CHURCH OF ENGLAND MEN'S SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1313, 16 December 1911, Page 9

CHURCH OF ENGLAND MEN'S SOCIETY.

J PROGRESS OF' THE MOVEMENT. I A society that lias built up a membership of nearly 120,000 'in twelve "years l can claim to have justified its existence. Established in ISII9 by tweiitv-two men. the Church of -England Jjlcn's Society now possesses between 110,000 anil 120,000 members in all parts of. the world. It 3 branches are not only to be' found throughout Groat Britain and Ireland, but also in Africa, Australia, British West Indies, Canada, India, and Xcw Zenland. In the Army there are also eighty branches, and almost the same number for thoso in the merchant service. ' "In 1509," said Captain .Watson, lay secretary of the C.E.M.S., to a representative of the .'"Westminster (ia;:ttfci" "twenty-two Churchmen, half clergy and half laymen, went to I)r. Temple, then Archbishop of Canterbury, to put before liiui ivh.it they considered lvns the real difficulty in reaching the laity of the English Church. There were nnny societies in existence at tho time, whoso membership seemed to unite thoso who joined to got rather .than ,to give. This deputation felt that what laymen really wanted was the opportunity 'of fulfilling the baptismal vows and of doing something to help forward the worl; r of the Church. ' The deputation itself represented a number of societies,, and Archbishop Temple, in reply, remarked, 'You are all trying to do the same tiling. \Vhv don't you do it together?' , "The movement was started on the basis of prayer and service. It was never expected to go bc-yond the British Isles, but, as our returns show, it lias now spread into all parts of tho British Empire. The Army and tho merchant service have alSi their own branches. We should have liked to extend its operations to the Navy, but naval men havo the N T aval Olui'rch Society, which tho. chaplain of the fleet considers covers similar lines of work. The. twenty-two foundation members have increased. until to-day we ' tntil nearly 120,000. There are two grades of memlieri'iip—full, niomlxrs 'must be communicants of the Church of Engl.md, nml associate members are those who either having l>ccii 'confirmed do not communicate,' or those who have never been confirmed at all. The movement works through parochial branches, and where several branches can join together, a federation is formed. Theso eventually lead to diccesan unions. The first chairman was the present. Bishop of London, who engineered the amalgamation of several oh! societies, and who. nurwtl the movement through its early years. The second chairman is the Archbishop of York.' Tho society possesses n simple pledge of prayer, communion, and personal service, and its members are encouraged to do something within the sphere-of their capacities, to help forward the-work of the Church. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Glasgow Presbytery of the Church, af Scotland' is setting out. to raistr'a''stirii of 4120,(100 for tho purpose of augmentation of, smaller livings, the planting and transplanting. of churches, the endowment of 'existing chapels, and the providing of Church offices. A working lads' home in Paisley in connection with the Church of Scotland was recently opened by Sir Thomas Glen-Coats. This is the fifth boys' home. The Church has already to its credit six labour homes, three lodging-homes for men, and three for women mid girls. Dr. Mair, ono ot tho most venerablo and best-known men in tho. Church .of Scotland, lias celebrated liis jubilee as a minister. Dr. Mair is an ex-Moderator of tho Church, and is in his_ cightysecond ye;ir. He was ordained in 18G1, and retired in 1903. since when he has resided in Edinburgh. His special knowledge of ecclesiastical law still makes his counsel of the greatest value.-; ■ In acknowledgment of his many services Ixr.lly and to t.bn Church at large, ho has been presented with a beautifullyilluminated address. THE METHODIST OECUMENICAL. TALK OF CIIUECH UNION. Church union was tho topic for discussion at the final session of the Methodist Oecumenical Conference at Toronto. Tiie liev. 11. T. Chapman (Leeds) presided, and the Rev. W. Redfcrn (Oldham) read tho opening paper on "Union and Federation; History and Forecast.' He urged that Methodists must take as their goal, not jnero . induration, but organic union of all their churches. To build two churches where only eine was necessary, said the llcv. Suit (Croydon) was not only wasteful, but a public scandal. lie outlined a scheme for. co-operation in mission and education work. Bishop E. E. Hops picturesquely remarked that when (wo small Methodist churches in one block agreed in nothing but starving their pastor in order to keep alive, the devil did not think it r-°cessarv to be personally present. t /V hint sr English difficulties was - given by Dr. Henry Haigli, who said that, before organic union could take placo it would have to be provided that politically there would have to be'compline catholicity throughout the Ghureli. r«c conference was brought to a close by Dr. Carman (general superintendent ot the Methodist Church in Canada) and Dr. J. Scott Lidgctt, who said that n great inspiration to Methodism the world over would go forth from the fe owslup of kindred minds and hearts in the conference,