RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE NEW DEAN OF WESTMINSTER. EXPLANATION BY DR. RYLE. As already announced in Q'nE Dominion, tlio King has been pleased to approve the appointment of tlio Bishop of Winchester, Dr. H. E. Ryle, to bo Dean of Westminster in the placo of tlio Very Rev. J. 'Armitago Robinson, D.D. Dr. Rylo has written to his clergy explaining tho reasons for this step: ' I should liko to mako it quite clear tbat this decision is not' duo to any untoward relapse-in my physical condition. It has been necessary, however, to take into' consideration tho following facts:—That I havo been just ten years a diocesan bishop; that I had a severe illness in tho beginning of 1901; that in the administration of this great diocese I havo been probably working with a very small margin of strength, and that from timo to timo I have been reminded of tho strain to which, my continuous travelling subjects my constitution; that tho recent temporary trouble in my foot must bo regarded as partly, a. symptom, of these physical limitations; that tins being tho case, it was only to bo expected that a continuanco. of tho strain might sooner or later in' tho next tmr years lead to some serious breakdown, an eventuality which would result either in burdening tho diocese with a semi-invalid' diocesan bishojj or in cripping his successor with the payment of a pension. It will not.bo easy for ins. -Rylo and myself, to Icavo this uiocese. It will not bo easy for us to say good-byo to our lovelv homo at ,I'arnham. Yet wo aro convinced that what we arc doing is right for the Church:of England's sake, and wo do not doubt that God will grant His blessing on a choico which,' however hard to make, -wo .aro endeavouring bravely to mako for His highest service." The see of Winchester takes precedence of all others in the southern province,, save only those of Canterbury and London. Attached to tho Bishopric of Winchester aro several ancient privileges and duties. By right of his office tho Bishop is: Prelate of-tlio Most Noblo Order of tho Garter; Provincial Chancellor of Canterbury, Visitor of tho two St. -Mary Wiiiton.'Colleges founded by his : predecessor; of Wykeham— Winchester,-and .New College, Oxford; Visitor :of .-Magdalen;'* Corpus, Trinity, and St. John's Colleges, Oxford. Ho is patron of 140, livings, and has charge of inoro than a thousand, clergy. Dr. Armitago Robinson's appointment to Westminster on tho cvo of Coronation year is especially interesting, for there will bo few more important personages in tho coming ceremony than the Dean. Ho has chargo of the regalia before and after the ceremony, andi places tho several articles on the altar. He attends tho King, acts as server at tho Communion service, holds the ampulla and spoon with which tho Archbishop annoints tho Sovereign, and assists in the robing' and tho actual Coronation.' •' • '..>'■

Tho now Dean had a distinguished career :at Cambridge, where ho went from Eton, and was a Fellow of his College, King's, in ISSI, whore he was Divinity; Lecturer from 1882,- when ho was ordained deacon, till'lSßG. ( In the last-named year he bcca'mo Principal of St. David's College, Lampeter, and was Examining Chaplain first in tho dioccso of St. Asaph and then in that of Ripon. Ho was Chaplain to Queen » Victoria from 1893 to her Majesty's death. At tho timo of his 'appointment to tho bishopric of 'ExcterJho 'was Hulscan Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and President of Queen's College, Cambridge. Ho is tho author of several well-known works of Biblical criticism, and has frequently » spokcii at 'meetings of tho Church Congress on Exegctics. Ho was joint-editor, with Dr. M. H. James, of "Tho Psalms of Solomon," and his other contributions to Biblical literature include "Tho Canon of tho Old Testament" (1892), "Tho Early Narrativesof Genesis" (1892), "Commentary on Ezra and Nehcraiah" (1893), "Philo and Holv Scripture" (1595),' "On ' the Church of England" (1904), and "On Holy Scripture and Criticism" (1904). Ho wrote the article on'the* Apocrypha in Smith's "Bible' Dictionary," and was a contributor to the "Cambridge Companion to the Bible."

"Tho Times" understands that 'Dr. Armitage Robinson remains at Westminster, till, the crid'of Fcbruaryor tho beginning of March, and that his successor will, como into residenco shortly after Easter. "' v

COMCRECATIONALISM IN 1910.

