RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1937, 20 December 1913, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

FRANCE AND THE VATICAN. I'LEA FOR DIPLOMATIC EET.AWOXS. In nn article 'in the "Ilevuo Holklomadaire" -M. Gabriel Hanotaux boldly grapples with .tho question of the French I'rotecloratc over Roman Catholics in the East, says a London exchange. Much has hceir written on this subject j and M. Hanotaux himself does not greatly' add to current knowledge. Me frankly recognises that tho civilisii!g:missioil of France in the Ivear East is' threatened with extinction. It is when ■ho suggests a remedy that his article compels;attention, for it opens up the delicate question of Fiance's relations with ' the Vatican. "I am '{|UiU> aware,' 5 lie says, "that Die rjiiflstion of thy Catholic Protectorate in tho East almost inevitably opens up that of our relations with the liomari Church, nnd consequently with tho Holy See." 31. Hanotaux recognises that these relations aro 'difficult, but lie considers that, a reason why practical and farseeing statesmen should without delay and openly bring their science and finesse, into play. It is clear, he says, that if public opinion and the majority in Parliament are frankly hostile nothing is tu be done.; Responsible men cannot be asked to run their heads against a wall, but the subject could at least be approached with sang froid, and tho pros and cons discussed Mora the public, "Contact,.discussions, and exchange of views," continues 31. Hanotaux, "aro necessary. Tho presence of a French Charge d'Affnires at tho Holy See would only bo natural. Everything would ho done openly, under the eyes of tile nation. Would not that be better than secret meetings, such as were alluded to in a .recent polemic, and which in no case can succeed, for who would ventu.ro to engage in them with tho practical. certainty of being, disavowed?"-

At all events, remarks 51. Hanotaux, tho question is henceforth before tho public, and cannot bo stifled. Everyone is frco to givo his opinion, "but,"' ho adds, "when ono considers tho bulk of tlia distrkt.s of our country, and reflects what an (mormons, thiny in tho world Catholicism is. ono may ask if it is wist to' allow it to turn against France after being favourable to her."

SAILORS AT ST. PAUL'S. A TRAFALGAR DAY SERVICE. There was an ijnpres&ivo scene at St. Paul's Cathedral,. London, Oil October '21, when Jour thousand sea-faring men attended a Trafalgar Day service. Many veterans were present—one saw somes reserves—one saw in the front rows every typo of old, wrinkled salt—but all about the congregation were men of the navy or the mercantile marine obviously still on activo service. Tho young officer of a great lino who found himself within a few seats of tho captain under whom lio had served many years before, was piobablj HOi alone in audi mi unexpected recognition, lor it was certainly a service to attract the sailor in London on a few days' leave. There were women on tho edge of tire congregation and in the choir, but the. great mass of people stretching into tho murky shadows untouched bv tho hard little lights wore dull dark blue uniforms, and the splendid old liymua boomed out in manly tones. One sailor'wished they bad omitted tho liymii which, is invariably suns by passengers on. tho last Sunday of a peaceful voyage, when the officers Lear onto move of "those in peril on the sea.'' The choir was-'drawn from various naval colleges, and it included tho ruddiest little sunburnt choristers ever, fccoii .ill St. Paul's." " V

Every year since tlw battle of Tra- ! falgar sent London thanksgiving this j national service of-recognition has been held. It was strange to remember tho [ enormous growth of sea adventures and renliso that- every year for the comfort and encouragement of those who traverso tho solitude of vast oceans the story lias been read of tho stilling of a ,storm on a tiny lake. Jt- was a long way from that lesson to the description of tho Volturno disaster quoted by tho Archbishop in his sermon—a sermon, it may be .said, rather hortatory than sympathetic in its tone, though this -service is. after all. the one opportunity in the year for expressing as a nation tho esteem in which tho sailorman is he'd.

Among tho congregation was MajorGeneral Sartorins, V.0., son of one of Nelson's midshipmen, hut the hero of tho occasion was a snowy-haired, bngiit-conipiesioncd captain of 105, who hold a littlo levee at tins otid of tho service, and spoko alertly of iiis voyage in China seas and to Eskimo shores. "Vou know tho Eskimos 'f ho said anxiously to a generation which watciic-s Eskimo lifo on tho kinematograph. ' He had adventures in his day, but tho saddest was when ho bought a ship "too big for his pocket" ant! sent it away uninsured to founder in "foreign parts." Tho captain's comrade, a kale, sturdy man. -with spectacles and ear-trumpet, was a mero youth of 85, who boasted o? his sixty .voars at sea and wished that ho could return to the bluo water. If he wero fit, ho said, lie would go back to-mor-row, and ho added wistfully that ho never spoke of his exciting lifo to his present companions. ]-Io knew nothing oxeopt the sea, aiwl could not talk of things that landsmen understand. The lights woro extinguished in tho dome, and as tiio old men niado their feeble way to ihe great doors tho littlo sailor boys of to-morrow's ships inarched off to their training school.

PARSON AND PEOPLE, , The Anglican "Church"Standard," in an article on ''Parson and People,'' dismisses the personality -of th» former and the general question of church attendance. The paper docs not hesitate to attack the views of many regarding privilege and status, so often a barrier ■ between parson and people, and declares that "when wo arc less rectors and: more priests and shepherds simply, wc shall kindle infinite, l.v more, and the common people will mare gladly hear." 'i'ho question of Prayer Hook revision also is given attention to, and it is declared that "from"She standpoint of thn reaching of the unattached, wc shall, maybe, find, too, that wo must lengthen our cords somewhat and ho prepared to supplement the services of onr ordinary Sunday afternoon and evening, which will probably bo the time when wo shall most easily catch thoso who are ou tile fringe, and, as yet, mitouclscd."

THE INDIAN MISSIONS, Referring to llm- movement amongst the musses of India towards Christianity, tiio "Indian Methodist Times" relates the experience e-f'ltov. F. M. Wilson, of Delhi, who a low years ago was prejudiced nfjainst Ilio movement, thinking that it was superficial. Ho has Item convinced U'i tho contrary. In Uw l.Vllii 'district, where iho people wore' Hocking to the Christian standard, literally in thousands—oit a 're- • cent tour of eight days, Mr; Wilson baptised 1003 persons, and during 1912 there wore 2-126 baptisms—no 0110 had been baptised save upon Ills personal nncl definite acceptance of Christ ns'bis Saviour. There were oyer 10,000 persons who were ready for baptism in that district.

A dispatch to the "World" from ITnntin "to 11. West Virginia, w that an oiirlil". ywir-olil boy, Riissel Baiter, w pimlinj liicilical cxirerts by making alt his totters ami firing upside down, wriling from nsrlit to Soft, and siheinc low notes hitfi ami high notns low. The boy is perfect! v "otaud iu all other rwjjeots,