RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1605, 23 November 1912, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

BAPTIST UNION. THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS AT CARDIFF. On September 30 t.ho first session of the Baptist Union was held at Cardiff, under the presidency of tho Rev. Dr. Ewing, who took as tho subject of his autumnal address, "Our responsibility for the spread of Christ's Kingdom." In his earlier passages lie discussed the. noed for, a! strong ministry—a ministry of apostolic fibre. "Much," lie. stated, "is said to-day of the decline of tho pulpit, and doubtless tho increase of reading and education has left the people no longer dependent' on tho pulpit, as once they were, for the supply of-information, but thero is still in the. living voice a power, and in the personality of tho true pastor an influence, which nothing can replace. A church tends to be what its minister is. If ho is instructed, diligent, devoted to Christ, and zealous for souls, the church will generally catch his spirit. It is, therefore, of tho last importance that our ministers, in a time of constantly rising demands, should bo free to do the best work that is in them, and that their time should not'be frittered away in a thousand and one s minor matters which the apostles would have summed up as 'serving tables.'" Discussing other aspects of the minis-, tc-rial vocation, Dr. Ewing went on to say— ' "I believo that the charge against Free Churchmen of political preaching is generally unjust. Wo.desire our churches to be refuges from the heat and dust of polities, in which men of every party can worship God in spirit and in truth. But this does not mean that we are to be silent on issues involving public righteousness. To spread the Kingdom of Christ, wo must remove the hindrances that bar its way. "I make bold to say that if tho followers of 'Christ stand aside from social and political movements, they are withdrawing from our public life the one guarantee that progress shall bo anything but a name.. Tho impulse of all true, advance comes from the Gospel. Whence arose the inspiration of Howard and Wilberforce, Shaftesbury, Barnardo, and Booth —yes, and.of Gladstone and Bright? How much liljerty should we possess if Christ had never been ? How much of real freedom did the masses of the peoplo obtain in ancient Romo? Rome stood for law and government, and her legions 'conquered the world, but the wealth and luxury of her ruling few were purchased at the expense of the misery and despair of her millions of slaves. It was the Gospel that brought the uplift of the peopje. Missions. 1 At.the missionary meeting-over-twenty missionaries spoke, one laiiy remarking: "Wo do not know why all you British' peoplo stop here. If you saw the need ui' India you would have to come and help us. 'xhere is no over-lapping possible when one missionary is responsible for 3(j(i villages." The Itev. C; E. Wilson mentioned that tho previous day was the 120 th anniversary of the Baptist Missionary Society, anil now they had some SUU European missionaries.; The Rev. J. R. Wood recalled that on March 20, 1793, at Leicester, the first farewell address to departing missionaries was delivered by Andrew Fuller. Many farewells had taken placo since, and he bade his hearers think of the contrast between 1703 and 1012. Then no door, was open, now all doors were open. Missionary work was not an experiment. It- had been vindicated by its results -in every quarter of the globe. (Hear, hear.) Dr. Ciitrord made a brilliant speech at the missionary luncheon. He recalled the pictures of Cliiuess pagodas and heathen deities which had impressed his mind as a small child seventy years ago. , "I should like lo lie a missionary myself," ho, said. "It has been in mypro- • gramme for thirty years lo go to India, and it seems to mo that never has thero been so splendid an outlook for carrying 'the gospel to the ends of the earth as in this year.',' • An enoi'mous congregation assembled In i the afternoon to hear the missionary sermon by the Rev. Thomas Phillips, of Bloomsbury. The preacher took tor his ■ theme, "Prayer and Missions." "Prayer, to begin with, is,always- narrow," lie, Said; "but- it is narrowness in the process of expansion; goodness is always communistic, and must share itself. What can break down' the Chinese immobility of our churches but prayer, and pravor alone keeps tho vision of foreign "missions beforo our c'yes.' . Public Worship. Tho need of a strengthening Church, of more devout public worship, and of a moro practical active Christianity was, earnestly and eloquently emphasised by 1 ■notablo preachers at the final session of the Union at Cardiff. "Wo aro to blame that our sermons are not more forciblo, and that wo put into them so little sweat of tho brain and soul," declared tho Rev. S. P. Carey, of Stockton-on-Tecs, whose subject was "Tho Church: Its Devotion, Its Service, and Its Holiness." The potent preacher, he said, was never moro urgently needed than to-day. Tho old mosaic of tlitf English Prayer Book had been of beautiful assistance to the Anglican Church. It emphasised tho dignity of public worship for tens of thousands, and they were poor barbarian Philistines if they did not understand and respect it,' (Question.) Ho was a Nonconformist, a thorough-paced Individualist, and would be tho last to propose that tney should introduce the prayer forms of • any church to their worship; but'the less worship won men the more they must strive to make it devoutly winsome. The simple meeting houses of Nonconformists had been the real Universities of tho people. "We will not blush for our meeting houses," said Mr. Carey, "but