Church Work and Life

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 685, 10 June 1929, Page 14

Church Work and Life

CHURCH’S SOCIAL WORK

GREAT TOWN HALL RALLY CITY MISSION'S BIRTHDAY To tell citizens of Auckland something of the social activities conducted by the Anglican Church in this diocese and also to celebrate its ninth birthday the City Mission held in the Town Hall last evening what was one of the most striking religious demonstrations seen in this city for many years. \ LTHOUGH the service was timed to begin at 8.15 the Town Hall was full at 7.30 and when the congregations of outlying churches had poured in from all parts there was standing room only and hundreds would have had to be turned away but for the fact that the assistant-missioner, the Rev. C. W. Chandler, came forward and conducted an overflow service in the concert chamber. In order to create the true Church of: England atmosphere in the Town Hall a large cross was affixed in front of the organ, and prayer desks and a pulpit were placed on the platform. The better to acquaint the huge congregation of the Church’s work Mr. Calder had compiled a souvenir booklet distributed free. Before the main service five-minutes’ addresses on various phases of the Church’s social work were given by the Rev. 11. K. Vickery (Missions to teamen), Mr. Julius Hogben (City Mission), the Rev. G. C. Cruickshank fSt. Mary’s Homes), the Rev. G. Gordon Bell (Order of the Good Shepherd) and Mr. C. J. Tunks, chancellor of the diocese. The lesson was read by Archdeacon H. A. Hawkins, superintendent of the Maori Mission, prayers being *aid by Canon C. H. Grant Cowen. The anthems “How Lovely are the Messengers'* and “The Hallelujah Chorus’* were sung by a choir of over 300 voices, and several vocal items were given. Music was provided by an orchestra under the baton of Mr. Calder. The procession of clergy through the hall at the commencement was an inspiring scene. Headed by the Rev. C. W. Chandler, carrying a cross, the procession was broken every few yards by students of St. John’s College bearing banners inscribed with the titles of the various departments of the Church’s activities. KINDNESS IN THE WORLD “I want to speak to you on a sideline of the story of Dives and Lazarus,” &aid Archbishop Averill, who preached. ••We read in the Gospel according to St. Luke that the beggar Lazarus ate of the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table, and the dogs came and licked his sores. There was something in these poor brutes —these pariah dogs that amounted to sympathy. “There is much kindness in the world and much good intention,” the primate continued. “I venture to say that in dealing with social questions and the souls of humanity kindness and good intentions need to be drawn into the right channels, otherwise they only aggmvate what they are intended to heal. We must not only relieve, but we must get. to the causes of social troubles, which need something more than palliatives.” To get at the root of troubles was the desire of the city missioner, when some time ago he tried to call together all social workers of the Dominion. All Church people were in truth their brothers’ keepers, and the fact that the orphanages and rescue homes and other ministrations were away from the gaze of the idle rich did not remove his obligation. There was a danger of creating the modern Dives and neglecting the 20th century Lazarus. TEST OF RELIGION “The test of true religion in whether it i 3 producing a selfish or an unselfish character,” said Archbishop Averill. “ ’By their fruits ye shall know them,’ and deeds speak louder than words. There is nothing selfish about the real Christian. Love is the true basis of religion, and we love God because He first loved us. Love is the most unselfish thing in the world.” The Church was not a spiritual hothouse or a showroom, the archbishop continued. It was a garden, and in that garden was a schoolroom for humanity. Come, go, give, were the great principles of Christ. “I came not to be ministered unto but to minister,” He had said. Social workers were not engaged in mere philanthropy, but in ministering to the Christ Himself. There was no need to emphasise the work being carried on by the old oMther Church. The Church sought to carry on its work by building up character, and sending out from her orphanages and rescue homes strong Christian characters. Misdirected charity was like the lick of the pariah dog and might often be harmful where intended to help. To give a helping hand in the right way was to reflect the spirit of Christ Himself.

“We can thank God for the social work being carried on in our midst by the City Mission, and other social organisations of the Church,” Archbishop Averill said in congratulating the mission on its birthday. All its ramifications had one great purpose—the uplift of humanity. VAIN IMAGININGS FALSE SCIENCE ATTACKED PROBLEM OF MAN’S ORIGIN Speaking at Tawhiri Road, Onehunga, yesterday evening, Mr. Reuben E. Dowle took for his text Psalm ii.: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” History is full of incidents, more or less “vain.” and, unfortunately, vast numbers of people have been ignorant as well as “vain.” “The doctrine of the fall of man was, perhaps, never more accentuated than in this 20th century,” said the preacher. “Many people today treat the idea of sin with contempt. Nevertheless the impregnable rock of Holy Scripture emphatically teaches the exceeding sinfulness of sin; and, in vain we scan the pages of history for records of individuals, except One. or nations which have not come under its baneful influences. "There are secularists and others who imagine that a system of morality can be built upon human reason. It is a great fallacy. Morality, to be effective. must have an authoritative basis. Material progress is imagined by some to be the all-important desideratum of I uman life. But we are told to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. “Again, others imagine that science is paramount in human life, and that >ome views of the origin of man are very essential. However, there are true and false scientists. True science never yet contradicted true religion. Tne real discoveries of science have brought much happiness to the world, but false science has been, especially in regard to the origin of man, a distinct curse. The cure for all this is knowledge of Divine revelation, and a thoroughly reasoned-out belief in the 'Light of the World.’ ”