INTERESTING STATISTICS. . Two curious cross currents, or at least tendencies in opposite directions, manifest themselves iu tho statistics which havo been compiled for the new British "Congregational.'Year Book',' (says tho World"). The general summary.shows a large increase in the number,of churches and sittings, and at tho same time'a considerable decline in church membership and Sunday scholars. Tho number of churches and branch churches and mission stations is now 5016 (an. increase of 84 on Jast year), with 1,820,963 sittings (an increaso of .14,891). Tho inclusion for the first time of a number of small preaching stations supported by the Irish Evangelical Society accounts for somo of this increase; but when full allowance has been made for that addition to the list, thero is still a considerable increase of both churches and sittings. Tho church membership is 4!)3,553 (a decrcaso of 1587). Tho most noticeablo decrcaso of church members has been in London, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, though Wales also shows a slight further- decrease.. The Sundayscholars number 706,041. (a decrcaso of 3569), and'tlio'-Sunday-school teachors 71,020 (an increase of 1192). .This decrcaso of scholars, and increaso of teachers is largely-accounted for by tho extension of tho Archibald Hamilton system of Primary Departments, in which elder .scholars .serve as pupil teachers. The, number. of Congre-, Rational ministers is 3163,, a decrcaso .'of. 32, and itho evangelists and lay pastors number .304, 'a decrcaso of 4. A further decrcaso of 152 brings tho number of registered lay preachers down to 5270. .'At present, 407 churches,aro without pastors (an increaso of 5), while 230 ministers are temporarily' without charge, 76 arc engaged in tutorial and professional worky 3S arc engaged in secretarial work, and 404 havo retired from" pastoral duty. London, with 56,8'.!" members, has tho largest membership, whilo Lancashire returns 42,062, and \orkshiro reports 35,943. Hunt-| iugdonshiro, with 822 members, is tho smallest county in tho Congregational sense.

During tho year ■ 16 new churches have been founded, 34 chapels and halls and 12 schoolrooms havo been opened. The foundation-stones of 15 chapel, school, or missionary premises havo been laid, 9 manses havo been built, and 6 sites secured. Thero were 48 new settlements (luring tho year, and 57 ordinations. Ono Congregational minister entered from another denomination, and 6 left fov other denominations. Tho twelve colleges—in England (8), Wales (3) a"d Scotland (I)—havo 54 professors and 375 students. Nottingham Collego sent 9 students into tho ministry last year, Carmarthen 7, .Western 5, Bala, Bangor, Brecon, Hackney, Lancashire' and Yorkshire' United 4 each, Mansfield and Cheshunt 1 oach, New none, and the Scottish Congregational Hall two.

BAPTIST STATISTICS.

DECLINE AT HOME • INCREASE) " ■ .ABROAD; : . .;"• 'v. The figures in "The Baptist' Handbook" for 1911 will be read with mingled feelings by British Baptists, for they reveal a further considerable decrease in tho membership of the'churches'.in tho United- Kingdom (says the "Christian World"). On the other hand tho Handbook" reports a remarkable increase in the statistics for tho world ns a whole. Last year tho hopo was expressed that the arrest in the,progress of the churches in Great, Britain had reached its limit. " The reaction from the .Welsh revival seemed to have spent itself, and in other parts of the kingdom there was a. small ..increase. This expectation has not been realised. There is again a considerable decline in the membership of the Welsh churches, accompanied this time by small decreases in England and Scotland also. These decreases are not important in themselves, but in view of-the great growth of the activities offhe denomination in recent years,' it must be regarded as unsatisfactory to find that tho churches are simply marking time instead of advancing. .The summarised statistics for the Baptist' Churches of tho United Kingdom for the two past years are as.follow:— . .

This decrease in the total membership is divided as follows:—England,; 945; Wales, 2,643; Scotland, 243. The Irish Baptist Churches report an increase of 32 in their .aggregate membership. The denomination has suffered heavy losses by death during the'pa3t year.. .Thirtynine" ministers and missionaries have diod during «the year, including three ox-presidents of tho Baptist Union? '.'Handbook" contains the usual triennial statistics as to the progress of the Baptists-of tho world. If the British figures cause some disappointment, those for the world at largo reveal an advance that is phenomenal. During tho three years under' survey, there has been an increase of 3367 churches, or at the rate of more than three a day, and of 319,394 in the .aggregate, membership. There has also been in increase of 340,895 in the number of SundayEchool scholars. ■ These largo increases are chiefly due to the United States, though there.has.also been a great ad-vance-in Europe, as tho result" of,'the Baptist movement in Russia and the; Southeast of Europe. The'increase of 519,394 intho total membership 'is. dig-: tributod as follows between the different Continents:—Europe, 14;854; Asia, 24,260; America, 479,305; Australasia, 1807. In the United. States the Baptists are already the second of the Protestant Churches in point of membership, being surpassed -.. only by the Methodists. .... -.- '.-,.-.. . „T

A FAMOUS METHODIST ...FEAST.//.-./' '•■..■-.-^:

