RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1354, 3 February 1912, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

« PRAYER AND MEDICINE, TIIM F,MMAN( : F,L MOVIiMTCNT. The. Kminnniicl .Movement, which lias for its aim the combination of prayer anil medicine in the Ireatnieut of ili-ense, was inaugurated by the Kev. A. .1, Waldron, i*-iir of Krixton, al St. .Matthew's Church recently. .Mr. Waldron explained Hint the movement was Ihe outi-onio nf an address delivered t<i au audience ul doctors ami clergymen last summer by Dr. M'Coinli:-, of l.oMon, U.S.A. 'the founder of the movement), a,-, a result of which a feeling aro.-.e that there was loom for co-opera-tion Iv.-lv.'een members of the clergy anil the medical profession in the use of powers of healing. Some men and women, lie said, jxissessed Ihe healing touch, anil radiated health and happiness, and others spread disease and unhappincss, lie wauled to get down lo the root of I lie human mind, and to prove, l>y the tfslimony of those wh.i had proved it, that the mind could create a desire lor health, happiness, ami lovo that might be realised by the power of belief. In his opinion, people were the slaves of material tilings, .\onrlv every man, woman, and child in London, even Hie pnor, spent, from four to six limes a.s much on food as was needed lor sustenance, lie would change (lie atmosphere of the home; he would like lo change the tint and pattern of nca.rly every wail-paper- in lirixtou, and burn' nine-tenths of the furniture and old clothes-. Ho hoped to bring down specialists to speak on Hie subject, and he added that several mcdical men who believed in the power of prayer and medicine were at the service of tlio needy. At the close he read a list of people in trouble and distress of various kinds, and failing to gel a rc.sponso to his invitation to any member of the congregation lo "lead them in prayer," lie prayed for the relief of the all'licled.

■Mr. Waidron slates that the platform of Ihe movement is the immanence of God. "U <■ believe in the good results of prayer, and wo are going to work with doctors who are sympathetic. They will receive their ordinary fees for their professional services. Xone of those who loach from tfie spiritual side will receive any money at all. _ Thank-offerings will be dcvoled to providing special medical treatment necessary to supplement ours for those who cannot afford to pay for it."

A striking feature of tho cervices will bo (lio call for personal testimony and exlemporary prayer on the part of'members of the congregation.

FREE CHURCH DEBTS

A GREAT TOTAL OF HEAVY KLSPOXSIBILITY. The following article by Mr. AY. Llewelyn Williams appeared in the "Westminster Gazette" of December (!:— The opening of 'he I'ree Church in the llampstead Garden Suburb inaugurates a new orii in the history of Hie I'ree C'luii'i'lic.s. _ The day of unacknowledged but none the lc.ss real competition is closing. The day of hearty co-operation lias begun. The only discouraging feature in Ihe schema is to be found in the fact that Ihe now .sclmreli 'begins its work burdened by a very considerable debt. The. complete scheme involves an expenditure ot iir>,olto. Already .£12,000 ha.s been spent, and of Ibis amount only .1:7000 has been secured. A debt of .ir.j&OO remains, and nn important part of the scheme yet remains lo be completed. I'erhaps the prospect doe.s not daunt either pastor or people. _ Wo point lo the fact in" order to emphasise one particular in which this most promising experiment in religions work falls into lino with the common or garden extension work undertaken by any of the Churches—Free or Kstablished"! Debt is tho badge of all the tribes. It is doubtful, however, whether the average Freo Churchman realises the weight of the burden of debt resting upon tins Free Churches. Let 1110 indicate first tb3 extent of the growth in "bricks and mortar" tho years 1000-1009 witnessed. A T «w Additional Churches. Sittings. Wesleyan Mctlicdists ... 007 250,000 Primitive Methodists ... 502 ]fi;),084 Congregational 410 200,0110 Baptist 41!) 173,3(10 Total 2,007 780,444 This total of new churches represents a solid addition to Hie aggregate of l r Tee Church places of worship, o.nd does not include alterations, improvements, new schools, etc. Jf to these totals yon add the extension work done by the minor Free Church bodies they will have largely increased. Indeed, my investigations justify me in stating that the number of new places of worship erected during this period ia not less than 2500, and that the number of additional sittings reaches one million.

