.0-

Feeding the Multitudes

During February the Bible Society was

printing on the Continent of Europe

editions of the Scriptures which

amounted to 931,000 volumes ; of these

205,000 were complete Bibles.

These included editions In Russian,

Finnish, Polish, Esthonian, Lithuanian,

Bohemian, Serbian, Croatian, Rumanian,

Slovak, Bulgarian, German, Hebrew,Yiddlsh,

Dutch, French, Spanish, Persian, Duala,

Afrikaans, and Asu.

During February the Society was

also printing editions numbering 429,000

volumes in England ; of these 210,000

were complete Bibles.

These included editions in English, Dutch,

French, Italian, Portuguese, G reek, Hebrew,

Persian, Maori, Otshi, Accra, Shona, Kololo,

Hanga, Fula, Mbundu of Loanda, Mbundu

of Benguella, Lu,nda of Kambove, Haya,

Nsenga, Kikuyu, Mambwe Lungu, Malekula,

Gbari, Houailou, Florida, and Alur.

Besides these, immense editions in

many other languages are being printed

for the Society in the East.

All these books must be paid for

as they are delivered from the press.

They are all sold at prices below their

cost; and the loss to the Society is

increased in many countries where the

currencies are depreciated.

This world-wide work can be carried

on only in proportion as it is sustained

by free gifts—from those who realize

that the life is more than the meat, and

that spiritual starvation is worse than

bodily hunger, and who have found

in Scripture the Living Bread from heaven.

Send a Contribution to the Secretaries,

British and Foreign Bible Society,146, Queen

Victoria Street, London, E.C. 4.

0

CONTENTS.

Questions Concerning the Ministry. By Henry Smith ... Temperance Notes Sayings Happenings ... - Sunday Afternoon. By Ernest P. H. Caj'ey At3Our Owe Fireside. By H. S. ... Methodist Union At Other Firesides. By E. Women's Missionary Auxiliary ... The Conversations of Paden Aram. By David Donald Methodist Union Notes

The League of Nations. By Quartos Circuit Quarterly Meetings

S. . Reviews. By Ex-Principal J. S. Clemens, B.A. D.D and Rev. 0.0. Hornh . y, M.A., B.D.

The Three Crosses. (Young People's Topic.) By 0. P. Rounsefell

Why seek ye the Living among the Dead ? (C.E. Topic.) By Herbert J. Watts ...

Easters The Light of the World. (Missionary Topic). By Arthur H. Robins ...

News of Our Churches— ...

▪ 157 ▪ ,158 ▪ 158 • 158 • 159 ▪ 159 ... 160 ▪ 100 ... 160 • 161 ... 162

•••

DON

rFIE UNITED METHODIST. THURSDAY, APRIL 6th, 1922.

ISN'T THE LAY MINISTRY BETTER P (See below). THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS (Page 162). METHODIST UNION NOTES (Page 162).

TO DISTRICT AND CONNEXIONAL COMMITTEE SECRETARIES (Page 162).

ethodist THE WEEKLY JOURNAL OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.

Whin whisk is ineermsvated the "Free Methodist." founded 1886.

No. 749. NEW SERIES. [01.4Do.s1:11 THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1922.

(Registered at the General TWELVE PAGES.

Post Office as a Newspaper.] TWOPENCE.

• ONE of our supernumerary ministers—a man of culture whom I greatly admire and esteem—wrote me as -follows a day or two ago :

" You, I see, are taking up the cudgels for a pro-fessional (or vocational) -ministry. 'Consider if there is not very much to be said for such a 'reshaping of 'Christian service and readjustment of Church machinery as to alloW:of a larger employment of un-paid—(I have crossed out agents '---'–hateful word in this connecton) workers, 'like our local preachers with a diminution of salaried men, etc., etc., etc." The receipt of my friend's letter gives me an oppor-

tunity of discussing one or two points before I proceed further in this brief caurse of articles.

Cudgels and a Profession. My correspondent's .opening words. alarm me some-

what. " Cudgels" and "taking 'up cudgels for a pro-fessional ministry " are disconcerting words to me. and make me wonder if I have written in a fighting tone when I wanted to write in a persuasive tone, and Whether I have really conveyed the idea that I regard the ministry as a profession. I• sincerely hope that I have done neither. If I have, let'me assure the young men for whom I specially write that I meant neither the one nor the other. I remember that when I was leaving home for training at our Theological College and an uncle of mine wished me success An the "pro-fession " upon which I was entering the word greatly .distressed me. It. does still as a description, of what we call the Christian -ministry. A vocation it is, and should always be, but a profession never ! And as to taking. up "cudgels" for the ministry—there may be need for doing this in some circles, but I did not deem that the young men to whom I wrote belonged to any of these. They do not attack the ministry. As I under-stand, they do not deny that it has divine sanctions, nor do they deny that it is in some instances necessary. The point at which most of them have arrived is, as I see things, whether for theM personally at this time there are not other as good and even better forms of serving their Lord and Master. If I have written any word that seems to assume that they are attacking the minis-try I beg, their pardon and will try to do better in what I write. further.

-My correspondent would, I am sure, say that what he suggests concerning the use of more lay preachers does not mean that there should be no more ministers set apart for their particular work, but perhaps that there should he fewer set apart. ,But I am not sure that he will accept my word "better" in the question I put at the head of this article. The young men readers I have in my mind, however, are seeking the better way of Christian service. and so I put the question in what I think would be their form rather than my cor-respondent's.

Laymen as Pastors and Preachers. Let me say at once that I consider that there is very

much to be said for such areshaping of Christian ser-vice and such a readjustment of Church machinery as would allow of the larger employment of unpaid workers like local preachers, with a diminution of salaried men. And I do this for a number of reasons.

Perhaps nothing in Methodism was more revolutionary than the beginning of the class meeting and of • lay preaching. Neither was designed by Wesley. The whole Methodist system, as Wesley says, arose "without any previous design or plan at all. Everything arose just as the occasion offered. They saw or felt some impending evil or some good end necessary to be pursued. At other times they consulted on the most probable means, following only common sense and Scripture." The class meeting and its leader arose out of the physical impossibility of John and Charles Wesley visiting the

162 163

163

164

164

165 165

members of the London and Bristol societies in their homes and caring for them in the way Wesley thought desirable. Beginning as a means of finance, it soon developed into a means of grace, and Wesley adopted it. When he heard that Thomas Maxfield, a lay.man,, had begun to preach he hastened to London to stop him. But his mother restrained him, high churchwoman though she was : "Take care what you do with respect to that young man, for he is as truly called of God to preach as you are. Examine what have been the fruits of his preaching and hear him also yourself." Wesley did •so and was constrained to say, " It is the Lord.; filet Him. do what seemeth Him good." Wesley recog-

nied the lay class leader and the lay preacher and made .both an integral part of Methodism. What did this mean? It meant that he recognized that a man. might exercise the pastoral functions and the preaching func-tions of the ministry without being formally "ordained." In this respect they might be as truly ministers of Jesus Christ as himSelf. His primary test for class leader and lay preacher was—" Has he graces, gifts, fruit? " That is, Has he what God Himself gives? If the .answer were Yes, then x'hat Christian men can give --recognition and opportunity to exercise the ministry—should be bestowed. But gifts, graces, fruit were primary, recognition secondary, though important in the interests of order. Wesley's attitude is still the usual Methodist attitude. Long may it continue ! As long as it continues no Methodist can do other than honour the ministry of laymen.

Experimental Preaching. The ministry of laymen sounds. no note that the minis-

try of what used to be called the " itinerant preacher" does not sound, but it has one note that it sounds, or should sound, more distinctly and with greater frequency. I mean the note of experience. The "minister" as a rule lives a more or less sheltered life. At least he has not the same taste of the rough-and-tumble, the worry and anxiety, the temptations and difficulties, the per-plexities and harassments of business life that his lay brother has. He hasn't quite the same difficulties in applying Sunday's teaching to Monday's conduct that the layman has. He does not perhaps need to bring truths so frequently to the touchstone of life rather than of thought, of conduct rather than of ideal, as the man in the pew must. The layman's test of what he reads in Scripture and what he hears in the pulpit must be, Will it work and how will it work? He is in a school that gives sharp answers to questions of that kind. So when he stands up to preach it is from this experimental angle that he has to view his. text and the truth it embodies. As one who frequently hears local preachers I feel that it is when our brethren view truth from that angle that they are most effective, most illumi-nating, most individual and most profitable in their ministry. When they preach as laymen they are strong and do unique service. When they consciously or un-consciously imitate "ministers" they 'are often second- rate and weak. Many of them are just themselves, thank God. While that is so they give a ministry which is invaluable, irreplaceable and essential to the full ministry of the Church.

Unpaid Labour. The lay minister has another advantage. He preaches

without money and without price a gospel which is with-out money and without price. This makes a difference to the outsider. I am afraid .there is a certain not fine type of insider to whom it makes a difference too. It is a characteristic that gives the lay preacher a certain leverage. He is not even liable to the suspicion that he' preaches for what he can get out of it. He finds it easier to make all believe that he does it because he must and for no other reason :

".0 let me commend my Saviour to you."

Questions Concerning the Ministry. A LAY MINISTRY BETTER ?

158

THE UNITED METHODIST. April • 6, 11122

He knows, as most of us know, that there are thou-sands upon thousands of " ministers" of whom the same thing is absolutely true. But some doubt this. With them the lay preacher has his chance and his easier 'oppor-tunity. And I have known laymen who used both to the full. From the time I was a youth in Manchester and for years beyond, Mr. Wm. Birch, a city merchant, car-ried on a powerful, unpaid .ministry in the Free Trade Hall, in that city. In my early ministry a near neigh-bour was Mr. Lockhart, a 'Liverpool merchant, who sus-tained a lay pastorate of a very influential kind at the Toxteth Tabernacle without monetary fee or reward. In my later years Mr. Thomas 'Holtroft carried on a similar .ministry at our church in Smethwick almost Sunday by .Sunday for nearly . 30 years. Methodism has thousands of local preachers in this country Who in less degree are giving the same kind of service. All honour to men who thus labour and place the advantages they enjoy as laymen at the disposal of the Lord and His Church!

For these reasons I would make the fullest room for the ministry of lay preachers in our Church services, especially of those lay preachers who take their preaching and preparation for it seriously and as a divine There is great need of their help to-day and of --the special emphasis upon experience and upon the meaning of our Lord's teaching in daily life and occupations that they can give. My sorrow is that somehow this holy

:work is not attracting our young men, and especially the young men who have 'had exceptional educational and privileges, as it did . twenty and thirty years ago.; This is to the loss of the young men themselVes. It is certainly to the loss of the churches. One of our 'needs to-day is that special pains should be. taken to :present the claims and privileges and opportunities of the lay ministry before suitable young men and women in our churches and congregations.

Is There Anything Better ? I have said all this about the lay ministry and I have

said it with sincerity and with all my heart. All the same, if as many young men entered upon lay preaching as ought to enter upon it there would still be room and need for the man whose time and gifts and energies of body and mind are devoted to what the layman does in class meeting and in pulpit, but more fully and on a larger and more continuous scale. It is in this sense that 1 would give an answer in the affirmative to the question which is at the head of this paper. As I see it, the minister's work is not different in kind from that of the lay preacher and the class leader. It is not neces-sarily different in quality from that of the lay preacher though, considering the larger opportunities of reading and thought and preparation that the minister enjoys, it ought often to be different in quality, one would think. It is not different essentially as a vocation, as some-thing to which one feels oneself called. Every reader will not agree with me, but I have not yet seen reason to cast aside a guiding word written to me by one who was veritably a father-in-God to me in my youth, layman though he w.as. His word at a crisis in my life was : " A call to be a local preacher is a call to the ministry 'if the way opens into it." It is so because.in its essence the call to the one is the call to the other. If there is so much parity between being a 'ay preacher and being a -minister, in what sense is it "better " to be the one than the other? My answer is that the opportunity of service in the one position is larger, fuller, richer, more continuous than in the other. The layman has the advan-tages I have named. But the minister also has advan-tages that the layman has not. I have named one or two. Let me name one or two more. He has better opportunities of cultivating his gifts than the layman has. He can give more time as a rule to acquiring knowledge of Divine things. He can avail himself more fully of the great advantages which pastoral visitation gives for carrying on the " one-by-one " ministry which is so essential and so fruitful. As a minister he receives confidences and confessions which he would not other-wise receive and has opportunities of ministering to minds distressed that are not afforded in the same degree to lay-men. Because he is a minister and revered as such he can fulfil a ministry among children, youths and maidens, young men and young women which it is not given to all laymen to fulfil. Truly, great are his privileges and as great his opportunities. face to face with these and surrounded by the love of the people among whom he ministers he may well deem his allotted task delightful, sufficing and satisfying and need envy none of his lay- •men their fuller stores of earthly good nor even his fellow preachers of the laity their many advantages. If it is good for-.the local preacher to give. part of his time to preaching it must be better for the minister to give all of it to the holy work. If it is a joy- to he some- times a shepherd of souls it must be an increased joy to be every day such a shepherd. If it be a high voca-tion to seek the lost as occasion offers, what must it be "to spend and to be spent for them who have not yet the Saviour known "? Oh, the ministry is a privilege, an opportunity and a bliss unspeakable ! May some young readers of this article speedily know this!

