RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1675, 15 February 1913, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

A NEW YEAR LETTER. BY THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. In his New Year letter the Archbishop of Canterbury (Lr. Davidson) writes:— It is not always obvious what is tho rignt message ior each, opening year. Just now tlio "sors liturgica"—the automatic happening of the Cnurch'siappointed Lessons—seews to point tho way. As December draws to its close wo are bidden to rea<l tho invigorating and uplifting call addressed by the greatest of the prophets to a people who were going to maKo iorthwith a tresh start upon lile's roadway. Could we hud anywhere a more stimulating, a inoro hopeful introduction to the anxieties and activities of a New Year'?— "hear thou not, for 1 am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy (iod: I will strengthen theo: yea, I will help thee: I will uphold thee with tho arm of My righteousness. . . .'Thus'saith God tho Lord. , . . He that spread abroad the earth. . . ..He that giveth bread unto tho people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. ... I will hold thy hand, anil will keep thee. ... 1 am the Lord.

. . . Behold the former things aro come to pass, and now things do 1 declare: before they spring fortli I tell you of them. . . . Thou shall £eo and bo lightened, and they heart shall tremble and be enlarged." 1 Read and re-read those words and the chapters whence they come. They are uo mere imagory. Thousands hc.ve lound them to be solid fact. Remember them 6tcadily, as our thoughts and prayers turn to ■ tho great issues Which are now beiore us and around.us, and to the questions, old and now, by which we aro confronted. . Issues of peace and war in Kastern Europe. Issues'of political ana Eocial and educational and religious, controversy at home. 'J.'hey call every one of theiu for thought and prayer, and some of them for determined and persistent action. If things go amiss, make sure that at least it is not becauso you have, been apathetic or callous or lukewarm. Some of the principles which we have hitherto regarded as sacrosanct or axiomatic are now;,it would seem, being cast here and there into the melting-pot. The reverence due to the law as law. The .sacredncss of ancient trusts Whioh are being actively and beneficiently discharged. The normal ihdissolubleness of the marriage bond. These and many other unquestioned principles are becoming "questions" now. Wo need', clear heads-, and eager hearts, and capable hands and voices, and, above all, bended knees. We have weathered troublous times before,' when dihiculties were greater than they- are to-day, and have won enduring victories agaiust oven ancient and deep-sot wrongs. We aro not going to bo faint-hearted now' because of clouds and ta'ugles, or to. despair of a good outcome because the winds are boisterous. It has nover been in quietest times that tho most fruitful work was' done. Stir may develop into mischief, but at "least it betokens life. \

; Nearly four hundred years ago a very wise man, Sir Thomas More, whose times were not of tug most peaceable sort, wrote thus:—

"What part soever you have taken upon you, play that as well as you can.'. . . You must hot forsake tho ehippc in a tempest because you cannot keep down windes . . .but studyo niid endeavour as uiuoh as in you lyethe, to handle the matter wyltclye and Imndsomelyc to, the purpose; and that which you cannot turn ,to good so to order.that it be not very Jbadde. For it is not possible for all things to be'\rell unless all men,, were good. 'Which I think will not be yet this' good many yeares,"

Sir Thomas Moro's times were . rougher than ours, but.we have at least equal need to handle our matters "wyttelyo and hnndsomelye to tho purpose." And tho "wits" are not wanting if wo will use them aright. It is not a case of banded right against -banded ■ There is, 1 believe, &-more general.'desire' than there ever'was before to act rightly. But our conditions are complex, our days are restless,,,and tho affection for short cuts is full of peril. It'is "in your patience" that "y'o shall win' your souls." ';. We need to think and to say our- prayers. It will not be in vain. FFIES CHUiICH FIGURES. DECLINE OP CONGREGATIONALISTS . ' AND BAPTISTS. The hopes expressed by Free Churchmen that they had reached the limit of their decline have not been realised (saj-s tho "Westminster Gazette"). Doth the Congregational and Baptist Churches have just issued their annual statistics, and thoso are disappointing. Tho Baptist leaders anticipated that thoy were oh tho upgrade, but this year' 9 figures aro lower thau those of the previous year, whilst tho Congrogationalists face a total drop in -membership and Sunday scholars of 53M. On the same basis tho /Baptists havo'lost 7155, so that those two Churches, which are identical in polity and order, show the large decrease of 12,551. These facts suggest tho need for a thorough inquiry into Free Church point emphasised for some time by the "Westminster Gar.etto,'\nnd now at length in course of preparation by tho National Free Church Council. Unfortunately,the Baptists and Congregationalists are not tho only sufferers, but tho WesleyanMethodists—tho largest of - the Free Churches—and nearly all. the junior Methodist. Churches have also experienced a siniilnr decline. '

