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OUR PULPIT.
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OUR PULPIT. GOSPEL OF PERSONAL RELIGION. By the Rev. J. M. Creed, M.A., ] Fellow, Dean, and Lecturer in Theology of St. John's Coflege, Cambridge. Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Wakefield. Preached in the Chapel of St. John's College., Cambridge, November 23. I r -^nd further, by these, my son, be Admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."—Eeclesiastes xii. 12. We know that all things work together fou good to them that love God. Romans viii. 28. IT is commonly supposed that when toen are young they are hopeful, and that as they enter upon practical life they Ibegin to undergo a process of disillu- sionment, until at last they find rest to heix souls in the unscriptural beati- tude, Blessed is he that expecteth nothing, for he shall, never be dis- appointed." There is a certain obvious truth in the popular theory, but it is so obvious that we will not dwell on it; rather let us consider some other circumstances .which this theory ignores. In the first place, if youth is often I hopeful, no less certainly is it liable to extreme depression. And, secondly, although experience may make our original hope appear fan- tastic, yet experience often awakens hope in ways we had never anticipated. A Strange Blend. The university to-day is a different place from what it was eleven years ago when I came up as a Freshman,. At that time we had almost all of us come straight to the university from school. To-day sthe student world is a strange blend of A<the younger generation from school with 'men who have fought and travelled. |NOW, if the cynical view were the true Iview, we should expect to find hope dulled in the hearts of the men who "have been away, but still glowing have been away, but still glowing 'among the ingenuous youths who have seen less of the world. But I do not think that this is the case. It is even possible that the balance is the other way, and that the older hope more easily .thaii the younger. For we hope to-day, not because circumstances as we know them from the newspapers are cheering, ¡ but because we have learnt by experi- ence to know the real gaodness and :heroism which are to be found among men in every walk in life. Many of us can feel reassured as to the future, of the country when we think of the in- dividuals we have known, and are able I ,to look forward with hope to the time ;When Society will recover itself and when character and ability will bear fruit. A Depressing Prospect. But the prospect to-day is certainly depressing. The body politic seems un- able to regain its equilibrium. Eco- nomic pressure is driving men of all classes into associations, based solely on identity of occupation, and each group appears to be fighting for its own hand. The sense of interdependence between the various elements in the common- wealth is feeble, and the higher forms of association-the Church and even the State-maintain a precarious existence between the warring sections., We grow :daily more specialised, more disunited and more quarrelsome. The practical disunion of the nation is reflected in the theoretical chaos of the university. There are men still living who can remember the time when Cambridge colleges provided scarcely any teaching other than mathematical and classical. Rightly or wrongly, the University did not then consider it to be its function to provide special training; (its aim was rather to impart the common iculture of all educated men. The im- taD&nsB growth of knowledge during the .last century shattered that system and ,that ideal. Our horizon to-day has been 'extended, and no sane person believes it :to be possible—even were it desirable—to put back the clock. And so we go on- multiplying indefinitely our interests' tand our Triposes, while the task of pro- viding the background of a common cul- ture becomes increasingly difficult. There is no obvious point of contact be- tween'the student of geology, the student of psychology, and the student of Chinese. And here, so I believe, lies the root of that intellectual depresssion which sometimes weighs like lead upon the youngest of us, making us ready to incline our ears to the Jewish sage. Furthermore, ray son, by these be ad- monished, of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness to the flesh." A Beacon Light. I jdo not know how far these thoughts of mine re-echo your -owii, nor whether I am speaking to some this morning who are ^encountering the depression which sometimes comes with overwhelming If so, you will -perhaps allow me to remind you of,a lantern and of a beacon light which, between them, may see you safe past the slough of -deapond. iLefc «s take the lanetrn first, ior «ve» tbe- beaaoii bgfet will feeflp us UttiS*, it