RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 12

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

"ETERNAL LIFE." GREAT BOOK BY BA|tON VON HUGEL'. , , PRESENT SOCIAL PEOBLEMS. The January issuo of "The Interpreter" contains a very interesting article by tho editor on "Eternal Life," a remarkable book which has recently been published by, Messrs. T. and T. Clark, tlio author being Baron von Hugel, a distinguished Roman Catholic layman. The articlo states: "Baron von Hugel stands in tho front rank of religious thinkers. No one can read his 'Eternal Life' without a deep sense of gratitude. Like Miss Underbill's 'Mysticism,' it is a book to bo read and rpnd again; "Especially should it bo read in' a day ; wheii the doctrino of the Divine Iminanenre—tlio doctrino of God, in tho world, guiding, ruling, and sustaining it from within, and not merely from without—is being preached in season and out of ,6eason; A right and glorious doctrine indeed," but after all only half of tho whole truth, and dangerous if pressed apart from the other half. For God is not only Immanent within tho world, Ho is Transcendent out-, side of it as well. He stands complete and perfect over against at tho 6amo time that He is the immanent, indwelling spirit, wi.thin it, ever advancing Within it to completion. And these two aspects of- the truth .are essential .parts of tlie Catholic faith, .and we hold a distorted view of tho faith if we ignore either of them. History of the Book. "He' undertakes no easy taisk who would in a few pages interpret so profound a book; but so'far as spaoo'will allow, we must-make the attempt. Tho history,of tho book itself' is interesting.: Baron von Hugel was asked to write an aritcle on eternal life for Dr. Hastings' new Encyclopaedia. Ho was allowed such space as he might require. But when he began to write ho found- that even these gener-, ous limits had been transgressed,'and a big volume lay on his hands. Messrs. T. and T. Clark, tho publishers of tlio Encyclopaedia, did the right and obvious thing when they published the articlo as a book. And now for tho book itself. At .its close there is a full and ment of the way in which tho consciousness of eternal life is revealed .to us, what it is," and what it requires for its growth. And ,leading np to this' conclusion is a' wide survey of the rise of the* consciousness 1 of • eternal life in history, of the contributions to it, aiid tlie gropings afterit, mado by Jew and . Greek, by early Christian and; modieval, Christian saints aiid-philosophers, and by.the philosophers arid biologists. of . modern times. Tho present situation pasies under. ..review with its ominous and its liopeful sighs, and this'leads rip to'the .chapter'.on Institutionalism, .on the paramount! necessity for an organised • religious society wherein . tho - conviction ; of eternal -life - can find its fullest .expression."; ; Tho. article ■ goes • on • to deal with tho meaning .of eternal life.. -• God's' transoendenoe' arid immanence, institutional religion arid'eternal life,-,6teps in tho growth Of convictions of . eternal ■life from Plato to the mpdern philosophers. The article concludes as-follows The World of the Workman. '. "In his chapter on Socialism and Present Social iroblems, Baron von Hugel has some pertinent things to say. Here, he leaves the world of philosophy for the world of the workriian, as it has developed during tho last sixty years. Marx has beeri' a great name, in this world. And vast , numbers have for tho time adopted a typo of Socialism which is Marxian and utterly iminarientist. And this olderfashioned immanentist doctrinaire Socialism and equally with it the social troubles and hardships of industrial life of .to-day fonn poor soil for true.views of eternal life." The one because it makes the' readjustment of social troubles the end and :npt the means ''to thc ( end,'and tlio other bfefcause they fix the ntt'eiition'tbo arixioiisly li'nd t'xciusivelyrupon the present. "Baron von Hugel distinguishes three causes for the" rampant, this-'world attitude, which, in emphasis, would allow no other-world attitude. Eirst .'the -all-engrossing nature ff .the question .'of mere physical miiiritenarice prevents men, who liavo little capacity for thinking of more than one thing at a -time, from taking account of another world. Only the power -of a great tradition could hold them to the larger view, and this tradition is wanting as regards'tho mass of men. ' Secondly, there is a revulsion from the Church on social grounds. The bourgeois dislike of the nobility, has passed .over to the workers dislike of the capitalist. . In the, former strife tho Church is looked upon, as.the alley of tho castle, .and . in the .latter the clergy aro looked' upon ' as' the paid 1 apologists of capitalists and exploiters of labour. It was this which accounted for the ease with which tlie Church . has been disestablished in Erance. Then in'the third place, wo must'add to these other causes a widespread ignorance' of religion - and the history and needs of. mankind. , One-sided Dreams. "These troubles , led to tho ', one-sided dreams of the .older fashioned Socialism, dreams of a. millenial stato herd on, earth, dreams which were wrong rather,in their denial of,' or ignoring of, the need for a completion in another world of the blessed state bsgun in this world, than in their earnest belief that as far as physical maintenance is conoerned it can be well begun here. Man has in truth a greater capacity than this earth can satisfy. But it is also true that he can