HENRY SMITH.

The Story of Old Rome. By J. C. Curtis, B.A. (R. T. S. 5s.)

This volume is really an outline of Roman History, from the times of legend to the fall of the Empire. The narrative proceeds in a straightforward manner, dealing with events in their chronological order. The book is well illustrated by porfraits of the emperors and by re-productions of vase-paintings and photographs of Roman remains. The book is to be praised for its clear and straightforward presentation of the main events of Roman History, but it is a pity that the social and literary elements have been relegated to brief notes at the ends of the chapters.

D. S.

Temperance Notes. "SURELY it is a very one-sided kind of Liberty, which

allows unrestricted elbow room to the promoters of a traffic which is the cause of impoverishment, and a national disgrace, and which forbids the decent citizens who have to pay for the poverty and the crime that it hatches, to unite together and say : We will not have this open sewer running before our doors any more.' That fatal reef is crowded from end to end with the gaunt ribs of wrecked craft that went out of port goodly and full of promise, and every hour fresh ones are striking on it. It seems to me the plain duty of all good men and true is to lend a helping hand to undermine the black rock and blast it out of the course."—Dr. Alex. Maclaren.

The General Manager of the Glasgow Corporation Tramways Department published a table showing the accidents caused by the liquor traffic during one single Saturday evening in four and a half consecutive hours. Here are the times and particulars :-6.15, man fell down steps, drunk ; 6.20, collision, lorryman drunk ; 6.40, man knocked down, drunk; 7.30, man knocked. down, drunk ; 8.5, man knocked down, drunk ; 8.31, Man knocked down, drunk ; 8.50 man knocked down, drunk ; • 9.5, woman knocked down, drunk ; 9.10, man fell off car,' drunk ; 9.11, man fell off car, drunk ., 9.35, woman fell off car, drunk; 9.45, man fell off car, drunk • 9.50, man knocked down drunk • 10.20, collision, cal: man drunk ; 10.47, man ' 'knocked down, drunk. Here we have fifteen separate accidents, in one city, on one Saturday evening. Yet we are told that the vile drug which caused all these is " a good creature of God."

For every £100 spent on intoxicating liquors in 1913 (pre-war) the nation spent ,.283 last year. Think this out. You will know one reason why there is little work and less money. "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? "

My experience of cancer enables me to tell you that it is more rapid and more distressing among those who take alcohol, and that free consumption of alcohol adds greatly to the rapidity arid severity of the disease. The taking of alcohol is not the cause of cancer, but it cer-tainly lessens a man's power of resisting the attack of this disease, and renders him an easy prey to it.—Sir Alfred Pearce Gould, K.C.V.O.

"Oh, alcohol is an excellent protection against cold. If you are going into the cold air you ought to take a little 'nip ' of something. It does keep out the cold ! " This argument is used so often that even medical men would sometimes seem almost to believe it. I can answer this impression with a quotation from a notable au-thority that "alcohol tends to loWer the temperature by increased loss of heat, and to some extent by lessened oxidation, while the power of the body to resist cold is much reduced by it." That answers this particular argu-ment, which, as you know, is one of the most potent Circumstances under which alcohol is used in this coun-try.—Sir Frederick Treves, Bart., F.R.C.S.

The National City Bank of New York estimates that America spent 100,000,000 dollars for toys and games during the year 1921.

This magnificent investment was made in happiness for the little ones and it was well.

In the old licence days, the people spent more than 2,000,000,000 dollars annually for booze. Instead of pur-chasing. joy, the people purchased headaches and sorrow.

America decided that there was enough suffering in the country without spending billions of good money for more. America concluded that it was better to invest one-twentieth of the old booze bill in toys and the other nineteen-twentieths for necessities and other luxuries.

When the little ones see their father coming home with an armful of toys, they scream with laughter ; whe.n he came reeling home with a black bottle under his arm, they screamed with fright.

The toys bring joy ,. alcohol brought sadness. Prohibition made the difference.

Closing Thought. All powers be yours, He saith, over My little ones ;• The power of life and death ; The power of cloud and suns; The power of weal and harm. Be yours to have and hold.

. . . Lord of the skies and landS, Take pity on Thy dust ; Strengthen our mortal hands, Lest we betray Thy trust.

KATHERINE TYNAN.

L5 19 ' 6

Sayings. A Man to be Pitied.

Pity the man that tries to save everything.k—VoL.. TAME.

Secure Peace. There is no secure peace save beneath the yoke of

Christ.—Di GIOVANNI PAI'INI.

Authority :in Religion. Apart from our inner experience and the testimony

the Holy Spirit, there is no conceivable authority in matters of religious faith.—DR. JOHN KELMAN,

in

Foundations of Faith."

How Conviction Conies. Conviction ,Comes to the modern mind when it sees

the Christian faith presented not as a doctrine to be carefully protected, but as a way of life to be adventur-ously tried.—From "The Way Forward."

Life a Conflict. Life is a conflict to the last, and this fact ought to

be once for all admitted and constantly before us. We shall not be so disheartened if we do not expect that which has never been promised.—MARK RUTHERFORD, in "John Bunyan."

Snapping Fingers at the Human Race. I want so to organize society that every man shall

have just enough to live upon while he snaps his fingers at the whole human race. If he can do that his co-operation with society becomes a. freer thing than if he is a cog that fits in somewhere.—DR. TEMPLE, Bishop of Manchester.

Rabindranath Tagore. More than any other man, he created the national feel-

ing which is to-day the most obvious fact in Bengal, and therefore throughout India. Yet to him nationalism in his own land and everywhere is now the enemy and obstructs all progress and freedom of thought and life. --E. j. THOMPSON, in "Rabindranath Tagore, His Life and Work."

The. Lambeth Appeal. It would indeed be a supreme disaster if the tide which

was mounting towards the flood before Lambeth, and which was manifestly .flowing strongly in the historic chamber in which the bishops met, should be allowed to ebb away in the fruitless discussion of irreconcilable proposals.—MR. MALCOLM SPENCER, in "Impasse or Opportunity."

A Great Resolve. For myself, now that my health, which since 1918

had been very uncertain, has been restored as the result of two operations, and that I have succeeded by means of lectures and organ concerts in discharging the debts which I had to incur during the war for the sake of my work, I venture to resolve to continue my activity among the suffering folk of whom I have written.—PROF. ALBERT SCHWEITLER, in "On the Edge of the. Primeval Forest."

Happenings. Viscount Grey has been elected President of the New-

- castle Liberal Club. Bishop Gore has been elected to an Honorary Fellow-

ship of Balliol College, Oxford. Willesden Council reports that it has had 3,000 appli-

cations for the 200 houses erected. Port Talbot Town Council has decided not to allow

aeroplane flights to be made on Sunday from Aberavon Beach.

Carlisle's rates for the ensuing year have been fixed at 12s. 10d. in the as compared with 17s. in the 4' during the previous year.

For the week ending March 31st it is expected that the number of 15s. 6d. National Savings Certificates will reach the record total of 9,000,000.

The British Minister in Switzerland has signed in the name of the Government of India the International Con-vention of the white slave traffic.

Miss Eliza Adams, aged 84, who has died at Woburn (Beds.) never went out of her native parish and never saw •a railway train.

Registered unemployed. on March 20th numbered 1,762,076, a decrease of 30,323 in the week—the-largest decrease so far recorded for any week this year.

Observing its mistress on the footpath in Praed Street, Paddington, a fox-terrier, in. charge of a boy, jumped from the top of a motor-bus, and broke its neck.

At the meeting of the Birmingham City Council to-day (April 6) a proposal will be submitted that the Honorary Freedom of the City be - conferred on Sir Arthur Balfour.

According to the " Railway Gazette," •immediate steps are to be taken by the Government of India to meet the urgent demands of the Indian railways for ad-ditional rolling stock, and large orders for wagons are likely to be placed in this country.

The German Government has promised to pay an in-demnity to Holland for the torpedoing of the Dutch steamer "Turbantin " in the .North Sea on March 16th, 1916.

A New, York dealer has recently paid upwards of 200,000 dollars for a new de luxe edition of Mark Twain. The value of the edition is enhanced by autographed title pages.

Jaines Purvis, aged 16, of Blyth, has been awarded the Royal Humane Society's Certificate for Bravery, in attempting to save the life of Robert Wake, aged 9, wilc) fell through the ice into a brickyard pond and ivas drowned.

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LONDON, N.W.1.

THE UNITED METHODIST. 159 April 6 . 1922

Sunday Afternoon BY REV. ERNEST F. H. CAPEY.

--- LOVERS, of Thomas a Kempis will recognize the itali-

cised lines : He who corneth to the assistance of his neighbour in a press; ng need, or speaketh a word•of comfort to one

in misfortune, HOLDETH JESUS 1W THE HAND.

"' There is no God,' the foolish saith, But none, There is no sorrow,'

And Nature oft the cry of faith In bitter need will borrow ;

Eyes, which the preacher could not school, By wayside graves are raised,

And lips say, God be pitiful '! Which ne'er said, God be praised ! '"

E. B. BROWNING. " Spinner in the sun,' said the Piper, tenderly, have

you guessed my work? ' "' Why, keeping the shop, isn't it? ' asked Evelina,

wonderingly, ` the needles, and thread, and pins, and buttons, and all the little trifles that women need? A pedlar's pack set up in a house ! '

"The Piper laughed. No,' he replied, I'm thinking that is not my work . . . Lady, I have travelled far, and seen much, and always there has been one thing that is strangest of all. In every place that I have been in yet, there has been a church and a minister whose business was to watch over human souls . . . In the same place, too, there is always a doctor, whose business it is to watch over the body. If you have a broken leg, or a broken arm, or a fever, he can set you right again. Blind eyes can be made to see, and deaf ears made to hear, but, Lady, who is there to care about a broken heart? I have taken in my pedlar's pack the things that women need, because 'tis women, mostly, who bear the heartaches of the world, and I come closer to them so.' "

MYRTLE REED. * * * * *

He who weepeth over the sins of others, and asketh pardon for the guilty,

WASHETH AND WIPETH THE. FEET OF JESUS.

" I have a message,—I have more to say ! Shall sorrow win His pity, and not sin— That burden ten times heavier to be borne? What think you? Shall the virtuous have His care Alone? 0 ye good women ! it is hard to leave The paths of virtue and return again !— What if this sinner wept and none of you Comforted her? And what if she did strive To mend, and none of you believed her strife, Nor looked upon her ! Mark, I do not say, Though it was hard, you therefore were to blame.

But I beseech Your patience ! Once in old Jerusalem A woman kneeled at consecrated feet, Kissed them and washed them with her tears. What

then? I think that yet our Lord is pitiful."

JEAN INGELOW. * * * `* *

He who putt e th into his brother's hand an edifying • book,

PRESENTETH TO JESUS AN EXCELLENT WINE.

"Who shall say that my love of books is an idle luxury ? Go to ! As well cry out that love of my fellow-men is an idle luxury . . . To many a dark hour I have'communed with the great, and have found consolation in the pages they have given to humanity.More than this, sometimes when I have been tempted to harden my heart into cynicism, an essay, a verse, a chapter of a great tale, has awakened humaneness in me . . . We express. aloud our thankfulness to God for many of the good things He has given ; has ever a one of us gone down upon his knees and thanked God for the fruits of literature? "

EGOMET. * * * * *

He who is grieved to hear evil spoken of others, DRESSETH THE WOUNDS OF JESUS.

