RELIGIOUS' ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 9

RELIGIOUS' ACTIVITY.

ON SUFFERING,

(By Bisnor Awdet.), [A pathetic interest attaches to tlio following article, which was dictated by tho late Bisliop Awdry from .liis deatlibed.] ; . ' Perhaps few greater changes have come over the'thoughts of men in my lifetime than that 'which seems to have occurred with regard to tho place and value of pain in its influence 011 the growth of the. soul.' The contrast can hardly be more ■strikingly brought out than by comparing tho view of.such a man as the German mystic Drexel in his "Amussis" with, that of a recent book entitled "Chiistus Fiiturus." From Drexel's point of view there are four, degrees of advanco in tlie thoughts about.., pain' of . a Christian soul aiming. .atperfection. . The -lowest and practically neutral grade is that pain is accepted without repining. •.A stage • above this, the 'soul learns, 'to thank God for'it when it is'sent. In tho'third grade lie rejoices in it, and is 'genuinely glad to be accounted worthy to suffer pain. In the fourth and highest it is actually desired. On the contrary, one of the ■ leading ideas- in- "Ckristus. Futurus" is that pain is. to the .body something of what sin is to the. soul-va positive evil which does not como from God at all,'but from tho powers of. evil—a thing, therefore, to bo reduced to the. very smallest dimensions, •to be cast out wherever possible, just as devils, :wero cast out • by .Christ. 'Both, these ...views, though apparently so entirely , opposite to ono another, may . have v a . certain standingground on tho platform of truth if we remember the.fact,that by'an evil will every good can bo niado to work out evil, and by . a good...Trill-;every, evil- can be ,; made,', to minister ■to • good, But where | ; sp sudden arid; so violent, arid, it, may ! ; be; added, rso a :change' of view ;lias: taken place tVo/ may 'be ...pretty sure, ; first, .that, it is,,ti reaction ".froni; exaggeration .oh _ the ■ other; side,' and, secondly, that it is'likely, to seize on the popular mind, and bo carried to a mischievous extent. It may therefore be worth whilo to think over some'points connected' with, this problem ,of the moral and', spiritual worth of suffering. ' . _The-immense vogue which the old view : -° f .has ,had. throughout all these . Christian centuries,: ns almost, wo may, a positive benefit in: the spiritual lire, altogether forbids our regarding it as ..wholly mistaken. Moreover, our Lord Himself seems -time rafter' time to treat suffering. as - if; a good-"Blessed .are tliey that? mourn," "Blessed are the .poor'j,or,-again,',as.to self-chosen suffer-•lug.-His justification of the disciples not '■ 110 1'?, with them ends W™ »' shall.-,they ; .fnst;' in '--'those i i • i®toT- ;,andr..St...(Paul. also abundantly prefer; to . the blessing attend■hn' P I0 "(led the cause tiPriin!" language not seldom is quite faithfully represented by Drexel and, his companions.-; fis T ow I. suppose no .one-.would seriously, contend that, either 'Kt 11 " o '.'! morally-good,or evil -Ji ivf? ' ' j' n ,pleasure-'are good ■ them -f'U COr s iL® ? se vo make of tial B 'v;i y i M 0 pot , entml s° ° r P°tential evil and as such .we may fairly look ®? a -either,- as; sent- by. God; -they are trials, , bringing temptations iu the Iko S ?" S °i °l - thn - t " TO** tot. • they are also trials bringing tho opportunity of good -moral, resul s. : , If St. James canS JJV v e .TOT.-kwiurte- of his Epistle, W„iL i 1' J°y when ve. fall into. divers that , tho .trying of ,your faith ■ worketh patience," and'"Let ■patience have her perfect work,..that yo :'W P.". Perfect.and entire," it seems clear that,, nr. his, opmio'n; th6'highest' spiritual :goo,d,,c(mnot::bo 'attained; Hntliout the instrumentality, of .'suffering.; 'But if this is the .case, .we'can; hardly. 1 look upon a, world without suffering as the discipline which the holy God would desirefor mannor; can unreservedly speak' of pain as an evil of. such a kind-that wo ought to wish, to, cast it entirely, out,since,with-. ouuittho highest .liolinesscannot practically. be attained.vi J-.]