For more than a hundred years'a. lovefeast' has been held in Oldhanv Street, Manchester, on Christmas Day. fleeting originally in the historic chapel which "Wesley opened, it was'transferred twenty-five years ago to '.the -Central Hall, which lidir." stands on that,halfowed site. Last year's gathering was" 'as;inspiring! as any. of. its 'predecessors. It wa's 'a jrcalj live, old-fashionejf-.Metho-dist testimony .meeting- from* si art to finish. Tlie Rev. S. V- Collier was 'in charge of the proceedings. /• .That in itself is suffipicnt to satisfy ahyono' who knows, him that, not a moment was wasted: wished' to preach rather than testify found:-Mr. Collier inexorable. Onco he mot" his match. A friend started to sing a hymn. Before ' he could, reach the* second line, Mr. Collier.. cried,^."Hav6;you .a testimony?" and the brother sank into "his scat. Not-for long, though. A few minutes'la'tcrjho was on his feet and spoko. Ho beamed benignly; on Mr. Collier. "You shut me.oop, but I sang it to myself, and now's my turn." Especially powerful were the words of tho new converts.. One of therri.'moved the meeting profoundly as ho told .the story" of a wreckedrand wasted.-Hfe; ;of the "faithfulness of /a praying wife, and then of victory through Jesus. Profes-' sor Moiiltori, of'Didsljury, was.pfeseht'' and "was. visibly /impressed by all' he heard and sdw.'/Likc;tho good Methodist that he is," he boro his testimony beforo the close. It is interesting; to know that this is. the twenty-fifth coi> secutivo Christmas 16vefc3st'at which Mr. Collier.' has presided.—"British Weekly.",, ■ _•: ~•:■-■.■

/ "THE DARK AGES.'!

Archbishop Carr, of Melbourne, -spoke in Hobart recently.in support of.the ' theory that the thirteenth • century showed more progress than the nineteenth. ■ Tho former -period -had:been called tbe-Darl; Age's,- ~ but."the"writer" of .1 book'ho.'was reading'undertook to prove, with -success..'tho Archbishop thought, that it was tho greatest."of.all the centuries'*-~Tho..thirteenth'-century. was thorcentury,iin.v Gothic cathedrals "* of',,tho .world-cwerc built, .the Magna' Cha'rta signed;- and the foundations' of.'represehtativo.'Government ' St.Dominic lived in that century; a'nd-in-it wonderful progress was -made in'educational matters,-',.' twenty.', universities being built in that period.,, The stained glass of the thirteenth, century was the despair and ambition of modern craftsmen, and ther3 was: not an artist in tho world that could approach Eomo of tho ; cathedral windows of the -time. In tho brasswork, carving, and other, details of these buildings there was not a single'detail that would not bo found to approach perfection as near as human ingenuity would reach. Where buildings a couple of centuries old were relegated to the past, relics of tMrtednth century edifices were placed'in-.museums .for the gratification, emulation, or envy of tho greatest artists of the. present time. "The obloquv casf upon the Dark Ages," concluded.his .Grace, "is usually cast by very ignorant and superficial men.

■'.' JOTTINGS.

During the last .-few-months,-in the. diocese of New Guinea, Bishop Sharp has administered therito of conlirniation to 316 natives. One of the candidates was a cripple, and another a leper. The Bishop has visited nearly all tho mission stations since his arrival in the diocese,' The Rev. Copland King has just completed translating the Gospel of St. Luko into the native language of.the northern part of- tho' diocese. .The work of tho mission nurses, Miss Combley and Miss Nowland, has been of very great service on the new goldfields at-Lake-kamu. Tho field is now almost free from sickness, and the Government has' expressed great appreciation of the noble work performed by tho' two ladies. Plans for the most'eompfehensivo and far-reaching religious' campaign ever conducted in America wero discussed at Chicago recently at tho 'conferenco of tho Y.JI.C.A.,- Church Brotherhoods, International .Sunday. Schools Association, aiid.'promincnt.ministers from all parts, for the thorough rcvitalisation of tho Evangelical churches in 90 American cities. i '• V ■'" -.; ...

■\Vhenvisiting.England recently, Archdeacon Crossloy interviewed tho Bishop of Ossovy, the well-known lecturer on subjects connected with tho relations of scienco and philosophy _ to religion,' with a view to inducing him; to deliver, a course_of ..lectures in; Melborinie,.; .Tho Archdeacon •reports the outcome _of •.the interview-Ms^ufer'probability Bishop will-bo. at an early :date and lecture;as desired, -j

• • v Increase or . • '1909.- 1910. .-Decrease: Churches ■ ' 3,062 ' ; . 3,080 ' '+■ 18 Seats ... 1,455,030 1,462,646 + 7,616 Members 422,455' 41S.680 - 3,775 Teachers " .59,195' 59,717 + 522 Scholars 579,242. 576,448 - 2,794 Ministers 2,120 . 12