Tennyson represents the Knights of the Round Table as laying their hands in King Arthur's while they swear :

"To

To To

To To

break the heathen and uphold the Christ, ride abroad redressing human wrongs,

honour his own words as if his God's."

reverence their conscience as their King,

speak no slander, no, nor listen to it,

• * * He who observeth silence,

GOETH INTO THE DESERT • WITH JESUS. " The other day I chanced to talk to a strong, plain

working woman, whose mastery over adverse circum-stances was little short of heroic. She had much to say concerning the simple habit of silence. ` When I was a little girl,' she remarked, my mother taught me that arnica was good for bruised flesh, and silence was good for a bruised soul ; and she made me apply both when-ever they were needed.' "

E. HERMAN : Creative Prayer. * * * * *

He who prayeth for his enemies, and at once forgiveth them,

PRAYETH WITH JESUS ON THE CROSS. "And is the duty hard to do?

No one, dear Lord, path done to me Such wrong as I have done to Thee. Why should riot all men go to heaven? They who forgive will be forgiven."

F. W. FABER.

(Continued in next column.)

At Our Own Fireside. am of those who much and oft delight To season my fireside with personal talk,

Mr. Enoch Parker' one of the most earnest workers

of our Zion Church, Long Eaton, and a well-known United Methodist in the Nottingham District. has been returned at the head of the poll for the Sawley Road. Ward on the District Council.

* * * * Mrs. Crothers, to whose 90th birthday reference was

made in this column recently was on the Wednesday fol-lowing her birthday summoned -to serve on a Jury at the Quarter Sessions.

Interesting items of news of a personal kind come from Bridgtown, Cannock. Mr. William .Howard Whitehouse has been elected without a contest to a seat on the Cannock Urban District Council, in place of Mr. W. H. Gullatley, J.P., a very old member of the Bridg-town Church, who has retired from the Council through ill-health: Mr. Albert Whitehouse, J.P., a brother of Mr. W. H. Whitehouse, has been a member of the Dis-trict Council for some years.

Mr. J. 0. Whitehouse has again been returned to Staffordshire County Council after a contest. Mr. Haydn Whitehouse has never had his seat on the Cannock Board of Guardians contested. He has recently again been elected and started his twenty-second year as a Guardian.

* * * * * I recently referred in this column to the fact that Mr.

Clifford Ramsden, the editor of the "Halifax Courier and Guardian," and the son of Mr. Alfred Ramsden, who edited the same paper and was much honoured in the ex-Methodist New Connexion, had been made a J.P. In commemoration of this event he has since been presented with an engraved silver tray from the staff of his newspaper.

* * * * * 'The paragraph which appeared in this column recently

about a Card issued at Manchester in commemoration of the death of the late Pope in which a quotation was used from one of Whittier's poems has been copied in the "Friend " of March 24th, of course with due acknow-ledgement. This juxtaposition of a Pope and a Quaker poet like Whittier would naturally interest and even delight Friends, it is so much, if only accidentally, in line with the wide charity which they themselves practice.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Rev. F. J. Parry, Cavendish House, Wadebridge,

Cornwall. * * * * *

EXTENDED MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS. Dr. Brook, Secretary of the Connexiodal Committee,

writes :

ing : The attention of all circuits is called to the resolu-tion of the Newcastle Conference regarding appointments

"I should be glad if you would insert the follow-

beyond a seventh year to the same circuit. ("Minutes," p. 6.) Resolutions asking for such appointments should be for the one year, 1922-1923. By this new Conference decision no others can be considered."

* * * * * DEATH OF MR. J. G. ADDISON.

Widespread sorrow will be felt throughout ex-U.M.F.C. Circuits at the news which comes to us as we go to press, that Mr. J. G. Addison, of East Bolden, passed away on Sunday last. It is a great loss to our Church, to the community in which he rendered long and valuable service and to all who knew him. A bio-graphical sketch of Mr. Addison will appear in our next issue.

* * * * REV. JAMES ROBERTS,. BIRSTALL.

On Tuesday of this week, April 4th, the Rev. James Roberts attained his 78th birthday. Mr. Roberts enteree the ministry in December, 1863, when in his twentiea year. After seven years of home work he went out as missionary to Jamaica in February, 1871, where • he spent over 28 years. He and his family returned home in 1899, and laboured in various circuits until 1906, when after a year's service as a supernumerary, he resigned his ministry. In 1914-15 he supplied a vacant Congrega tional pulpit for some eighteen months, and when the Rev. Wm. Field went out as Chaplain of the Forces it 1915, Mr. Roberts was engaged to supply for him at Cleckheaton, which he did for four years. Since ther Mr. Roberts has served the Birstall Circuit. His healtl-and strength continue remarkably good for his years and • he is booked to serve this circuit (D.V.) until August, 1923.

* * * * PRESENTATION TO MR. JOSEPH WARD.

At the 110th annual meeting of the Sheffield Sunday School Union a portrait in oils was presented to Mr Joseph Ward. The Lord Mayor, Alderman C. Simpson who is the President of the Union this year, made the presentation. He said that from 1911 to 1921 Mr. Ware had filled the office of president with zreat success arc' with great acceptance to every Sunday School. teache. in Sheffield. When he retired it was not because his col ' leagues were tired of him, but because he felt the time had come for the rotation of president to be resumed. He spoke of Mr. Ward's splendid generosity and of the personal service he had rendered to the Union. Mr.

(Continued from preceding column). He who, after confession, striveth to correct himself,

RISETH AGAIN WITH JESUS. - - " Arise, sad heart ; if thou dost not withstand,

Christ's Resurrection thine may be; Do not by hanging down break from the Hand.

Which, as: it risetho raiseth thee: Arise! arise I "

.'GEO. HERBERT._

Ward received a great welcome as he rose to reply. Hp said he should always look back on those ten years as

pleasure in handing back to be hung.„ on the walls of among the happiest of his life. The portrait he had

Montgomery Hall. * * * *

A U.M. LEAGUE OF YOUNG LAYMEN. Great is the charm of youth. Immeasurable are its

possibilities, for the church as for the world. The leaders 9f our London Church Extension and Mission Committee realize this and are acting accordingly. Un-der , their auspices there is being formed a "United Methodist League of Young Laymen. Its objects are (a) To help the weaker.. churches of London by per-sonal service in special missions and ordinary cnui ch work. (b) To develop fellowship among the members of the League. (c) To welcome young • men from the provinces. The reader Will "agree that the formation of a League of this kind is an admirable idea and will see at once that what is•good for London is good for Man-chester and Leeds and Sheffield and other large towns. Indeed, given circuits of fair dimensions it would be good for circuits. There are few things apart from the very highest that we so much need just now as the enlistment of the young life of our Churches in the holy campaign to set up the Kingdom of God among us, and it is worth while going to any amount of trouble to bring this about.

* * * * * THE LEAVEN WORKING,

The Tyneside Methodists are showing the way to their fellow Methodists in regard to united action. The minis-ters of the Wesleyan Fraternal two months ago invited the ministers of the other Methodist Churches to join them in conference. On Friday week our United Metho-dist Fraternal did the same. They met at our Sandy-ford Church with Rev. E. F. H. Caney, our President-Designate in the chair. Formal discussion of Methodist Union is barred in these meetings. The Rev. D. Ledger Pawson (Wesleyan) opened a discussion on "United. Methodist Action in New Areas " and outlined alterna-tive schemes. Dr. Wardle Stafford (Wesleyan) felt that some common action such as this would be the best pos-sible step toward Union, and would deinonstrate its in-evitability. Mr. Richards (Wesleyan) and Mr. Beal (Primitive) quoted a case covered by their respective cir-cuits where concerted action is clearly called for. Mr. Eayrs (United Methodist) asked for ,united 'provision of great open-air services at church hours, Mr. Younger (Primitive) pleaded for common Evangelistic missions, and Mr. Cleminson (Wesleyan) followed, especially ask-ing that the missions be in every 'area, rather than cen-tral, with a view to arousing every section of the com-munity. Mr. Barry (United Methodist, Hexham) wished for united action in some old areas, especially in sparsely-populated country districts.

* * * * * TAKING ACTION.

Tea followed the meetings of the Fraternals named aboYe. After .tea the Tyneside Area Committee on Methodist Union met—Dr. Stafford presiding—to con-sider the possibility of approaching the forthcoming Synods with a view to providing a minister to pastoralize a new a-ea at Walker, between Newcastle and Walls-end. The city building scheme there has put up many new houses. 1 here are four little chapels on the estate --two Wesleyan, one Primitive, and one United Metho- dist. It was felt that if the Home Mission Departments of the three Churches could unitedly put down a man he might shepherd a good many families into one or other of the existing Churches. The case presented some difficulties in working. For instance, the man appointed would have to be WeSleyan, for, if not. he could not preside at the two Wesleyan Leaders' Meetings. But, though Wesleyan, he could be appointed to the , chair _)f the other meetings. One thing emerged from ' the discussion, that whatever constitutional snags might have to be negotiated, .there was ,nothing in the spirit of the Churches to make it unworkable.

Both this suggestion and the Evangelistic effort men-`;oned above seem likely to materialize as the first-fruits of three hours of real fraternizing among the Methodist ministers over the affairs of the Kingdom of God.

I am indebted to the " Methodist Recorder " of last .Thursday for the-account of the above most interesting neetings.

* * * * * UNITED METHODIST CENTENARIAN.

I recently referred to the fact that a United Methodist, Mr. George Russell, of Ardsley, attained his 100th 'irthday on March 14th last. I now learn that meetings in celebration of this event were held in our Ardsley Church, Barnsley, Ebenezer Circuit, on Thursday week. Large numbers of members of the numerous churches in Ebenezer Circuit were present to meet Mr. Russell and to congratulate him on his wonderful health and activity.

Mr. Russell was born at Wood Laithes Farm, Ardsley, )n March 14th, 1822, and has lived in Ardslev all his 'ife. His connection with the church at Ardsley has '-)een very-_ closely maintained through the whole of his life, and for a period of 79 years he was choirmaster. Lie has Many interesting memories of the old Methodist New Connexion Church at Ardsley, and took an active cart in the building of the present beautiful church there. He has been 7 a member of the Ardsley Church from his boyhood days, and an active worker as Sunday School superintendent,. and most of the activities con- nected with the life of a thriving village cause. Mr.

Russell is still in remarkably good health and a regular attender at the church when the weather is at all fit for him to turn out. He is still interested in music, and for many years was regarded by some as the finest violin player in Yorkshire.

It was fitting that perhaps the biggest crowd of people ever gathered together in connection with the Ardsley Church should come together to meet Mr. Russell on this occasion. Amongst those who were present to convey the congratulations of the circuit were Revs. J. H. Messa, W. E. Walker, Messrs. W. Challenger, A. Lazenby, and others. H. S.

Methodist Union.

REV. W. R. SMITH writes : The statistics given by Mr. J. W. Price in your

last issue, showing the decline in churches and membOs since the Union of 1907 are very striking, especially so, when one recalls the confident prophecies made by the advocates of the 1907 Union that Union would bring great blessing to the churches. If statistics are worth anything, these prove beyond question that the prophe-cies have not been ,fulfilled. Since the Union there has been decline. The decrease of 125 in the ,number of churches may not be a serious matter, and may even indicate that a wise policy of cutting down overlapping has been in operation. In some of the villages there were too many church buildings. There are still churches which with advantage could amalgamate with other churches and by so doing would lessen the financial burden and strengthen the moral and spiritual appeal. But the decline in membership of 11,042 between 1907 and 1921 is indeed a serious matter.

The Editor, in his comment on the contribution of Mr. Price, points out that Union is not responsible for this decrease, as all other Churches have suffered griev-ous losses. This does not alter the fact that the confi-dent prophets who, before 1907, forecasted such blessing through Union were entirely mistaken, nor does it give any confidence in the same prophecies made to-day in regard to the Union now in negotiation. There is no more ground for hope now than then that blessing and increase will come. We attach far too much import-ance to "bigness." It may be a source of serious weak-ness if it means the watering down of principles.

The position of the Trade Union movement to-day in the industrial world is a case in point.. When the war broke out, and prices began to soar, by thousands the workers, who before were apathetic, began to flock into the unions, not because they had any regard for principle, but merely as a policy of self-protection. With so many in the unions, who were actuated •by no higher motive than "higher wages," the whole movement soon appreciably lowered in tone, lost its ideals and vision, and to-day exerts less real power than when its num-bers were less. And again, in many quarters, it is advocated that Liberalism and Labour should unite their forces. To do so would make a big organization, but it is doubtful Whether either Liberalism or Labour would be stronger for such a fusion.