we f." are in danger of slipping into the slough at our next step. It is a curious fact, but a fact I think it is, that while it is not uncommon to find people who are sceptical in their attitude towards philosophical and ulti- mate questions, and while it is not un- common to find scientists who are scep- tical about the value of history, and perhaps historians who depreciate science, yet it is not common to find first-hand students who are sceptics in their own subject. Most of us, I fancy, have experienced the restfulness of turn-' ing to original study in some branch of learning or science, which we are capable of appreciating. Acquaintance with work of this kind gives us a sense of the security, which comes from rest- ing on tested knowledge. And here I believe, is the lantern to our feet, if we find ourselves on the edge of "the slough of despond." Whatever your subject—geology, psychology, or Chinese —take it seriously, master the method, and learn what manner of knowledge is within our reach. It is the dille tante who is the deadly sceptic; the genuine student may be slow to state conclusions, but he does not usually question that knowledge of some kind is obtainable. Functions of a University. But if conscientious study is to be the lantern to lighten our feet, we are not less dependent-for our journey is a long one-on the beacon light, which gives us our bearings. A University, so it seems to me, has two functions first,, to provide opportunity for study in every field of learning and science, and secondly to awaken a common sense of the oneness of all knowledge. The second is not less important than the first. Of course, we cannot all know every- thing, but it is possible for a University —it is (possible for a College—to main- tain among its members, a sense of the interdependence of the many branches of knowledge and slowly to create a back- ground of common ideas. And that is what we want. And so I would say to you when you feel inclined to exclaim like Ecclesiastes of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness to the flesh "-first banish scepticism by first-hand work of your own, and then allow the larger vision to rise before your mind. Recollect that all knowledge is relative on the one hand to human beings; and on the other to the whole of reality wbieli man apprehends. But if hope is to be firmly grounded, we nedS yet another factor. A common body of ideas'—essential as it is-will not itself weld together a nation, or even a college. Life is always fuller than our theories about it, and man is greater than his intellect. Hope, in the last .resort, depends on persons. Christianity a Personal Message. Now, Christianity is not a system of common ideas it is a personal message to men. Christianity is not bound up with any one philosophy, and on many questions which may be raised about God's nature it has nothing to say. But historic Christianity reveals the Being Who sustains the world as having quali- ties which we associate with persons. St. John sums up the specifically Chris- tian doctrine of God in the three words, God is Love." That is not a complete philosophy of the universe; it still leaves us to plot out the fields of Science and History and to speculate on the relations of mind and matter. No, it is not a philosophy of the universe, but it is something more. It is a Gospel of personal religion; and even philoso- phy depends on the persons who philo- sophise. Religion is strong when philosophy alone is often weak. Reli- gion puts us all on the same footing. It confronts us all with God, Who im- parts Himself to men through the Person of Jesus Christ. In so far as we continue genuinely to love, so far shall we be able still to hope; for we know that to them that love God, all things work together for good."
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Two addresses have'been recently given at St. John's, Sparkhill, Birmingham, on Spiritualism, by the Rev. C. T. Kirtland. The first was in the church on a Sunday evening, when about 1,000 people were pre- sent, and the second was on the following Wednesday, and consisted mainly of an- swers to questions which had been sent in. Further questions were permitted and an- swered. The parochial hall was quite full when these replies were given. The vicar (Rev. F. Mellows) and also eome spiritual- ists expressed their gratitude to Mr. Kirt- land for his help and broadminded way he. had dealt with the sublet. Last Wed- nesday the Rev. Canon BloSeld gave an axtdres* on Christian Science and answered
SERMON OUTLINES. *
