RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1150, 10 June 1911, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE KING AND THE BIBLE. MESSAGE TO THE AMERICAN .NATION. Letters from Kins George and Presidcut Tail were read at the Tercentenary Biiilc celebration at New York on April 25. (.Ireat interest was manifested by a large aiutunce ill this anniversary of the puuiieanon of the King James version oi Hie The meeting was presided over ay Or. Greer, Bishop of i\ew I'oric. The British Ambassador, 111'. Bryce, lirtM-nli'il tiii greetings ol the people of lireat Britain, ami men read the letter tout by iiis .Majesty Kill!; George, of which the following is tho text:— 1 rejoice that America and England should join in commemorating the publication 300 years ago of that version of the lloiv Scriptures which lias so long held its own among Eng-lish-speaking peoples. Its circulation in our homes has done perhaps more than anything else 011 earth to promote among old and young moral and religious welfare 011 either side of tho Atlantic. The version which hears King James's name is so clearly interwoven in the history of British and American life that it is right we should thank God for it together. I congratulate the President and the people of the United States upon their share in this our common heritage. From Washington, President Taft sent, the following letter, which was received with applause:— To the Tercentenary Celebration of the King .James Version of the English Bible. I desire to express my deep interest ■in the recognition which is being taken in this country of so notable an event as tho three-hundredth anniversary of the King James Version of the English Bible. Tho publication of this version of the Holy Scriptures in the year IGII associates it with the early Colonies of the English people upon this continent. It became at once the Bible of our American forefathers. Its classic English has given shape to American literature. Its spirit' lias influenced American ideals in life and laws and government. I trust that this celebration may continue and deepen the influence of the Bible upon the people of this Republic. WM. H. TAFT. Mr. Bryce said: "Let us hope that the year we commemorate as the anniversary of a great event in our religions history may also be remembered as the year in which a solemn renunciation of war as a means of settling their disputes was mr.de by two mighty and kindred naI tious." THE NEW DEAN OP ST. PAUL'S. APPOINTMENT OF DR. INGE. Referring to tho appointment of tho Rev. William Ralph Inge, D.D., Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity in tho University of Cambridge, to be .Bean of St. Paul's, in succession to the Very Rev. Robert Gregory, D.D., resigned, ths "Guardian" states:—

Dr. comes to the Deanery at a comparatively early age, having not yet completed his fifty-first year. At King's College, Cambridge, he had a most distinguished career. In addition to his College Scholarship his long list of academic honours includes tho Bell, the Person, and the Craven Scholarships, First Class in each part of tho Classical Tripos, the Senior Chancellor's medal, and the Hare Prize. He was an Assist-ant-Master at Eton from ISBI lo ISSS, and for the last two years of that period ho was a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. lie was ordained deacon in IRS3, but did not take priest's orders until 1802. He was for sixteen years Fellow, and Tutor of Hertford; College, Oxford (ISS9-1905); in 1905 he was presented by Canon Ilenson to the vicarage of All Saints', Ennisir.oro Gardens. 11l 1907 he became Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity and Fellow of .Testis College, Cambridge, and he has been Hampton Lecturer nt Oxford and Paddock Lecturer in New York. Dr. Tnge is Examining Chaplain to tho Bishop of Lichfield, and has been Select Preacher both at Oxford and Cambridge. He received an Hon. D.D. from the University of Aberdeen in 1905, and proceeded B.D. and D.D. at Cambridge in 1909. Dr. Tnge is the author of "Society ill Rome Under the Caesars,"

"Christian Mysticism," "Faith and Knowledge." "Personal Idealism and Mysticism," and other works. He is a high authority on the writings of German commentators, ami last year was himself much criticised on account of certain of his theological opinions- Tn scholarship he is eminent!} fitted to fulfil the high position to which he has been called, and there can be no question that his great abilities and his experience will enable him worthily to discharge the administrative. public, and social duties which it entails. It is certain also that ho will maintain the high traditions of St. Paul's for its reverent and dignified ritual and the musical excellence of its services.