I write not as an opponent of the proposed Union. The ideal of Christian unity is too lofty an ideal to be opposed without the gravest of reasons, but the price can be too great. Already the Church has lost too much of that spiritual democracy and liberty which was a power in earlier days. Power does not reside in organi-zation, or bigness. .There is an uneasy feeling that like Aladdin we are giving away the old lamps for the new ones, and with the same result.

Mr. A. G. Martin, Penryn. OUR Penryn Church has sustained a very severe loss

by the sudden death of Bro. Andrew George Martin, aged 68. For over 48 years he was a faithful local preacher, and faithfully declared the Gospel of Jesus ; he was also a teacher of our junior class in the school, taking a great interest in the children. He was a member bf the Penryn Male Adult School, in which he did a good work, and some time since formed one of a delegation to Germany in its intert-st.

A large number of people attended the funeral at St. Gluvias Cemetery, including several local preachers. Rev. H. Robson officiated, On a subseqeunt Sunday, a memorial service was conducted by Rev. H. Robson, who spoke appreciatively of Mr. Martin's faithful work and ministry.

DEACONESS INSTITUTE APPEAL. Another 1E150 Needed to Square

Accounts.

160

THE UNITED METHODIST. April 6, 1922

Received from March 28th to April 3rd :-

Mrs. Cuthbertson, 4-1 ls. ; Mrs. Shipway, ,(2 2s. Mr. Thos. Farrand, 10s. ; Mrs. Attridge, /1; Mrs. North, 2s. 6d. ; Mrs. Bird, /1 ; Mr. A. Cook, 10s. ; Mr. Ed. Risbey, 2 ; Lady Essex, 10s. 6d. ; M. E. C., 5s.

Will you help this much-needed department of Home Evangelism to avoid a deficit on the current account ?

Further gifts will be gratefully received, and should be forwarded to

REV. T. SUNDERLAND, '68 Thurleigh Road, London, S.W. 12.

At Other Firesides. Look not every man on his awn things, but

every man also on the things of others.

DR: CLIFFORD CAN READ ! Everybody in the Free Churches knows that Dr.

Clifford has been suffering in the last few months from failing vision. Only a, few weeks ago he said that he could not recognize anyone across the road and that lie had been denied the joy and inspiration of reading. He can now see across the road and is .permitted to read his beloved books. The news brings icy to his many thousands of admirers.

• * DR. SHAKESPEA.RE'S HEALTH.

I have recently been in close touch with Dr. Shakespeare, the secretary of the Baptist Union, and was glad to observe that he is- better in health than I have seen him to be since his last serious breakdown about 12 months ago. He is taking an active interest in the affairs of the Federal Council of the Free Churches and has declined nomination as Vice-President of the Baptist' Union an office which carries with it the sub-sequent Presidency) on the ground that he purposes to continue the work of secretary of• the. Union' which he had resigned on the score of his ill-health. Those who know Dr. Shakespeare best will most rejoice . in his restoration to health.

* * * REV. THOMAS NIGHTINGALE.

All United Methodists and many besides will hear with regret that the Rev. Thomas Nightingale is suffering from a chill and from the severe strain of his un-remitting lab)urs as secretary of the National Free Church Council. The Liverpool meetings of the Coun-cil were by general consent the best held for many years past and Mr. Nightingale has a strenuous year before him in connection with the Council's work and the Personal Evangelisth Campaign. I had the joy of hearing Mr. Nightingale tell me only three or four days ago. that he is getting better and is now taking up his work again.

* * * - * SIR ROBERT PERKS AS HOST.

Neither Methodism nor any other Church in this coun-try has a more hospitable layman than Sir Robert Perks, Bart. He has entertained the Committees which gather from time to time to discuss Methodist Union wive fre-quently than any other. layman. If distinguished men visit the Wesleyan Conference he seizes the opportunity of inviting a number of his fellow Methodists to meet them at lunch. If an outstanding representative of Methodism. in the Dominions visits this country Sir Robert is not happy till he has him at a luncheon. Sir Joseph Cook has been appointed High Commissioner in this country of the Commonwealth of Australia. He is a Methodist. Sir Robert secured his promise to come_ to luncheon and then invited all the Methodist members of the present House of 'Commons and others to meet Sir Joseph at the .Savoy Hotel last Wednesday. I had the honour of an invitation but absence frOrn London prevented me from being present. I have heard no account of the function, but experience of like functions for which Sir Robert has been responsible makes me sure that last Wednesday's gathering would have the characteristics of the Methodist gatherings of this kind for which Sir Robert is responsible-generous hospitality, abounding fellow-ship and delightful speeches on Metho-dism, with a speedy, cordial reference to the desirability and prospects and sure coming of the Methodist Union for which Sir Robert has done so much.

MILDMAY MISSION HOSPITAL. General Booth is anxious that we should remind our

readers that in purchasing the Mildmay Conference Hall and other premises he is not undertaking any respon-sibility either for the Mildmay -Mission Hospital, which is situated in the heart of the East End of London, or for the Memorial Hospital at 1VIildmay. These under-takings are entirely distinct from The Salvation Army, and are in want of funds to-day as much as ever.

*• CURING INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Is there a man in this country that has given longer and more informed thought to the condition of the people question than Mr. R. Seebohm Rowntree, of York? If there is, I' don't know him. Under the auspices of the National Movement - towards a Christian Order of Industry and Commerce Mr. Rowntree re- cently gave a lecture on Industrial Unrest. In his judgment this unrest is perfectly avoidable-at any rate, it can be reduced to microscopic proportions. But like everything that is worth having Industrial Peace must be paid for. In Mr. Rowntree's opinion the price to be paid falls under these five headings-Wages ; Hours ; Economic security ; Status of the worker ; Giving the worker an interest in the prosperity of the industry.

* * * * PAYING THE PRICE.

As to wages, Mr. Rowntree contends that they should be sufficient to enable a man to marry,- to live in a decent house, to bring up a family of normal size in a state of physical efficiency, and to leave over . a reason-able margin for contingencies and recreation, and the employer should do everything possible to render his business thoroughly efficient before he says that he can-not' afford to pay such a wage as is indicated above. Mr. Rowntree thinks a 48-hours week a very fair stan-dard. As to the economic security of the worker, Mr. Rowntree has estimated that a mere 3i per cent on the wage bill of the country would remove the menace of unemployment. "1 think it is an absolutely positive crime to allow this menace to hang over 75 per cent of the population when it could be removed so easily. This menace turns the working man into a revolu-tionary," said Mr. Rowntree. He thinks it reasonable

the worker should have some say in determining the conditions under which he works, and he has come round to the belief that the worker must have some interest in the prosperity. of the industry. He is con-vinced that profit-sharing has a part to play in remov-ing industrial unrest, but he is nut yet clear as to the 'best principle upon which the proceeds of industry should be shared. That Mr. Rowntree is not only a thinker about these problems, but a large employer of labour gives weight to his utterances on industrial unrest.

* * * * REV. ARCHIBALD G. BROWN.

The Rev. Archibald G. Brown has died at Easton, near Stamford. He was one of Spurgeon's students and showed much of his evangelistic zeal. For many years 'he was one of the leading Free Church ministers in this country. In 1863 he founded the Bromley Baptist Church, Kent. In 1863 he became the pastor of the Stepney Green Tabernacle, a building which seats 3,500. In 1897 he became pastor of the Chatsworth Road Church, West Norwood, and in 1907 the pastor of Spurgeon's Tabernacle for 3 years. He was greatly honoured in the Baptist denomination. He was 78 years of age at the time of his death. E. M.

Women's Missionary Auxiliary. PRAYER TOPIC for week beginning Sunday, April

9th :-Tong Chuan, West China. Rev. F. R. Craddock and Rev. C. N. Mylne (pp. 43-44 in Missionary Report). Scripture lesson, Psalm lxxii.

Leeds District Council met at Kirkstall on Wednes-day, March 22nd, and spent almost helpful and inspiring day. Sister Lily Armitt was present, and the influence of her -message will be felt in, the quickened interest in our future work. We had a record attendance of dele-gates and visitors. The afternoon session was taken up with , the )woth of the District, election of officers, re-ports' from the branches, etc. Mrs. Spedding was unani-mously elected president for the coming year, and the secretaries and treasurer were re-elected. A large num-bet of friends met for tea, after which Sister Lily con-ducted a very helpful conference. This was highly ap-preciated, and gave many of the delegates an opportu-nity of asking questions and being enlightened on many matters. In the evening, Sister Lily gave a most 'inter-esting lantern lecture on her work to a large audience. The chair was taken by Mr. J. Webster.

A. KAY. Batley.-The Spring effort was held at Chidswell. In

the afternoon, Mrs. H. Greenwood presided. Miss Lee, of Dewsbury, rendered two solos, and Miss Wilson pre-sided at the organ. Rev. T. Entwistle gave a most in-teresting address on "The Life and Work of Christina Forsyth." Sister Lily Armitt, of North China, spoke briefly of Pastor Li Fu Chen, who is supported by our Zion Guild. Tea was served by. the Chidswe'l friends, after which Sister Lily exhibited and explained many Chi-'ese curios. The evening meeting was presided over by Mr. W. Whitaker, Hanging Heaton, and Sister Lily Armitt gave her ,lantern lecture, "A Tour in the Lao 11,in2 Circuit."• This was most interesting and enjoyable. There is keen interest felt throughout the circuit in W.M.A. work. The financial result is 1712.

SARAH E. SPEDDTNG. Shebbear.-The W.M.A. anniversary at Lake Chapel,

took the form of a sale and missionary pageant. At the sale there was a cake and apron stall, a pound stall in charge of the Bible Class girls, and a jumble stall. Re-freshments were provided. The pageant was carried out by about 30 young people in native costume, who had been trained by Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Rounsefell.' Mrs. Clarke's secretarial report was full of encouragement, £25 was raised during the day. The circuit does re-markably well for missions. The total for. the year works out to almost ,Z;*1 a day.

Padstow.-The W.M.A. recently' held a very interest-ing meeting, presided over by Mrs. Jones. An instruc-tive address was given by Rev. Francis Jones and Miss Eva Sloggett rendered a solo. A faith tea and mission-ary basket followed. Amount realized, £3 11s.

Save the Children Fund. THE Editor acknowledges with thanks the following

gifts : Rev'. M. Hoare, 10s. ; E. B., Ward's End, Bir- mingham, ; Rev. Thomas Entwistle, is.; Friends in Bath, 10s.; "G.," 24. ; Mr. John Stewart, Southport, 11s.; Four Friends at. Rochdale, per Mr. Robert Taylor, • 10s. ; Rev. W. T. Down, Guesting, ; H. R. C., • 1s. ; Concert by Young Ladies of Hartlip, Chatham Circuit, £3 3s. ; Myrtle, £1; Toiler Lane U.M. Junior Department, Bradford, 8s. 6d. •, Great Harwood Friends . Rev. and Mrs. W. Downing (additional), ; Mrs. R. T. Baron, (total £3) Nelly and Rowland Hill, Leices- ter, 1s. ; Streatham, 10s. ; " Inasmuch," Sunderland, LI.; Mr. W. Draper, Cowes, I.W., 7s. 6d. • "B. B.," 10s. ; Girls of Kiltrasna Hostel, Edgehill College, -61 12s. 6d. ; Chesterfield Friends : Michael, 1s.; Mary, £1 1s. ; John,. L:1 1s. ; Eleanor, £1 1s. ; Ada, 7,;1. 1s. (total 4.5 5s.); Woolacombe U.M. School and Young People's Guild, 7s. 6d. ; Mrs.. Mary Snowball, Lea, near Matlock, 5s. ; Mrs. Hilda E. Ford, Bristol, 5s. ; Westroyd, Pudsey, 7s.; "Nancy," 5s. ; Rev. H. Umpleby, 10s. ; Miss E. M. Squire, Frome, 10s. ; Sun- day School Scholars, High Street, Longton, 5s. 10d.; Marjorie Drewery, Bethel S.S., Hull, 5s. ; Battersea Park U.M. Children's Missionary Band, 10s.

Total contributed this week, £34 12s. 104. Cheques, etc., should be crossed and made payable to

Rev. Henry Smith, and forwarded to him at 188 Rye Lane. London, S.E.15.

Receipts for contributions will be sent willingly on request, but if contributors can make acknowledgement in the UNITED METHODIST suffice it will save labour and expense.