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SERMON OUTLINES. AIDS FOR PREACHERS. BY CANON J. H. B. MASTERMAN. FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. I.-St. Thomas. His disciples were within, and Thomas with them."—St. John xx. 26. TENNYSON'S lines about honest doubt'' have sometimes been treated as though they implied that doubt was a desirable attitude of mind. Doubt may be a stage through which we pass; it is never a state in which we ought to be oontent to stay, since a life without con- victions-is a, life without moral effective- ness. St. Thomas illustrates the process by which honest doubt is turned into assured conviction. 1. He was willing to fcp convinced. Some men can lac- cept the testimony of others; other men require the evidence of personal experi- ence (see St. John. iv. 39-40). It is only when a man does not want to believe that he ceased to be an honest doubter., St. Thomas seems to have been naturally of a somewhat despondent character (St. John xi. 16). He distrusted good news. Perhaps it was this characteristic that kept him away from the other disciples on the first Easter evening. 2. He did not withdraw from the Christian society, nor were the disciples willing to allow him to do so. It is a profound mistake for a man to sever himself from the Ohurch when he feels uncertain about me part of the creed. For if his love to Christ be true, he has the right to be there. Convinced unbelief is, more often than1 we realise, a moral disease, but doubt is an attitude of mind that may leave the moral character unaffected. It is a disease of the mind rather than of the soul, and we must not turn from the Great Physician because we are sick. 3. Conviction came through experience. In the presence of Chlrist his doubts vanished. He did not even avail himself of the evidence that he had demanded love recognised what the intellect had shrunk from accepting. The ultimate question is still Bishop Blougram's— Like you this Christianity or not? It may be false, but would you wish it true, Has it your vote to be so if it can? Contact with spiritual realities calls into exercise faculties deeper than reason. If any man will do His will he shall know (St. John vii. 17). II.epentance and Thanksgiving. That I may see the felicity of Thy chosen.Psalm cvi. 5. 1. PSALMS cv. and cvi. are a summary of the' national history of the Hebrew people from two different standpoints. In the former, the predominant note is one of thankfulness for the loving-kind- ness of God, Who'had kept and guided His people., through .all .their history. But in the latter, the predominant note is one of sorrow for the sins and short- comings of the people, who had failed to respond to the call of God, and brought on themselves the punishment of exile. So the earlier Psalm closes with an as- sertion of the purpose of God's guid- ance—" that they might keep His stat- utes, and observe His laws" while the later Psalm closes with a prayer for for- giveness and restoration. 2. All! his- tory has these two sides. The loving- kindness of God asks for the response of human obedience (St. Luke, xiii. 34). All history is the revelation of the will of God yet not less truly all history is the revelation of the will of man. Human freewill involves the awful pos- sibility that God's plans may fail through man's unwillingness to respond. The same law holds true of every indi- vidual life. The life-story of every man is the record of God's desire to "give good gifts to His children," and of the inadequate response of the individual. Sometimes we are tempted to blame God in order to excuse ourselves. That is the danger of fatalism. 3. What does his- tory teach us ? It teases, first/the duty of repentance. We must recognise that failure has been oui; own fault-we were never predestined to fail. The way to restoration is always through repent- ance. While we go on seeking excuses for ourselves we remain in exile. Then there is the reawakening of thankfulness. How often the secret of failure is ungratitude (Romans i. 21). The contemplation of our own sinfulness may become merely a morbid habit; it is when we turn from ourselves to God, and recognise afresh His noble acts," that we gain the strength to rise on stepping-stones of 'our dead self to higher things. Bethlehem and Calvary are "good tidings of great joy" because they reveal God as unchanging love. Only when we see our sins against the background of that love is our talking of all His wondrous works. THE LESSONS.—Third -Sunday in Advent: Morning, Isai xxv; 2 John. Evening, Isai xxvi. or xxviii., 5 to 19; John xx., 1 to 19.
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A STUDY week has been arranged by the S.P.G- to be held in Chelsea frqm Janu- ary 5 to 10, for discussing social problems abroad and at home. Among the speakers will l>e the JBishcu) of Dover. THE REv. W. ARBUTHNOT, of Stechford, Bir- mingham, has been instituted by the Bishop of Gloucester to the rectory of Icomb, near ,Stow-o&-ih6-Wold, -G-lou.eeatershi-re, .vacant .by rtsiena'tioa oi "the Rev. J. D. Knipe. ✓ V. J
!COVENTRY CONVENTION.
