A GREAT DEBT-RAISER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1366, 17 February 1912, Page 11

A GREAT DEBT-RAISER.

MR. C.. S. WARD'S-CAMPAIGN ; iM TITE LONDON Y.M.C.A.

One of the most remarkable men in tho world is visiting Loudon this month (says the "British Weekly" of January G) for tho purpose of clearing off tho debt of 100,000 which still remains oil the new .M.C.A. palace in Tottenham Court ltoad. Mr. Charles Sumner Ward, of New; York, has headed over sixty debt-raising campaigns, which in tho last five years have raised over .£3,000,000 for the Y.M.C.A. ' He has been invited to help the London Commitjce, and has organised, during tho last six weeks, a system of collecting tho required sum which is-unique in English religious hist°ry. Mr. Ward is a quiet, dignified, good-looking man in tho early prime of life. His manners aro gentle and conciliatory, entirely free from any traeo of boastfuiness or self-assertion, lie has tho look of a statesman intent on great plans, and lie talks with a well-justified confidence of the prospects of success. "Are you hopeful of raising this .£100,000?" I asked, as we conversed at St. Paul's House on Tuesday. "Hopeful is not the word," ho said,'"l am sure that we shall raisoit.- Tho whole campaign ' has been planned out with scientific accuracy, and I cannot seo -why a system which lias succeeded in Toronto, Philadelphia, and Winnipeg should not succeed in London."

Mr. Ward lias been in Y.M.C.A. work all his lifo. As a, student at Dartmouth Collcjo ha was already an active helper, and alter 1893 ho was called in to laiso money for new buildings. Ho has the rare gift of setting vast machinery in motion with tho least possible noise . or friction. When ho was leading the campaign in Boston for-- £100, OdD, there was a great clock face, thirty feet in diameter, which recorded tho progress of tho campaign. At (lib last hour tho clock ended by striking more than the hour, for the collection exceeded .£IOO,OOO When this sum had been gathered, another amount of iSOO.OOO was contributed in Boston and tho suburbs for nine other associations in separate campaigns., "This," said Mr. Ward, "is just as if London should go on after my effort has succeeded, and raise a million pounds for other good causes. At Winnipeg wo collected .£72,000 in seven anil a half days, and a great deal more afterwards." GENERAL BOOTH'S HONOUR LIST. COLONEL LAWLEY A COMMISSIONER.' . General Booth's New Year's honours list is headed this year (says the "Christian World") by tho long-exjiected promotion of his popular aide-de-camp, "Johnnie" Lawley, to tho rank of Commissioner. Colonel Lawley has accompanied tho General on almost nil his journeyings and engagements, not only at home, but also all rolmd the world.. His personality is-probably best known as a leader of a rousing Salvation Army prayermeeting, and moro than one theatrical manager has marvelled at his skill in handling big music-hall crowds on such occasions as the General's Sunday campaigns in theso popular places of amusement, Colonel Lawley laid tho foundations of several of tho best Army corps when he was a field officer over thirty years ago. He is ono of tho many Salvationists who woro imprisoned in tho early days—an experb'uee now happily limited to Hastings officers and soldiers.

Colonels Laurie and Jolliffe, who have both been promoted from lieutenantcolonel, aro best known a3 administrators. The former was until recently governor of tho Hadloigh Land and Industrial Colony, but ho is novr in charge of the trade * headquarters. Ho first commenced his Army wort as an assistant in tho Manchester uniform and trade dc?)ot, afterwards passing on to the auditor's and cashier's departments. Colonel .lolliffo is tho Army's.finance expert, and is largely responsible for the raising of: control funds, lie commanded one field corps-' Bedminsler—for a time. Since 1891 lie has linen in the Subscribers' Department, but 1* association with finance has not interfered willi his week-end enthusiasm as a leader of Salvation campaigns, whethor in or out of London. Colonel Laurie began his career as a Salvationist in ISSJ, while Colonel .TollifTe dates his service from 188 S.

REVIVALS AND REVIVALISM. The Sydney "Congregationalistr" devotes some space to the discussion of "Revivals and Revivalism." It saye:—"Ono thing is oertain that in missions, at now wnigted, tit* attendanta u* mostly

church-goers, and of the church-goers mo.it arc jhurch members. 'Wo do not say llmt this is necessarily a bad thing. Some church-goers nrc far from the Kingdom of Heaven; and some church members not too near it. They may need 'revival,' or something even more radical. But is there no such thing as steady progress in the Christian Jife? Is the ideal of the Christian life that of languors succeeded by spurls and spasmsP Docs not tlie Christian singer's prayer for 'a calmly even zeal* represent a bettor ideal? Another thing certain is that a good deal of tho interest shown by some modern church-goers in 'revival' services is purely selfish. In the late Chapman-Alexander mission, some who had had a full diet of meetings were implored to lcavo tho Town Hall and make room for tho waiting crowd outside; but they stuck to their seats, and had to 1)0 driven out of the Town Hall. Of course, there is no more religion in this chose afltrr ecclesiastical sensations than there is in soma people's chase after theatrical sensations. Thoso who think the first holy and tho second unholy aro in much need of a mission. But it would bo a mission of enlightenment which they would not relish." A DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMAN. i ' - DEATH OF CANON BROMBY. English Church papers to hand contain striking obituaries of Rev. H. B. Bromby, late vicar of All Saints', .Clifton, anil Canon of Bristol Cathedral. Jn earlier lilo C'anon Bromby was a prominent figure in the Australian Church. Hit lather was second Bishop of Tasmania; nnil Canon Bromby served in that diocese for twenty years, for tho last seven of which ho was Dean of St. David'* Cathedral, Hobart. Returning to England in ISSS as rcctor of St. John th« Evangelist, Betlmai Green, London, 110 was instrumental in "making" tho pr&sont Bishop of London, as is pointed out by Father Adderlcy in u sympathetic artielo in tho "Church Times"; for.it was at Mr. Bromby's suggestion that tho position of head of the Oxford House in' Bothnal Green was offered to the thbn almost unknown Mr. Winnington-Ingrani, In 1S!)2 Mr. Bromby' was appointed bjr the Bishop of Bristol to All Saints', Clifton,' one of the "highest" or most pronounced ritualistic churches in England. And here he remained until a few months ago. His most striking characteristics aro stated to have been his spiritual power as a confessor and director of souls, and as a conductor of retreats; and his intense and real sympathy with thoso of his own Church who differed from biiu on many points, and with Nonconformists. Canon Bromby died at Birmingham in an Anglican convent, of which liis sister is Mother Superior. Tho announcement of his death, in the "Church Time?," is couched in-language which is perhaps somewhat unusual when referring to an Anglican clergyman, at all events on this side of tho world;—"Of your charity, pray for tho soul of Henry Bodlev Bromby, priest, aged Tl (beloved son of the late Charles Henry Bromby, Bishop), sometime Dean of Hobart, Tasmania, lately vicar of All Saints', Clifton, and Hon. Canon of Bristol, who passed away on the eve of the festival of St. Thomas the Apostle, strengthened with all the rites of God's Holy Church."