--... .. • .Perhaps one whois '.suffering; from ,a painful disease which, moreover,': disables liim from former .'useful, work, ..may'be al--I°-'.hear his -testimony, to -the, fact; .that. tho suffering^has not'only'been to J 1 . 1 ,! 11 Ereat kelp'in tho'higher spiritual life, but that it contains .revelations -in regard,.to what that life means which, ;so far as ho sees, could hardly ■ havo been obtained-in any' other,way., At;the same -time I -havo no.'doubt that, our practical, duty in'relation . to. pain is "to-relievo it, .and. this even when.it is a. .direct punishment or; consequence of vice which has -preceded - it. The.-.pain. of others ;beco'mes a "trial" of character, of i another sort; it-is' ah,;opporhinity given'by. God, as are all'; oppprti;iiities ■ which : occur - when one man's, ability or, abundance,; is. available, for-'the/supply'; of another man's ' ignorance orueed:; ' It is: just'.'npori the presence' of ,'tliis to-.meet demand, and demand to,call' out.Supply, that all' . social-life of ,'ariy jaluo' depends. Wo are all; givers- or receivers of- benefits,' and as it > is,- "mdro, blessed to' give than to receive,-" the'giver may often "be in God's sight' tho : greatest receiver,, as the; receiver is the great giver, of . opportunity, to .'liim ,who relieves tho uecd. Turning, to another aspect of ,tho matter,' it appears, to me' that there is ■ just, now a great tondency to overstate tho'extent to which our Lord aimed 'at -relieving, suffering. Wo aro seldom told of His doing it without being asked. Ho seems to have regarded ,> sickness,, and suffering chiolly as a means of .getting "the ear, of tho people that Ho might speak the Word' "as if they were 'able'.to- hear it." He;.certainly did .not : act-as" if His object were 1 to'.' remove"; all i.paihi'"'asbeing, the' work of the devil,; even while he acknowlodged his agency in some cases, such, as that- of ' the woman ? "whom. Satan had. bound, 10, these , eighteen - years." A. further point -which; seems. ,to me important, and which has a : very/close bearing on the .subject, I hayevrarelj' or never seen noticed. It.appears that; just as Ho would not relieve. -His own suffering'by turning stones iiito bread, so those who were nearest to Him ventured least of all to ask His intervention to relieve them- . selves. -Ho' indeed -healed Simon's wife's mother.. It was verycarly in His' ministry, before the'choosing, of the' Apostles, anil even tlien we'aro'not told.that Simon asked for it, but only, that, beirig'in. the house,- He was. told ■of ■ the' illness and freely bestowed .tlio. blessing.. : The holy sisters of Bethany;'-again, obviously felt tliat.i.He might not bevipleascd- with a . direct request; ;■ There : was' suggestion, no doubt," in tho message', -He- whom Thou loyest' is. sick," -and afterwards,,'"Lord, if Thou hadst .been here >'my - brother, had not died";, but they felt/that they must , leave ,' the'.initiative to ; Him, and they did not know whether 'Ho Tyould chooso to act or not. . This comes out all, the, more strikingly ,when we : remember that it was the less spiritually, minded "of the sisters who carried tlio. suggestion further and almost asked, in tho words, "I know tliat even Jiow whatsijeyer thou ■ wilt ask ' of God, God will give it .Thee." Nor is it without significance' that it never seems to occur to the Apostles,-who liad just seen Him of . His own-accord; miraculously supply the hunger; of. thousands, that they might; ask Him to relieve them of the consequences of their "forgetfulness when they had taken with them-only one loaf. It seems to -me very clear that" tlio nearer, men ;wcre. to; Him," and . the' more perfectly •they.'reflected His mind, ', tho less , they would ask for His sjSEcial intervention .to make their, own .lives - easier. Indeed, ■the whole relation ;of tho outward works of liiei'cy, to-the • spiritual. blessings obtained by converse with Him is summed up in;sueh a phrase as "If yo believe, not Me. believe tho works.". ...

