RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 906, 27 August 1910, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

■ $ "CHALLENCE TO THE CHURCH." A KKMAKKABLE ADDRESS. The Rev. G. J. Williams addressed the annual meeting of the New South Wales Auxiliary of the Lonfdon Missiouary Society recently, on the " World's Challenge 'to the Uhurch." China, ho said, was a nation of souls famishing for God. It had throe professions of faith—Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism. Taoism was the most degrading thing China had ever known. Its priests were the jugglers and mountebanks of China. And it was ■impossible for jugglers and mountebanks to feed the soul's famine for God. -What was true of Taoism was equally true of Buddhism.* It had been described as religious Atheism. It repudiated a possible God. The Chinese Buddhism was the most degrading form it had ever assumed. As to Coiitueianisin, the most significanfthing about it was that Confucius had instructed his followers to keep at a distance from the gods. He had starved the soul of China from any knowledge of God. The only popular worship in China was seen in the travelling stage plays in tho streets. But Confucius had taught the people in China the value of morality. Everywhere in Jiis books,he had adumbrated the ideal man. The cry of perishing souls was irresistible when understood. And nowhere were people more prepared to appreciate the ideal man when they saw him than in China, it was for Christian people to' determine whether Confucius should be the rival of Christ. They ./anted to show the Chinese people that Christ was the ideal of Confucius himself. (Applause.) Turning to'lndia, Mr. Williams said.that its. religious history was unique. , : Religion there was really a passion. But to be religious in -India-was not to be moral. 'Religion and morality were divorced. The Hindu had never found it difficult to believe in God. But the great tragedy of it was that in spite of his intense belief he (the Hindu) had never found God c-r known Him. Mr. Williams also spoke of the challenge to the Church in Africa and Japan, and tho need for its activity m Polynesia after, -the opening of tho Panama Canal.

"A MAKER OF METHODISM."

PRESENTATION TO REV. JOHN SHAW BANKS. ; . At a notable gathering in, Leeds in July, a presentation of a cheque for £1100 was made to tbo Kev. John Shaw Hanks, of Systematic ;'J3ioology at Headingly Wesloyaii College, who is retiring after a ministry of fifty-four years. • During the last thirty years Dr; Banks has played the leading part in moulding the character of the Wcsleyan students passing through this important college, while at the siime time he has. been at the helm in guiding the policy of Wesleyanism in the North of. England. 'Dr. Banks has had a notable career. Prior to his tutorship, he was for nine years a missionary in Southern India, arid for. fifteen years he served in 'various circuits from Glasgow to Plymouth. He iilled the presidential chair at the Wesloyan Conference-of 1902. As chairman' 'of the Leeds District for twenty-two years he endeared himself to all'his associates, who are proud of liis north'and work.- His contributions, to scholarship have been recognised in .the degree: of Doctor of Divinity, which ho received from' Edinburgh University. ■Dr. Banks rendered sterling service to the.Free'Churches of the city, and was the recognised leader of Leeds Nonconformity, commanding the love and esteem of all the citizens. The past and present students, presented Dr. Banks with his portrait, a duplicate of which' will ndorn the walls of the college.— "British Weekly." i . .