All interested in the progress of religion will rejoico at the energy and enterprise exhibited by the churches. But immediately one begins to examine tho financial aspcct of this material growth the less ready is one to conclude it calls for unreserved congratulation. What effect has it had upon the financial position of theso churches? Does it mean flint now this, presumably, needed extension work has been accomplished tlieso churches aro freer in every way to pursue their spiritual work? I am afraid not.

The debt hampers and retards tho proper work of the Church. Ilence I venture to think this question ought .to concern all who are truly anxious for the (rrowtii and prosperity of tho Free Churches.

T.et mc present the actual figures. Take the AVeslcyan Metliodist Church first. From the minutes of conference (1910) I take the following statement as to the extension work carried out during the past dccade:— Total RemainCost. ing debt. .£' £ BO" New Chapels 2,331),602 G00,695 202 Schools 301,520 66,1-16 ■117 Alterations 35G.501 90,853 29 Ministers' Houses 2j,G1l 5,406 Total 3,053,237 769,100 From this total JC228.803 can be deducted, seeing it is met by rentals received yearly. Even then the proportion of "debt-'to original cost is slightly over 17! per cent. But this is not all. In the same report it is stated that the total indebtedness of the AVesleyan Methodist Church is <C1,547,fi17-rnri average of ,Ci per head of membership. Further, ground rents paid yearly are not included, though properly part of the debt, and these if capitalised would add greatly (o the debt. At tlio present rate of reduction it will take the Church a whole generation to extinguish ( its indebtedness ! The Primitive Methodist Church is proportionately even more heavily burdened. During the past ten years its extension work lias been as follows:— New Fresh Total Amount KemainCh'pls. Sittings. Cost. liaised, ing debt. 502 163,08-1 .£S7-i,3CG JMS-1,031 JM39,19G

These operation.i have raddled tho churcii with a debt nearly SO per cent, of the total cost. The entire debt of the Church is stated to be .C1,192,fi1G (20 per edit, of the original cost), or an average debt of .t5 per member. Last year one-sixth of the Church's total income went to liquidate debt, and at the present rale of payment, if no additional debt is incurred, it will take eighteen wars to wipe out the whole! The United MeUiodist Church lias exported roudily .C1.750.0ft0 upon its premises, and 1 am informed that ils debt equals 10 per cent, of the original cost. Tlii* means that this federation of three minov Methodist bodies carries a debt of .CMO.iIOO. or- nearly .Ct per head of membership. I can only stale in the briefest possible-mann-r the facts relating to the Baptist and Congregational Churches. The Baptist Handbook Rives icncli year a statement of whatever has been done in extension work,- ils approximate east, and the amount: raised yearly for the liquidation of debts. Let me summarise the work of the ten years 11)00-11)00 Additional Cost of New chapels. Sittings. Chapels. ■tin 17:1,300 ,ti)s-j,isi Total Debts. New schools, etc. Cost. lieduecd. r .£551,183 £l,.miii;i .tSM.IOI !n other words, whilst the average annual expenditure during this period was over .£IS:j,UOO, the average anion lit of debt reducoi was oniy .£8t,300. The difference bebreen the hro totals jj .££90,553,

which represents the sum added to tho indoblcdness of the Church. Only 55 per cent, of the cost of this extension work was met, ami future vears will have to witness attempts lo wi|H! it out. It is safe to say that the total debt of tho Baptist Ciiurche.-i is well over .£1,000,000, or an average of nearly .£2 Ids. ]>or member. This (-slimato is- substantiated by tho facts which the London Baptist; Association -publish concerning the Baptist Churches of tho Metro|N>lis. Thero are 205 churches in the association; almut 100 are ill debt to Iho extent of .£l-1-1,120. Of those, twculy-thrco owe XKIOO and upwards; seventeen owe .£2OOO and upwards; eleven owo and upwards; mid three owe .£IOOO and upwards. Hero the average debt is alont .£2 10s. jier head of membership. The association Ims suspended its extension work for tho next two years, anil gives itself to the task of aiding Cho*> churches, whoso very existence is imperilled by UnSr debts.

