THE CLERGY & THEIR WORK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2260, 21 September 1914, Page 2

THE CLERGY & THEIR WORK

6 . . . INADEQUATE TRAINING. In the course of his sermon at St. Paul's l'ro-Catljadral yesterday morning tho Rev. C. H. Harvey stated that statistics compiled by medical . men which had been placed before him disclosed, a very serious state of affairs as. regards tho moral life of the community.. The Church seemed quite unable to deal with tho situation as it should, and tho weakness of its influence was largely due to the ineffective character of tho religious teaching given to the children, and to tho fact that "the clergy did not know their job because they had not been taught-it." The average Anglican was taught a great deal about things whioii gave him very little help in actual life. He was taught many more or less interesting historic, literary, and geographical facta regarding the Scriptures, but he received very little instruction concerning such fundamental matters as sin, grace, and salvation in , their hearing on his everyday life. Mr.. Harvey said ho did not b'ame tho clergy for this. He blamed tho method of their training, which gave prominence to things which were comparatively speaking non-essential, but did not fit them to grapple with the great problems of tho spiritual life—such as sin and its consequences aaid forgiveness—in an adequate and effective way. Ho intended to give a series of simple mission addresses dealing witli these fundamental facts of religion on the coming Sunday evenings, and hoped to have the help and sympathy of every member of the congregation. He asked them all to come themselves and bring their friends. The first of these mission sermons was given last night, the subject being the Prodigal Son. ,