RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 681, 4 December 1909, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

»■. ■ ■ NEW PRINCIPAL. ABBIIDBEN VACANCY FILLED. - : Tho Boy. George Adam Sinilh, M.A., D.D., LL.D., Professor Old Testament' Language;* Literature, and Theology at-, tho United Freo Church College, Glasgow, has been appointed a Principal of the University of Aberdeen, :to fill' tho vacancy occasioned by tho death, of , the Very Rov. John Marshall Lang; 1 D.D.' ' Dr. Smith is not only a. distinguished scholaT. and an eminent preacher,* but ho is also a man of ivide sympathies and attractive ■ personality. Sf i ln !!?" esteem in the United Free Church, ,with which his life-work hitherto has, neon officially associated, ho. is highly esteemed throughout all branches of Evangelical- Christendom. Dr. Smith is "a son of Dr. Goorgo ~m , 'Ul 'oreign Mission Secrotary of tho Unlra I'm Ckrtli, and was born in Calcutta ntty-tlirce years ago. Sent to Scotland for his education, he attended the High School- of Jidinburgh, and graduated at Edinburgh University. Subsequently he .passed, througli tho customary theological course at the New College for tho ministry of the Freo Church, and no . supplemented tho curriculum there by proceeding to Germany, where, at Tubingen and p 'W'.S) he followed - up his studies of the Semitic languages. After a brief assistantship in ■ the West Church, Brechin, Dr. Smith was in 1880 appointed to conduct the : Hobrew classes m tho Freo Church College, Aberdeen, on tho suspension of Professor Robertcon Smith. > two years later ho accepted a unanimous call from the newly-formed congregation of Queen s Cross, Aberdeen. His Services were much sought after. He refused" the; Chair qf Hebrew in tho English Presbyterian- Church,and lie also declined calls from Australia, Free St. • George's, Edinburgh, and other congregations. ■ _ , . In 1892, on the retiremoiit of Principal Douglas: from active'teaching work, Dr. Smith' was appointed to tho Chair of- Hcbrow and : Old Testament Exegesis. For this appointment ho was no doubt largely indebted to tho publication of his volumes on "The Book of Isaiah," .but also in a measure-to the success of his work in the ministry. At the closo of tho first session ,of his professorship his ; Alma Mater conferred on him the degree of' Doctor of Divinity. Dr. Smith, as an exponent of tho Higher Criticism in somo of his later writings, brought upon himself the suspicion of the more orthodox section of the Church, but that phase now seems; to'*be:past During his\occupancy' of the Chair in Glasgow, Dr. Smith- has greatlyenhanced his reputation/ While'cntryingTon his professorial ■ duties and literary -work-,- lie has found it possible to devoto much time', to social work for the elevation of- tho'masses. Notably lie has been interested , in tlio movement for the betterment of tho conditions and wages of tho unorganised women: workers,- and in ,tho Broomielaw district of the city ho lias always taken an active interest in tho'social arid religious work , carried on there; by' the students_ of . tho United; Free. Church College. On, more than one occasion Dr. Smith has a<s. cepted invitations to lecture at ; the' leading Universities. '.His-'JLife". of. Professor Drummond was -an admirable example of his'' literary craftsmanship. It. has gone through seven or eight.editions.—"Scotsman." . 7 ■■ v.: - , .' ! MISSION OF METHODISM. ...