AMERICAN BAPTISTS. PHENOMENAL PEOGEESS. - . Some striking statistics are given in the American Baptist Year-Book for 3910. The enrolled membership of the Baptist Churches in the States" is 5,2G8,369, an increase of, 151,192 blithe returns for 1909. Tho number of churches is 49,045, against 43,302' last year; ' While there .. are 33,909 ministers, against -34,132 in the previous year. ' The - total contributions for all purposes we'ro £4,824,582; •' . Last year the. now churches averaged more than two a day. • In . the whole' of tho United States,. Baptists stand second in point of numbers among the Protestant churches, beinp; only surpassed, and that onlj , narrowly by the Methodists. In Texas about one-half of the entire population are. Baptists;' in Georgia tho ■ proportion is still,. larger. Generally,, the: Baptists arc largely in tho ascendancy in' the Southern States. The Baptists of tho States support,ten theological seminaries with 1280 students, 124 (professors, and a total income of . about £50,000. In addition, thero are 86 Baptist universities and colleges,, with 2267 tutors, 32,495 students, endowments estimated at £6,000,000, and an annual income cf nearly £1,000,000, and 79 seminaries with 799 tutors, 13,751 students, and endowments amounting-to £400,000, and an annual income of £100,000. -. CHRISTIAN UNITY SOCIETY. A meeting of the Auckland Christian .Unity Society was held , last week. The Bev. Georg'o Bond, Methodist 'minister, occupied the chair. The Bev. W. Gray Dixon (Presbyterian) ■ wrote resigning his position as president, in consequence of his removal to Dunedin, and the Hov. George Bond was elected, no other nomination being received. This election evidently gave great satisfaction to all present. Bishop Ncligair wrote resigning his ■ position as'vice-president, in consequence of his ;speedy- return to England. On tho motion of tho Eev. A. Miller, seconded ', by the Eev. W. B. Woolley, a. -motion of sympathy with Bishop Neligan. in his illness, and thanks for his, interest in the work of the society, was agreed to. Canon MacMurray and the Eev! W. Trotter wore elected vice-presidents; ' The question of arranging for lecture's to be delivered early next year on "Christian Evidences" was relegated to a committee consisting of the president, vice-presi-dents, and the secretary. The Eev. J. M. Simpson read . a very thoughtful paper on "The Personal Work'of-the Holy Spirit." It was reported that the Anglican mission would begin on Saturday, September 3, in 19, different churches in the diocese of Auckland. Some time was spent by the meeting in silent prayer for au outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the mission, and then different members of the society prayed aloud for God's blessing, guidance, and help on everyone connected with the mission, and for the uplifting of the whole community by tho mission, after which the Doxology was snug.

RETREATS FOR WORKING MEN. A gathering of some 2000 members of C.E.M.S. assembled in York Minster on Saturday, July 0, for a festival service. The Bishop of Sheffield afterwards remarked that in his twenty years' experience .as a Canon of York lie had never seen such a number of men present at a service within those ancient walls. The Archbishop of York, who preached, laid stress on the non-party character of the organisation, and emphasised the fact that it owed nothing to benefactors of tho Church, an<l little to the influence of the great dignitaries, for it never attracted their notice until it had shown its capacity for bringing to tlio service of the Church groat" masses of laymen who li-fl pot liithom. boon .'railed to. render service. He added that he lookSujiwpia uvtf} j»i[|tu Suiuedsop joj .no

in their future progress, and proceeded to advocate a system of retreats for working-men by which they would bo spiritually refreshed and stimulated, lieferriiig to.the purity movement, ho said they had scarcely begun to bring to bear upon the average" manhood of the, country a strong, clear, determined sense of the elementary duty of every man who professed and called himself a. Christian, to stand for the purity of his sex.

OFFICIAL NOTE ON THE SPANISH QUESTION.

The "Osscrvatore l]oniano" of July 9 publishes the following note on the ■Spanish crisis:—"Since the question of the legal position of the religious Orders and Congregations in Spain has been, opened several journals have spread inexact news as to tile disposition of the Holy See, accusing it of irreconcilable obstinacy, as if it opposed a systematic refusal to every reasonable argument. On the contrary, we arc authorised to declare that the Holy See has shown itself favourably disposed towards important concessions not only to theactual Spanish Cabinet, but also to preceding Cabinets. Among others we may note: the limitation of religious houses, by suppressing, with certain exceptions, all those in which less than twelve members reside; the obligation to obtain the authorisation of the Government to open new houses; the subjection of religious Congregations to the taxes of the kingdom, which are borne by other juridical persons or Spanish subjects; the necessity for strangers who intend to found Orders or Congregations composed of juridical persons recognised by the State, to be previously naturalised in the kingdom according to the civil law. All this, while it shows clearly the benevolent disposition of the Holy See towards the Spanish nation, proves how incorrect and unjiist.it would be on the part of the Government to take onesided measures relative to the matter of Orders and Congregations—which, is an affair, of its very nature, religions, and is at present the object of. discussion between the two-Powers—as if the attitude of the Holy See rendered impossible every just settlement." ■ :

ANGLIGAN BISHOP AS STREET PREACHER.

