RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1675, 15 February 1913, Page 6

RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK.

DISCUSSED BY METHODIST. CONFERENCE. "MOST SERIOUS IMPORT." CHRISTIANITY AND THE MODERN MIND. . "Welfaro of the Church" was the subject of a report submitted to the Metho~dist Conference by a committer appointed by the last conference. The figures supplied by the report deal with what was previously known as the Methodist Church_ only. : Tho increase in Church membership; states tho report, in which every district participates, is 539; There is also'an increase of 119 in the junior membership of the Church.. The returns showNi decrease of 3608 in tho number of adherents, which amounts to over 5 per cent. Tho total number of adherents reported is G7.G99, the lowest since 190 L Tho committee feels that it is time the conference gave some special attention W*this column of our statistics. If the return is reliable the figures aro of the' most serious import. If, on the other hand, the figures are unreliable, they should introduce a basis of calculation, which, would provide reliable information. Tho Sunday school returns show a decrease of eight schools and of H scholars. The large decrease of 821 scholars is rcprted from the Canterbury district. There are increases in the number of junior and senior members, and also in both young men's and young women's Bible classes.

The report proceeds i—"Glancing through the more informative replies! from the quarterly meetings and especially regarding the very valuable communication received from the New Plymouth circuit, the chief causes operating against religious lifo and progress may bo. detailed •as follow:—' ' "(1) The increase in luxury and selfindulgence, consequent upon easier conditions of life, has produced an ago largely marked by indifference to the spiritual appeal. Our youths are absorbed in pleasure and our men preoccupied in monoy-mnking, and the clainiß of religion are thrust aside. ... ... "(2) The theological unrest, resulting from the failure of .old modes of expressing truth to satisfy the modern mind, and the hesitancy'of the pulpit to ada.pt itself to the new vocabulary, and to provide a sufficient answer to the questions that are clamouring for settlement among all thinking men, has resulted in a wido distrust of tho Church as a candid and competent teacher. •. ■ ~ "(3) The overflow of Christian- activity into non-Church channels has reduced the status of the:' Church,-, in-'the eyes : of many, as a necessary institution in the community. . ~■'. . ... .. ~ "(1) Tho rapid spread of education, the diffusion of literature, and the growth of culture have brought in an' ago which demands a more-uniformly high standard of ministerial equipment than.wo supply, and perhaps a more dignified and reverent form of publio worship than is common among us. - . , : .' ' "(5) Tho'absorption of ministerial time and energy in mere routine, in carrying on circuit finance, and especially in our cities, in, answering the innumerable calls of Connexional committees mid publio demands, has' lowered the effectiveness of many ministers." ' '■',„'.' The committee submitted the following resolutions, which were canned i— ■ .-• "(1) That in all our circuits 6teps bo taken to restore to the membership of tho Church its fullest significance. To this' end the conference urges that -young pcoplo coming forward for - membership bo instructed in preparatory classes in tho duties privileges of Church life; that tho means of Christian fellowship be amply provided in every circuit, and that the pcoplo bo constantly urged to avail themselves of tho.same, and.,to participate regularly in tho Communion services; that the. whole membership of the Church ho consulted in all important developments' of Church work, and kept in close touch with what is going forward in our official courts; and that the roll of'membership bo faithfully revised from quarter, to quarter, and tho names of any who, after affectionate, advice, decline to'fulfil the requirements of membership in the Church, bo removed."(2) That in view of the fact that the lay pastorate has been effectively established in some of our churches, and has commended itself as a valuable assistance to tho minister, and a source of stimulus to the people, the conference urges that it should be more widely adopted, and requests the "Welfare of the Church' Committee to bring the matter •' before . all leaders' moetings, and in so doing to suggest how it may best be introduced and made successful. . '■•'; . "(3) The- committee is strongly of opinion that the attention of teachers' meetings and leaders' meetings should bo concentrated Upon the bringing of our young people into touch with tho Church as junior or senior members, and recommends to the attention of the conference the, resolutions of the Canterbury Synod thereupon. '.'