Or. Tube's brilliant attainments and originality of outlook will unquestionably confer distinction even upon a position full of such splendid possibilities as the Deanery of St. rani's. The mat traditions to which ho succeeds will, we are satisfied, suffer no cclinse in his keeping, while the addition to 'ho preaching power of Iho great Church will do much to maintain it in the great centrol position it has occupied since the accession of Di\in Church. The Church of En Tin ml is sometimes in danger of attaching too little importance to'the influence of the nulnit; vet the modern history of St. Paul's affords a remarkable indication of the extent of that influence. This or that typo nf Churchman mav not always appreciate a particular point-of view, but inherent spirituality is the sunrcme test of all appointments of (bis kind, and that is a test to which the bpst answer is lo ho found in the new Dean's published works. ENGLISH BAPTIST UNION. UNITED CHRISTIAN ENTERPRISE. The Spring Assembly of the Baptist Union commenced on April 24 in Bloomsbury Central Church, when a large number of delegates and visitors took part in the opening devotional service, conducted by Sir G. W. Jlaealpine, the retiring president. In a few graceful words, Sir G. W. Jlacalpino inducted his successor, the Rev. Principal IV. Edwards, D.D., of Cardiff, to the chair. The new president, wlio was rcccived with cordial cheers, then inscribed his name in the official Bible of the denomination.

The report, presented by the Rev. .T, H. Shakespeare, showed a decrease in church members of 3775, and of Sunday School scholars of 2791. On the other hand, there has been an increase of 18 churches, 20 chapels, and 522 teachers, and 7GIG additional seals have been provided.

Mr. Percy Illingworth, M.P., characterised the report as one-full of hope and confidence, and incidentally commended, amid many expressions of approval from the assembly, the Methodist system of the itinerary of ministers.

Dr. Clifford, who was enthusiastically received, spoke on behalf of the Baptist World Alliance, a world-wide organisation representing 8,000,000 Baptists. He said the World's Congress was to be held in Philadelphia in .Tune next, when tho principles of Baptist life and hislorv would be expounded. They would meet in a land where Stafc-Churchisni was nonexistent, and where all Churches li - rl m opportunity to flourish ill & ftce soil. It would be a gathering of pastors, leaders, anil martyrs. Men who had suffered in body ami estate would be there; some who had suffered persecution in Russia. "Only this morning," said Dr. Clifford, "Mr. .Shakespeare and I have had an interview with the Russian Ambassador, because Pastor Filler, our pastor at St. Petersburg, had been prohibited from preaching ill Moscow, and was unable In accept all invitation lo Philadelphia unless a bond was deposited with the Russian for .£.">oo, to ensuro his return lo Russia." The opinion of the union in relation to the peace proposals suggested by President Taft and reciprocated by Sir Edward Grey and Mr. Balfour was embodied in a resolution wuved by the Rev. John Wil-J

.son, and carried unanimously. The resolution thankfully recognised Iho high Christian character of the proposals, and expressed the hope that a treaty might be ratiiied as quickly as pussibic. At tho evening session Dr. Edwards delivered his presidential address to an audience that filled every part, of the church. .Selecting as his subject ."United Christian Enterprise and National Evils," lie referred to Hie Edinburgh Missionary Conference as a precedent and example for nnited Christian action in settling the comprehensive group of problems classed as social questions. Discussing a plan of united operations, Dr. Edwards suggested tho formation of a series of commissions to sift and examine each social or national evil in a calm, judicial, and scientific spirit, and to issue reports after the most careful investigation, after the manner of the Edinburgh Conference. A clear and comprehensive report, _ laying down principles of action and giving full information for the guidance of 'the Churches, could be given on tile following subjects :-Drink traffic, housing problem, land question, various phases of impurity, white slave traffic, impure literature, betting and gambling, child rescue and training, sweating, pleasures and recreations of tho people, abolition of war. ~ Dr. Edwards concluded by asking whether such a united Christian effort as he had outlined was possible. "Is tho barrier of tho establishment or any other obstacle strong enough to separate Conformists and Nonconformists in this Divine enterprise?" ho asked. "Are not tho matters we havo mentioned not onl> of common interest but of common danger? Surely Iho time lias come for us to face the whole situation and study tho whole problem in tho light of tho Incarnation, the Cross, and the ascended Christ, with hearts burning with the enthusiasm of humanity kindled at tho altar of Calvary?" (Loud cheers.) DEATH OF CARDINAL CAVICCHIONI. A GREAT CANONIST. The death is announced of tho great Canonist of the Roman Curia, his Eminence Cardinal Cavicchioni. For sonic months an internal complaint necessitated abstention from the arduous work to which he had been accustomed since his ordination to the priesthood in 1559, and an operaion became imperative. For several days succeeding fhe operation success seemed to have attended the efforts of the surgeons; but 011 April 17 a change took place in tho condition of the illustrious patient, and death from paralysis of the heart ensued some hours later. Like most of the Cardinals of the Roman Curia, Cardinal Benjamin Cavicchioni had seen long and varied service in different parts of the world in the interests of tho Holy See (says the "Catholic Times"). His degrees of Doctor of Canon and Civil Law obtained for him in 1872 a position 011 the Sacred Congregation of the Council, • from which ho passed in 1879 to tho ; Congregation of Propaganda, where the future Cardinal was exclusively employed in affairs pertaining to the United States of America. Four years later 110 returned to the former Congregation, when lie received the appointment of defender of the matrimonial bond; and the next year Leo XIII conferred the Episcopal dignity upon the brilliant Churchman, who had then scarcely completed his forty-third year. In June, 11)03, Leo XIII, at the last Consistory he held, created his prized lieutenant a Cardinal. He was a member of the Sacred Congregations of tho Sacraments, of the Council, of tho Propaganda, of the Index, of Rites, and of tho Consistorial Congregation. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. METHODIST STATISTICS. A very important' contribution to the discussion 011 the problem of church attendance is made by the "Methodist Recorder." It announced that the last cen-, sus of the Wesleyan Jlethodist Church just completed showed a decrease in the membership for the year of 3129 members.

