RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 11

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

";'■',' RELIGION IN ENGLAND. !' .' SIR ALBERT SPICEE INTERVIEWED. ' Sir Albert Spicer is one of tho most influential laymen in connection with the Congregational Church of Great Britain, and has enjoyed overy honour his Church • can ■ bestow upon a layman, no has filled'the chair, of tho Congregational Union of England, and Wales, is treasurer of the London Missionary Society, and is one of tho.".most trusted advisers his Church has. Ho represents a Very honoured family, is an nblo and successful man of business, and has been for many years a'.member of. the House of Commons. Ho is Visiting Australasia, With Lady Spicer, and two /other'lnombc'rs'of his'family, as the representative of tho London Chamber of Commerce, 'and.is duo in' Wellington in a fow weeks' time. To a roproscntntivo of the "Southern Cross," Sir Albert talked vory frankly and suggestively on tho whole subject of religious life and movements in England,' ..'.'. ~"'',; . '.:: Do you toko a cheerful viow of : religious affairs in tho Motherland?, he was:asked.' :•:' ■ "Yes,"'ho said, "1 take a serious,but hoppiful viow of it'." ■ .'; " ' . ■■ ■■':'-■ Is K. J. Campbell; of tho City Teniplo,"creating a "school"? , ',:...',',:.".: '.'..;,'•■"■'■ "T do not think it has come to that yot: -Ho is a man of charming personality,'.'and by-fbrcb of personality.ho gathcrs-.a groat congregation: to. hear him; but I should say it is still'-rather 1 more largely an audience than a church."; '■■■ ■What .is the general condition ;of. roligion.ln ■England?. . ''.•':•'.. /. ~.'.';','. •■: •I "I regard it with a spirit at once sorious and hopeful. Thore are, : no doubt,,.some "serious aspects of tho religious'life:<>f Groat-Britain.;A: certain amount of unrest 'exists p oho amongst other things to what is called the Higher Criticism." '■ ''-,'■:■'■.:■ ."■''-'

-Religious Unrest. . . ' , '■"' ' Where is this unrest found? ' -,'' ...•'!-'.; ' "Chiefly amongst our yonng people." ," '_' '■■ Aro the young .people of-to-day-different to tho.young people in-your,tiinp? : .v ;.•;,, ;.-:..V:'.. i, "They are! For'instance, aro' fowor families who keep up tho old traditions, of church life.' Toko tho question'of family ship. I fear: that tho number who aro holding to this practice is comparatively small, .'ana growing smaller. Church life is not as closp as it was—tho very distribution of peoplo oyer , a wider area has mado this more difficult.:-.' Then' tho openings-i'or Free Church men'in public life, owing to tho dcvelopm.ent of self-govern-ment, has to somo extent had its effect, though perhaps it ought not to. ■ In my younger days a great many lending men. gavo their ' sparo time-that is,' tho time not devoted :to-,thpir; ;business-'affairs—to the Church; but; nowadays; 'municipal, school board,'-and '.ParliamentaryliiV claim a portion of their interfest, and they havo, not tho some time-to devoto■ to.Church matter's. During the lasttwo or three elections it has been a distinct advantage' for • a man to proclaim himself : a Nonconformist, 'and' the shame has boon that-somo of'theso men-havo been all too ready-to drop their Nonconformity" on attaining'their end for the tinio being. New social i openings, again, havo to somo extent affected the attitude of younger people, because with tho advantages of they havo naturally got.into .associations with another set of people and ■ influences." - Theso things form tho rather graver outlook. •What nro the' hopeful signs?

