COLLECTIONS AND SEAT RENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1412, 12 April 1912, Page 4

COLLECTIONS AND SEAT RENTS.

(By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.)

Auckland. April 11. The opinion that nothing blocks church enterprise more than the constant and uninterrupted collections of monev was expressed by Bishcp Crossley at tho Church of England Men's Societies' Conference during the discussion ov.i the question of the prevailing indifference of men to public worship. The Bishop contended that mission services should bo lipid in the churches at night, when (hero should be no distinction of seats and no collection taken. If this were done he believed that the pconle of God would rise to the occasion and ensure the financial success of church work, while titer* would be a general advance in the number of church attendants. "The ridiculous method of pew renting," was the remark of Mr. C. B. W. Setton (Auckland), in passing judgment upon the present system. Thev was. no said, too much, comfortable Christianity about it. Btihop Nopgan had mus declared that, New Zoalanders were in danger of becoming pagans, ivul allhnnh the remark raised a storm of protest it was absolutely true. (Apple it-".) The necessity of furthering lb? w.irk rvf social purity amongst men and hd< wi« affirmed by the cinl'erenee. H'-cuuion ensued on the mot ion nf Mr. \V. H. Walton (Wellington), in advocacy of the nppiiiiitmont of lecturers in sexual physiology in Stale schools. The mover «nid that Ihe Teachers' Institute hid taUii the matter up. end it was desirable'for Ihe I'.E.M.S. I'i -treiglhcii thr'r hand*. The llev. W. ,K. I.iish -aid if was Ml very well to s ;l v that intellectual enlightenment reunited in moral uplift int.- Tln> intellectual enlightenment of Paris was high, bul the standard of i(s monls wi? low. II was of no me in (each mor.ititT nu any lint a religious bncjs. |r j ( ||~,<i,,'|; been for religion 1 would have gone lo the devil long ago." warmly declared the speaker. The president (DUhcp C n i«loy) s.rd (Int had there been time for proper distension he would have had something to <>y in the matter. "I am by no ivc.in» convinced," he remarked, "that this would, be a wise policy. 1 am absolutely in agreement wMh Mr. Lush that unl?*s tho matter can be treated from a,religions standpoint I am afraid that lectures (as f have come across them) would foster unhealthy curiosity rather than allay it," (Aiinlauso.)