'THE MIRACLE

OF SPRING!

Once more the magician is with us. The miracle of the woods is being wrought, bringing with it a deep sense of awe and wonder at this yearly renewal of life. We touch with reverence the tender green of the first-opening bud.

If the unfolding of young plant life is to us' of such significance, why are we not more easily moved to indignation at the conditions in which so much child-life is allowed to mature—conditions that can only lead to the stunting and often the ruin of the flower that should have been so beautiful ? Are there no gardens where such little plants may expand fully to the sun ?

The National Children's Home is such a garden. Nearly 4,000 little lives al e already unfolding there, transplanted from conditions of crime, squalor and neglect. With your help others now awaiting admission may enter and share their privileges.

NATIONAL CHILDREN'S HOME (Founded by Dr. STEPHENSON).

104-122 CITY ROAD, LONDON, E.C.1. PrinciPal : Rev. W. HODSON SMITH.

Treasurers : J R. BARLOW Esq., M.A., J.P.. Sir CHARLES C. WAKEFIELD. Bart.. C.B.E.

B REMITTANCES from U.M. Churches should be sent to the • Treasurer, Rev HENRY HOOKS. 12 Farringdon Avenue

London, E.C.4.

April 6, 192

The Conversations of Padan Aram.

BY DAVID DONALD.

'CHAPTER XIX.

SHOULD MEN SING HYMNS?

THERE is no doubt that the subject of singing hymns had begun to agitate even the minds of the folk of Padan Aram. The controversy had raged round them for a king time : first in the big towns, and then in the little towns ; but for years Padan Aram had held that the

matter did not admit of discussion. Everybody had known for generations that it was not right to sing any-thing but Psalms, and as a wide liberty, perhaps para-phrases, in the House of God. If hymns must be sung, let them be sung outside the kirk. If hymns came in how could you keep out clapping?, And clapping some-times led to whistling, and whistling was a doubtful occupation anywhere. And so hymns, though not-so bad in themselvess, were apt to keep indifferent company.

The Elder was one of those, however, who were begin-ning to feel the ground uncertain underfoot : and un-certainty di

scuss distasteful to the Elder. He would have

liked to, discuss the matter with. the .Minister, but did not care just at that moment, to ask him to commit him-self on so important a subject, and one involving pos-sible. fearful consequences. So as a preliminary move he bethought him of the Precentor. Isaac Lunan was a staid believer, not given to be carried away by every wind of sentiment in religion ; and the Elder could always be frank with him. So when he reached the Precentor's cottage he did not daily, but put the question bluntly to him. He was careful in the first approach to exclude the Kirk from the discussion. The question, as he stated it, was, " Should men sing Hymns? "

"Noo, as for Hymns," said the Precentor, "I'm no muckle in favour o' Hymns. I like the Psalms in metre, and I dinna object to a Paraphrase noo an' then, but Hymns are no sae kirk-like.

'But as for singing', weel, I think every man wad be the better for singin', and for singin' ilka day. Ye see, there's sich a lot o' wind in the chest o' men fowk that maun come oot. There's. my uncle, when he's Windy he boasts, and Ben Ogilvy, the stableman, when he's that way he swears. If a man doesna want to play on a trumpet or tak a brogue and bore a hole to let the wind aff his chest, then he'd better sing."

But this was begging the question. The Elder quite agreed with his friend, but it was the subject of Hyinns that was on his mind, Iso he brought the Precentor back with the curt remark :

"1'm hearin' that the Minister sometimes has a Hymn at family worship wi' the children."

" Ay," said the Precentor, " there's mony a thing loosed for the sake o' the bairns."

" Indeed," continued the Elder, "when I was up glen' the Minister a call ae nicht last winter, I had to bide at the door till family Worship Was ower, and I heard them singing a Hyrim. And what's mair I ken whir that Hymn cam frac. It cam frae Edinburgh. It was an Edinburgh Hymn."

" Maybe it was ane o' 'Bonar's new Hymns. Ye ken the Minister is weel acquent wi' Mr. Bonar. Dae ye mind the words?"

The Elder remembered two verses, for he had read the Hymn in the Poets' Corner of the "People's Journal," and indeed had liked it so much as poetry, apart from singing, that he learned it. So he recited the first verse to the Precentor.

"Short metre:,:'_ said the Precentor. " We'll tiry it to

Selma.' Though, man, Selma's ower good for a Hymn."

He struck the tuning, fork on his knee, stood it on its head on the table with its two legs quivering in the air, caught the upper "C," dropped down the scale two and three notes at a time, 'then jumped up with a bound from the bottom of the scale to the note that he wanted. He hummed the note to himself and the Elder, and the two men sang the first verse :—

"A few more years shall roll, A. few more seasons come,

And we shall be with those that rest Asleep within the tomb."

"Gie's anither verse, "said the Precentor, warming to his loved work of singing.

"Then; 0 my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day ;

Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood, And take my sins away."

The Precentor smacked his lips and put his tuning fork in his pocket, and as he did so said-

" Dootless a man wrote that Hymn, but God Almighty inspired it ; and tak notice, that it's mair Christian than mony o' the words we sing, i'• the Kirk the noo."

The Elder was startled at this bout of heterodoxy, but on the spur of the moment could not deny its truth.

"Let's see," said the Precentor, "it's Tuesday, the day, is it no? Tuesday's the day when the Little Lass and me hae to ,sing wer Psalm by wersels."

" What ! " jerked the Elder, "does Mrs. Lunan no. join in the worship on a Tuesday? "

"Na," replied the Precentor, " no on a Tuesday. She does ilka ither day,- but no on a Tuesday. Ye see, Tues-day's bakin' day, and Mrs. Lunan couldna leave the bakin' for onything. Man, if the queen hersel' was to drive up til this door, in her gold coach on a Tuesday, and cry oot, Mrs. Lunan, come doon to the Toon's Hall an be made a duchess,' Mrs. Lunan wadna gae. She'd say, I'm muckle beholden til ver Majesty, 'but I canna come till I've done ma bakin'.'

"It's, no that she doesna join in sometimes, but she winna stop the bakin'. She's aye carefu' though wi' the oven door. She never slams it except at the end o' the lines when we're takin' breath, or .atween the verses.

THE UNITED METHODIST..

"But there was aince that the Little Lass wadna join in."

The Elder started. He loved the Little Lass. "Ay, it's true," said the Precentor, "and I can tell ye

a' aboot it. It was the day o' the Sabbath School treat. The bairns were awa doon in Farmer Fotheringay's field wi' their best claes on, and, it cam on to rain. That didna sae much matter, but it wadna stop rainin' ; and so a' the bairns had to come hame. The treat was spoiled, and the Little Lass was very angry. She was angry wi' God, because, she said, It wasna Farmer Fotheringay that made it rain. Farmer Fotheringay was a good man, and said that he would stop it rainin ' if he could, for the sake the weans, but it was God Wha made it rain and. Wha stopped it rainin' when He liked.' So the Little Lass was angry wi' God and wadna sing. I mean she wadna sing at worship, when me and the wife war singin'.

" She meant to punish God,. And then when she had made Him think that she wasna goin' to sing, she would sing afterwards, just to show that it was all right, if He wadna do it again. She had made up her mind to sing after she had gotten up til her bed. But, man, a great calamity happened. When she got up to her bed and wanted to sing she had clean forgotten the tune. It took her mither half an oor to comfort her, and she was greetin' when she fell asleep."

The Elder left in a hurry. He darted out into the dark, and the latch rattled as he pulled the door after him violently. An old and bitter memory was upon him. He fled down the road till he reached his house door, then he calmed a little and crept back to the Precentor's cottage. He did not to in, but he pushed the door open, and seeing Lunan sitting by himself reading his Tune Book by the light of the fire, he whispered, " Lunan, man, it's no a wise thing to punish God."

(To be continued.)

Miao Famine Fund. THE Editor gratefully acknowledges the receipt of the

following gifts—sent before readers had seen the an-nouncement in last week's U.M." that this appeal has now been fully met : Rev. M. Hoare, 10s. ; U.M. Church at High Westwood, 'Consett Circuit, 13s. ; Harlesden U.M. Primary Department, 3s. ; Mr. H. W. Bury, Wigan, 10s. ; Rev. S. G. and Mrs. Jenkins, 10s. ; Mr. J. O'Neill, London, ls. ; St. James's Girls' Class, Forest' Hill, 7s. 6d.'; "Help the Children," 2s. 6d. ; W. J. G. Witheridge, 10s. ; A Friend, Bath, 2s.- Gd. ; Batter-sea Park U.M. Children's Missionary Band, Ll ; Zion Sunday School, Lees, Mossley, ls. (3d. (making a total contribution of 1s. Gd. Well done !) ; Mrs. Robert Bird, Cardiff, ,

Total £12 11 s. Od. Received by the Mission Treasurer E. T. and :1. R.

Doidge, Plymouth, £1. Received by the Acting Treasurer : Mr. S. Turner,

Rochdale, per Mr. A. Kay-Menzies, •-•,5.

Totals to Date. Per Foreign Mission Treasurer ... „ Acting Secretary „ " United Methodist " Iditor

£321 16 0

Amount asked for, £300. AmoUnt received, £321 16s.

This A ccount is now closed.

Writing to the Editor, under date April 1st, Rev. J. E. Swallow, the Acting Secretary, says :

For the members of the Foreign Missions Committee: and the Missionaries in our Yunnan District I. beg. to express a ,grateful joy that the response to our appeal has been so gracious and generous. It was not sug-gested until early in February : the first letter, written by the Rev. W. A. Grist on our behalf, appeared on February 9th, and before the end of March you are able to announce that more than the £300 desired has been contributed. To one and all we tender our sincerest thanks for their gifts, and to you for so skilfully man-aging the business side of it.

Whenever anything like this transpires I often ejacu-late, silently but forcefully, "What shoUld we do with-out our weekly paper?" To put it on the lowest level-7 What expense it saves us 1 To engineer a small appeal like this would cost many pounds. But there, it is—our "United Methodist "—and we just use it. In this stag. gestive 'case : here is the balance sheet—

"304 5s. Od. contributed. '304 5s. Od. sent abroad.

Easter School at St. Ives, April 13th-18th. REV. T. A. jEFFERIES, Young People's Secretary,

30 Grosvenor Park Road, London, E.17, writes to the Editor as follows :-

Will you kindly make it known that the Young People's and Temperance Committee have decided to make a special offer with a view to filling up the Easter "-;rhool at St. Ives? They have lowered, the price (in-clusive of board, lodging, and tuition) from 45s. to 80s.

Thirty shillin's for the Easter week-end at St. Ives is a great opportUnity and we hope that the remaining vacancies will all be rapidly booked up. Excursions at about a fare and a third are being run from all points on the Great Western Railway and beyond.

A copy of a first.edition of Caxton's : "Chronicles of England "—"emprynted by me William Caxton in thabbey of Westmyntre, June 10th, 1480," was sold last week..for £130.

161

Pack the

City Temple on

Monday, April 24th.

WE WILL [ See this column next week.]

•

ANNIVERSARY MUSIC, School officials should see 18th set; nothing better published.

Specimens free to school officials Others, 6d. NOT! —Superintendents requiring suitable Recitations. Dialogues etc., for

the Children's Annie, fiery will find a capital selection in our 200 NUMBERS now issued containing 643 piece.. for 12s. post free or 111 each numbet

OSsOrigivteeCtit'aiosue. A. E. PARCELL, 5 Park St., Hull,

...L49 0 0 89 2 0

183 14 0

N WE?

162

THE UNITED METHODIST. April' 6, 1922

Methodist Union Notes. Meeting in Darlington.

On Wednesday, March 22rid, Darlington Methodists were privileged to hear the proposed Scheme for Union explained by two of its best knOwn and ablest exponents, Rev. E. Aldorn French and Rev. William Younger.' Mass meetings were held in Bondgate Wesleyan Church, the afternoon meeting being presided over by Rev. E. 13. Starr (Primitive). or nearly an hour Rev. E. Aidom French held a great audience (most)/ men) as he ex-plained the draft scheme, and referred to the various points addressed by those who are opposed to the Scheme. An open conference followed, at which questions were invited. ̀1 here was a ready response, and a most interesting forty minutes foiluweo. There was not much time left at this session for Rev. W. Younger, so he just gave us an outline of what he had prepared. Tea was arranged for ministers and stewards, and it is pleasing to state that all the minister s of the three denominations in Darlington, save one, were present, together with ministers who had come in from the country. Questions were asked over the tea-table, a good discussion being maintained, under the president' of Rev. R. H. Kipling (Bishop Auckland). , There was a splendid audience for the evening meet-ing, over which Sir Newbauld Kay, of York, was to have presided, but at the last minute was prevented from being present, his place being ably filled by Rev. W. S. Cooper, of South Bank. Prayer was offered by Rev. Harry Shaw, and Rev. William Younger, thus had first innings and ran up a splendid score. The address of Rev. E. Aldom French again came to close grips with the Union question.