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COVENTRY CONVENTION. NEW DIOCESAN DEPARTURE. IN his charge at the first meeting of the Coventry Diocesan. Convention, which is a new development in diocesan life, being constituted of three elected houses —clergy, laymen and women, the Bishop of Coventry spoke of the need of more vigilance in rescue and prevention work. Whether it is the result of greater free- dom between the sexes during the war, or whether it is an evil excrescence which has followed on the rapict strides of women-folk in national life and occupa- tion, there ets to-day an awful and unsavoury increase in sexual licence. Referring to the work of the Evanglistic Council, he said that since the days of the- National Mission it has languished. One method has been steadily tried and has. not languished, and that is the plan of retreats. We have come away from the idea that retreats are only use- ful to very good people or very bad people. Their use is that they give a stillness wherein, owing to the affairs and business of our lives being left out- side, a man finds himself alone with God, as some day he must be alone. Few people would not be the betfter for this occasional loneliness and stillness." The Baptismal Franchise. With regard to the Archbishop's wish that all dioceses in his province should, before Easter, elect representatives to the new National Assembly, according to the scheme prepared by that assembly, the Bishop said that he had opposed the granting of the Baptismal franchise. "But," he proceeded, "I am loyal to my Church. We cannot go forward without unity, and to obtain this we must sometimes accept ruling we do not like. So I have told the Archbishop that I shall advise my diocese, to accept the franchise ordered by the large majority of the assembly. I have carefully conned the rules and I see nothing to pre- vent aim having our House of Laymen and Women elected as before, and our going forward in that vigorous repre- sentative life in which we have been pioneeers, only we must extend the fran- chise, and then when we come to elect our representatives to the Westminster As- i sembly, the members of both Men or Women Houses must vote together, though they may elect either man of woman." On the question of clerical incomes the. Bishop said.- It does not do credit to financial ability when our reformers plead that the solution of the question is the redistribution of incomes. I question whether you ever benefit a profession by having no decent rewards for the more, eminent men." If there be surplus revenues belong- ing to the Church, and that may be the case, let them be used to supplement the endowments of really poor parishes or places where the Church has to make Evangelistic ventures, otherwise, surely, it is the people who use the clergy who should come to the rescue. I have held that dilapidations should be so estimated that a -,su-fficieiit yearly sum should be ascertainable, that such yearly sum should be divided into three parts—one paid by central funds of the Church, one by the diocese in conjunction with the parish, and the third by the incum- bent." The Bishop mentioned that he himself did not expect a diocesan income of more than £ 1,500 after taxation, and out of that he must pay his official ex- penses. and charities, so that there was not much surplus, but what surplus there was would, in public or private, go the way of the clergy.
---NEW BIRMINGHAM PARISH.
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NEW BIRMINGHAM PARISH. VIGOROUS WORK. AN unusually comprehensive develop- ment is on foot at the parish of Maney, Birmingham. Having no parochial buildings they have recently purchased nearly two acres of ground adjoining their church, and are already laying out 9 the site in a most attractive way. On November 22 sixty-three parishioners, who had provided the cost, planted an avenue and border of trees—limes and flowering trees alternately. The first sod of the new road was turned by Mrs. F. Sampson, of Ferndale, and, the first pair of trees were planted by Mrs. T. Turner, The Grove, and Mrs. J. T. W-atson, of Cotswold. On one side of the avenue will be erected a complete range of paro- chial buildings, and ,-on. the other four cottage homes will be provided by Mrs. Cooper, of Penmaenmawr, in memory of her late husband. There is also on the site one of the historic houses built by Bishop Vesey in 1628. Last week a three days' bazaar was held at the Town Hall, Sutton Coldfield, and resulted in the unexpected total profit of over £ 2,500 towards the scheme. This, with other promises and gifts, swells the funds in sight to about £ 8,000 towards a total requirement of about £ 16,000—not at all a bad achievem, ent within one year of the purchase of the site. The scheme is warmly oommend-ed by the residents as a distinct acquisition to Sutton Coldfield.
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DR. BARNABDO'S HOMES havo just received a special Christmas donation from Ri.s Majesty the iving, v
ORDER FOR-HOLY COMMUNION.
