THE COMMUNITY OF THE RESURRECTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1001, 16 December 1910, Page 4

THE COMMUNITY OF THE RESURRECTION.

In view of, the announcement in 'THfi Dominion a few days ago that a gentleman had promised to pay the expenses of a visit of'two members of the Community of the Resurrection (Anglican), of Jlirficld, "Yorkshire,- to New Zealand in about two years' time, the following particulars regarding the history and work of the Community will be of interest:— The Community of .the Resurrection was founded in 1892 by Dr. Gore, nuw Bishop of Birmingham, and in 1898 the "House of the Resurrection," JfirSoid, Yorkshire, became the headquarters of the society. The - Community is intended to "consist of priests occupied in various workspastoral, evangelistic, literary, ami educational." (a) The taking of Relieats may bo reckoned as -pastoral work. The pastoral opportunity was greatly, enlarged by tile formation in 1003 of a Fraternity in connection with the' Community, which includes, besides the Community, Companions, men and women, who are pledged to a rule of'devotion and -work; and Associates, who are co-operators in the work of the .Community.'■ (b) The taking of missions has 'always' held 'a prominent place in the work. Direct evangelistic work among the^heathen was first, lie. gun when a branch house was opened in Johannesburg "oh March' S5. 1003. (c) Study, with the writing of books and other literary work, has'also ha:l a full share in the life" of the Community. As a special feature, may- be mentioned the attempt to provide cheap theological literature-for the people in the form of penny manuals, (d) Interest in educational work was shown ill very early years by. the founding of two " guilds— d'-St. and the Good Shepherd— for school teachers; and also by the starting of a fuiid to help candidates for Holy Orders in 1507. The latter was destined to expand into one of the .most important and difiictui 'works of the Community when the 'College of the Resurrection" was founded in 1002. The Rev. £-. C. Fitzgerald and one ol two other 'members of the bar.de? Anglican missionaries who have just concluded their work in New Zealand, belonged to the Community. The present Superior of the society is the Rev. W. 11. Frere, a leading authority on the history of tho Prayer Book, and Dr. Figgis, a distinguished historian, and the Rev. Paul Bull, a great mission preacher and Christian Socialist, aro members.