MESSAGES FROM THE PULPITS

CATHOLICS’ NEW SCHOOL

CEREMONY AT TE AROHA LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONE (From Our Own Correspondent) TE AROHA, Sunday. The foundation stone of the new , Roman Catholic School was laid today by the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, in the presence of a large number of residents and visitors. Those present at the ceremony included his Lordship Bishop Cleary, the Hon. H. Atmore. Minister of Education, Mr. F. Lye, M.P., Mr. C. E. McMillan, M.P., and the Mayor, Mr. R. E. Coulter, and Rev. Fathers Bleakley (Hamilton), O’Connell (Cambridge), Shove (Morrinsville), Forde and Kehoe (Te Aroha), and Father Duggan of the Redemptorist Order. Mr. J. C. Carroll, as chairman, welcomed the Minister of Education. In reply, Mr. Atmore said in the cause of education he was proud to be able to lay the foundation stone of a school in such a progressive district as Te Aroha. The bishop then blessed both foundation stones, sprinkling them with Holy Water. Father Forde thanked all those who had subscribed in any way to the funds, and said that the contract had been let for £5,000. Of this £1.350 had been already subscribed. This left £3,650 outstanding, but as the finishing and architect’s fees were likely to reach a further £ 1,000 this sum would be considerably increased. He ; trusted that with willing help and 1 public sympathy they would soon re- : duee this sum. The lion. Atmore then laid the stone on the east side of the entrance, and the bishop that on the western side. Mr. Atmore then gave an address, in which he said that it had been remarked that our education in New Zealand was the best system in the world, but he was still dissatisfied with it. He claimed that at present the conditions were too academic and the classes too big. “Under the present system, said Mr. Atmore, “the children represent to the teacher a mass of faces or a list of names.” The sum of £4,000,000, said the Minister, was spent anually on education in New Zealand, but a new system was needed whereby the individual child received the teacher’s personal attention. The tendency in this country was to educate the children away from the primary industries and to drive them along the channels of nonproductive industries. What was needed was a system that pointed to , the advantages of New Zealand’s national industry—the land. Bishop Cleary said that the highest service developed on those who give their lives to the cause of education. The Catholic education system was under the system of the Education Board, and the teachers passed university examinations. Religion in education was of vital importance to all Catholics. As there was harmony in the football team, so was it necessary between school and Church. In conclusion, the speaker said that there were very few parishes in the Dominion where he would have trusted the people so much as to overlook a debt of £5,000, but he felt certain that with the aid of that “human dynamo, Father Forde, their efforts would be finally crowned with success. After the ceremony the Ministerial and clerical groups were the guests at the Presbytery of Father Forde. 25 YEARS A PRIEST REV. FATHER J. J. DIGNAN (From Our Own Correspondent) THAMES, Sunday. There will be a big meeting of the Roman Catholic clergy at Thames on Wednesday, when it is expected that two bishops and about 30 priests will attend the silver jubilee of the ordination of the Rev. Father J. J. Dignan, who has been in charge of the Thames parish for the past 13 years. Father Dignan comes from Dysarth, County Roscommon, Ireland, and was born in the year 1880. He was educated at the Diocesan College, Sligo, and entered the Ecclesiastical College at Carlow, and was ordained a priest on June 12, 1904, by the late Right Rev. Bishop Foley. Father Dignan came out to New Zealand the same year, and landed at Auckland. He was at once attached to St. Benedict’s Church, Auckland, but in 1906 was transferred to Gisborne as curate. In 1907 he was promoted to parish priest at Ormond, 10 miles from Gisborne. In 1912 he came to Thames as administrator to the Right Rev. Monsignor O’Riley. In 1916 Father Dignan was appointed parish priest, which position he still holds. The Rev. Father Dignan is a most popular priest, and is highly respected by all denominations. MISSION’S AIMS FREE FROM RESTRICTION HELPING THE WORKLESS At the Community Mission service in the Zealandia Hall, Dominion Road terminus, last evening, the Rev. George Jackson stressed the constructive character of a religious faith which claimed freedom from the restriction of a traditional creed and was in sympathy with the modern outlook. Those who were more concerned to follow the light of truth than to defend any external standard of orthodox belief were the pioneers of a larger and luckier faith, he contended. The Spirit of God was externally creative and spoke not onlj* through a collection of sacred writings but in every vital experience of life. The “open forum” for free discussion, held at the end of the service, attracted a good attendance and unemployment was considered. A progress report of the survey being made of the Dominion Road district revealed that those out of work included skilled tradesmen. The missioner was asked to communicate with the Parliamentary representative for the district and to inquire what steps could be taken for relief work for other than manual workers. Arrangements were made to continue the survey and to give practical assistance in urgent cases. HEALTH OF THE KING THANKSGIVINGS POSTPONED Advice that the thanksgiving services which were to have been held next Sunday for the recovery of the King to health are officially postponed, has been received by Archbishop Averill. No definite date has yet been fixed. The civic service will also be postponed.