WORTH OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 852, 25 June 1910, Page 9

WORTH OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.

IMPRESSIONS OP PUBLIC MEN. Tho Archbishop of Canterbury, in speaking as chairman at the annual meeting of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, at tho Church House, Westminster, said that several times in the last few years he and o.thers had mado reference to the extraordinary and indisputable change which was coming over tho minds of intelligent people with regard to the aspect which the work of foreign missions took in the nation's life. No longer would any educated man be found who would, without almost being laughed out of court, speak of it as the fad of few enthusiasts —which was t'lio way it was spoken of a few years ago. Our statesmen had awakened, liono too soon, to the fact of the big place mission work inevitably took in the expanding life of an Empire such as ours. Public men had taken in new thoughts about it. Ho waited to hear in public, what many of theni knew in a semi-public way, of the effect produced by practical observation on one of the foremost men of tho day, the ex-President of the United States. (Applause.) Mr. Roosevelt had made no secret of the effect made upon his mind bv his contact with tho missionaries in Africa. They knew, too, what was said by tho present Home Secn*tary on the subject, and they had heard and read what had been said lately by Lord Milner with regard to his experience in different places of tho intense value of the work intelligently and faithfully done by missionaries—its value not from a religious standpoint alone, but from a standpoint of tho thinker and great men of politics at large. JOTTINGS* "I believe in the augel ministry" (said Dr. Jowett in a recent sermon). "I believe that angels minister to us in our daily life. There is nothing incredible about it, nothing far-fetched,, nothing unreasonable—tho mist is no thicker here than it is elsewhere, and tho mere falterings of our apprehensions 1 0 lo'I o ' "the experience of the heart. There is nothing in the conception of the angel ministry derogatory to the august dignity of God; nothing demeaning to those holy spirits who dwell in ampler air and movo in larger freedom. I can concoive of no ministry more gracious, more heavenly, and more divine than that , they shall be helpers lin P 1 S nms 111 tlie highway of time. Nat our forefathers called , 'special providences' arc tho angels' ministry. .There is however," ho continued, "an economy in the angel ministry—there is reticence, there is reserve. If we had too much angel we should liavo too little man.

In connection with the celebration ot tho silver jubilee of Rabbi Cohen of it is interesting to note that the Rabbi preached from tho same text on the jubilee Sabbath as lie did on the occasion of tho first sermon, preached by him to a regular congregation 25 years ago. Notwithstanding the in•Sllc!1 a !°ng space of time, tho Rabbi said that he found himself so thoroughly in accord with the views he put forth then that he determined to cross the threshold of a new quarter of a century with the same text.

Tho Rev. J. I). Jones, whq undertook to shepherd the movement to. raiso £250,000 for the purpose of the stipend of Congregational ministers in Groat Britain, has succeeded so far in raising about £150,000. The "Christian World" of March 31 says: "He is ver.y hopeful about the central and says he dejights to plead for it. He admits that some of his, audiences liavo been stolid, but most of them havo been .magnificently responsive. Ho is rather inclined to give the palm to Lancashire audiences, and is evidently much impressed by the meetings which he conducted with i\lr. Jowott at Bolton—when five laymen gavo £1000 each. He is enthusiastic over Mr. Jowett's advocacy of the schcme. ( I really believe,' ho says, 'if wo could only tramp England from end to end he and I together—l as business expounder and he as advocate-r-the quarter of a million would soon come' into sight.' "

Tile Church of Scotland lias at last decided upon a formula to express the mind of its ministers, as they sign the Confession of Faith. Whether, it will bo much more satisfactory than its ancient forerunner may bo questioned, and faith in it will not bo strengthened by the knowledge that while a majority of 45 presbyteries have voted in its favour, as large a minority as 38 have voted against it. The new formula rim: —"I hereby subscribe tho Confession of Faith, declaring, that I accept it as tlie confession of this Church, and that I. believe the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith contained therein."

The Rev. Father O'Brien, of the Redemptorist Order, is about to leave the monastery at Ballarat- for Ireland. He lias been connected with the Australian mission for about 16 years, and has assisted in the carrying on of missions throughout Australia and Neiv Zealand.

A letter was read at the last meeting of the Sydney Y.M.C.A. from the World's Allianc.e of Y.M.C.A.'s, Geneva, making reference to the unanimous appointment of Mr. J. J. Virgo -is a member of the world's committee for Australia and New Zealand.

From the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel conies the news that at- last the long dispute between the followers of- tho lato Bishop Colenso and the members of the Church of South Africa ill Natal is at an end. It has been a veritable ecclesiastical suit of "Jarndyco versus Jarndyce," for it has lasted .40 years, dating from tho time that- all property held in trust after the bishop's death was placed by the Supreme Court of Natal in the custody of curators chosen from among his adherents. Of the long dispute between these and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who refused to consecrate a bishop to a diocese regarded as outside the Church of England, there is no noeil to speak in detail. Dr. Benson's gentle patience and tact in 1593 brought about- a bott-er understanding, and Dr. Hamilton Baylies wa's chosen as bishop. The curators, however, raised objections to paying the bishop's stipend; and then followed more long legal proceedings; a Bill in tho Natal Parliament, and much bitter feeling. Difficulties and hindrances still continued, and it is only now that these have beeu removed by an Act that has just passed in the House of Natal. .

An interesting development of the trade-union movement lias been foreshadowed by tho Diocesan Executive Council of Salford, which has addressed all branches of the Catholic Federation and other bodies with a view to establishing a national . conference of tho trade unionists of the Roman Church. There is already an annual meeting of such workers, but it is felt that something yet wider is needed, and in tho words of a resolution to bo brought forward by the Salford Federation, it is desirable "for the purpose of safeguarding the Catholic interests of the Catholic members of the trade union and Labour movements." A second resolution, from the same federation, is even moro noteworthy, as that runs, "That -this conference of Catholic trade unionists protests against the introduction nf the question of secular education into the trade-union congress ami the Labour party conference." . It is proposed that the lirst national confeience, shall bo held at Leeds in conjm.ction with tho Catholic Conference fixed to take place there from July 29 to August 3 t