Tho works of healing, then, served first as an attraction-to those-who were not spiritually-minded enough to desire Him otherwise; secondly, they- were evidences of His power and mission to tlioso who were riot spiritually-minded enough to recognise the greater power exhibited in moral. miracles, such as tho victory of grace over resisting'or indifferent, souls;: and thirdly, they served to show his human sympathy with our life in all its sorrows. In connection with this, last thought let us note that it. must have been a problem of His- earthly life howto let His emotions be soeu, being entirely.free from and from that exaggeration which conies very near to sin. He gave utterance, indeed, to outbursts expressive of indignation, especially ngiiinst sins of self-righteousness. Would that they were : more common, amongst ourselves in these., soft days! Aiid there are expressions of disappoint-ment—perhaps-more difficult to 'lit'..into our idea of the perfect life and the Di_vino knowledgor-hut bringing Jumui to

lis His likeness to ourselves; such' as "0 thou of little faith,. wherefore didst thou doubt?"- or,; still' more, "Ho\vy:is : it that yo doVnot 'Uiiderstandi 1 " rOr,' "0, : faithless -arid • perverse' generation/ how long shall I he with yon, how long shall I suffer you?" And surely it is of the. highest value that men should; see that His humanity is/not cold, either .in indignation against wrong or in stimulating sovcrity against fukewarmness, or m sympathy with out,weakness and our sufferings.' "• ■ ■ ' . •• The use which our Lord made of suffering, both in Himself and. in others, seems to forbid our classing- it with sin among the works of the. devil. I cannot, for example, regard; a 1 cancer which • gives. enforced leisure at the .close of life for a recollectedness less compatible with active service, and for the crowning work of _ patience, either, with the'/Christian Scientist, as non-existent in reality and deriving apparent existence only from the sufferer's, want of - faith, or as ari;. evil outgrowing, the ; good which grows from it,:- or as inflicted in' cruelty with evil intent, when in fact: the whole period of this earthly life is: our childhood 'leading on to the full age of the eternal life | beyond .the grave, and is spent under, the guiding, Hand, of,'a Father Who' in our. I education: is not. less firm than Ho is wise and'loving.. : V ; —"The Guardian."' "

