RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 238, 29 December 1916, Page 6 (Supplement)

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

The early summer meetings of the various religious bodies are always interesting to any citizen who can afford the time to a tend them. There is always something to learn, besides you are able to mark time as to what progress is being made in the ordinary cause of religion. The present war is in some sense a test of the real vital force of that power that is working for , righteousness. Whatever may be the cause of the war, it has drawn from our churches and Bible classes a tremendous amount of sacrifice on the part of the young men. Ths report of the Presbyterian General Assembly now being held at Wellington indicates that "roughly speaking the number of Presbyterian Bible Class men who have cnKsted is about 2100. Of this number about 1000 have joined the Forces during the past twelve months . . . We regret to have to record that during the year many of the best—the very flower of the youth of the Church have fallen. Many gallant deeds have been done by Bible class men, some if which have baen recognised by the authorities, while many have passed unnoticed. A Victoria Cross, the only one so far awarded to any member of the New Zealand Expeditionarv Forces was awarded to Corporal C. R.'G. Bassett of Auckland, who was a member of St. David's Bible Class of that city." It is somewhat remarkable that many of the men, who have shown the greatest valour on the battlefield, have come from our churches:—" Preaching on 'The Fear of God,' at Westmorlandroad Church, JCewcbtJtte, the fiev. Thomas Mitchell said that since the beginning of the war he had made a careful study of the photographs of the men who had won the Victoria Cross, the Military Medal and othed decorations for valour. He found that almost never did they represent men of the bull-dog, bull-necked, aggressive type. Almost invariably they had features of men of kindly, benevolent aspect. So true it is that the man who is found on his face in the presence of God, is the man who is found erect in the face of duty. The fear of God has delivered him from the fear of Man." It is very gratifying to know that the Presbyterian Sunday Schools of New Zealand are in such a flourishing condition. They have a total number of 37,469 Sunday School scholars, with an average attendance of 73 per cent. Their Sunday Schools raised during the past year £5.346 of which £2,678 was used for self support, £1509 was allocated to missions, £BOO to other objects and £159 to the Youth of the Church Fund. It is these children who fairs of both Church and Municipaliwill in future he the rulers of the affairs of both Church and Municipality, and this is one of the best omens of the future we can have. Some one has said, "give us the children, and we will scon have the people on our side." Probably this accounts for tho somewhat lax movement in Temperance reform in our country—the band of hope amongst the young people *s not as strong as it should .hare been! A good deal was said about the Ministers' stipends at the Assembly—that no one suggested the 10 per cent war bonus, that is so epidemic just now, for the Minister and Home Missionary, notwithstanding the enormous increase in buggies and motor-cars in our midst. Dr. Gibb was complaining of the lack of suitable candidates for the Ministry, and for home missionary work. Weil, there is no wonder in this. If a builder advertised for fifty carpenters at 8s 6d per day, people would smile at his incredulity; and the carpenters would think lie was either a "soft*' or .i "'ponder"! Yet this is just what i« done, with this difference. that no ptiaranto is for the 8s 6d per day. Ti-ue "rewards are giftren in heaven" «nd no doubt there will be t Grand Keview day there, when tfeo first shall bo last and the last first—just as it ought to be. One feels sorry that the subject on the I'nion of Churches, after much discussion, was shelved for the time bVinsr. "The some old thing**" some oik* will say: "the leaders- ar\> behind again, when they should be at t*<» front, leading others. A few old fossilised bogies standing in the way of others," So we- must wait till tho boy* come homo to u\nh ns what must & done. In the meantime-, ovnrlapping each other in religious <*o»-N must go on in growing cities, and the mhaM* taitts of 50 to HH» stiui'o uulos in the. b« kbhvks muKt U» lot't to took thomaolve* or go to tho --- heeau*,*no ouo <l* nomination o*rv* for th*>ir mmi's I bcliovo it i> thoxo thing* tha* tuako roligiutt a iiau>tv» on tho palate of *o tmuiv ot our otherwise noWo vitik iror.i! cms.