One of the series of open-air services which is being held in the' rural deanery of Stepney took place in the parish of Spitalfields on a recent Tuesday evening. Led-by a baud and attended by the Bishop.of Stepney and.a number of the clergy of the deanery,-a..procession. of men, some in cassocks and surplices, others in their ordinary clothes, passed down Dorset Street—in its day perhapsthe most notorious street in' London. It is still largely the resort of the homeless, consisting for the most jiart of common lodging-houses and furnished rooms let by the night. Half-way down the street the procession halted, and a short service was held. The hymn, sung in. unison'by a large body, of men. and unaccompanied, was most impressive. The rector (the Eev. C H. Chard) read the prayers. The preacher was the Bishop of Stepney, the first bishop to appear in episcopal robes and to be received With all due .honour in Dorset Street. To an audience which listened in absolute silence and with reverent attention, the bishop spoke on the Love of God. Another short address, this time by a layman, and the procession passed on through Crispin Street to Lamb .Street. There, the.bishop spoke again to a large gath'eriiig of all sorts and : conditions vi men and women, and at 9.45 tho procession, with those whom it had gathered together, returned to the church for a- short concluding service. On the Sunday evening the procession was repeated, and services held in the same streets with equally encouraging results. The preacher. on this occasion was the Rural' Dean, of" Stepney (theKov. G. C. Wilton).

■ PRESBYTERIAN UNION. The first mooting' of- the Joint Conimitt<?e on Union between the Established and "United Free. Chinches was held in the Now College, Edinburgh; It was decided to proceed with the. main issues under' consideration , .' without; delay. Meetings will be held during this second year of the existence moro frequently, than during the,'first, the hope and intention being to be able to present a final and'complete-report, to the next General Assembly, fo' obviate the possibility of such strictures.as wercvSasscd upoii its previous operations, . it was resolved, that'the work should be done by the comraittee as a whole, without relegation to sub-com-mittees. One sub-committee was, howover, there and then appointed to pre.pare matters for discussion at the next meeting, to be hold on September 15.

NORWECIAN CHURCH HISTORY. Rev. Johiv Beveridge', 8.D., of Bell Street U.F. Churcli, Dundee, has an in-, teresting and honourable record as a student of Norwegian Literature and Church History. ' /He has made many visits to Norway, and every year has added to the number of his friends there. Many of these been and arc in the front rank of public life, and include the present Lord , Chancellor, Bjornson,' the late eminent' litterateur, Grieg, the composer, and others. Some tfme ago' one of the professors in the University of Christiania, while on a visit to this country, called on Mr. Beveridge to consult him on some questions of Presbyterian Church government. Later.Mr. Beveridge .received tho honour of. an invitation to deliver 1 a com'se of lectures on the subject at the university in'question, and also to address a- conference of ministers from all parts of the country. Mr. Beveridge is engaged upon a history of tho Norwegian Churcli, for which purpose access to the best.libraries in Norway has been freely granted to him.'- Mn Beveridge is an enthusiastic, Esperaiitist, and is president of the' society in Dundee.

JOTTINCS. Dr. J. H. Jpwett attended the graduation ceremony at Edinburgh University recently, ivhen the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him. Sir R. S. S. Baden-Powell, on the same occasion, was niade a LL.D. of the university. ' At the luncheon given by. the University Union, Dr.' Jowett's speech was sandwiched between those of Chief Scout Sir B. S. S. Baden-Powell and Lord Hugh Cecil. ' Mr. W., H. Lever has now supplemented his first contribution of £50(30 to the English ■ Congregational Central Fund by another gift of £5000. Her Majesty the Queen recently sent a large case of goods, containing some very valuable- articles for sale at the London Congregational Union Bazaar. When Princess of' Wales, Queen Mary visited the Clareinoiit Mission of the Union, and her contribution to the bazaar is tangible proof of the genuine interest inspired by that visit. At a meeting held in the Mansion House, London, in support of a Christian university for China, there were on the same platform Anglicans, Roman Catfholics, and Nonconformists, all interested in the' establishment of u secular Western university at Hankow, whoso instructors shall bo members of the various Christian communions and heads of dilforo-nt denominational hostels. . . The centenary of tho first Congregational Church in Australia will be celebrated next month in Syd«ioy Town Hall. A grand procession and a missionary pageant is included, in the proposed function. , Mbnsoigncur von Caloon lias accepted the invitation, .of the Ccveniniont of Belgium to ' establish a Uenodieliio Abbey 01: the heights <;f Katango, uv.r Lako Victoria Nyaaza. I