A "FREE" CHURCH. SUBSTITUTE POIt CHRISTIANITY. Are. Christian; .faith:., and Christian ethics obsolete?,:. Mr. Henry, Sturt,: who has .written a book "The Idea of a Free .Church" (sentto, us ;fdr' review), declares thatt.they are',- and the purpose of his book is to- suggest a religion; and; a church more .atisfactqry/thajrthe: Chris-; ;.tian.' Nearly : 'the 1 whole* of Mr.' Start's' statement of the Christian, position would' be regarded 'by competent Christian, scholars as a travesty. But what is the new; religion whicK'he'puts forward as a subi stitute for the ola?/ Ho states that \ra' must have a'-.Powcr,; which stands' -"in some.telfectivfe to. our .life,'':and.. "to which ove givo tlio. name'. of. Go'd.", -This. Power is ito'be:thought;of. .asrperV] .sonal, because,' according' to:■ the-- : prbg-\ :matic method; tp'our adyanta j<j: that 'ho' should be .-personal; ; Human jmihor; tality is to be another doctrine of the new Free Cliuroh,' 'because' :it:;,lerids"''interest and' dignity to' our'present life,; 'and;a place is even foiind for prayer of a limited kind. ' Mr. Sturt;-however,: has radical objections to: the-type of 'character .which v Se• thinks Christian .ethics'(as ' defined by-, 'himself)''produces;;- and '; he -states that the nrily/'sensible course* is to clrar' this .obsolete ; religion away .and begin afresh." - Ho. proceeds to' do., this by giving. ;ii*liat.';"ho'.. considers/the,; real : truth' about - the::life and.:. character -■ of Jesus, and' thus.suiris -'up ,:'.' i . "The tlicolofcical 'ideas of'"Jesus were' wrong, arid such • distinctive moral doc-, trines as we- can", get from-'the authentic Gospels' are' totally unsiuted. to the-con-duct of modern' lives."By ■ the -simple, pmess.'of .'ignoring. onehalf of the facts, .he'makes the Founder of Christianity such ,a : simple,: ordinary, character—only saved from commonplaceness by his' lofty idealism,- his, attractiveness as a preacher, and his lovable per-sonality—that-no sane-man' would ever have dreaincd/of worshipping or of deify-, .'tog 'Him.;' Mr; Sturt confesses that he .writes"as an; "amateur in' history,"'.and he certainly writes with all the confidence ofan'amateur about matters lars who have' devoted' a lifetime to the subject .:treat ,with;'.tho. 'greatest.' hesitancy. Whatever .views - they. may. hold , about the. DeityVofc Christ,. English', and .German critics of the-,;inost : advanced, school —such as Gardner', - Burkitt,.. Har-, nack, '' Bousset, James Drummond, - Schmidt,' V.'. Sodenl. Holtzniaun, and B. readily : 'admit' with Kenan ithat; "J.esus.; will-,not bo. .surpassed,'' •.rind, that"among"• the.'-soni^l, wen ther&- ( is ; none - born, 'who - isi greater.;than ' Jesus. ..v : Mr. Sturt ' tells-:, us. that . his -. Idea: of. d Free Church" ;is the,.result "of,-,the. application of the progmatic method to religion. ' But Dr. F. Ci S. Schiller, who. is'one, of the. most, distinguished' English exponents, of. Progmatism declares''that:, ■ "God to' : : bo'.- really worthy of■■■ man s ' worship-'iiiust" be his' Saviour, his ideal refuge fft'ih°tlie , ''grijiding;;(pressure o|.;thp cosmic ' mechanism;;,' Now, this ' loftiest ideal- no religion has embodied* with any T thing liko thef-perfection. of: the: Chris-' tian. . .It is only; a/suffering world;: that heeds 'to 'bd'.stived^'. v And.';it .is .wily; a suffering God - ;.that can;, save - a■„ suffering , world,;..Eor-sympathy:; means', ing with others.;:, This is,, why/ tile eifijrion is : the: greatest and-;aivinest.;of all ■ symbols,' which' cannot; lose; its mean-, ing, as long/.as suffering endures.'''' , Of coursq all stich' ideas are, foolishness to Mr. Sturt, and , there would be no placo for .them.in his Free Church.: *How r ever, Mr. Sturt himself .puts his finger, on' one'/of tliojwe'ak' of. his proposal, inanswering fckfi • question- why, it have -long':.tim'o. numbers. people who ;are;-Free.\ Churchmen in'.. his. sense,- such.' ari'i institution; has riot ibeeri: established ' before (this.-.,-. ' He *. says..,-this .question;...-: "suggests ~ '.6pmo.,' . painful thoughts.". . :•",■> ~- i - .A,. "There.- is," : he, .writes,. ■ "the. ideadly lukewarmness'and; ineffectiveness .of. cul- 1 ' tured. people. . They will criticise ble, and secede from actual institutions,. but:they will not start anything of their own."

* Tile fact-is that a-religion cannot bo. invented in the cold-blooded artificial way Mr.' Start, suggests.- '"Cosmic loyalty'' is: not religion, 1 sane men- likely to: think it worth; while ■ to build., temples, for .the worship of;'a ; god.triio. is.only per--sonalbecause it is to, 'our advantage -. to, think ;of. him as. such, or. to pray to and worship:-,a World : Spirit to which the author, can. refer ,as "it.": Tliis is hot. the language: or v the- spirit: of,; religion, -Kind" Mr,-i Sturfs -Free' Church >is : not -likely: to- get muchumartyr's ..Wood, for its seed. • :

ELECTIONS AND > PRAYER,

t The following- call- to . prayer, to' Which', no . as "was applied .to certain : other 'ministerial re r ferences to tho.^struggle,'.,was', addressed "to the Free Churciimen of, England and Wales" -before,'the'"recent: election:— ..