"Moreover,"- said the "Recorder," "it is Dig' fifth 1 ''succeeding' 'decrease, "so Hint to-day our numbers are less by 13,120 than "they were in 1906. The figures arc grave; nor is there anything in the. other columns of the census appreciably to modify the impression that they make. It is true there are 1200 more persons 'on trial' for church membership now tliau there were last year; but even so the total number is below our average, and much ljnlow the figure at which such reserves ought in any church to stand. Finally, our junior members, from among whom we should always be largely recruiting our ranks, have declined in number at the rate of ono every day during the year. "A detailed examination of the figured doc? not shed much light. Two of tho districts showing decreases—Lincoln and York—are rural areas, and have a slowly dwindling population. That is true, also, we believe, of Cornwall, a stronghold of Methodism in which the Anglican Church is spending herself unstinting]? to win the predominant position. For the rest, the decreases have been in tho great industrial centres.

"What are we to make of these repeated decreases? It is no use getting into a panic about them. It should always be remembered that- those annual figures only reveal part ot the fact's of tho situation. But, 011 the other hand, there must bo no optimistic belittling of their significance. Tho figures mean something: what do tlioy mean? Year after year wo have been told comfortablo things about ourselves—that there was never more activity, never more generosity, never more administrative ability or evangelistic zeal t'hnn at present. That may be all true, and wo have the strongest" wish to believe it. But, meanwhile, during these five years, tho-official index of om- Church life has pointed persistently backwards rather than forwards. If the "index is unreliable, let us know, let Conference say so, and let us find another. But if it is approximately right, we are at present going the wrong way, and we had better know why.

"Dr. Davidson does well to remind us that the spectacle of declining numbers is not sinßul.il- to Weslevan Methodism, but presents itself in many churches and many lands. Whatever special causes may bo at work in our own communion, there is some cause deeper and more widespread. Among the churches generally there is manifest a languor of spiritual life. No word more timely or more urgent could be uttered than this—'Back to the Centre.' Our Church greatly needs leadership just now—strong, determined, magnetic, spiritual leadership. We aro too routine and unenterprising; rather easily eonlented and generally 'stodgy.' It would be neither untrue nor irreverent for us to make confession, saying: 'We have done the thines wo were expected ti do, and have left undone the things we were not expected to do, and there is 110 health in «s!"' THE CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION: It is reported that the meetings in connection with tho Chapman-Alexander Mission at Swansea (Wales) have been productive of immense good, says the •'Methodist. Times." It is estimated that over 200,000 have attended the mission meetings, and tho number that signed the "Covenant card" is about three thousand. At the farewell meeting tho vicar of Swansea- asked the huge audience if they would liko Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander to come again, and the response was a great shont of "Yes." Mr. Alexander said they would think tho invitation over, but I'heir biggest building was too small. Dr. Chapman told a press representative that "there is a great religious interest in Wales. It is deepening, too. Tho feeling is much better and stronger than when wo wero hero a year ago."

Bishop Sharp, of Now Guinea, who is on a flviiH? visit (o Sydney, speaks enthusiastically of the prospects of tho Anglican mission work in tho Islands. The Bishop has had one year's experience in his new episcopate, and regards it as one of tho most interesting of his Church life. "How long do you oxpcct to remain there?" Dr. Sharp was asked by an interviewer a day or two ago. "Unless my health breaks down—and I may men) ion thai I never felt lx>ltev in mv life than I feci to-day—l intend lo end my days in a work I have already learned to lore," was the reply.