DISCUSSION ON' SOCIAL ,PROBLEMS. ■At the Methodist Assembly, which met re--1 cently in London, tho Rev... J. Scott-Lidgett ■read a telegram, from the Church Congress expressing '..'thanks for., tho .message.: of greeting sent to tho Congress, and' wishing "airblessings upon the, spiritual work"bf. tho Methodist Assembly." ;Tho chairman (Sir William; P. Hartley) briefly introduced tho subject, for discussion, "Methodism and Social Problems"; • .The Rev., llionias-Mitchell (Southpoirt), referred to . the-results which had'followed on the inception.of the Methodist movement. Statistics, he• said,'did: not:prove' every thing)'-: but a church with 52,000 ministers,105,000 . lay preachers, 8,715,000 ■ church, members, -.98,000 churches, 81,000' Sunday schools, 833,000 .teachers aud officers, and 7,000,000 Sunday scholars, must count-for something—for one- of. .the most . progressive Protestant Churches on' this vast 'globe. (Cheers.) If loyal to the splendid traditions, : Methodism could .never'-.-be indiffercnt'.'to'.'any-measures which aimed at social-betterment of tho;race. Thero' was-tho laud. ; ; It\was'liniitpd ; ih' J.quautity,' and) it was irremovable! ''Sua 'yet'' esson-' r tial to tho national ;welfare'. The Jand' to: the people, and the people/to' tlio-'landi'must' be the ideal of every •'social-reformer.'(Cheers.) There were also .the relations.botweon. capital and labour. (Hear, hear.) , The great: contrast between great .wealth on ;.tho;;.on.q;-;;hand;;.and: poverty oh ■ tho other Suggested - many-'ques-tions,', one of which was .whethcrvthe,'toiler': got his fair share/ Overcrowding,.vunemploy-' ment, and,housing were -matters- for their -attention, and ' the list would" hot bo,'.complete without the drink question.,- (Cheers.)",'Tho millions wasted in drink would gVfar'-to eolvo' social problems and diminish, vice; and, crime.:' There inust. be a. strengthening-of the ethical' note in their, teaching, an'd : never.was'it more' necessary, than at the, prese.it..day; that Christian men should practise what they' preached.' .(Cheers.) .The Methodists 'must exercise: tho philanthropic spirit. : of their..founder. .'' ■ In the discussion which followcd.'fthe-:R«v.-J. Alfred Sharp (London), referring -to'-the recent Licensing Bill, said he couW- neither forget nor forgive the action of; the ■ House »fLords, and very soon ait. opportunity. woulcT be given when many of- them would show inthe ballot-boxes what they felt about, tho con-temptuous-rejection. ■ ■■■"•'.-';"<,(■.■'• ' "■"'"'.V ■'".:',"■■

, Councillor Windsor (Manchester) said stf'long as the Christian Churches' of' Britain were divided into opposite icanips in relation to th>, drink question nothing . substantial would-be done. . ' -.'■. ■■-. - .;,;- .. v : .

•At thß'afternoon session the Rev. W. Bradfield. (Ilkley) dealt with,"The Evangelical Noto in Preaching."- People talked of the dearth of conversions,,but'were there, ho asked, as many really nnsious for the; saving of.•'souls?; He questioned whether many." of them- would, nowadays tell a modern Nicidemus. or a" Saul of Tarsus that he must be b6rn again;'•' • '■ A|d. John' Jones (ox-Mayor .'of Chester) advised the abandonment of. sensationalism, which degraded the Gospel and demoralised tho Church. •.

.The Rev. G.. Hooper said'-that' 'in London tney were getting tired of missions on-Ameri-can lines. They had. had too ; many of them. It was said there was: to bo another °rcat central dission, next year, but they did'not want;it. It was in. the churchcs" that tho work should" bo done, and. tho very best must bo put into-their open-air work. ; INTELLECT AND FAITH.

HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION COURTED.

■'• At the final session of the General Assembly of the Baptist Union-at Reading recently, tho Rev. Nekton H. Marshall, of .London, read a paper on "Tho Intellectual, Assent to tho Evangelical Faith."..; He said, there 'was no'- such thing as purely intellectual assent.to anything, least of all to so complex a matter as. the Gaspel. Feeling and.Will had at least as: important a part to play as had reason in determining our attitudeto Christianity. -Nevertheless, if they wished to discuss assent to the faith properly they must- do so mainly witli reference to, the, intellectual aspect;.for it was in general from the citadel of reason that faith was publicly challenged in jho present/day. - The. lutollect demanded satisfaction: or else it: withheld its sanction from religion. There had been a complete revolution m our conception of Nature. Natural soienoo, tho theory; of evolution, tho scientific method of thought, Biblical criticism, comparative religion, the doctrine of Nietzsche, r and tho now historio sense were elements typical of: the twontioth: century,' which, if tho "Evangelical faith Was to'win tho assent of intellect, sho must : 6how that she ooiild-livo on-some'sort of, terms with. There was a struggle goin" on as to whether the Evangelical faith shotilS bo ablo to live m tho same world with tho historic sense, and many men were naturally withholding their intellectual assent to tho Gospel until that struggle was ended.- It could only.be ended in ono of two Ways. Either real' harmony must bo established between Evangelical faith and history or the' power of the Gospel was gone so far as the next generation was concerned. Tho historical phaso: was'most vital, acute and fundamental, andwithout a proper: understanding Of history • intellectual assent to., tho Evangelical faith could not bo secured. It could not bodonied that history had not in, every particular confirmed the traditional statement;of, storj-;- "The' doctrino of. verbal inspiration had. been ; given up my.most theologians.- $ort'of inspiVa-" tion was now believed in it was.difficult to do- : scribe. Verbal- inspiration "being : gorio,- some had fled to the refuge of;the,authority of tho 1 Church; This accounted to somo extent "for "the growth, of -tho Anglo-Catholic. party, .in.' * tho". Church of.England and 1 the way i n ; which in somo quarters Roinanism'igained .ai tomporary advantage. Lot it not, however;:forT.a" moment': bo supposed that', history - had-, discredited the statements of Christianity;; Somo had adopted the '-attitude- that the Christian'faith'was able ' to. maintain itself whatever the findings of his-tory-might be. -The most vigorous ohampions of .this theory had 'beon- the- Modernist theologians of j.the Roman Catholio: Church, But coflld, thsy.' egourg', inHlleottwl--a66ent. tooths