only begin its satisfaction. here, in conditions of timo and space. Now it. was the exaggerated importance attached to this world, leading to the belief that all'thoughts of anotlier - World must be suppressed,, which accounted for the anti-religious attitude of tho, earliest Marxian Socialism. Just as it was, on,the other hand, an .exaggerated emphasis upon the other world, which discouraged the beginning of- tlio Kingdom of God here in the economic conditions of timo and space. Hopeful Signs in Social Movements. "But over -against tho troubles Baron von iiugol s«cs.three'hopeful signs. The masses of men who support the vast Socialist movements of the world are bitten with no dreamy scepticism such as is found among the f cultured classes; they show a crude, perhaps violent,but at least self-sacrificing faith, which though, it may take for a while a materialistic form is ennobled by' much personal itn,selfishness... . Secondly, * tlio - great ;■ social problem serves to .bring home' the necessity for .a' certain security.'and; stability in; the'means'and circumstances of physical existence.', The case'of the-poor, of to-day, ;as Baron von Hugel shows, and as Bishop Gore',has:also . recently been at pains to show, is entirely, diflcrent from tho case of the. Galilean poor whom our Lord called blessed,; 'tho problem 'is'not siriiply intensified for us,, it is .radically changed.' There is 'necessity, for tlio average man, of some social decency, some homo life, some assurance .concerning -the to-morrow,' and some littlo leisure, as preliminaries for the growth within him of the religious instincts.' In this Cardinal Manning, Bishop Ketteler, jr. 1« Play, Bishop Westcott, Bishop Gore, Pope Leo XIII, and many others agree. Christianity's Perpetual Youth,. "And all this brings out really tho source of Christianity's perpetual youth; 'for Christianity is thus, obliged to to busy with tho temporal and spatial, tho physical and psychical, so. that, more than over, any: excliisivo other-worldiincss, all quietistic.suffering and , listless, waiting would be treason against .both man and God. Thus less than ever,is the lmiuanontismand tho lucarnational Doctrino of Christianity an empty theory, indeed, its insistence that .spirit shall penetrate and transform matter, and thus awaken and develop its own self, has never in the history of tho world had so gigantic a field.' And it is religious and Christian conviction which alone will save Socialism on the one hand from Utopian fanaticism, and on the other from reaction into indifference. Man hero is to do his utmost to improve his fellow-mail's earthly lot; but that lot, whilst, greatly improvable with timo and care, is' deliberately held to find its completion ill aiiotlier life above. "Indeed, and finally, it is this verv change in thought which is gradually working, as Baron von Hugel 6ees, among the Socialistic leaders and masses. And it is a change wliich is most observable ill England. The angry secularism is disappearing. A yearning is to be observed for an economic organisation which will

allow. freer play for tho co-operativ» Christian principle, and check tlio old competitive, warlike, non-Christian forces; nil organisation which will presont a fairer field-for tlio oxorciso of spiritual faculties. This newer yearning bids fair to carry tlio practical Socialist movement of to-day far away from tho irreligious lmmanentisin of Marx and' tho doctrinaires, MISSIONAfIY CO-CPERATION IN In a remarkable letter to the''"Times" r,!,i;_!! T e ™P lwsls « tho fact that "an Indian church—an, indigenous church— s coming, into being, to which before long the missionary forccs may handover tlie task of winning India." He calla attention to a remarkafclo development o. missionary work in India-tile outcomo of tlio Edinburgh World's Missionary Conference in 1910; If, ejeW" smat Indian centres Dr. Mott, the chairman of tho' .conference, together tho missionariej of tlio respective provinces and reviewed .tho wliolo problem of missionary work. Iheso meetings wore, followed'by an All India Conference of 58 members, held at' tlio end of December, which "reviewed, digested, and consolidated tho conclusions reached by all tho conferences, and has produced a complete and .deliberate programme of missionary -work for tho Irioian Empire." An All-India Conference.. Ao important church ; or -. society waa unrepresented. "The whole '■ fiild" surveyed, the-task as a whole ■ faced," the wliolo missionary'force brought into line, ,tno whole future 'considered, the deliberate and., united effort; ~ with" the' - greatest economy,of. existing- resources arid agents, £?' the Christian,; Gospel;- with all that it implies, to tho whole jlndian Emlat ,is tlio • main practical result of this unparalleled effort, ears Dr. Horton. i, - > < > , To .give effect to 1 those findings," and "P"? the great Edinburgh principles into detailed,'operation, it-.has been re.solved to fofm a permanent representative missionary council, in "each confer--OS,C? al S a: au< ! nn All India Council elected by the provincial council. And pending the formation of-the council' aii Indian Continuation Committee has been formed to prepare for tho completion of the great , scheme. .This first united, effort bring into, line all the missionary - forces in India,-arid lay broad and strong the foundations of the future ( Indian Churchj is so remarkable 'and fraught with such consequences i .for-the future that'your, readers'may. like to realise a little Of the spirit, and purpose-which an-lmated-the- conclave. , . : The Means—Co-operation. ' " ■ "Of'course .the crucial question is co< operation.;' -It 'was recognised' at Edinburßji' that- by effective 00-operation -.