CHURCH REFORM.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 14 August 1912, Page 3

CHURCH REFORM.

I have been asked by the Editor to write a few lines on the subject of the Church Reforms proposed in the Bishop of Auckland's sermon at Nelson. The two that have attracted most attention are in connection with the Pew Rent system and the Collecting Plate. (1). The system of charging rents for pews seems to me to be totallyopposed to the Christian spirit and in direct contradiction to the teaching of St. James " My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in godly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say unto him ' Sit thou here in a good place,' and say to the poor ' Stand thou there, or sit iiere under my footstool,' art thou not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts ? " St. Jas. 2. 1-4.

(2). People have rather misunderstood the Bishop's meaning with regard to the Collecting Plate, owing, I suppose, to inaccurate Press reports. The Bishop does not advocate the doing away with the Alms Bag at the morning services ; but pleads for a free and open-hearted Missionary Evening Service where the unattached and wandering may be made to feel welcome and at home. As a matter of fact at the great act of worship which forms the morning service of all converted people who have fellowship in the Holy Catholic Church —as we have it in the Church of England —the offering of money is part of the Act of Obligation which we, as worshipper's render to Almighty God; and the rubric in our Prayer Book expressly orders the collection, and offering at the Holy table of alms. At Mattins and Evensong there is no-such rubric nor indeed does any collection seem to be contemplated in the Prayer Book to have any place in these services or offices as they are more'correctly termed-. The way then is open to us, if we have faith enough, to "banish the collecting plate " altogether from the evening service, make the Church at night TRULY MISSIONARY, " let the lovers of God and His Church underwrite the deficit, place boxes at the door for the willing to give, and let us stand to the careless or the critical or the forgetful as a Church of wide embrace which offers the Gospel free."

E. E. S. Forrester, M.A. Vicar, St. Matthew's, Helensville