Evangehc&l;failh.'pn thoseterms?' He-ansjter«<l :., ;m, the, negative. •; Christianity;, without, tho his--AS torical .'Jesus-was. -impossible. :X They: hadi jw , >„$„-' His ory," ho contended,' ;' in. their-boliefi The oriyconrsa ' : . for the adyoca cs.of.tlw. faith "-.to. tako'^B.lS: :• - submit itto tlio-fallcst-historic'investigation. I' l . < ?y'??:, ln twirown crparKsnee'the vitality of - faith; and learning how to Pre- - > '"' it it•wiE.htvwin. tho;intellectual '&■ assent of their generation and the,next■'- <"";•• dent, : Mr. ; -& W,-M'Alpine, said thatwSX'.'; imin in ..tho-street; bad something, to-say about 1 '; ; thoso problems' which ..-Werev.; exercisSeStha ■ wwld,of;thoug ; ht,,„enin.theCh U^l -Ai |Kf ■ attention^-While it wal they.must have iho,nssent of tho'intollcot-'to- ■ •' everylung. .tlicy; beliovcd,rtho- reality-of tS"v'vi : Stmeit U of.f P * U^

CONGREGATIONAL'UNfON. - ARCIIBISIIOP OF YORK'S GBEETI.VG. Nearly 1400 delegates we present at tho nrccU ing of tho Congregational Union at Sheffield on' : October 13. The Bishop and clergy of •Sheffield wore 011 tho platform to .welcome' tho. union to the city, and thrßcv. Dr. J. D. Jones, of Bourn* moutli, the chairman, read tho following letter from * tho v Archbishop of • .York • "Dear Sir,-I. desire,; both 'as Archbishop of .tho province and;as:Bishop of the diocoso in which jour, society l is.;ossomblcd,'to-convey' to ■ ■ IZ a il?i y° w brethren, a • message of most corSTi"ft' r My ". col 'e?Bu<!V; tho Btshop -At ' . Sheffield, I am -ghwl to know, porsonallv assure you of the sincere aiid prayerful interest ' which the members; of, our Church m Sheffield ttiko in your, conference. 11 earnestly , trust that your ,doliberations'?' wilb tend to tho strengthening of tho-. Christian forces 'in this ■ land in common combat against tho sins and dangers which'.beset"tho' national life,'and. y?- 0l »r conimon Labours to advance tho-King- -■■■" aoin of iUod.—Believe .me, yours niost sincerely/ViV "Cosmo eboe:" a':.' n® 1 ? of Sheffield spoke in support o( • •••/•: the Archbishop s letteri* He said thev in tho city, were watching: with into'rest the. delibora- ■' tions of the conference; and, added the Bklkm. : ! rwould take the opportunity, if I may do so " ' without presumption, of expressing. to your '' chairman the gratitude of our branches of tho ; Christian Church, and, I would say, of tho Church universal, for, tiio admirable;■ address ho delivered yesterday. I have had tho op. >• ' portumty of reading tliat. address 111 extenso, an that a Church ought to ba proud that has jis its, cliairmaii ono who can : deliver, a convincing address liko that. In a crisis and controversy, like , the present ho has enriched, the:, \yhole- Church.- •-(Cheers.) •Canon Gilmor'e spokbi in' support of an ad- ■ , dress^ which . was next'Tpfesftfited on behalf of ..,.• the-'Dean and Chapter of: Sheffield. •1 • ■■■" i.v- , responso.lo.a call from tho chairman,.who spoke of the' visit of the Sheffield ; clergy' na ; one of tho .most, happy interludes 110 had' ever known 111 connection with any Congregational* . Ist Assembly,, the Bishop, of - Sheffield led thr ; - meeting m prayer. ; ... MENACE TO,JUDAISM.

