RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE. THE NEW PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. The new ■ president (the Rev. J; Hannabrook), in liis. address- before thq Wcsloyan- Conference. at Bradford, said that they must forget tho cleavage that .divided; them .in', the political ivorkl, and not be too sensitive to refereucos that. might bo made. They would preserve* their liberty when discussing great social questions, which must, not'.,be used for party political' uurposius. Tho special■• matters for. their consideration were the conditions of church membership, the extension- of the term of the itinerancy, the educational equipment "of men for tW ministry, whether women , should be eligfor election to the represontativu sessions of. the conference, and the reorganisation of the Sunday , Schools. He-gave the. first place to' tha-question of Church membership, which, in. his opinion, had. been ; .discussed-long enough, and must be settled. They .should be glad to meet the preferences of, .the , "devout .persons," but their ' membership must be consolidated without weakening the class .meeting. At present there existed the. bligbt'of unreality and 'their.-'membership ,, must be consolidated with divergent ' views in the coiif.eriice, but they, should-have unity of purpose. ' -Whatever their 'decision it.must be binding on all. .He stated that they .were ; only'-, on -the fringe of the question, and should endeavour to make Church membership a great; reality, each pprson bearing his proper responsibility. From extensive knowledge and careful observation ho could i affirm ;that worldliness was .not the note of Church life. 'He had found beautiful types,, of,. Christianity, They, niust not bemoan the present in.favour of the good old'times, because' there, had .not been any good old 'times. The Church of the present day '■ must not thus ■ be lowered. ■, ;,Tho '. president, in closing, referred to-the World Missionary Conference which has just closed, and to tho,fact Uiat',tlib'Centenary 'hi 'the. ; Wesleyau Missionary: Society 'will soon be celebrated.'.'. .''■> . ; . . ■ A ! pleasing' interlude in 'tlie business . of. the , , conference- was. occasioned by the.'visit of tho-Bishop .of. llipon/ who was accompanied by the vicar.-of Brad-', ford and several' other influential members of the Church' of England," both; ministerial mu\ lay: In. welcoming the deputation the president assured them that, there ; was no .. assembly-iii ■ the ■world. where truer, catholicity of spirit: ■was.-to be found than: in', the Wesleyan Conference. Dr. Bpyd Carpentt-<."in t>. brief' but , striking . -delivered without .any notes, /appealed 'to churches to: lay seriously to; heart the absolute' importance of federated action wherever such action. was. 'i possible. 1 'When I think;" he said,/'.'of :the enormous which might,';'under, the influence of what; we. commonly call Western civilisation, be gathered ■ under the aegis ofan anti-theistic or nonUieistio civilisation; : then : do I- -grow apprehensive lest,',: when the ,:hour! of struggle comes,: there 'should: be siich hesitancy, ■ such division,- : siiiili ■ .doubti Mich mutual eiisjiieiuu: on the\partner the Churches of Christianity that tiiey will ,be .unable to cinifoderate,-, liniiuii, to take concerted :.actiniij.-unalili:.;;' as ; brethren, in Christ 'to work, together for tho ; :common;:good .of mankind 1 as; that they ; should lose ■ that day of: splendid arid '/'.tremendous' ; opportunity." ■:, These broatl-minded.sympathies of.tho bishoj), to.vrhqrti pr..Hdpe.Moulton in his reply Rjiliy ,:'alluded as ' tho '.■"Chrysostom.'.'uf liis time,' the 'fiolderi-raouthed;' speaker ,for the' Kingdom, of God," produced a profound impression ;up6n the 'conference., ■■". : ',-;:' •.','• •'■•/':■'■'.■■'■ i'i ■■' '"■:'- ■ .-.