not so' instantly do they induce the mood of worship as the more venerable shrine 'of tho Anglican Church." ' - PRAISE FROM THE POPE.' REHAR-KABLE LETTER TO AN ENGLISH BISHOP. A letter from the Pope was read by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Clifton at a mc-eting at the Park Hall, Cardiff, on Sunday (October 6) in celebration. of the golden jubilee of tho prWsthood of Dr. fledley, Bishop, of Newport. In the course of the epistle the Pope says: — 1 "Your praise "has mounted high, anil has so impressed the minds of all that of you'anil your worth ali have conceived' i»ut one conspicuous opinion. That opin ion is .well'-founded since we are well aware how the writings you have.published excel, alike for theiy matter anil for the grace of their polished diction, and we know full well how your pursuit of religious perfection, your weiglitiness in deliberation, and yonr solicitude in the pastoral office have won for you, and still win for you, the garland of a flourishing renown. • , "Furthermore, wo wish to enhance this present mark of our loving regard for, you by tlio gift of a chalice to be used in Mass,'which wo take pleasure in sending you, together with our blessing apostolic. This blessing, venorablo brother, as a gage of Heaven's gifts, we very, affection-, ately with tho Lord ,'bestow both upon yon- yourself and upon the clergy and people of the dioccso." WESLEYAN CHURCH HOUSE OPENED JOYOUS GATHERING AT WEST- ' MINSTER. The Wosleyan Church House, which lias been built on the site of tho .old Westminster Aquarium, with funds subscribed by 700,000 Methodist's, was opened recently with ovcr.v 'appearance of high achieviiment in tho past and enthusiasm for the future. Members of tho Wesleyan Methodist communion came to AVestminster from all parts of.tlio.country, anil somo of tho largest l gatherings of 1-reo Churchmen seen in recent years were present at tho various meetings and services. Both for comfort-and-ease of hearing,-the-groat hall, seating 3000 people, proved as nearly perfect as any building of . its sisra yet erected in England. The magnificent organ was also an unqualified ' succim. - A brief dedicatory service, at which the Doxology and To Deum wcro. snnij, was followed'by luncheon for over Mil-in tho lower hall, nfler which ramo. speeches-and. the reading of letters. Anions tlio latter three communications of special interest came from tho Dean of Westminster (Bishop Ryle). the Archdeacon of Westminster (Dr. Wilberforce), and Canon Hcnsen, Vicar of St. Margaret's. i In sending assurances of warm welcomn and regard the Dean wrote that "it would Jma bew. a swat pleajmrq to mo i{ I„

had'teen able to attend'and express'my personal sympathy as well as the official recognition oi the Dean and Chapter ol Westminster of your new enterprise." John Wesley, Dr. ltylo added, was olteu a gut-sl' of ma great-grandfather at Macoksfield, and lie was brought up by hrn futlier in the sincerest regard ani veneration for Wesley's work and character.Dr. Campbell Morgan and tho Itev.'E 1 . B. Meyer sent best wishes on behalf 'of Congregationalism, which *was also represented m a very warm-hearted speech by Sir Albert Spieer. Dr.~ Dison, of the Metropolitan Tabwnacle, spoke as a Baptist; Dr. Caldicott, Professor of Philosophy at College, as a member ot the Church, of England; and Bishop Hamilton for the Metlioili.il- Episcopal Church of America. In tho. courso of an account ol the Wetsleyan Twentieth Century I'und, Sir Robert Perks made an appeal for a further ■£15,000 to bo added to the .£1,000,0110 already oollected. • "We do not profess," ho observed, i"to have put up a cheap building. We have put up, as conference instructed us, a monumental building which will last not for generations, but for centuries and centuries. Time will merely beautify the structure.'" So great was the crowd at the evening meeting that an overflowing gathering numbering many hundreds had to be laid ill the lower hall. In the Central Hall, as the immense domed assembly room is to be known, 3000 people cheered Sir Robert Perks enthusiastically when he rose to speak. He urged the need of mobilising the forces or Methodism with ccrtarn definite objects in view, hrst among winch must be the union of Methodism itself. "1 look forward," he exclaimed, "to tliti day when this great hall will not be called the Central Hall of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, but simply the Central Hall of the Methodist Church. V.'h\ should we dissipate our f&rcss and present to the world a picture of disunion'-when in doctrine, |in ritual, in principles if government, there is so little dilterenco between the three sections of Methodism?" Tho peace of the world—international, industrial, social—must bo another of its leading aims, and to these two he. would add two more—the observance of the oidfashioned English Sunday and the promotion of the cause of Temperance, in this busy age why waste time' in pursuing phantoms and shadows when there-was so much practical work waiting at our very doors? Now that Methodism'had taken its rightful, place "in tho sun" something would'be expected of it. - The depression and discouragement 'that ■ have been ..apparent iii certain Wesleyan ;eircles were referred to by Dr. Watkinsoh. 