As the crowd' streamed out into the snowy night, it was with glowing hearts and cheered by a vision of a future for Methodism even more resplendent than has been its past. H. S.

Meetings at Norwich. THE visit to Norwich on Tuesday last week of Rev. E.

Aldom French and Rev. Henry Smith afforded an opportunity for education, on the vital question of Union.

The meeting was held in our Calvert Street Chapel, and the occasion and the message were worthy of a crowded audience.

Rev. Henry Smith was in his best form, and from the outset yielded the. palm to the Wesleyan friends for having held out their hands to the brother churches and

.asked, "Shall we consider whether or not instead of three Churches there shall be one? "

Rev. E. Aldom French, in the course of a convincing address, said that the real object of the visit of his col-league and himself was that the vote when the time came should be deliberate and as in the sight of God. The ChOice was between isolation and unity.

The meeting was presided over by Rev. C. H. Spivey (Primitive Methodist superintendent) and the Wesleyan ministry. was represented on the platform by Rev. G. Bennett, of Yarmouth, who led in prayer.

Various ministers and officials were also present at the afternoon tea-table conference, the United Methodist superintendent (Rev. A. R. Barnes) beim:, in charge of the general arrangements. Mr. Walter Hastings was at the organ.

Meetings at Yarmouth. Yarmouth has passed through a period of revival, and

the barriers of Denominational prejudice have been burned away by the Divine fire. Revs. Henry Smith and E. Aidom French found a congenial and stimulating atmosphere in the Regent Road U.M. Church on Wed-nesday last when they came to speak on the subject of Methodist Union. The afternoon conference was goipd. 1 ne spirit of uevout enquiry brooded over the gathering, a .d tie speakers were encouraged and inspired by the responses of the audience. Rev. Henry Smith dealt with Lee financial features of Union in an interesting and in-forming fashion, while the Rev. E. Aldom French examinedd-and elucidated the clauses of the proposed Constitution. Questions were asked and answered with a 'frankness and fullness that completely satisfied the eine tio .ers: Tea was served in the Wesleyan school-room. Over the tea .table several friends asked for i .nor ation concerning overlapping and other similar

.pro 'ems, and the Deputation ilnmediately replied giving leteresting facts and figures.

1 he evening meeting in Regent Road U.M. Church was simply great. .Alderman T. W. Swindell, J.P., pre-sided with grace and dignity, and in a few terse tense sentemes pointed out the object of the gathering, and evoked applause by declaring himself a staunch sup- )o !e- of the movement for Union.

Rev. Henry Smith spoke of the origin of the move-rent, traced -its development, and made an impressive

appeal. It was a wise and weighty speech, moving with a mighty swing to a majestic conclusion.

The atmosphere was electric when Rev. E. Aldom French rose to speak. He proved himself to be the man for the moment. With forceful eloquence,' enlivened by flashes of humour, he painted the picture of one Metho-dist Church for Great Britain with such strength that the cumulative effect was magnificently powerful.

The audience felt that the speakers were men of God, that they had been in the "Holy of Holies," that they had seen the "Vision splendid," had heard the call to service. and nobly responded with concentrated and consecrated powers.

The Regent Road U.M. Choir was in attendance and contributed to the success of the meeting by. rendering two anthems sweetly and effectively. The Doxology and Benedict:an bought to a close a meeting which will long be remembered for its interest and inspiratiOn,, its potency

T. H. M. and power. M

Important. To District and Connexional Committee

Secretaries. DEAR, BRETHREN,

1. It is our duty to ask the careful attention of District Secretaries to the detailed directions in "Minutes" of 1914, pp. 13-15. Compliance with the instructions there , given will prevent both inconvenience and delay. It will also facilitate the work of the various Connexional Committees in their final preparations for Conference.

The names and addresses of persons elected by the Districts to serve on. Connexional Committees should be sent promptly to the Secretary of the Connexional Committee, 21 Part Street, Southport, for insertion in the Blue Book.

2. The• names and addresses of all members of the Birmingham Conference will be supplied to the Book Room as soon as the District schedules are to hand. The agenda will be posted to members of Conference direct, and secretaries will help by sending copy as , in-dicated. In all cases where a reserve is called to occupy the place of the member of Conference originally appointed, the earliest possible intimation shoUld be sent to the Conference Secretary and to the - Birmingham Local Committee.

3. The Secretaries of Connexional Committees are requested to forward reports, resolutions, and financial statements required for the Conference agenda to the Connexional. Editor, 188 Rye Lane, Peckham, London', S.E.15, not later than June 10th. In the majority of cases a very much earlier date is practicable, and secre-taries are urged to send accordingly. Where time per-mits, proofs can be supplied, but this will be impossible after June 7th. The Editor has again consented to give his invaluable aid in the preparation of the agenda, and he will be greatly helped by prompt and early action on the part of all Departmental Secretaries. It is imperative that all reports, accounts, and resolutions should he resented in the briefest possible form consistent with clearness.

4. The Committee Calendar for 1922-3 should be in the Blue Book. To this end all Connexional Secretaries are requested to send to the 'Conference Secretary (Mr. R. Norman, 35 Manor House Road, Newcastle-on-Tyne). the dates and places of their respective Committee meetings. From this information a provisional Calendar will be formed, and, if necessary, changes may be made at Conference. So many meetings are crowded into November and May that clashing can only be avoided by timely intimation and friendly adjustment. In fixing prospective dates, secretaries will please note that in 1923 Easter falls on April 1st, and Whit-Sunday on May 20th, and both these weeks should he avoided. The final Committees should be fixed, if at all possible, before the end of May.

R. NORMAN, Conference Secretary. DAVID BROOK, Sec. G.C. Committee.

The League of Nations. ARE WE HELPING IT AS MUCH AS

POSSIBLE ‘? SOMEONE has said (was it the late Lord Salisbury?)

that Peace is our greatet national asset. An ever-in-creasing number of English people believe that ; never-theless, militarism is aggressive and insolent, and mili-tary men are talking in a dangerous way about the "next war," and the need for preparation for it. General Sir P. W. Chetwode, Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff, said lately that the League of Nations was not going to stop war, and spoke of what he des-cribed as the "tragic reduction " of the army. The ,fifteenth Earl of Derby, speaking at Rochdale in 1879, said, "We all profess to wish for peace ; I hope most of us do so sincerely ; but do not let us forget that in a country like -this there are various interests which tend steadily and constantly in an opposite direction. In the first place we have a more numerous' and more, highly trained military class than we ever had before. There is a natural, not discreditable, desire among them to test the value of what they have been learning, and to acquire the professional distinction which can only come with actual service." He said further : "„When you recollect that there is in what are called the upper classes scarcely a family that has not some connection with the Army, there is a social influence which tells powerfully when questions of war or Reace are in • the balance. And yet further : "it is a mere delusion to say, as people are continually saying, that everybody is against war if it can be honourably avoided. On the contrary, there are a good many persons who either think that 'they will make a very good thing out of a war, or that it will serve to keep off something that they dislike even more; and in either case we must not be surprised if they act under their convictions." Sane •teaching like this from a distinguished member of the "upper classes" may well be carefully pondered ; and so may such testimonies as the following against war :

1. Sir John Simon—"Whether for victor or van-quished, war is an unmitigated curse."

2. Sir Philip Gibbs, the famous war correspondent, wrote as follows, after spending a year among the horrors of the Great War : "More passionate than any other emotion that has stirred me through life, is my conviction that any man who has seen these things must, if he has any gift of expression, and human pity, dedicate his brain and heart to the sacred duty of pre-venting another war like this. A man with a pen in his hand, however feeble it may be, must use it to tell the truth about the monstrous' horror, to etch his images of cruelty into the brains of his readers, and -to tear down the veils by which the leaders of the peoples try to hide its obscenities There will be no hope

of peace until the peoples of the world recognize their brotherhood and refuse to be led to the shambles for mutual massacre."

3. Speaking at the Central Hall, Westminster, last November, the Rev. G. A. Studdert-Kennedy ("Wood-bine Willie ") said that he appealed to the troops during the war, and encouraged them to fight on - the ground that they- were fighting for freedom and honour. He knew now it was nothing of the kind., What he should have known, and what they all should have known, was that there was no freedom to be won by the sword, no honour to be vindicated by it, and no peace to be got out of it . . . . They were mad, he said; he himself was mad ; they were all mad out there. They were given decorations for what they did when they were mad. He appealed to all to concentrate their whole thoughts and minds on the frus-tration of force, and to turn in their need to the Prince of Peace.

It is a matter for deep thankfulness that the deter-mination to end war forever is spreading ,on all hands, and that the Church is freeing itself from reproach in the matter. At the Free Church Council in Liverpool, a tepid resolution of the Executive in favour of peace was " gingered up " (to quote the "Manchester Guar-dian ") and in its amended and greatly strengthened form was adopted without opposition. Forty American colleges have expressed themselves enthusiastically and unanimously in favour of disarmament. There is a pro-posal, very influentially supported, that great popular demonstrations should be held in this country on (or about) Saturday. July 29th, to give expression to the strong and growing longing for peace.

These _ are only a few, among - many, encouraging signs which, if put clearly before our Church members and teachers and scholars, would strengthen the resolve to end war for ever. It is clearly our duty to " seek peace and ensue it," and a whole-hearted crusade in favour of it would be a quickening and saving power in our churches. Yours, etc.,

QUARTUS.

A Record Bazaar. £1,400 Raised.

MARCH 23rd, 24th and 25th, will long be remembered by friends at Salem, Manchester North Circuit, as the dates of their record bazaar, the purpose of which was to raise a sufficient amount to repair and decorate the church and school, and to replenish the general funds. "The result exceeded all expectations, and never did people sing "the Doxology " with more feeling, than late on the Saturday night, after the secretary, Mr. Frank J. Le Huray had announced the grand total of £1,400, and added that he would have pleasure in meeting all the expenses. The schoolroom was made to represent an Old English Village. Messrs. C. FL Talent, P. B. Hall and A. W. Davies, three Salem friends, had given their spare time for months preparing the decorations, which they generously gave to the Bazaar Committee. The Village Shops were stocked with a fine display of useful and fancy goods. A Marconi wireless installation, operated by Mr. Wilfrid Bradley, who tapped messages from near and far, evoked much' interest.

The opening ceremony on the first day was graced by the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Salford. The opener was our own friend,. Alderman W. P. Burnley, J.P., who gave a fine start to the effort by a donation of ,6-250. Rev. W. J. Hopper and Mr. J. E. Foster also took part. On the second day Mr. Charles E. Harwood presided, and the opener was Alderman Sir E. Shentall, Kt., J.P. (Ex-Mayor of Chesterfield), and Alder-man Burnley and Mr. P. B. Hall took part. Children's Day on the Saturday was delightful and greatly enjoyed by a large company. Mrs. C. W. Godbert presided, and the proceedings were opened by Mrs. Frank Davies, who received the purses of money (4;35) collected by the scholars. Mr. Frank, J. Le Huray and Mrs. H. W. B. Chapman also spoke. The minister of the Salem Church, Rev. H. W. B. Chapman, had charge of the proceedings each day. The donations for the three days amounted altogether to .1;425. The success of the bazaar was a reord in organization, in devotion, in generosity to the point of sacrifice.

Cornish Miners' Relief Fund. The Rev. H. Rai son eratefully acknowledges the fol-

lowing donations : The Misses Abbott, Bude, ,Z71 ; parcel of clothing, Mrs. Maynard, Plymouth. Total to date, -6347 4s. 10d. Further donations will be thankfully received by the above at 35 Marlborough Road, Fal-mouth. As almost the whole of the amount received has been used for relief purposes, and the distress is still very acute, help is urgently needed.

Births, Marriages, Deaths. NOTICES of Births, Marriages, Deaths, etc., are inserted

at the uniform price of 2s., unit ss they exceed 30 words, in which case 6d. extra for every eight words or under is charged. Notices, together with Remittances, should reach the office of the UNITED METHODIST, 12 Farringdon Avenue, London, E.C.4. rot later than Tuesday 9 a m.

