states: ''tho.-' :,"out< ; look"):—Of : 99 who have signed .the'declarah ~ tion ) . ,"It' is:'my.■ purposb,. if God -permit, -to! : ' become a, foreign missionary," .23 [havo b'ooii ■'./ permanently hindered,' or ; havo withdrawn;"!;;:" 40 aro waiting for tho way to open Tip or;'-.", clso: preparing, while 36 have,teh,tbrcd 'tlio'."; fieldl*• ■;.' The".'-., far-reaching ■ influence, of /.thij ;; movement; can..'bo s,een from .'ffiei'fpllowina.'..: distribution, of thoso.who-have ,'gpub, fortli-j-* ' .'Maori;' missions.B, Chiiia 8, Inma/,7, Mcla«,-./ ncsia 3,- South .America 2,-Fiji'2,'New Hclk!//Japan 1,. Africa 1, Now/ . Guinea '/l*/'.', 1 Palestine -1. v.,-. " '■■■:, ; : ■/// ' :,:'„.'... ■ Bishop Gore/ of Birmingham, and a; number - of t ' I p'r6mineht : clerics and. laymen 'aroseeking'. 'I, to strengthen the parochial machinery by, en- ' : ' listing ■ the help: of women on ,a (thoroughly/-'' organised plan._ The leading Nonconformist' ;, churches likewiso havo,.their/-paid, women/ ■ ' workers; "'ho move- about amoiig*.tho,homes ,-.• of,, tho ' poor/ ; performing' a' helpful:.' ministry,,-,;. nnd'dbmg something towards that; social re* /.; generation 'which aspiration', of tlio-v • churclibs'and the politician alike.-:; ,Tlio/lid«i -i ; coso' has I :equipped itself with'a'hcniii of rcsi-;;',' dene'e',; for women' workers, • whiohi'was :re-i ; cently-dedicated ; . by the Bishop. .^Vhumgits-. chief puriKises is the training of women who wish'.to'devote themselves .to parochial worls. •.','■ '-~, Thb'.'juiilee of. the l English 'Ghu'rc'li iJnion audi/lord'Halifax's long'. t6nri:"of,'' office'as" 1 ' '.President.'of,, tho Union, werb,jointly, c6lb- '.'' brat<jd in: London on Juno 15/ wfieu his lord- - ship, who had just readied .his 70tlr birthday/- ': was- presented, with his 'portrait/'/ an address -.'V from'.. 1400 subscribers, : and- ''an':-'iightconthr- ", 09utury silver' chalice. Lord'HiiliFax baa, ,L----boon jhe j JJDion for 41 -scare. ■: • c ' l