Signs of Hope. ,'•-' -.-. • ..-..,:. * >;.;"i'he most, hopeful sign is thattho men who nl'O, doing -the biggestiwork',' and:l venture .tosay, tho most influential w.ork, aro'tho men-who' 'with higher,culture.ari'dvlarger knowledge'at 'tho. same tinio havo kept truo'to tho evdngoll-' ' eal message. They are using their Church Or-' gauisations and working them .successfully.--' . -Is tho number of peoplo attending churchesion the increase?- •'. ;M '-- ;. >•■'■>{■' ' . ."I'aui afraid not. ■ I;, think, as one of -,tho : reasons, that.wo havc-'mado n mistako in not: trying to get our younger people-to'como.into. tho' Chui'ch at- an.earlier.-age,, and-my belief. is that wo to learn something. from. the Church 'of ',!■ do'. not: think wo'have influence to bear, .at a time when, your: young/pcoplo^havo'-been: :■ going 'out • into. :a: :wider :lifo-into . tho -'■ - public. <schools, -and so on::land .1. belioyo.that if, wo. ■tried to ;gct k don t''taeahi • perhaps; a'.Wull • F -'m'ffiil)ci'sr^omewhero; '.'abput,' stiy,'.'iiftee'n-'years' , "of ! :''age , r^somow'herO' 'about • tho.'age when;-.if they found ■ thomselves■ in tho Church of: England,'.their'pa'rcnts'.would. be-consulting" -n's? to..' th'e'ir :■ preparation - for con"firmatioii,; wor shbuldtJ3S.d'oing.;a-gre.at;thingi. : ;l; consider thkt'l'Wo. have; lost .thousands oft young: vp'eojilD.'.to(tho Church : tHr'ougli;=this- laojc, ,of, us : . 'lng'our.'-iuujie'n'e'e at .tho'right, age.: :Our;-boys : 'aiid,girls.'aro,brpußht..iip.amid Christian.sur- • rpundings'j up : lo:'a.:certaiu age they have, not. ;hcbn trouu,lcd"by anydoubts;. they aro .anxious 'to hegin-on.right lines at,a. certain: age they,-mako ■what is;,practically a. public. declaration, they go forward .into:their wider life—to. : their(public .schpol.r.or whatever it, may,. hall-mark that in itself is a; . great 1 incentive to:keep oh'the right lines. ■ Not ' only, the .'Church, but parents' are to blaniOifor -.'a'-gODd.-'deal'.of -this::dri.fting ; :of the young peo- . plo'from church lifei^'Hcads-of■ families.ihav-;; ihg'',wi(ler opportunities'.'■ in" -public - life,: in'/ the : sbciolKVofld,-and-CTenvin'.,the chufchorganisa-i tions.'Sro.lempWd to; neglect their.;, homo Vm-: flucncofor these- They forget,-thatGod- ;. liiadO'- hbines ' before He' mado; <Jhurches;.'.| and- ' -nmnicipalities;." :-.,'■ i:;:- 1 ;' -.- > •;>.. .'j;>;.V ;i'jyi'^y^j! '.'jlinyo.you any,.'proposal for a;iemedy?■.;.■,;;, •;-.'; ,i','Jly ; idea is: that':',wo should .havo. ; mbro teaching in 'our.churchbs.'•'• Whilst there.aro' a few ministers-.'who; (Sin) .draw great;-audiences, tivicea Sunday, there arb'a'very.-largo number; of ministcrsNvho are. pnly.:e(iual.to;bno good' •service" ii;Sundav. : , ! ?l'. think that their second service- should be' oli8:'of teaching. My. imprest siou is that if.:.we> r :hadmPre':teaching and-less' ipreaching it'wbuld;h6'a>decided improvement'''