•In the United Kingdom the returns of Congregationalism'for 1912 are as follow (comparison being shown with the previous year):— , • ;, "-Increase or decrease Totals for compared 1912. with 1911. Churches 'branch ' churches, etc 5,025 ' + : 4 Sittings 1,821,281 + 5,417 Church members 490,722 - 2,221 Scholars „ G92.G76 - 3,178 Teachers........*, 71,530 .+ 269 Ministers 3,155 + 8 Evangelists and lay pastors 299 + 25 Lay preachers 5,187 ;-. 141 Churches without ~- ' pastors 42-1 - 3 These figures indicate that tho ordinary machinery of Congregationalism is being maintained. Four now churches have added over 5000 sittings. Thcro are eight additional ministers,' and an increaso as compared with last year of 2G9 Sunday School teachers, notwithstanding a declino of over 3000 scholars. Tho institution of tho primary department, with its need for a larger, staff of probably accounts for this increassd staff. Wlien we consider the area of the declino in full members and scholars a satisfactory basis' 'for consideration is impossible. Thus Wales and Monmouth Teport a decrease of 828 mombers,' but an increaso of 14*74' scholars. Yorkshire has 215 less membora, whilst its Sunday scholars havo increased nearly 300. Congregationalism is stronger in Lancashire than in any other county, •yet its members havo decreased by 106 and its scholars by 13. I Durham and Northumberland have, still 'larger ■ dccrea,ses of 363 and 3G9 respectively,' -whilst Cheshire has augmented its membership to tho extent of 232, though her Sunday scholars are less by 104. , Tho metropolitan aren attached to.tho London Congregational Union has more than maintained its membership, notwithstanding the difficulties of the suburban churches. Still the Sunday schools have suffered and account for moro than one-third of the total declino in tho United Kingdom. In the rural parts if England the figures vary.

Tho Baptist Statistics, By the courtesy of the Baptist Union a representative of the "Westminster Gazette" has been supplied with the returns of the churches for the last year. These are as follow:— Increase or decrease compared' Totals, with 1911. Churches 3,112 + 19 Church buildings .... 4.ISG + 17 Church seating 1,471,708 + 8.021 Sunday school teachers 00,211 + 2Cfl Church members 410,377 - ?,231 Sunday scholars 570,900 - 4,924 Local' preachers 5,451 - 87 lMsi/ors in charge ... 2,100 + 17 Since 1900 Baptists have suffered a continuous decline In church members, und, with two exceptions, also in Sunday

scholars and local preachers. • Tho f gilres for 1900 and tho intervening years ore given below:— Church Sunday ...ocal Mem- Schol- Preachbors. ara. ers. 1906 434,741' 590,321 8,743 }»07 , 429,877 587.1C0 5,685 908 ! 424,003 578,314 5,615 P 422,455 579,242 5 652 ■ |910 418,680 570,448 5,692 "I 418,008 575,830 5,538„ • 1912 416,377 570,906 MSI", Those annual totals show that since 1906 s°,n™ ptlsts lmvo declined to tho extent 0 i *„„i , m «»bers, 19,315 Sunday scholars, and 297 local preachers. •. . Reasons for tho Decline. An official of the Congregational Union statea to a representative of the "Westminster Gazette" that two reasons for the decline m tho Congregational churches might bo expressed by (1) emigration, and'(2)' the stricter attention now being paid to tho church rolls. Numbers of cases could bo given/during"the past year of wholo families leaving for Canada and other overseas dominions, and these people often represented some oi tho best workers in country and village churches. Tho losses in this respoct.lo was assured, had been continuous and 8 * In J epl A t0 ho said that frequently theso were lost to Congregationalism on their settlement in tho colonies because of foregetfulnoss or delay in informing Dr. Burford Hooke, secretary of tho Colonial Missionary Sol

