C.E.M.S.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1071, 18 July 1912, Page 3

C.E.M.S.

A meeting was held in All Saints’ Sunday School last night with a view to forming a branch of the Church of England Men’s Society. The chair was taken by F. W. Frankland Esq., who carried out the duties ot chairman very efficiently. The Chairman introduced the visitors ana welcomed them to Foxton, and stated he was thoroughly in sympathy with the great movement that was now a world-wide affair.

The first speaker was the vicar of All Saiuts’, who made an appeal to those present to toe the line with him and get in touch with the men of the town. He touched upon the great work menol purity could do—bow they could battle to lift their lellow meu above the sordid dirty life that stained so many or our towns, and he explained trow the C.E.M.S. aimed at making men real men —that was, men who knew how to respect their own bodies and the bodies of others, and above all to respect women. He then spoke of the intellectual aud spiritual life that the Society placed before its members. The next speaker was the guest of the evening, the Rev H. G. Rosher, vicar of Palmerston, who was received with applause. He began by giving a history of the C.E.M.S. movement, how that fifteen years ago it was formed by the present Archbishop of York, with the object of reaching men. It was a religious movement to get at the men and give them a chance of putting their faith into practice. The members of this society were able to discuss where religion came in, it was to make men meu in the deepest sense, it made a mau tear God aud lor his brother’s sake to serve God, The society was a huge brotherhood —it helped to make a brother mau aud the cement that joined them together was prayer —no real man was ashamed of prayer aud to go humbly before the greatness of the Almighty. After all the Christian was the real man, the example of Christ brought out all that was best in him aud gave him that brotherly feeling which helped him to win other men. A man who was living the straight life was the man who was conscious of his feelings, aud could go to God uight and morning for grace aud strength. It was the man who knew he wanted something who could say, T can’t live unless God is going to give me a hand with life.’ He then explained how that the C.E.M.S. was a band of men that belonged to the Church aud banded themselves together to tell other meu what the Church was and the message she had tor all. He then touched upon the Sacraments and the power thaPfcame from the Holy Communion, and ended up with a magnificent appeal for men to prepare themselves for such a society as the C.E.M.S.

The third speaker was Mr Stautou, a layman from Palmerston. He began by saying the C.E.M.S. was a brotherhood — brothers who longed to bring the Church to the men and the men to the Cnurch. He then dealt with the rules and modus operand! ol the Society, stating that each member was, at his initiation, given a bronze cross, on one side marked with the letters C.E.M.S., and on the other side the motto of the Society, “ All in One.” Questions were then asked by a number of men present and answered by the speakers. A bountiful supper was provided by the members of All oaints’ Vestry, which was fully appreciated by those present.

The Chairman, in returning thanks to the speakers, spoke of the sympathy he had with the Society, as its aim was to get in touch with the life oi labour, and he hoped that it would be possible to arrange a branch in Eoxton. A meeting was arranged for August ist, to consider the possibility of forming a branch of the C.E.M.S., after the men had carefully thought over all that they had heard.