OPEN-AIR PREACHERS,

.-.;' ;/ '.::^;A; ; syGGESTiON.' ;^ ,:'^:3 . In. an* article -in the ■ "Commonwealth,";; tho;. organ of the-Christian Social-Union (Anglican) Mr; C. W. Steffcns sta'tes.^-".To;thoso.wh'o have.; ey<J3-to sco'.nud ears to hear, one. of tho most, disquieting'.facts of tho-present"day is the: tip-, parent failure of all organised forms, of Christianity "to-.respond to tho'spiritual needs of men.. The''great majority of the. English people profess' arid call themselves Christians; y, the; English .people aro a. religious'race, ;and;j'ct thov- do not show hy tho outward, and visiMo. .■ut* of worship with! tho hrctliren their bcliet in tho'.doctrines, they profess to _ adhere. to,. •Vfter stating that organised Christianity; has lost its hold on tho working man, and giving his views as. to the cause of this- state' ofthings, tho writer makes the following interesting •' '• ■'. "■•'..'■'■■ "With the express sanction, and permission of the Archbishops and Bishops, .there'should. ,-bo sent out:men, clergy and. laity, in two : s,. who should go up 'and down tho'. countrypreaching tho love of God through the. Jove ofmen. . Thcv''should ■ be. willing to, undertake:, and ■' .do' . anything : and everything . that a Christian, man can and should do, but;their fir«t duty should bo to preach. On.their \ar'rival in)a parish, they-shdujd ask permission of tho incumbent to preach in, the open-air, or possibly, on occasion, m churches in his : 'pari«li. If 'tho incumbent refused permission, they should ask for his blessing and pass on, until they camo to a parish wkero permission was granted. 'Except uiuMr. 'very special,and: exceptional circumstances and under the direct Euidauco of tho. Holy Spirit, they should not stav more than :ono day or; night, m" any'one. place. 'Tor their food and lodging .they .would, depend in absolute and supremo faith on Ood. Under, no circumstances would they receive money. As they walked' along.from place to p aco they would be' blithe and merry and gay, happy in the lovo of 'God'and-o . their.follow m-it/ On .'occasions it' might .bo. necessary, where no lodging for tho. night was offered,, o sleep under' the broad canopy of. heaven.. If men can't livo for the Gosper they can, if. nectary, die for it. • The brethren ; neec 1 . not ( . ueco'ssarilv wear any distinctive dress, neither need thrvto In any. way singular.'- : They would be bound by'no vows, except tha constraining Lor of the love pf Christ? They would under ~o circumstance .advertise or allow - themselves. -to lxs interviewed by agents of he; press. - The, first men'to bo sent out should be men of some: oTMrionco and initiative, who had becn.m. Orders at.least; fnxl" years, willing :to: give up home and kindred and all for tho. sake of .Christ.", .- ■, ' . ... '-.■,.'■' ■■'. ~- ■■ '' ■■'

DR. MARSHALI|s WILL. ,

NUMBBOUS' BEQUEST TO .THE: CIIUHCH. Tho late Dr. Marshall, Moderator of tho General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, left personal estate in tho United Kingdom valued at .UIO.SK). Tho testator, left, .subject to his wife's :lifo,interest, the following sums 'tit the disposal, of tho Homo Mission Cojpinittco. nf the Church of 'Scotland, vis.:—4!2oo tyi'their Homo Mission; "JI2OO to their .Endowment Schcmo; XIOO to their Colonial Schemtji ,£IOO to their Aged and Infirm Ministers; XlOO'.'totheir Small Livings Committee; -ElOfl (j) their Highlands and Islands; 41100 to the Arrtly and Navy Chaplains Committee; .CM to tho'Eorcigii Missions; X 23 to.tho Women's.Association.for Homo Missions; and J!2s'.to th'o>Women's •datum for Foreign Missions, ' : v ,