„.,,-..<. "(4) -That in view of the fact that some of our members and adherents are lost sight of through removals, the greatest, care be taken to prevent such les.knge. That a new and more, useful removal: note bo provided, furnishing fuller information, somewhat on the lines of that used' by tho British Methodist Brotherhood, and that the note be in duplicate, one part to be retained by the member removing, and tie other to be sent to the minister of the town where the member is going. The conference deems it of importance that 'absent members' who are residing without the bounds of a Methodist circuit, or in remote parts of constituted circuits, should be kept in touch with the Church by having their membership tickets forwarded to them. "(5) That with a view to promoting, Christian work and bringing the Church into closer touch with the people, 'Workers' Guilds' or 'visiting bands'be organisedto undertake 6ystematio visitation, the sectional oversight of neighbourhoods and tho dissemination of Christian literature. "(G) That the following' committee be set up to consider the advisability of establishing a 'Christian Literature Department' in the Church, having as its. object the issuing of. leaflets on evangelical, a'pologtaic, and social topics, suitable for general distribution among our young people and others, such committee to report, to next conference:—The RevsC W. ,T. Williams,- S. La-wry, W. Laycock, C. H. Laws, W. A. Sinclair, A. B. Chappell, J. W. Burton, with Messrs. E. Rosevear, J. E. Purchase, L. M. Isitt, F. Christian, J. E. Sinclair, and T. Sharp. "(7) That wherever possible, Deaconesses be employed in ■ connection with our churches in tho cities and larger towns." The report was presented by tho Eev. C. H. Laws. In presenting the report, Mr. Laws said that the state of the Church at present gave need for work and. prayer, but not for craven fear. They were coming into an age when they would have greater - opportunities for noblo work than ever before. Ho sometimes thought that he should liko to die now, and commence his ministry fifty years, The indications were for a fuller, larger, and freer conception of the Kingdom of God than ever l>eforo. Tho pendulum- was swinging from materialism to spiritualism. Every department of thought was making for tho recasting of ideas on a spiritual basis. In 1871 Professor T.vndall eaid: "In matter I see promise and potency of all forms of terrestrial life." Professor Brooks twentyfour years later, reversed the saying: "In life I see tho promiso and potency of all forms of terrestrial matter." Tliey had to fear now, not materialism, but tho 'swing of tho pendulum in tho other direction—spiritualism. It was tho duty of • the Church to interpret this nge to itself, avoiding both the fascination of new and ill-directed heresies and unreasoned conservatism. Tho speaker then compared - modern conditions, with conditions of n hundred years ago. In the stato of modern mind, they wero an nue in advance of tho previous century. This nge, with its anger and strife afforded far greater opportunities. Speaking about striken, Mr. Laws said that he did not agree with tho ex-prcsidoiifs address on this head. Strikes, in his opinion, should bo a last resource. Some wero wrong, but there wero some for which tlio whole Church ; should pray. Tho Church should try to meet the workers of to-day with knowledge and sympathy and frank discussion, In the eper-kor'u onlnion tho Christian .Cluuou could not bo anything but a

democratic institution. In the present ago there was still in tho heart of man tho cry of the Psalmist: "0 that I knew how I might find Him." (Applause). Tho Rev. W. A. Sinclair said that they were ceasiag to bo tho Methodists that their forefathers were. Ho mentioned tho fact that veiy few open-air Methodist missions were held nowadays. He said that thov wero losing ground with tho adults and were turning to.the children. This was not wholly desirable, the children, must be looked to, but the adults must not be lost sieht of. He hoped that members of.tho Conference would, during the forthcoming year, devote a great deal of time in securing ■ the attendance- of children at the churches. (Applause.) Several other members of the conference continued the^ discussion. ' A. resolution was passed to' the effect that regular open-air services be held. It was also decided to have the speech delivered by Mr. Laws printed in tho conncxional publication.