REPORTS of Marriages. etc.. intended for insertion in the Editorial Cnlumns MUST be accompanied by a prepaid advertisement.

R I PT H

SPENCER. At 20 Adelaide Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield. on Thursday, March 30th, 1922, to the wife

of the Rev. Fred Spencer, Hon. C.F., the gift of a

daughter. •

DEATH. ADIE.-- On March 30th, 1922, Capt. James, beloved

husband of M. A. Adie, of Sunderland, and father of Rev. S. J. Adie, Newcastle.on-Tyne.

THE UNITED METHODIST. 163

Ashton-under-Lyrae.—Rev. H. James in the chair. Balance in hand, A;45 5s. 3d. A considerable reduction of trust debt has taken place during the year. A pro-minent feature is the number of children attending Sun-day morning worship in several places in the circuit.

Birmingham, Edgbaston.—Rev. F. Dennis presided. Increase of 244 in scholars. Decision Day was observed in the circuit and at two of the schools teachers anu elder scholars remained at the close of the afternoon sessions for a Sacramental service. Increase in mem-bership for the year of 22. The outlook for whole circuit has never been more encouraging.

Birmingham, Unett Street.—Rev. W. Dewdney pre-sided. An increase of 5 adult members, 12 juniors and 18 on trial. Balance in hand of £14. was contribu- ted to the special effort of Bordesley Green Church. Unett Street and Smethwick reported successful mis- sions, conducted by Rev. F. Dennis and Rev. R. A. West respectively. The chapel auditor's schedule showed j;925 spent and raised for renovations at Unett Street, and a capital debt reduction in the circuit of £839 during the year. Total debt remaining on the three churches, £270. The claims of the Chapel Fund re-ceived sympathetic consideration. Mrs. W. S. Tandy, Mrs. Bate and Mr. H. G. Russell were appointed repre- sentatives. to the District Meeting, with Mrs. W. S. Batkin as reserve. The circuit stewards, Dr. F. C. Lea and Mr. W. S. Tandy also attend.

Brighouse, Park.—In the absence of the minister (Rev. J. H. James, M.A., LL.B., B.D.), through illness, Mr. J. Roberts presided. An increase of 3 members on the quarter. The spiritual state reports were very good, and special mention was made of the missionary report, which was very gratifying, Treasurer's balance, £64 18s. Delegates to the District Meeting : Messrs. H. W. Armitage and G. Duckles.

Bristol North.—Rev. A. P. Hoare presided. A reso-lution of sympathy was passed with the circuit secre-tary, Mr. L. J. Snook, absent through an accident. The Young People's and MiSsionary Schedules were con- sidered satisfactory. The missionary income - ;100 lls. 5d.—shows an increase. It was reported that

Rev. T. P. Dale had consented to take charge of the Westbury church at the next Conference. The report on the spiritual condition of the circuit showed that much good work is being done, and that a very hopeful spirit is prevailing. Representatives to the District Meeting : Pastor C. E. Oldfield, Coun. A. Dowling, J.P., and Mr. L. J. Snook. Alternatives : Mr. A. Lovell and Coun. E. J. Hancock.

Crewe.—Rev. Ernest Sheppard presided. The reports from the churches were encouraging, especially the work among the young people. The average attendance of scholars showed signs of improving. Messrs. A. Fletcher, W. Walker and H. Groom were appointed representatives at the District Meeting.

Leeds, Lady Lane Mission.—The reports showed the trust debts the same as last year (L341). No circuit debt. Decrease of 9 members, but increase of 8 teachers. Committees were appointed to make arrangements for the District Meeting at Lady•Lane in May. Representa-tives to District Meeting, in addition to the ministers, Mr. A. Blenkinsop, Mr. J. R. Kirkland and Mr. S. Y. Ormerod.

Manchester First.—Rev. W. 0. Smith presided. Financial report fairly satisfactory. An increase of 3 members. Considerable increase of 16 in members on trial at Queen's Road Church was explained to be owing to remarkable movement among scouts who have seri-ously and publicly signified their desire for Church mem-bership. ' About 20 names have been entered on proba-tioners' roll. Young People's report showed slight de-creases, but was otherwise very encouraging. Appeal for personal evangelism was referred to leaders' meetings.

Mossley.—Rev. W. T. Nicholson presiding. A reso-lution of sympathy was passed with Mr. W. H. Hard-man in his illness. The circuit Young People's Secre-tary presented a good report; mention being made of strenuous week-day activities at every place in the cir-cuit. Messrs. James Shaw, J. A. Buckley; J.P., W. H. Shepley, A. Batty were appointed to attend the District Meeting. An increase of 10 members was reported.

Newport, Ryde and Cowes.—Rev. P. H. Bryant in the chair. Trust schedule showed that the debts had been substantially reduced. Encouraging reports were given of the mission at Newport conducted by Rev. J. H. Squire, B.A., B.D., and continued by the President, also of the united mission services conducted by Revs. A. Triggs (Wesleyan) and F. Husband at Ryde, in which our church joined with the Wesleyan Church. The cir-cuit accounts showed a deficiency. Rev. C. J. Christian was given a perfect certificate. An evening.meeting was addressed by Rev. P. H. Bryant and Mr. W. H. Downer. Mr. A. Legg, junior circuit steward, took the chair.

Nottingham, Redcliffe Road.—Rev. J. Hibbert presi-ded. After tender allusions to the death of Mrs. Bell, a resolution of condolence with Rev. R. F. Bell and his daughter was passed. Decrease of 2 members for the year. The treasurer reported large balance in hand. Reduction of £289 in trust debts. It was announced also that over £40 had been received for the £30,000 Mission Fund, with more in prospect. Messrs. Cooper, L. Jackson and W. J. Hunt were appointed as, repre-sentatives to District Meeting, with Mr. W. Foster as reserve. The District Meeting for 1923 is to be invited to hold its sessions in Redcliffe Road Church.

Peterborough.—Rev. A. F. Viney presided. Reports from the churches and the presentation of the various schedules revealed steady and successful work in the circuit, though a decrease in Sunday School teachers and scholars was regretted. A slight balance on the Year's working. Trust debts have been reduced by £400. 'Cheering reports given of special evangelistic services „Tin nearly all the churches. Representatives to District Meeting : Mr. J. B. Parker, Mrs., T. Cheshire, Mr. J. B. Smith and Mr. G. W. E3loodworth. The District Visi-

tors, Rev F. J. May, Hon. C,F., and Mr. John Rose Bennett, J.P. encouraged the . friends in a kindly mes-sage and delivered most inspiring addresses at the pub-lic meeting at night.

Plymouth, Ebrington Street.—Rev. W. P. Rhodes, Hon. S.C.F., presiding. Net increase of six members and an increase of scholars and scholar members. A credit balance of j.;22 5s. 6d. The circuit, after meet-ing all liabilities, has effected improvements at a cost of about £150. Debts have been reduced at Ebrington Street, Pomphlett and Colebrook totalling about £220. £75 raised for Missions. Representatives to the Dis-irict Meeting ; Mr. M. L. Finch (or Mr. G. G. Poole,i), Mr. W. J. . Neale, and Mr. H. M. Gill.

Portland.—Rev. J. E. .Leonard presided. Mr. J. Hibbs read an arresting paper on "The Church in its Relation to Truth." Finances favourable. Membership steady. Scholars, increase 22. Missionary income promises improvement. For District Meeting : Messrs. A. G. Seeley, H. Skinner and G. W. Lukey, with minister.

Redruth, Fore Street.—Rev. B. A. A. Batt in the chair. A decrease of 12 members on the year: A rather heavy balance due to the treasurer. Messrs. H. E. S. Dransfield, M.A., W. J. Opie, H. Choak, with Mr. J. E. Sanders (steward) were appointed representatives at District Meeting..

Sowerby Bridge.—Rev. A. J. Keeley in the chair. An increase of forty-one members on the year. Slight balance in hand. The oldest member present remarked at the close that the spiritual reports presented were the most encouraging reports he hart ever heard in the circuit meetings. Mr. F. Firth (or Mr. R. King); Mrs. Worrell, Mrs. Keeley (alternatives, Mrs. Chapman and Mr. J. \.Vaddington), were elected as delegates to the May Dis-trict Meetings. Statistics in connection with the Sun-day Schools showed an increase on last year. Rev. A. J. Keeley, strongly pressed to reconsider his decision to leave in 1923, promised to stay a fifth year, till 1924.

St. Columb.—Rev. F. Trezise .presided. An increase of members was reported, and a most encouraging report on the spiritual , state of the churches given by the chairman. The Young People's and Trust Schedules were also most satisfactory. District Meeting delegates : Messrs. R. Warmington, W. T. Martyn, G. More, and L. C. Drew. Despite the prevailing trade depression the work in all branches is being maintained, and it was decided to support the Chapel and College Funds.

Reviews •

Essays in Biblical Interpretation. By Professor Henry Preserved Smith. Cloth 8vo., pp. i.-vii. + 1-198. London : George Allen and Unwin, Ltd. Price 10s. 6d. net

[REVIEW BY EX.-PRINCIPAL CLEMENS, B.A., D.D..] A VOLUME of excellent essays on the interpretation (to

be precise) of the Old Testament, from the hands of this well-known and competent American scholar is entitled to a hearty welcome from all Biblical students.

It expressly disavows any claim to be a " history " of interpretation ; but those who desire an easy, lucid survey of the methods of Old Testament interpretation which have influenced the thought of both Jews and Christians throughout the centuries cannot do better than read and ponder this most interesting book. It will prove ser-viceable to the more serious student of Scripture, how-ever familiar he may be with much that it contains, and at the same time it will not be too formidable for the general reader. There is

' it is true, competent learning

manifest on every page ; but nothing so terrifying, e.g., as in the monumental work to which Dr.- Smith particu-larly acknowledges his indebtedness (Diestel's." History of the Old Testament in the Christian Church "—un-translated), and wherein the author makes reference to nearly fourteen hundred different authorities?

Here we have some account of the mischievous alle-gorical method which the early Christians took over from the Jews—a method of interpretation which held firm sway for centuries, and even now is not by any means utterly extinct amongst Christian teachers. Here we see how the great Reformation movement, with all its services to liberty, could not altogether avoid falling into the snares of a harmful bibliolatry. Here we see, too, how the pioneers of a reasonable and historical method of handling the Scriptures toiled along in the face of many difficulties and obstructions. Amongst the records of strong obscurantism we get refreshing glimpses of, men, who found and promoted a better and more fruitful way of using the Scriptures, not in the interests solely of certain dogmatic systems, but in ap-plication to life and experience. That it is up-to-date may be gathered from the fact that the methods pur-sued by the Bible Students' Association (under the direc-tion of the late Pastor Russell) are, with others, dis-passionately mentioned and appraised.

Altogether, a book to afford ample food for reflection to a thoughtful reader ; whilst the impression is deep,. ened as to an invaluable and indestructible element abiding in the Scriptures, which no amount of abuse on the part of either friends or foes has ever been able to remove.

We would mention with warm approval a feature in this book which, so far as our experience goes, is, ex-tremely rare in essays of this kind, viz., the pains taken by the writer to expfain how far he is directly acquainted with works mentioned in the text. Frequently a work is quoted with 'some such footnote appended as "not accessible to me" (see e.g. p. 96), or "The work . . . is rare, and I have not seen a copy " (p. 105) and so else-where. This is admirable.

Here and there we come on what is perhaps an Ameri-canism. Thus the interesting form "onto as"‘ an ele-nient in a compound verbal expression, arrests an Eng-lish reader, as in "to, hold onto the tradition " (p. 13) and elsevi-here. Note also the use of the word "re-

course" (" Micah when he loses his sacred objects, has no recourse "—p. 6)=" redress "? Again on p..61 (" cer-tain fines which inure to the benefit of the priests "), " inure" appears to bear some such sense as "accrue," but sounds odd to English ears.

A final word of praise should be added as regards the typography of the book, which does great credit to the American press where ' it is issued. It is a delightful book to handle even in this respect.

Neglected Galilee. An Attempt to Read Between the Lines of the Gospel. By Vivian MacMunn. Cr. 8vo., pp. ,94. London : George Allen and Unwin, Ltd. 3s. 6d. net.