historical: commemoration. •The year 1903, in addition, to being tho:mill- . ehary year of the'foundation of the sees of Crediton, Wells, and Ranisbury, completes the frOOth year,.cf tho.diocoso of'Ely,'which-was taken out of| that'of-Lincoln in 1109, the year of the doathiof St. Anslom.and of the re-build-ing' of : Sputhwoll -Minster.-' Tho rebuilt Abbey . Church-nt ttly had booh/'consecrated on St. EthcldrodaVl)ay,,lloo,' and in tho following year Hervoy, -Bishop of Bangor, who had been .drivenout.of his diocese by tho Wolsh; amongst whom;-as; anunsympathetic-Breton, ho was very unpopular,'.'was appointed "Adminustia- ' tor", of Ely Abbey, during Its vacancy. ..On tho foundation.of tho new,diocese ho was allowed . to combino- the offices of Abbot and Bishop, ondlou luno-27,!'1109;:lio was.put in possession of-tho '6ce; , -which;ho'. , hold'untilhis death' on '■Augu9t-'30,-H3ls-»v'-His- nephew, Gilbert tho Bishop 'bE'Lbnd'oh, attended him on' his';denthbed;*'',rEo.*. administered- spiritual consolation' toj-hisaged-uncle.-and was also his. ;..... .''..','. A millehaty'fallrduo'this year, at Gloucester Cathodral, formerly the great Abbey Church, of Oswald,' 'dedicated to' tho king of-- Northumbria,:whb"fell in battle, possibly:at.Oswestry, fighting against Penda, the,heathen king of Jtforcia; ' .'His body 'was buried/originally, at '■ Oswestry; but his riiecb,, Osthryd, Qaccn'ot..tho . Mercians, romovedit.to.tlieAbbcy of Bardney, in Lincolnshire." Butin 909 Ethclftned, Lady of the Mercians, tho bravo daughter of Alfred.'tho Great, removed'it lo.the Abbey Church she and her husband•Ethelrod*wero I bnilding'at Glo'u- . "cesler,'"and there.(say's.Mr; Hutton- in;a'note to"his .Bampton'Lecturcs).:it:remains as ' ■ do' other-precious -relics of the- early- English -. kings, -in'!tlio'.Cathodral.Chnrch'of .St.-.'.Peter.., - In'documents.preserved in Worcester Cathedral . Library-the dedication is l given; as 'St Oswald. . '"Church"'Times.'?-'' ! > . ; - .-'!-'•' ; :: ] "'■'■■■■■:'■'-"■■■■