. Bear, Friends,—The General election which is about to take place ts tho,most important»in'. - the life and. well-being of. the nation of any that has happened, or is likely to happen, in our ltime. ... The' most momentous issues: are involved.: The crisis is essentially religious, v . It- is our privilege,' as',it-is ourduty, to pour,out our-, hearts /before God. ■ v

Let us tlienl draw near to Him with : a true heart'and with' the full assurance of .. faith, ; seeking- day ' and 'night,: His; guidance and: . help - throughout ■ this critical time.- -;-Let ■' us . gather together and pray that-we and our.fellow-citizens may- not 1 forget',-that l 'our' rvoto;.and';iniluenco are a trust-from God, to'bo used for His glory; and that" we must, in :tliis* as in ; all other -matters, seek first His. Kingdom ahd. : His righteousness. Lett us pray that wo'ma'y faithfully' and .wisely, make choice of tit persons to'servo inthe - Great Council of the • nation, and that' all. things may be 'so" ordered '•'aidsettled that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and - pioty may be established amongst' us for: all' genera-' tions—We are, on behalf of.the National Council of Free. Churchmen, yoiirs'.'faithfully, Evan: ■ Jones, president;- David Brook, ex-president;; J.. Monro Gibson,' John Clifford,:' Charles H. Kellv, J G Greenhougli, W. . J. ;..Townsend,: James Travis, F. B.'.'Meyer, '.Robert P. Horton, J. Scott• Lidgett, and J.'. Kendel Harris, .past presidents;';J. H. tfowett, president-' elect; and Thomas I/aw, secretary. •

JOTTINGS.

Tho work of tho Scottish Churches Commission ;. .appointed... in" December, 1904, and on no fewer .than six. occasions granted an extension of time to, complete its labours, is reported closed. In all, there have ■ been 101 meetings : of ■ the general body, irrespective ol! ■ innumerable committed meetings,;.and tho commission has issued .1288 allocation orders. Of the total funds of over "31,000,000 there has been allocated to the .Free : Church: minority .£466,451. ,Tho minority claimed. .£53,000. for.' legal expenses, i.and' were awarded JM3,000. .• Confessedly tho commission has dealt with largo sums of' money, but:- when their own account comes to •bo faced it will to foujid to be far from inconsiderable. " About •Cl2O0 J a year is tho figure at which salaries, to" secretary,., dorks,.; and messengers!',work, out, and altogether it- is estimated that tho total cost of the services of tho Commission to the Churches will amount'.to somewhere aboat