- of the Churches and societies-.: the work might be doubled without increasing; tho missionaries by a single unit. Accordingly the central point of the whole,"conference was tho report on co-operation. This was presented. by Bishop Lefroy, whose; appointment to-the Bisiionric of Calcutta makes him the Metropolitan of India."' 1 The report was a masterly and statesmanlike document, showing how all Churches and societies may. act in comity, may .avoid overlapping','"may igree about 'payment of teachers, exercise' of discipline, and reception of member* from other missions, tlio questions which are apt to cause friction. It was a thrilling moment when the great charter."of Christian-unity was unanimously "accepted, and the, whole conclave rose to give I hanks to. God for the spirit'of love and discipline aiul sanity which: had made it possible;." .... Tho One Army of Occupation; " ' "The unity was not forced or strained, | Three Anglican Bishops,-one bearing' th« honoured name of Westcott, 1 two Bishops of the., .American-.-Methodist Episcopal Church, Lutherans, and what we .call in England,,{Eree.. .Churchmen,..: were drawn tho centrifugal. forces "which separate them. The need of India, tho tragical need, so manifestrto tlifisp'whd-live-in the coiintry, or even visit it, overcame all \eectional differences. It seemed as if. the Captain of-the Host Was presont, and all arms jell into , their .proper, pieces, to j ocmpo's'e'the' one army of .occupation fos i tho deliverance of India., . ' "When the results of this great move*' ment are appreciated at tho homo base, there bo an increased readiness and enthusiasm to support a work which, is at last entering on tho only 'right lines for achieving the object. .Tlio great and beneficial work is greatly hampered by tlio indifference - and ignorance of Christians at the home base. • But new interest must '.awake find,, new,'enthusiasm ■must' ,bo'.-. kindled .;'wheii'. the facta which' were' brought' before' tliis conference'and'the decisions reached by it-am fully' understood. ■ . A National Indian Missionary Society. "Tho 5000 missionaries: in, India ar« drawing together to form a united, force, determined to waste no power, by, overlapping,'or by trying to; do in separation what can bo done better by. co-operation. Tlio area is vast indeed—2ooo miles north and south, 2000 east and. west. Eor such an area and a population. of 315,000,000, an army of 5000 may. seem ludicrously-in-, adequate. But it will not bb< inadequate if it is doubled in pftwor by co-operation and trebled, in. efficiency by an adequate' and intelligent support from the homd' base. "An Indian Church is coming.into be* ing. A National Missionary 1 Society .is winning its first' victories.' Before long tlie missionary forccs may, liand over-to Indian Christians and an indigenous Church tho task of winning -India. ■ But for a few .more .years a strong, steady, and united effort is needed; Europo and America, which.owe everything to Christianity,' must not withdraw*' their tend until the future of, Christianity in .India is 'secure. '.' "This great unifying and.consolidating work of this winter on the field itself may well enco.urago ;all the Churches .at Homo to bo.ck.'up' the' resolution and noblo idealism of their workers' abroad. , And even those who' liavo not'as yet been interested ill tlie riiissionary enterprise-may be' drawn in by tho sight of a united army bent upon victory, and adequately organised to achieve it.' *"Dr. .Lefroy," Says tlio . "Guardian, "is ft great walker, and was for' many!, vears the best tennis player in tho Puuiab. It is 1 reported that Lord Morley was so -much - impressed by : his powers mid personality, that, in, a private letter to LordMinto' lie wish I could lr.ake the Bishop of -Lahore -LieutenantGovernor of tho Punjab.'" PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Tlio. tenth-general council of tho. Pros* byterian Alliance : is to lie held in. Aberdeen, commencing on Juno" 17.' Tlio, proceedings aro to be opened by a sermon by tho Principal'Of tlie University, tlio Rev. Georgo Adam Sniith, _D.D., LL.D. The council will- bo constituted by ,the Rev. Dr.. Burrell, of New York, President of tho Alliance, who will thereafter deliver his inaugural address. The meeting of tlio Alliance for the first time in tho Granite City is expected to excito a great .deal of interest'throughout tho North of Scotland. ; . . Tho preacher at tho Glasgow; University service in tlie Bute Hall on Sunday (January 26) was Sir Samuel Dill, LL.D., Professor of Greek in Queen's College, Bellast. Ho is a number of the distinguished family to'which also belongs tho present Moderator of the Church of Scotland. The father was Professor Kflbert loster Dill, M.D., also of Queen's College, and another member of the family i 6 Professor of. Divinity in Magee College, Londonderry. . „ ... Another candidato for one or other or tho Chairs of Hebrew, to; bo filled , n't tho forth coming General Assembly of-the United Ereo Church appears in the person of tho Eev. James Strachan, M.A., formerly of St. Fergus, Aberdeenshiro, and of Beigravc, London. Mr. Strachan , was a distinguished pupil of tho late Professor A. B. Davidson, and has sinco bo-, como tlio author of an ablo commentary on the book of Genesis, which ho has entitled, "Hebrew Ideals." He lias devoted great attention to tho study, of-Hcbrowj Arabic, and Syriac.