'.' Atobacco.was amended, so. as .-to,, include -laymen, and in this -form- -was passed, .enthusiastically ■■• at the Deuver : . Assembly of: AmericaK.Prcsby- - ; terians.,'.,',".' ':.;.':'■'.,-: !.''--'--i.':':'',:. :.•',/,' .'■'. ':.;,.'.',..;';.-- ■ :':The EevV Rv'Solyn Roberts;.' a" Calvinistio ■ Methodist minister, has'declincU overtures-to stand' as Liberal candidate tor'' tho Hatlocn Division in., ternio'of. Tor tho past' seven or eight years/' he. wrote, • teen a Cabinet,Ministor.',lh;tno.ian'Bdam-that; is not 'of this 'iwofjd.;-''Honestly;.; therefore,, can I< bo expected,.'without some very, imitative . reason, to''surrender.this honoiir for tho chanca .- of becoming n moro priyato; member- or. -tno British Houso of Commons? 7 * '.; '■ ■ '■' , . ■'•A sign : of'tho'times in? the. direction of-tho v Reunion.of Christendom-was the'presence of tho Greek pricSt.:in.Sydney,;tioEey.'Seraphim . Phocas, at tho meeting, ..ivittf,tha Brotherhood.of. the.Goo'd,Shephcrd,:^Pfd.>P sk •James's.Ball:.(states. ; graph"); FatheriPhocas,-whn is the.locol,«p- : ; .; retary of' the'Anglio'an and';.Orthodox;.Eaßtem , Churches'-'Union, is'keenly, interested an the -~ attempt made by tW Brotherhood movement t 0 .. solve" tho religious, *o,sparsely. : settled bush'districls., Sevoralinstanoes oi th« , '. good .feeling" whichV.cxists.-between the;. Ortho., ~. fox Eastern and'Ariglican-.Churches.havo been,, manifested in tis ; Statof recently.', i-A.,, few ~ "SSS astern . mining- &ld-'wero;'.eivabled- to, : : :mako., their churches of -the Good,Sh|P-. herd: i'ah'd'.'niore , Vr«!ently'' l thp;-:pMn^of;.--*evi. of. celebrating !l"P ,D the altar ■.. of Nowca'stlo'-Catliedral'.fpr;- t" 0 dents'of that city,'Avlio havo no churchNbuilcl. , ingot their'own. •,' ,-; ;,!■;,;, ■'.".-';■• ;'-.. ';•; i The -final arrangements for; tho .forthcoming Eoiilau Catliolic Congress aro.approaching com; of Saturday last- Moro papers,, tho.titles., M, , , intereslingvcontents, continuoto orrve almost daUy, divided -into sec'.ions, Cattouo ~ ■ lir o'W.Eiiot'tho ex^re^dent-nf'Har- . . ■i«ri : 'lliiTMdt. bus4«st:.cnvcr E cd;from: one rnntrnvorsv ns t> the contenfe: of - .controversy upon ■ his■?«,*#£" ■'■ of reMgiou.' bpenlciigat-.thp ,SawMd;bummor,, : Theologvj Dr,,E^t.,iS.aid', l "ib^r le 7' - Tbnrn will no no. supernatural elompnt;. it . :lill plac no fiance on anything ¥, . i""JSl4t&et' : -nU forhife.bf'oWl.-'.lte.iiricsta.. wiir -improve;social and:industrial : conditions.",-' : ..':' ; ':-' : ";-'" 'v •'.,;'''."':' - Tho' : commercial.: spirit '.of .-America; eooms. to ; bi> findine its way- into fjomo. - i %nil£ or'VtS...-ot' the j religion.: papers arc- copving tho. methods .and, plraso. : ology:oithe,daily..p'ress. Hero is a:paragraph - fromUn.-:American religions paper .of, recent - dater"Tho morning.of 13, betao ; .■a'l-.audienco,ofl2oo,.;thn-'Bev;, J HaTry,B. Lewis, > Stety .'babied. Ho,asked t for: a eoltobon : ofat one dollar for. each baby-.baptised, I'.cnd Vtit., Work aiong.nn.lines.at'Ch|s.churcli' Ki^'at-topynotch:'^';-.';;;:;.^.::;:;'- I ;'.;''.:.,_ .-■ ; .'!D'r< George'Adanr Smith has'.completed, his ~ ; fi'vo weeks' course as lecturer" and prcacner in. ; the 'University: of -, Chicago,.; and is said to 'havo.. iriven'a/new' conception f~ 'thoso.;;Who htard ,; hi'm'-of 'the.-present:nnd.'-permanent'..value.of', ! t.lib"old Tfestanieht: ?.Tn-0.: Congregatioflal min- ".■ isters ; who- a ttended-the ■ course .rose, with' the. suii,".nud lia<l':tAv6.h6u'rs''of • rail: and .car travel ;. in 'ofdM-.'tit'-reaclirßr!'? Smith's olassropm...at '■" "eight o'clock .-in.-- iJust, Inow a , . hereby .hunt- - is'.prbceedin'g.at':Chicago A University tho«TCcently-published.work pV ono of the Diririity. professors-d Baptist DJJ.t ■'■ biit Dr. Smith's .'radical views aro said toihaveboon presented with such utter candour and. s swbot rea'soiiablenessCthnt nb'one'was alnrmed, ; yind the Chicago'reporters,failedrto'.und,. copy" ', hi -his'"lecture-room. :'..•': ..j ■-■■' ."' ; _ '.