RELIGION IN 1912. ADDRESS BY DR. CLIFFORD. In his New Tear's' address in Westbourno Park Chapel, Dr. Clifford referred to tho Balkan .War, and.paid a tribute ,?mL iho , :herol s m of tho Balkan peoples: I hey have faced the situation and patiently prepared for the fight Oh behalf of ciyic liberty. Their drill was their development. Character emerged. Character is; mastery, and has won m the heroic struggle against corruption and tyranny » ntl tho world is glad." Ho referred, to tlio lurk as that archinaster of proscra*hnation and thief of tho rights of others." His tour demands are: (1) Complete freedom from Turkish sway for the Bnlkan btates; (2) self-government for. «ach of tho States; (8)-liberty, for commerce; 1 (4) co-operation for peace. Dr. Clifford spoko grave words on' tho religious situa|ion in 1912.' "The air is filled,' ho said,, "with lamentation and mourning over decaying churches and. bunday schools, declining attendances at public worship, and a general nfgleet of institutional, religion. There are deep searchings of heart amongst tho Churches, the' Liverpool censuses most discouragand everybody is apprehensivo of a similar -or worso state of facts being discovered by the statistics to bo given us about London. Tho outlook is dark and threatening for organised Christianity." He suggested, however, that, the 'treo of religion may bo bursting and breaking tho pot in which its roots have been bound, that it may bo replanted in a freer and richer soul, and thereafter produce a- nioro nourishing fruit." He drew comfort from tho thought that tho State is becoming-'more and moroa church in its idcals'_ and ' , :activitios.'-T.""lnstitutional Christianity is everywhere vaiting: on tiptoe for new organic forms. Tlio present forms and creeds are not fitted to express Christianity. They givo u false appearanco of vitality. They galvanise the dead past. They deprive tho Churches pf power. Tho Church is tied hand and foot. - It frets and chafes jn its bends, and sighs , for' 'freedom . and self-invest-, ment.' It wants to deal with theAtlmna-' sian Creed and its clauses; audit cannot. Nor are the Freo Churches entirely happy. They know that' their formulated doctrines are no longer a bond of cohesion; that social forces are stronger than, aogmas and rites; and that on powerful religious personalities and continuously wise, tactful, and loving service of man they must depend for their future success." ' l '■•,.■.■ DR. KELMAN IN LONDON. -

;■ ?COTTISHhPESTIVAL A distinguished- congregation gathered on- Sunday afternoon, on December 8, at' St. .Columba's, Pout Street,. Belgravia, for tho annual Scottish:Festival"acfvice. The lessois.wero read by the Lord Eigh Commissioner to the General Assembly of th* Church of Scotland, Lord Glenconner, and unionist thoso present were eighteen clergy representing the Church of Scotland, Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh, and Lord and Lady Haddo. Tho preacher was Dr.-John Kelman, of St._ George's, Edinburgh, who delivered a striking discourse on the words, "We* also are compassed about' with so great a cloud of witnesses." Speaking to those Christians who lived lonely lives, and feared that no one oared whether they succeeded or failed, Dr. Kelman pointed out that they were not without companions. The Wnolo'camp of ,God was glittering with/lights, where faithful sentinels stood at lonely outputs of faith or character. The indifferent, who watched us as mere spectators, presented a challenge to. the Kingdom «f God. The actively hostile watohors, eager to catch tho Christian stumbling, presented another challenge. In eloquent passages Dr.' Kelman proceeded to speak of tho friendly witnesses. "Don't you think," he asked, "it would'be wise to put into practice the old. >test of dwelling in the midst of our own people? In tho region of imagination, we can dwell with whom'we please. Think :of thoie w;ho are;purest and simplest and truest, until they crowd the secret hours, and tho solitary times, of life." One beautiful illustration used by Dr. Kelman will bs long remembered. "In the meadows of Edinburgh at night," he said, "when you cross.that flat arena and see the lights from tho high.' houses all around in a great oval shining down upon you, it sometimes 6eems to one, without too groat' a : stretch'of imagination as'if this was an arena indeed, some vast and ancient amnhitheatro, and these lights were the souls of tho dead, looking down to see how' successive generations were taking up their unfinished work.".

THE POPE'S CHRISTMAS. On Christmas Evo the Snored College of Cardinals repaired to the Vatican to offer Greetings to the Holy Father, through the Sub-Dean- of the body, Cardinal Soraflno Vannutelli, Bishop of Porto and Sabine, acting in the place of the aged Cardinal Di Piotro. Later in the evening This Holiness received the good withes of the heads of. the military corps' of the Apostolic Palaco.viz., Prince Rospigliosi, Commandant of tho Noblo' Guard; Colonol Repond, Commandant of tho Swiss Guard; Major Di Pietro, Regent in command of tho Palatine Guard of Honour; iand Count Ccccopieri, Commandant of tho Pontifical Gendarmes; with each of whom the Sovereign Pontiff graciously oxehanged Christmas greetings. Tho Pope's three Masses on Christmas morning wnro.said as usual in the-presence of his sisters and a few privileged friends in his private chapel, not, as in the old days, in three different churches in tho city.