; : ;:at .;thE: parting, of ■ THiu ways: vfii S& .The Chiiofßabbi Jibs lost no'time-in makrh# x ' known jus viewson' tlic new.movcniontcolitom.. ;';• plated by the Jewish Religious Union.- Preach- :v' ; n s a * J? 0 Bn y^ Tlite r Synagogue the other' day, ; \;;i ; - Dr. . Adler offered uncompromising,- Opnositiott:-';-not only to tho holding of, Sunday services,--' 1 but. also to- tho erection of a. synagogue byt 'i ; : themembers.of the union, and their consequent''wi.secession, from the general body 'of the ■comif--V: .munily.-.;; Oh the'latter point ho; observed:—-^v 1 Our. community has .'had to : deplore' a: seces- \i sion. .seventy .years; ago''from the :v effects ot V -"";•' which it ;is still, suffering' to-day.• Shall.'wo ~;';.' Outness.a' second/division at- aLtimo whin ■'*.'" -'■•'' union- of;;heart.and .hand is. so;■ imperativelyi' : '';» needed? Is .'it meet .that a body styling 'itsel'f ! : ■ the. Jewish-;' Religious X r nion should promote ■' ■" un-Jewish, irreligious disunionF" Naturally,'. Phowever (remarks the, " Daily.Telegraph ■thief- Babbi regards the proposed jsunday.'ser-' •■. ■: vices as .' tho most, disquieting element in the' .'A-' movement," and he, 'does /not hesitate to brand ,; vthemas -unsoriptur'al.-and as'-n direct menace ■''■' to Judaism", .because, they:' ate -likely to- prove-'''.■'.-"■ aii incentive; to. the .desecration''of the seventh. •; day Sabbath.. Ho/points: to-'tho experience of ' ! s j Germany.'and, America to show r that, although at .present tho- Sundny-Gervicos :may, only b« ■-•"■> intended as supplenientary .to'the-services'hold. '■'■'■( on Saturday,- in timo they will entirely super. ; ( sede ,the;,-regular- Sabbath 'dovotiohs. ■ ;i '- : ''' The se'Umpn:which is; printed''ih the Jewish"- ; Fross, concludes; with' nn' earnest .appeal', to; "' tho.-authors, of r , the.-' new-'- movement:. to' pause '•■'■'' as \ .. tho; parting- of -•; the '.ways,"'., and; not .to' - - porsist in an action- which constitutes a' "peril'' ' to the religious- life, of ..the V '■ '

DR:vHORTON^AND;:PRI'MITIVEV;:'i;': ; i ::;;^::;V.^METrioDisTs;'::::'7''>^ , ':.:'v.

-.-At Sheffield, Dr.- Ho'rton said' always !'"; to;"a'Primitivo; Metliodiisl; chapel .if, there i;' d o<??.';iiot/.!iappen;,to..'b6 fliio'of his own donomin*- ■'' iition-.utor.-: .He-doesHhis- becauso-iie finds' at *. a:Erimitive Methodist;chapU'ono.is likely to:' got something .yifrl; and come'.really.iiitb" touch! ."'"'"■; with the authentio thing.' Two :or: three :of l ' -- the best: sermons,he;ever hoard-were 'by '■'■ lar : - preachers-one of, them in a Primitive Meth--'"•"';•' odist Church inV"the Isle"of'.Man.'.:Aßimpl«; ; r : Carpcritor, I from;:;Douglas,c'oiidncied;the service'-'; •-amaivof- toil; unlearned, and;yet ho brought - '■•'■ his. congregation'.,very, near' to God,"and under ; v : '' his|insl,v«nWtttality;;thcy,;;Verorjnened before'' 'i ".°<Jv .Dr^-Hortonvrelated-how'on another.oc.':.:- l ' v casion.'he_.was-6tayiug.at.'Seascalei on.;the- west : . . ! co.aMi,and;;b.eca,nso' : thei'e;was.'no';churoh'of'his' : :■'■ own denomination, 'and no Priraitive Methodist!■-• -'-'■ c hurclt^at-,Ti?iHa;rho.,\vent a W^W'dreoi'.ho.said;.totho':least;respect-^r ame-by. nature' he>had' an inclination- to' that '':■,.- kind, ,of'..*;'eh'oice;\ Th«';-,day.. ; .'of-"-.his-; visit". tfiS ■'■\'£ jay preacher■.wa4;.a\land surveyor.. haven, and his sermon' was' one never 'to •; bs >V; -\- ; forgotten.:,, He'"himself could;,reproduce ft' at'■--(hat moment'if • necessary;..- \; :-'•■. . ■ ■.¥■■'• ■; .-■■. •.■ '■!■':■