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ORDER FOR HOLY COMMUNION. IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS. A Conference of members of the Con. vocations of Canterbury and York was summoned by the Archbishops in Octo- > ber, 1918, to endeavour to harmonise the proposals made by the two Convoca- ti'ons for the Revision of the Book of Common Prayer. At this Conference, while a few matters not considered as materials for a final decision were not forthcoming, agreement was arrived at on all points but one, and it was re- solved, on the one matter on which no agreement was 1reached- That their Graces the Archbishops be respectfully asked to call together a T Conference of clergy belonging to different schools of thought, in which younger men land liturgical scholars should have full representation, to ..h discuss (after Communion iand prayer) the question of permissive alterations in the structure of Holy Communion, in order to forward an tagreed settle. ment of the matter." In accordance with this resolution a Conference was summoned to meet at Lam-bet-li Palaw ion May 2, 1919. After f'ull discussion, the following proposals, made by the Bishop of Ripon, and seconded by Dr. Fcrere, were carried by a large mai,or-ity:- 1. That the Prayer of Oblation ha not moved ffrom its present position 2. That the Prayer of Humble Access be moved so as to follow immediately after the Comfortable Words 8. That the Lord's Prayer be placed after the Prayer of Consecration., and immediately before the Communion; 4. That the Wards of Institution be followed by 9 (a) An Act of Remembrance; (b) An Act of Thanksgiving; (c) A Prtayer for the Holy Spirit. An adjourned meeting o.f the Con- ference was held on November 27 at the Church House, Westminster, to consideT the Report of a Committee appointed to draft the necessary wording. Afteir discussion it wasdecide.d by a large majority of those present to recommend to the Convocations that the following be the form of the additions decided upon at the previous -meeting:- Wherefore, 0 Father, we Thy humble servants, having in remem- brance before Thee the precious detath of Thy dear Son, His mighty resur-j rectiloh and glorious (ascension, looking 1S¡() for-His coming again, do render unto Thee most hearty thanks for tha innumerable benefits which He hath procured unto us. "And we pray Thee of Thine Almighty goodness to send upon ua and upon these Thy gifts Thy holy and blessed Spirit, who. is the ,sanctifier and the Giver of Life, to whom with Thee and Son Jesus Christ be ascribed by every creature in earth and heaven all blessing, honour, glory, and power, now henceforth and for evermore. Amen. "As our Saviour Christ hath com- manded and taught us, we are bold to say, Our Father."
MISSIONARY EXHIBITION.
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MISSIONARY EXHIBITION. STAMFORD EFFORT. WHAT may have been thought a verj reckless decision to hold a nine-days' Missionary Exhibition in the country town of Stamford, has been justified be- yond the expectations even of the pro- meters by the wonderful success granted to the effort which opened on Novem- ber 20 and closed on the 29th. The at. tendance was good throughout, while al timas the Assembly Rooms were over- crowded. The work of five societies was. represented, namely, the S.P.G., C.M.S., C.E.Z.M.S., U.M.C.A. and B.F.B.S., and their deputations were greatly ap- preciated. On Sunday, November 23, several of them preached in the churches to the advantage of the cause. Among the openers a,lid chairmen of the exhibi- tion were the Marchioness of Exeter, the Lady Margaret Proby, the Hon. Mrs. Evans Freke, the Bishop of Peter- borough, Bishop Hinte, the Dean of Stam. ford, the Archdeacon of Lincoln and Oak. ham- and the Mayor and Mayoress of i Stamford. The exhibition was organised by the C.M.S. Exhibition Department, Mr. R. H. Everett being in attendance throughout. Mr. T. H. Baxter was the opener on. the last day and gave the clos- ing address. The enthusiasm and unan- imity of some 500 workers was most maiked, and already several have ex- pressed the desire to prepare for work abroad. The financial results bid fair to be exceptionally good. A thanksgiving service was arranged to be held in All Saints Church, Stamford, on Thursday, December 4, the preacher being the Rev. R. CalleThder, Vicar of Careby, the head of the West African Court and at one time a missionary in that country.
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J- C. CHURCH. vioar of St. John's, Weston, BaU|J*ag: eoxn$l»j £ d'i& ss6»r*^#«cvifc6-v m tn« parish, 22 of them as vica-r. THE REV. H. F. NAPIEE, Tector af Butliwick, .oa-tn ha a applLtxi to the J-5isko]> for leave to sell the_ .rectory and take some other place in wiiitiii he can afford to in.lace, th« aec-reased vaitie of money, increased wages, :« ana lnru-Aaead.. liabilities;