'lie recommended the remedy, of woik. "Let every, man ' in Methodism" dismiss criticism and do his duty, i Xou don't solve problems by talking. If 1 had my Way conference would only meet once in three or live years, and the. Methodist papers would not be allowed to come, out more than once a quarter." Sir George Smith, on the other band, mentioned that, coincident with the opening of the new Church House, a r.ew spirit has been reported from almost every Synod—a' solemnly purposed return to'th'e first'work of Methodism, a .renewal-of-its first earnestness, simplicity, and humility, mid a steadfast insistence that among Methodists "the first thing shall*be first." COADJUTOR-ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE. CONSECRATION OF DR. MANNIX. In Maynooth College on Sunday- (October 6), surrounded by many distinguished prelates, priests, and laymen, the Host Kev. Dr. Mannix was consecrated. Archbishop of Pharsalus and. CoadjutorArchbishop of Melbourne. The cercmony was carried out (says the • "Catholic Times") with tile impressive dignity and wealth'of ritual usual oil such occasions, and was followed with rapt attention by a congregation which filled the beautiful edifice in every part. The consecrating' prelate was his Eminence Cardinal Logue,/ and his Eminence, was assisted- by' tho . Most Rev. Dr.-Browne, Bishop of Cloyne,' i and the Most liev. Dr. Fogarty,'Bishop- ■ of-ivillaloe. . . . .. !The sermon was preachediby-his' Grace the Archbishop of Tuam, ..who. said- the , ceremonial lvad special points of interest, . for Maynooth had given over ■ olio, Mm-. dred Bishops to the- Church,,,but : only ' two of them were consecrated in. die 'College. Dr. Mannix had rendered specjal and signal services to Maynooth. Ho took . the principal part in enlarging the stalf; ho laboured strenuously to bring the College into connection with the late Royal University which effected so much for tho improvement of college - studies, especi-r ally in arts ami philosophy, and which proved before all tho world that students of Maynooth in those circles of knowledge could, and did, triumphantly hold their own against all comers. God, said Dr. Healy, had given the Irish race a great supernatural mission —had chosen them to be preachers of the: Gospel and champions of the Church to tho ends of the earth, a loftier destiny than fho enjoyment of material wealth or military renown. Melbourne had become one of tho greatest Sees in the Catholic Church, and Maynooth College had its own . share in building up that great Church', for no man had accomplished more for Melbourne and for Australia. tlian its present illustrious Archbishop, Most Kev. Dr. Carr., As a writer, .a preacher, a scholar, awl ah administrator, ho occupied tho foremost place amongst tho prelates of tho Australian ■ Church. Ho was-admired and respected by men of all creeds, and dearly loved by his own. In tho afternoon some five hundred guests were entertained to luncheon in tho •students' refectory by the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix. His Graoe proposed the toast of tho Popo, which was enthusiastically honoured. In -proposing tho. health of Cardinal Logue, Dr. Mannix said he stood there fot tlk last time as President of the College of Maynooth. it was thirty years since he entered the College "gat<»> under the Geraldino Castle, and. ho was glad to find that they had a representative of the family with them that evening, Lord Frederic Fitzgerald. After so many years, it was no wonder he had been imbued with tile spirit and .atmosphere of Maynooth, and parting from the College would be a wrench indeed. Cardinal Logue proposed tho new . Archbishop's health. The Australians, lie said, took Cardinal Moran and also Arehbisliop Carr from Ireland, and he believed that Ireland was again placing the Australian Churdii under a deen debt of gratitude by sending out Dr. Mannix. No one was better qualified to assist in tho great r work of educating Catholic youth than Dr. Mannix. Tho country suffered a great less by his departure, but Australia would gain greatly by his presence. Various other toasts were honoured, including "The Irish .Race in Australia and New Zealand," which was suitably acknowledged by Rev. Father Hayden, of Sydney. TO RE-CREATE THE WORLD. ■BISHOP OF LONDON ON THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.. , - Tho Bishop of London, in his recent sermon in connection with the Church Congress, took as his text: "They that have turned the world upside down have 'come hither ; also."-' Having dealt with the. social revolution created by the early Church bccauso the Christians discovered. that God "was all in all," Dr. Ingrain said tho tragedy was that, with such a splendid'start, tho Church had not done more. ■ ' .' "Think over some of the things still, confronting'us like grinning spectres,, after two thousand years of. Christianity," Dr. Ingram proceeded. "So little has the doctrine of Brotherhood between man and man been.learnt that what is called euphemistically 'industrial vhresl' is the ;special foaturo of tho present day, and so littlo has tlie promised peace on' earth yet been accomplished that Europe increasingly resembles an armed camp. ' Another hideous grinning spectre 1 -, is tho 'White Slave Traffic,' and the extraordinary difficulty of rousing even Chfistian public opinion to understand its powers, its .ramifications, and., its heartless cruelty." ' "What," Dr." Ingram' went on to ask, "can-redress tho eifects of individualism run mad? 'What can prevent tho selfishness of those in possession? . . What: can prevent the' British buttoning up of pockets with" the cry of my land,'my motor, liiy rights? Nothing but the Christian doctrine, of stewardship really applied. 'I live, yet liot I," but' Christ livcth in me.': 'Yo are not your own, ye are bought with a price.' What familiar words! and yet how revolutionary! Livo up to (horn, and wo aro half-way to the millennium; without them, wo have not oven slarted for it. . . i Up, then, brothers and sistors, and without delay draw out of tho Church the power that yot oan le-prente tho wrLdJl"