i : 'An: invitation:has been■ sent..to; Dr.. Torroy : .asking-'Him to unde'rtakor.evangolistic "work in . England' for'; two.yearSiV-It: is • signed'by;, two or throb'' wealthy. laymen, .including ' Mr. Hay.' Walker.- -Tho invitation,: however,' lacks sup--port' from-influential ministers, and it, isTnot ; ...: expected.that Dr. Torroy will accept-it. :.'.'■ -;■-.-, •Tho (loath is -announced ,of: tho ; Very Eev. ,;. William Xefr'ojv'Dean of Norwich,; at'Eiffolalp. ? , Ho. was .one of the' few .survivors 1 (says; tho .-.■' "Church".Times")-.of -that particular,- section ; of tho Evangelical l party, which • stamped .its>..;.. especial- character: ; on the'. religious ><, lifo; , of. ~ •.Liverpool/.'Ho 'came,, to. tho priesthood .from '■■ journalism,; and retained, to, tho pud ; that quickness of mental,grasp and.readiness-in speech! ■■- and-in-writing} which made him a'consider- , ablo»power '.at' St'. Andrews,. Liverpool! ■ twenty., : vdaTs ago."- As'Deah!of Norwich'ho,\fas';vi6wcd. ; somewhat' askance >•by- his.,older ..associates.;; bV. re'a'son'of'hls-developed churchmanship;. though lie • never forscokr'tho.'definitely',."Protastaut;' cause. In'later years:, lie,: pleaded -.his own .'particular- remedy -for.,;; tho.:' needs'-','of'tho church, - : and. at tho .'Manchester, Church-' Con-. -..';.. gt'essin 1908' ho.nrged-tho admission of. qualified laymen to tho diaconate,' while - drawing.--... the necessary "distinction between suoh-au' office .:■ and that of, the priest. --..-With ■ Dean' Lotroy the ".■■' instinct for holding tho -people .to the. church becjino a-positive,;:and, indeed,,a i beautiful passion. ■■■■[ :■... ~'-'.',-'■ ■.■■:'""•'. '.■■'■;," "' ■ •'.■"'.-,"'.'-.':■./. A procession, of. the .Blessed' Sacrament, in"..•'•' wjiich'■•' 70,000.-. pe'oplo ."• took: -.'part, was' tho : .-.. foaturo of tho Eucharistic. Congress which-has; :•■- just .been -'held- at. Cologne. .'.-But? -tho':.:'.'. momorics of" 'Westminster' wore ■ not- ! wholly: '. eclipsed\(says the''English'"Tablet"'),- even .by, : tho splendours at Cologne. For'instance : in : • London, thero were gathered; a hundred bishops, / : including soveii rardinals, and no fewer ;!han . H archbishops '■ in;, Cologne, thero , were 70 : ;•■ bishops, including five cardinals and five arch-, "■ bishops.''But all,' Catholics will now. bo. in ..",. agreement in hoping,' • and indeed -.resolving, • that tho congress next year in, Montreal, fixed for Rcptcmboiyl, shall overshadow.those of both. 'Westminster', and Cologne., "'■'■,-. .;;'■;.

■ 'AddreSsiiis a meeting of ,tltb;SuSsex':Methodist Mission, Scott-Lidgctt, * said that ho had sceii. nothing of tho roportod. depression in Methodism .during his year offico as' president.' Ho;l»ad seen Mothodism .from. ■ Aberdeen, in : tho \n6rth. to l'cnzanco. in; the. cDuth,' hud - everywhere ho had. boon impressed with tho hopefulness, and buoyancy of tho cbanexion. .;,'■ * • ."...'■' '■;.".,-' "■; ■ '.-'• "'•• •'•'. ".'• During tho,last fifteen years thero. lias been a largo -.influx' of Jews into Palestine. In ■fact; they now; outnumber' every' other nationality, und soino good people have seen in this the pro., Inisc of (tho-restoration'of the Jews and thoir : rovival as a-great nation. But.the Jiev. Edgar Fii Davidson, writing in "Zipn's Herald" frbnv the Holy Land, dors'not tr.ke this. view. ,<"Tho Jews who' aio here,'' snys Mr: Davidson, .''aro not ualior builders.; They'are old people, who hove come hero to die, or .-very poor peonic, 'driven from their'old homes by persecution, •who havo come her.' t? be; supported, by "tho generosity of their countrymen who are living in Europe' or 1 Ain'i'icn. '■' They are 1 not 'tho 'rtVong, virile men who build' up n country. :I havo never yet talhed .within intelligent ,To\r in America who had any desire to live iti l'alos. tine, or who had' any strong 'conviction that Ta'cstinb. was to. boebme; thoHuturo. homp.ol his people;"',; ";;'.v '-V.'.■" '■' '..r',;'; .