Owing to tl|o unwillingness of the Congregational Churclms to sujiply information, no .statistics are available. But an enormous amount of extension work lias been carried on during the last ten years, lliat tho cost lias been met is iti the highest degree improbable, though possibly owing to liie greater financial .strength of these Churches, say, as compared with the Baptisrt Churches, the margin Ijetwcon expenditure and income has not been so large. Tho Welsh Congregational Churches report their total indebtedness as 1 f:«1..|(i2 (almost 20 per cent, uf original cost), or nearly .1- per head oi momliership. Jf we assume —and we may fairly do so —that a similar average obtains in the English Churohe.s, we have an estimated debt of .£1,0(111,(WO.

Contrast all those figures with those of the Presbyterian Church of England, Since 187 Gil: lias almost trebled the value of its church property. Then it was .CHTMSn. By 1910 it had grown to .£2.7-12,027. Its debt in lH7(i \va.s .£121,17:!. nnd in 1010 only .£122,957—nn increase of hut .£l7B-1. }n 1870 it was 12.15 per cent, of its value; in 1010 only 4.48 per ceni. The (lej)t of tho whole Presbvterian Church is less than that of the jiaptist Churches of London by ,£21,172. Tlie Presbyterian C'lnirch is mainly Soolcli--an<l wealthy. But the ■ true, explanation is io he found in the fact that the Presbyteries exercise a restraining influence over tho churches, and prevent their schemes from being indefensibly ambitious and expensive.

Hero, then, are the totals for the leading Free Churches:—

■E Baptist (estimated) 1,000.000 ' Congregational (estimated) ... 1,000.000 Calvinistio Methodist (508,420 Presbyterian 122,057 Primitive Methodist 1,102,640 United Methodist (estimated) (120,000 Wesleyan Methodist 1,547,04" Total 0,151,679 Add to this total the debts nf the minor Free Churches, and it is well within the mark to put the total indebtedness of these churches at six and a half millions sterling. Anil if this carries interest at i per cent, it involves an annual charge upon their finances of .£250,000. Amongst those influences which have militated against the prosperity and growth of the Free Churches must be include:! the influence of this vast; indebtedness. Everyone feels it, and yet no one lifts up a voice in protest against the continuance of a policy which, when examined, is seen (o be both foolish and indefensible. What the situation demands is that leaders in all the churches cease to countenance, apologise for, or excuse "unwise or too hasty church extension," ami steadfastly set their faces against schemes necessarily involving from the facts of the case 'a burden of debt: which will be a veritable Old Man of' the Sea on the shoulders o'f the Church. Xot until leaders, local and national, realise the importance of curbing foolish display and ..extravagant expenditure will church extension cease to carry with it consequences which nullify the very aim and purpose of those who promote it.

"CLERGY AT THE OPERA,"

Monsitfnor Moyes writes as follows to Hie London "Daily Xcws":— Sir,—l'nder tliis heading in your issue of to-day (Deccmljer j), it is stated that "Cardinal Bourne was invited to bo amor.3 the Kuusts. (at . the Kingsway Opera House), but in his place came his lay secretary, with apologies. No Hoinan Catholic Bishop, it was explained, may attend a theatre ill his own diocese, although' lie may attend one outside that area, or a music-hall anywhere." May I say that while'it is quflo true that no Catholic Bishop or priest may attend a theatre in his dioccse, the latter part of the statement would be misleading in so far as it implies that tc escape the law, the Bishop or priest would only have to choose some theatre in a neighbouring diocese. This is not the ease. The Dcoroe is one enacted bv a Svnod of the Catholic Bishops of England' and Wales, and has been confirmed bv the Holy See. No Bishop or priest belonging to any diocese in these countries mav be present at a scenic representation in*any public theatre or placo provisionally used as such in any part of England or' Wale? The Decree is: "W'e strictly forbid ecclesiastics in holy orders to bo present at scenic, representations (scenicis spoctaculis) in public theatres or places used for the timo as a public theatre." (l'l. Pro. vineial Council of Westminster, Decrot XI. H).