A CONFERENCE AT UPSALA. The "Chmck Times" of October 22 states? When ivo .are in .possession of full details ro- -■ to the conlercnco at; Upsala,..we shall'. > ■ probably: have some comments to make 'on its¥;;!s transactions, >- Far ..tho present, wo must eoii- \': tent.ourselves with a,reference,to: the extremely courteo«s:rcception accorded 10-Iho Archbishop :> 5 °f •■'Canterbury's.-.representatives, the Bishops' v.'. ji of ■Winchester,-. Salisbury, and Marquette,' and ■ : Canons Bernard and Mason. On -tno opening ■' 1 day. of the conference, with ■ tho, approval of -'■ the Archbishop of Upsala, the Church of the Holy Irimty. ..was. placid at;the disposal of tho''fi-'h Lnslish'. deputation -for a- celebration of this ' Holy Euclmiist, at which; Iho celebrant, tho ■■' '■ llisliop--of-.Winchester,'. was-served• by tho l rec-v V tor ot tho church. iProfessor, Sodorblom), who was nested in black and silver ohasublc.' In tho confeience ltsell tho English visitors wcro - ' Riven the position ot honour, at.tho president's right hand, and in many other ways, they were mado to feel that they were honoured guests. ■ It ( is-understpod', (hat the first. siou was .dovoted to a searching-inquiry into ' ; -S! the proofs^rith,which the Church of Sweden" , and tho Clinrch of England respectively 6iip- ■■ - port their claims, to. apostolio succession. - - ? - shall aivait. with, the .deepest ; interest tho • r®. : poi.Mf tho confercuce, on the publication' of ' ' ! which, we shall,,:no" doubt, see the- case for ' ' ' Swedish Orders presented with; tho greatest ■learning: and ability. ;.■---. :.v. . ■'.:■■>,/: - ' .V\-- -K> .. '

X writer m the English Methodist papers ' has furnished a statement indicativo ot the higher training and intellectual attainments of Wesleyan ministers. Ho has compiled "a fult detailed list of the University degiccs hold by ho/Wesleyan Methodist ministers and pro--1 bationcrs, in Oieat Britain and Ireland, and ' in tho foreign btatious under tho British conference. Summarised, it appears that tho do-, groos held fiom British universities aro as ''" follow:-B.A., 154; M.A., 89; 8.D., 43; BSc , 14; D.D., 10; LL.D., 3; LLB., 21 ".Li* 2 ' , Jl'Sc, 2; and'ouo each BXit, D.C.L., and D.Sc. Iho degrees from foicign universltos, ino tiding tho Continent and a fow from Austraha aro: D.D., 12; 8.A., G; M.A., G; LI>.D„ - 3; 8.D., 2; and ono each D.Lit. and Ph.D. 'In addition thcro nie 12 medical degrees. Tho ' year has witnessed a gratifying increase in the number of ministers who hold tho B.D. degree of the London University, For the World's Misbionary Conference to bo held in Ldmburgh next .Tune, tho delegates aro expected to number 1100, exclusive of several hundred missionaries, who will be homo on furlough at the time. Tho two largc«l ' halls'in' Edinburgh,- the U.P. Assembly Hall -and tho Synod Hall, have been engaged for tho ten days of iho conference. \, ■-The Methodists 'of New' South Wales nrp preparing to celebrate their centenary ill I'Jls «? i>o-™n i , nton, |« l *° raiso n centenary fund ' of JSo.OOO for church purposes.

'.; K«JV:W.":A. 'OTliwatt,', senior curate -of - sea, has bejn appointed Archdeacon of tho Solo. : : monlslands by the Bishop.of Melanesia, and .#: lo <« , 6jEnßland-for -Norfolk; Island■ January, : Tho Arclidnacon's: headquarters will ' ; : -'' lands, whoro the.Moloncsian Mission is-build-- ; •'■£-' ing" a''u6w'Tco'ntral-Gch'o6l..f6r training ■ nativa ■ =' : ''- teachers and:;a : hospital;' ;It' is also proposed ; ' to • build .thoi. Bishop .John Solwyn - Momdrial 5 ■?••& Clraroh thero, i; ,,A .doctor has volunteered for- - ; ' -■' servicoia tho mission, l ind. will go out »«+''■- yoar to tho now-hospital in to : lbolomoM;.;;^*;";:'.:-:;^"';:.;,;.;:;• ;■,;.-;,•:.r ;-■ ■;.-"'.."^•■•'■.■'■V'.;;'