Dr. G. S. Barrett, who has held thepastorate. 6E Princes Street .Congregational ; Chnrch,. 1 ;; Norwich',', for -lorty-five . years,.'has announced; lus 'decision:;to. re-; sign- tho position at 'the",end of tibie prosent year. He says he lias come to the' .conclusion that it will be for' the bestt interests of the Church and congregation! ■ for. a younger man to tako up tho 'Dr.' Barrett's predecessor in the pastorthe Be*. John Alexander, ministered, - to the;.'church for-fifty-years. Dr. Barrett has-been one of .tlie'.leading 'iigiiroa : in English Nonconformity, a president ofj the English Congregational- Union, and/ editor of the' Cbngregational' 'i: His ministry, says an exchange, has built 1 up'an' active, and prosperous , church; in Norwich, and .he -has been helpful anil!. *■■ y. strenuous in nil. good public movements:... —in hospital' arid. educational work, and. .in poor-law administration. Throughout- : the-eastern countics his; name; is: knowji.', and.honoured, and he well deserves thoi : title of "The Nonconformist. Bishop ofli', ■;.-' East .Ariglia," -as' heihas more than once', ' been described. Iv : ...:.- - The ecclesiastical-'prospectjin.'Scotlandfv .for, 1910 includes' one or : ;two Vfeatures ' special interest • (writes;. the . • correspondent of tho "Christian Worla").%-.,' SoVlfw .as 'the denominations':''ire;- 1 ; -■■■;■ ' there is tlie'large question _:of «< • .; union,. involving many; aild. comprehcnsiyft.'i; problems:which will bo-by.no.'means easysr, :i; 'of solution. While'it'cahriot bo expectcd;" • that in twelve months'all* difficulties will, '\ ; have disappeared, it' may' bb-;confidently|; - Anticipated.that, the end: of will;;-;. ~ see incontestable i made.. -They:, ; . United Free ! Church is giving , evidences•, of splendid consolidation work after .it^:;;;, prolonged period of fiery; trial, and those':* j may' be expected. to • increase;, consequentj;!:; -; upon the close of the, tedious laboure : q(< * ;the' Churches Commission.' LWith-'i thelv, .inauguration of ,a new.council in the West,.': 1 . ;; ;the-stronghold ..of Congreßatio'nalisml'.'andj? :a..po^sible;forw'ard'mpyement on.tho part; r •of-,-the Home 'MissionS ;Committeo,...that:;' body promises to give a good account .ot .'.,. ■ ,itseu-during-the year. And, finally, tho- - "year 1910 is to. see the'assembling m the }'f., capital city;of:.the ■ has probably ever bceu'lield in'tho ;-' : •of; the ChrisKan:'.Church.; ; This :is ' EWorld's Missionary Conference;'> , '1100,; delegates .jvill, represent all ; the'ProVf";,. :, testant. missionary societies, and' i ; in Christendom.: i V ; - • Wiiether' Hebrew should : or should riot;r , .be a',normal:part";of.;'.the curriculum: at .' 'theological- colleges is. being, : earnestly; : ; •-:, •debated , just now - in .- America. .. ... - ,may .'judge , from an .incident ' reported: 'from ' Chicago, the students,', themselves- .' Ji would welcbnie the- disappearance of; this J;:, subject' from' their:', course: . At. M'Corraick Seminary,' ;., ii; iPresbyteriaii O. institution, an ' attempt to- /.'exclude;,;. ' Hebrew'was recently;..', defeated :;;by a.;,K s majority'vote of the . faculty. ! To' show.;^'.-•.: 'their displeasure. at tliis- : rosnlt,''..thirty;!,?.;; hanged.the Hebrew ftp-J -; . , -'fess.or in efiigy ■in front of his housei .to ..V 'a. noisy accompaniment .of; barrel-^aVej'v;.-.; . .and ;brooni;handles on lanip-posts/. and l, ■:> ; ~doors.--'. The; demonstration was 'pndc'a'"by,-i. .: the. :burnihg'of : the; dutomy." ; .: )Here, are'some Americanhinta si-; : • choir training:— voices. .Ecep;-,.i ouidead a good^balanceHy. .-;* of tone.. Go to, the back, of the church ;: ■ ' and: listen, while . your . 'choir' sings 'unac-. -- ;, t compauied. ■' Work for blend as well' "as balance: Look: to' enunciation.- ; Have ;tea minutes';- drill' on articulation' at every.;*., ;■ rehearsal.- Keep;.np, discipline. Don't let your choir: walk over- you, but be gently. ■ firm■ not l - roughly. .' tyrannous.'';; ; ,Avbid a fussy manner; be calm. Keep tho' , 'members interested in ?ach: other. ,' Practisa soft singing. and* watch fbr purity of :tone. Avoid;' wheezy, . woolly: tone. Give , ;• special;'attention , to '.difficult passages.: Get- yoiir. members; to .think as' theyisirig;'* J r ; Discourage;'.all' exaggerated' ;:; ■Avoid roughness of torie in' loud -passages. ,; . Praise vour choir when tho do. veil,., .thank ; then! for - their' gbod 'attendarices;.-:.: but don't give them.the idea that lhey ;,u»,; [perfect.,';'

