RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1722, 12 April 1913, Page 12

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE BENEDICTINES OF CALDEY. SECESSION TO ROME. Referring to tlio secession of tho Benedictine Community at Caldey Island (formerly of Paiswick) and the alleged Community of St. lirido (formerly of Mailing Abbey) to tho Roman Catholic Church (montioned in our cablo columns somo timo ago) tlio "Guardian" says:— From copies of tho correspondence that nave been sent us wo gather that tho circumstances which havo led up to this decision are as follows; The question of the status of tho Community was raised last Lent, and tho decision was in fa\fcouj- of remaining id, the Anglican Communion. Tho crisis is thus described by tho Abbot in a letter to the Bishop of Pond du Lac dated last July; ho wroto also in tho'some sense, and almost in tho samo words, to the Archbishop of Canterbury:— "Wo have passed through a critical time in regard to tho Roman question. ... By Easter wo were ablo to come to a most liappy and unanimous decision. ... It was clearly shown us that God had placed us where wo are, and that it' would be quite wrong for us to surrender our present position and to transfer our obedience to tho Roman Church. . . . Wo have como through ono of tho most difficult of religious experiences with tho groat gain of a clearer realisation of opposition, and a unanimity of opinion that would havo boon impossible unless wo had been rightly guided to settle tho question- in tho way wo did." Steps were then, taken by correspondence with the Archbishop of Canterbury to regularise their status and to obtain i the appointment of au English Bishop as Visitor. Ultimatitly it was decided to ask the Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Gore) to undertake the office. To this invitation tho Bishop replied sympathetically, asking them to eend their "constitution, rules, and rites other t than those contained ill the Prayer-book," for him to study as a preliminary to a futuro visit to Caldey. It was suggested by tho Abbot in his reply that the Rev. W. B. Trevelyan. Dr. Darwcll Stone, and tho Rev. H. P. B. Mackay Should bo asked to visit and draw up a full report upon the doctrines and practice of the Community for the Bishop's information. Meanwhile tho Archbishop declined to accede to tho suggestion, that two \inembers of tho Community should be ordained to the priesthood by.the Bishop of Fond du Lac (Dr. Weller), who was willing to do so had the Archbishop consented. His Grace considered that the question had better be left open until tho election of a Visitor had been completed. Tho Bishop of Oxford, in a cordial letter dated October 21, 1912, made certain inquiries and acceded to tho suggestion that Dr. Stone and Mr. Trevelyan should act as a Commission. to. report on the Community. Oil January 3 the Commission drew up a. Note on their visit, which was approved by tho Chapter two days later. The report (which is not published was forwarded to tho Bishop of Oxford,. who replied, on February 8 in an important letter, in the course "of which ho made, clear tho conditions preliminary to his becomiug Visitor of tho Community. These wero _ the securing of the property of tho Institution to tho Church; the taking of tho usual Oath by the priests of tlio Community; the Prayer-book Liturgy to be exclusively used in the chapel, and tlie regular daily recitation of Matins and Evensong; tho elfmination from their Breviary and Missal of tho Doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and tlio Corporal Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, as not icing justified on any but Papal authority; and tlio discontinuance of the Exposition of tho Blessed Sacrament aiicT Benediction. These his Lordship laid down as indis.pensablo preliminary conditions, not necessarily exhaustive. On February 19 the Chapters rejected this proposal, considering the matters ill disputo "aa vital to our conception of the Catholic Faith"; and on February 22 tho Abbot, writing at length and warmly to tho Bishop regarding his "cold, formal demand," notified that tlio Caldey and St. Bride's Communities had both determined to seek admission to the Roman Church. t Tho Bishop wrote, suggesting a reconsideration of their decision, but to no purpose. % A GREAT PREACHER. DR. JOHN HUNTER'S RETIREMENT. The "Christian World" of February 27 states-.—Dr. John Hunter's retirement from the 'ministry of Trinity Church, Glasgow, is to bo considered, at' a meeting of tho congregation called by circular for next Wednesday. Ono cannot ..contemplate without emotion the withdrawal from active service of"One who was for many years one of tho forces of tho city of Glasgow. In his most flourishing period probably no preacher of his time had a greater hold upon tho public,, and especially upon tlio. younjr' manhood of Glasgow. His torrential and passionate eloquence, his immense literary power, the fascination of his voice, his smile, his wholo manner havo moved and electrified innumerable " audiences. An hour under such sway passed as a minute. For a year Dr. Hunter's health has been unsatisfactory, and ho retires, bait lie does not appear as yet an old man, and something on other lines, it is to be hoped, may still bo expected from him. By his retirement also, the pulpit of one of the most important clrarclies in Scotland falls vacant. One is glad to be ablo to speak of Trinity as still a church of the Union. Dr. Hunter himself, for reasons which he has before now mado public, and which seemed to him sufficient, has for years been out of touch with the Scottish' Union as a body, and this to the impoverishment of its life and of its influence. Dr. Hunter, however, previously took his pluco in its counsels, and the denomination may now recall-with some pleasure that when tho opportunity occurred it conferred upon 'him the greatest honour in its power by making him chairman. niio hope will find expression that the next minister of Trinity will bind the church to tlio Union by tho bond of his own membership and personality. ARCHBISHOP CROKE AND LEO XIII. AN INTERESTING INCIDENT. Archbishop Kelly related an incident in Sydney last weok to illustrato tho danger of exciting people, "lest they tako tho wrong direction." "Do not," he said, addressing tho H.A.C.B. Society, "forget what Archbishop Crake, who will bo remembered in tiieso par Is, said to somo Irish politicians: 'I have gono with you as far as I can, I am prepared to go even to tho gates of hell with you, but I will not go in with you.' And Dr. Croko went that far. Ho recognised that tho people in their fight against the landlords, and to got justice, must haw a leader or failure would result. I'opo Tjco XIII sent to Ireland and asked Dr. Croko to go and havo a word with him. Dr. Croko went; and explained his principles—this lnny yot be a matter of history, but I know of what 1 am speaking, as I was tlio medium of the last mcssnge. botweon l)r. .Croko and the_ Pope— and though the Popo recognised his prinriplo of going with the people so lonyr as they did nothing positively wrong, he irainted out that it was dangerous to have tho people excited, adding, 'They will take the wrong direction, and they will not take your leading then.' I don't know whether Dr. Croko's reply hurt the feelings of Leo XIII, who was a patriotic Italian. 'The Italians or tho French may do that,' Archbishop Croko said, 'but the Irish will not. I have only to hold up my finger and all Ireland will 1m with me.' However, Dr. Croko foutlft that he tfas wrong, and tho mossago I conveyed from him to tho Popo was. "Toll the Holy Father that I row see that his . advice was wise and his foresight unerring.'" •

BILIOUS ATTACKS CURED. "I have boon a continuous sufferer from hoadacho and bilious vomiting attacks for 25 years," writes Mr. Donald Coutts, Coudnh, Vic. "During that tlmo I liavo been treated by doctors besides usinp; all sorts of' medicines that proved useless. Being almost afraid I could never be cured, I tried Chamberlain's Tablets, and can assuro you that tlicy completely cured mc, and I feel like a new man."—Advt. For the third time (ho annual dinner of the Ashford (Kent) I'ire Brigade wjis interrupted l.j an alarm uf (ire. The tireliion lel'l. hiirrit'dly, inlu (heir uniforms, si ml put out a iiro at an oiitHlt.fi-':.; shop < nnscrl l>v wnMe paper, ami relumed to liui;-h Hid moid.