; ;LONDON BROTHERHOODS. V i':\ • Loudoii Ffidoration of; Brotherhoods 'held, its quarterly 'meeting ..'on July' IG. At the executive, ,it . was • announced tjiat the open-air; dciiionstratioiiß of the previous Sunday were a.''niagnificeht success, over' 50,000 having, been present. The was devoted to; addresses oil the Continental -Mission :. of .'tho: Brotherhood movement;.; The' chairman, Mr.- H; Jeffs',: said it was : less ;than '.two;'years'" siiico they had . the . .first .nieeting of their Continental .campaign a't Paris, but the result of that;meeting was to" awaken the keenest interest in the - movement among, the.French .Evangelical Churchesj. who. were keenly discussing : how they ,'- : might .creat-o French ■ Brotherhoods; ':': :.Mr.. ; Keir Hardie said .■'. that., he himself: to his ■ Socialism -.'.'• through his -Christi-' anity, and he; went .with them to tell the Continental "Socialists.' that. ■ they. . ueecled_ the. .moral,, inspiration ,'wliicli Christianity, alone could give them/ : ,. Agreat impression was made by Mr. William Ward, National 'President, who read testimonies .to the [.effect ■■of.■■".the Lille' meeting/ -frnm;■■; Frencli; Labdiir. pastors, secular, and papers,, and-.■■'.notably .; from . Professor Paul Passy, of the-University; of Paris; Bishop -Gore had wntten to Mr.: Keir Hardie.. expressing his -delight: at his Lille 'speech.'; Mr.' ~\Vau\ ',tqld ; -'ho'wy'yat a Besancoii" Convention of; progressive Christians of' six European v countries', ho had , ". described ;the : , Brotherhood movement, .and received- requests! from Switzerland, ■ Italy, and- 'Germany, .for. campaigns to be conducted.; .Atyevey, during ; his' holiday, .they .insisted' on having a meeting, 'with .tho, mayor in the chair.. The Labour -and 'Socialist leaders -and the pastors.were, present, and the. .-Town Hall' was crowded.;.: ;: '

A PRIMITIVE METHODIST ;/ NONAGENAKIAN.. ; ■; ■ . Mr. - G.'/T. Phelps, 0f,.-'• Hungerfonl/ was a striking, figure "at a largo Primitive.' Methodist; gathering v at philtbri Park, Berkshire, recently;.' He-remem-bers the introduction; of;the''■■■denomination into the county, and was present at the■'first camp meeting held on thu Berkshire Downs' in 1832. Until well into the eighties: he took regular work as'-a'local, preacher, and. in the. days of his .strength his fiery eloquence, was ■known over•:a ■-wide ; area in. Berks. aud ! 'contiguous '.' counties. "Ho . has ." been steward of the local. society longer' than anyone can 'remember,;; and when able uo. attend amuses visitors .by; reading the notices without spectacles. ln\ appearance, Mr. Phelps combines the' old Knglish' gentlemaji with the Primitive pioneer. ; for. he : retains the. singlebreasted coat and velvet waistcoat usually worn by , the early preacher:). ...A little conversation showed -that-' the veteran is conservative as. regards methods' or evangelism, but astonish-, ingly ■ liberal in theology. Of his seven children, six are ministers or.ministers' wivOS. ' .. ,''■ •'■'■■■< ■. ■; .' ''■'

DISTINGUISHED JESUIT'S DEATH. The death of Fathor Vinconzo Homer, S.J., after a few days' illness, occurred recently at tho Gregorian University, where for tho past twenty-five years the groat savant filled' tho Chair of Philosophy. During the forty-nine yours that Father lletner passed in the Company of Jesus he was untiriiig in his labours, whither as professor in tho university, preacher, confessor to numerous convents, or writer. He may ■be said to have died in harness, for only a few days' illness preceded his demise. On hearing that the end of the illustrious Jesuit was , near, the Holy Father despatched one of his privatp secretaries to impart, the Apostolic Hlessing, which the dying priest ;jecfived with touching gratitude; He) .expired shortly afterwards, hoing in lull possession of his mental faculties up to the last. Father Hosier was the :-. ulhor of a "Su:n!i):i" of Philosophy ivhich has had a world-wide reputation tor lnaiy years.—"Catholic Times."