PREPARATION OF MISSIONARIES,

WORK OF THE BOARD OF STUDY. The Board of Study, established by the Continuation Committee of the World Missionary Confereuco to promote the special lire pa ration of missionaries of all denominations in order that tlie.v may meet tho need created by tho rapid spread of Western knowledge and culture among 11011-Christian nations, defines the immediate object of the board to bo to collate and give information regarding tho facilities lor special missionary training (whether in tlie way of lectures or literature) in languages, phonetics, comparative study of religions, history, and science of missions, ethnology, sociology, pedagogy, and hygiene. Tho board w.ill nl» seek to mako provision for institutions whero such facilities arc deficient. The board represents a united effort, backed by financial support on the p-.'.rt of all the Christian Churchcs, to promote missionary efficiency. It is oompesed of delegates of all tliio chief missionary societies, together with representatives of University education throughout the United leading missionaries on furlough. A similar board has also been established for (he Continent of North America. The British Board works through an executive committee, the chairman of which is the llev. Dr. 1!. Kilgour, editorial secretary of (lie British and Foreign Bible Society, (lie lion, treasurer is Sir Walter Hillier; and the secretary tho Rev. Dr. 11. C. Weitbrecht, l! 3 Onslow Gardens, Muswelt ilill. The other members of tho committee arc: Miss A. G. Angus, secretary, Baptist Zenana Mission; tho Rev. C. C. B. Bardsley, hen. secretary, Church Missionary Society, tho llev. W. 11. Bennett, >'ow College, London; the Rev. Dr. D. S. Cairns, United l'>ee Church College, Aberdeen,; Mrs. Croighton; the Rev. Dr. W. T. Davison, Principal of tho Weslcyan College, Richmond, Surrey; the Rev. Dr. W. H. Frere, Warden of tho House of the Resurrection, Mil-field; the Rev. G. P Gould, Principal of Regent's Park College: the Rev. 11. 6. Grey. Principal of Wvcliffo Hall, Oxford; Mr. G. A. Gnoreon, Linguistic Survey of India;: the llev. Dr. T Il.nnill, Assembly's College, Belfast; Dr 11. T. llodirkin, secretary of the Friends' Foreign Mis-don Association; the Rev. G. Currie .Martin, secretary of the London Missionary Society; tho Rev. Dr. T O F Mnrrav. Master of Mvyn toi-ic-e, Cambridge; Mr. ,1. 11. Oldham, secretary nt the Continuation Committee of the World Missionary Conference; ami Miss A do Selincourt, central volunteer sccreta'rv- Student Christian Movement.

\n effort is to be made to complete the amount needed for tho memorial intended to mark the site of the first church erected in \uvtralia. The church was opened on \u«u*t. 25, 1793, and burnt down in 17'JS. ' The lleviscd Version of the Bible, dividedinto versos as in the Authorised Version, and at the same time indicating tho paragraphs of the revisers, lias just been publHied bv the Oxford and Cambridge University 'Presses. The text only is given, not the references. Progress is being steadily maintained in regard to (lie Central l'und of tho Knglisli Congregational. Union, and tho total of promises amounted in December to just over ,CIBO,OOO. Of t.liis kuiu no less than .£137,000 has actually come to hand—a very pood proportion of the total amount promised. Tnoro still remains jt'7o,ooo to be raised before May, 1913.