1 -|Tho'Rev.-J;;H;;Joiv6ti"-W Birmihgham,"jr' i \yben tliQ lastm a 1 l : 'l e f fc", E ngl an d;v, w afl ■'considering an' invitation to- the pastorate.-5. of :Mfth i Avenue' Presbyterian . Churchy. : ,U«r. York. 'The "call" was brought by a deputation, sent from"'America for: thisspecial/purpose.:; Mr. Jowett' . promised)' to consider the invitaHon and toaCOMijl^!., his deacons ancl friends.' ./Until he - ar- ~,- ; rives at his decision '■ ,'World") there merely in . Cave's ,'Lanc ! Cluireh, , but'' . throughout the Free . -Churches of V.Eng-;.l J • - laiiil. ,JV would, .bo, idliwto suggest,',that j. "tliQ' inYitation:.has' no attractivo-flspects; . 'ITiftlb Avetiue 'Church, binltfor^Dr...Jobs iV. .Halli..;'is : the .leading Presbyterian church):;;■ in New Torlc, and perhaps; .in.* 'America;!' and the . stipend of its minister would'baj:. ; -anything betwccii <£3000/ and' -£iOOO.- Mr* j' Jowett. preached i there ,in the..; summer,., . 'andi.had . .crowded^: congregations. ; Mt.aj':.; Jowett -has; a' unique hold - 011 .English:,: Nonconformity, both -byhis preaching jy and; his writing, J aiid .as .'presidentelect ■ of • ■ the. National" Free Churca Coimcil at . ; -tilis :■ niomejit a ipeciqlopportunity J™ ,exercising his /power.,: Ills •remow^W**,;:- s •America would bcj. a blftiy-'which .all'J the ,\;i . :'Free ,Churches ; . "l' v ; J .! A'conferences 'oft Metropolitan and pro- ~.:: > viiicial' Jewish' ministers.-, was held i cently at- the' Jews':'. College, Guildford. ~'! : Street; London, under,, the . presidency.- of j?,i', ; the Kev.„G.('J'.'i i Emamiel;i of : 'hain. ' In an' introductory, address, .\the:,v,. ~s Chief Rabbi (Dr. Adler)oreferred. to. the ; 'religious education of:.tlic. children. la:,spite of their eiforts, ho said, many thou-,. sand children' were " growing-' up witli .few,. •if -any','- opportunities'.for. ; learning:;the 4.;' . principles' and i duties' of' theirfaith. There : was a "deplorable 'practice, / which ' h©; -- ; f hoped they wjuld' ..condemn; whereby sent . their :'children ■. to , publio schools ; and:,Christian 'boarding vscnools. without: making. 1 ho' slightest, provision• for them'to keep the ordinances .of, their , r faith, and even coßnived -at their receiir- ' • ing Christian instruction: and joining, ia : i Christian worship,:. '.J The'official returns :ofv.tho:vari6^uC l oS.jij.. gregational Uiiion's" and Associations Great' Britain .and show,stint , there are .'1932 churches,obrancfc churches, and mission- stations, .■.uth sitting- accom-,;-.- ' .modation: tor, 1,806,072 . church; members/ . 709,910.scholars,.'.and- 69,828'.teacIiers:;,:Therc: are . 8195 fully ;accredited: ministers,' 308 evan-i ;<.v'.', gelists and lay '.pastors;-and : 5422-., i lay>', ■preachers. Tho, returns for - the ' colonies' sh'ow .that in Canada/ including Manitoba, - British . Colum'ji i, Maritime Provinces,- : and Newfoundland, there are 183 churches' and preaching stations; in Australia, 329; ■>~ : in' New Zealand, 10; in, Tasmania,,49; ! in.. - South- Africa,. 386; in 'Jamaica,.:4C; v.inVi r ' 'British Gmana, ,54; .and.'in -ludia,ls.''-"

, . This year, v 'as;last year,thostatistics' concerning ■ the Baptist denomination,.:-.', published in the official' handbook','show.'aji' further decrease.-in sent return gives a;total-'bf 422,455; ;; riearlyS-: 2000 'behind last, year's "roll.Otlie't;'; fartnlents"-showa small. ' increase.', ;all"J:-' round. This .' year's "totals repoVt-'-'4I4S v chapels, one and a'.half,million sittings,'. 59,195 Sunday teachers, . 2120 ministers, 1 and .5652 local preachers. . .