To students of the Gospel this little book is quite attractive. It offers " a • new view of Christ's life and purposes, a new view of the origin of the Church, a new view of the resurrection appearances, as well as of cer-tain miracles " (Preface). When one comes to think of it, is there not enough here to demand the notice of all thoughtful Christians? For if the writer's conclusions were accepted, they would revolutionize the whole or-dinary conception of Christ and His work.

But reading "between the lines " is a ticklish busi. ness in the case of any writing, and not least so as regards the Gospel story. You may read into the book unwarranted things, and also read out of it things al-ready there in black and white. And in our judgement the author in this attempt has not been successful in avoiding the two-fold peril.

Without giving an adequate idea of the line of treat- ment pursued, two or three indications of the main con-tention may be furnished. The ChriStian community at the beginning gathered round two antipathetic centres—J erusalem and Galilee. In Galilee a considerable body of disciples had been formed into a definite community during our Lord's lifetime. He had devoted much time and pains to their instruction, designing them to be " the nucleus of an ideally perfect society, a Messianic community." The Sermon on the Mount was primarily the " ethical and spiritual charter or code" drawn up for this society. Millennarianism strongly characterized it. The Agape was particularly a Galilean rite. The post-resurrection appearance of Christ to "above five hundred brethren at once " (1 Cor. xv. 6) is of immense importance, seeing that these "brethren" are identified with the Galilean community and the appearance itself is definitely associated with the mountain in Galilee mentioned in Matt. xxviii. 16.

The Jerusalem circle, on the other hand, became in- creasingly anti-Galilean in feeling and view. Luke's Gospel particularly reflects this :bias. "Christ was teaching His Galilean followers • at the very time when Luke represents Him as teaching others on the road to Jerusalem" (p. 80), and so on. It is very ingenious, but by no means convincing.

Not a few dislocations are required to make way for this new view of things and the material furnished by the Gospel narratives call for free handling. Thus inter alia the Transfiguration did not occur as described in `'lark ix. Rather, it was associated with the post-resurrection appearance to the five hundred, and it is to this that we must see an allusion in 2 Cor. iii. 18. Surprising explanations are given of the Ten Virgins, the Ten Lepers, etc., and also of the curious episode recorded in Matt. viii. 19-22 (=Lk. ix. 57-60). Again, the Parable of the Prodigal Son " does not seem our Lord's own " (p. 89)!

But, such things notwithstanding, the little book is by no means without value. Mr. MacMunn makes you feel afresh how many problems there still are in the Gospel records that call for solution. In spite of many excellent commentaries, obscurities remain. What room there is for renewed and painstaking study in the fas-cinating. ,accounts that remain to us of "all that Jesus began both to do and' to teach " (Acts i. 1)!

J. S. C. Impasse or Opportunity?

The Situation after Lambeth. By Malcolm Spencer, M.A. (Student Christian Movement ; pp. 120; 3s. net.)

The Student Christian Movement has been most suc-cessful in drawing Anglicans and Free Churchmen into intimate religious fellowship ; and it is one of the recon-ciling influences that made the Lambeth Appeal possible. Mr. Spencer has had unusual opportunity, both' as a leader of this movement and in other ways, for under-standing the Catholic position from the inside ; and this book is written out of his experience. He sees clearly the danger that, now that the Bishops have issued their Appeal and the spokesmen of the Free Churches have issued this reply; the situation may become one of con-troversy and recrimination. In this way a golden op-. portunity would be wasted. Mr. Spencer suggests to his fellow Free Churchmen what seems to him a better way. We are not at present to ask for further concessions. There are real difficulties in that way, and some of them are mentioned with sympathy. Nor are we to surrender our own position. Mr. Spencer is emphatic on that although he would welcome for certain interdenomina. tional functions the Episcopal ordination of a few Free Churchmen. But let us seek a sympathetic understand-ing of the opposite position, and join our Anglican brethren in united study, and co-operate in such a United Mission as is now being prepared in : Manchester, and wait patiently and hopefully for the coming of -" a more exalted conception of the One Holy Catholic and Apos-tolic Church, toward which our faces are now resolutely set."

The book has value as an argument, but it has more value as an example. It shows a Free Churchman who without sacrificing any of his Free Churchmanship, has come to recognise what is good, and useful in Anglican- ism. If other Free Churchmen do the same, and Angli-cans make a similar approach to our position,'then the next step towards Reunion will be made more easy. The Lambeth Appeal will thus lead not into an impasse but into a closer fellowship of heart and purpose.

G. G. IL

April 6, 1922

Circuit Quarterly Meetingi.

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Departed Friends. Losses at Gorton.

Gorton Church has sustained serious loss by the pass-ing of two of its most respected members, Mr. Titus Laycock and Mrs. Annie Galloway, wife of Mr. Fred Galloway (church steward). Mr. Laycock had been in membership for more than fifty ,years, and for the larger part of this period was a trustee and church worker. He was laid to rest in the Gorton Cemetery amid tokens sif respect, the service being conducted by Rev. Frank Hanesworth (pastor). Mrs. Galloway, until two years ago, when stricken with illness, was an active worker in most departments of the church and school. She was never happier than when engaged in the Lord's service, and her enthusiasm was contagious. Her life was deeply shadowed by the loss of an only son in the War. Before coming to Gorton, she and her husband were active members of our Salem Church, Dewsbury.. The inter-ment was conducted by Rev. F. H. Chambers in the Dewsbury Cemetery.

Mr. Alfred G. Walker, Wolstanton. OUR New Street, 'Wolstanton Church, Newcastle-

under-Lyme, has suffered a very severe loss through the promotion to higher service of Mr. Alfred G. Walker.

The funeral service was conducted by Rev. H. J. Barker (circuit minster), assisted by Rem. C. H. Jones (resident minister), in our New Street Church, and was attended by representatives from all the churches hi the circuit, together with the. local preachers. The hymns chosen for the service were our brother's • favourites : "Crown Him with many crowns," " " For all the saints who froth their labours rest," and the service concluded with Beethoven's "Funeral March."

At the memorial service, Mr. S. Booth (a life-long friend of the deceased), who conducted, spoke of taking Mr. 'Walker with him for his first public service 19 years 'ago. From that time onward, he had served the circuit with untiring zeal as a local preacher. Although only in his 37th year, he had lived and worked for the Master's cause most zealously. He had acted as secre-tary of the L.P.M.A. His services as a local -preacher were in great demand outside his own circuit. In con-nection with the Wolstanton Church he had filled many important positions, and at the time of death was leader to the Young Men's Bible Class, and treasurer to the trustees. The greatest sympathy is felt with his wife and family in their sad tereavement.

Losses in. the Barnstaple Circuit. THE losses• by death during the last few weeks have

been heavy. MR. WM. BRAUNTON, a man of sterling worth, was

converted to God about 40 years ago, when he could neither read nor write, but he set himself with a will to overcome this handicap, and for 31 years has been a most powerful local preacher. His power in prayer was very remarkable. To him the presence of God was a very real thing, and communion with him the habit of his life.

A large company, including the vicar of the parish, gathered at Marwood for the funeral, conducted by Rev. C. G. Weetman, the circuit being represented by both stewards, Messrs. 'I'. H. Isaac and A. Turner.

MR. HENRY CUDMORE, a great man and a prince in Israel, was for 49 years a most able and powerful preacher of the Gospel, being welcomed to all the pulpits of the circuit with great heartiness and innumerable testimonies are given to blessing and help received under his ministrations. For several Years he acted as assistant superintendent of the Thorn Memorial Sunday School, and exercised a most gracious influence over the young people. 'He was so transparently honest and sincere that he was loved and revered by all who knew him. His passing has made a big gap, as it was so sudden and unexpected. His body was laid to rest in the Pilton Churchyard, Rev. C. G. Weetman conducting the ser-vice, the very large company gathered being a testimony to the high esteem in which he was held. A memorial service was conducted 'in the Thorne Memorial Church

-by the pastor. MRS. BRAUNTON, widow of the above William

Braunton, was for some years deprived of speech by a painful throat complaint, which she bore with re-markable fortitude. She was laid to rest by the side of her husband at Marwood, amid many tokens of respect, Rev. C. G. Weetman officiating.

MR. EDWIN SOUT;HCONIBE, choirmaster at . Heddon, and for several years a valued member and enthusiastic worker. For some years ill-health had clogged his steps, and for the last two years he 'Was unable to attend the services, a deprivation he felt very keenly. His testi-mony was wonderfully clear. The funeral took place at Swimbridge Churchyard, Rev. C. G. Weetman -con-ducting the service in the presence of a large gathering.

MRS. SUSAN BROOKS was for over 60 years a most valued member of our Charles Bottom Church, render-ing a' great deal of helpful service in many ways. For several years the Christmas Quarterly Meetings were held at her home, Crossbury Farm, and were usually times of great blessing. The atmosphere 'of the home was charged with spiritual. poWer, generated by the noble lives of the late Wm. Brooks and Mrs. Brooks and their children are a tower of strength to the church. An ex-ceptionally large company gathered for the funeral at East Buckland Church, conducted by the vicar, assisted by Rev. C. G. Weetman. The latter afterwards con-ducted a memorial service at Charles Bottom Chapel, the congregation being so large that some could not be provided with seating •riccommodation.

Henry 1-looks has received with thanks a gift of :41 from M. 'E.. H., for the National Children's Home.

THE UNITED METHODIST.

The Three Crosses. BY REV. 0. P. ROUNSEFELL.

Young People's Topic for Week Commencing April 9th, 1922.

ST. LUKE XXIII, 32-43. IT is said -of our present Prime Minister that wherever

he goes, he immediately becomes the focus of -interest. Whoever may be present, or whatever topic may be under discussion, the sheer force of his personality directs attention to himself. This is pre-eminently true of our blessed Lord, Who by His gracious presence attracts and exalts all that is best in human nature. And Jesus Christ did not tread the aisles of time in any cloistral manner ; but by •His contact with the children of men, in His own day and every succeeding age has compelled them to recognize and acknowledge Him.

We watch the varying crowd pass across the stage, prophets, priests and kings, the wise and foolish, the rich and poor, the healthy and diseased. They meet Him, and find henceforth that life cannot be the same for them.

Yet Jesus was a Young man. It is by no means easy to think that He who spoke as never man spoke before, at whose word winds and waves subsided, who com-manded disease and death to give up their prey—that He yielded up His life at the age of thirty-three years. Life is sweet to the young when, with flashing eye and elastic step and exuberant vitality the future teems with enormous possibility. So with the perfect life of the Son -of Man, with His grand physical and mental equip-ment, with senses unbluntecl by-sin, surely life was sweet to Him, but there was something far sweeter, Nvhich was to accomplish the Father's will and finish His work.

Let us never lose sight, in our care for the Divine Sonship of our blessed Lord, of the fact of His essential manhood.. He is the norm and type of a glorified humanity.

There was no other way, however, for the fulfill-tient of His mission to save the world but to lay down His life. The tempter had often suggested easier paths and short cuts to the goal, but they were instantly repelled, and the Redeemer chose the flinty track of pain and desolation and death. \Ve do well then every year to call to mind the Cross, and for whom our Lord and Master carried -it, that we too in small measure may help to share the load.

Thus when His hour was come, and Jesus carried His Cross to the place of the skull, .He was associated. with two criminals, and was even in the midst of them.-

Of these others, malefactors, we know that they were reaping the result of their sowing, and it was.-a grim harvest. One at leaSt felt it was the result due to wrong-doing, sin that full grown bringS forth death.

To the coarsened soul of the impenitent robber the Saviour made no appeal. He had no, remorse, no ting-• ling consciousness of• guilt. Hence his soul apparently went out into that bleak darkness where Jesus was not..

The other turned in his extremity to correct his fellow and to supplicate his Lord. When the disciples had for-saken their Master and fled, this stone cried out. So "one man was saved at the eleventh hour that none need despair, and only one that none might presume.?" And to this man was given a gigantic faith that could pierce the thick darkness that might have quenched. it. For he saw, through the -seeming contradictions of the moment, something of the coming glory and the reign of righteousness when the thorn-crowned Saviour would be King. To this thief also was granted an answer to his request far outsoaring his thought, that thirst and anguish of the Cross would soon be over, and the sinner would emerge. on the farther side of death with Christ who triumphed over all.

So ,our gracious Lord became the plague of death by dying, and opened the gate of Heaven to all believers. And by His sacrifice the Roman gallows has -become the world's altar, and seeming defeat and failure have been transmuted into endless victory and, glory. He poured out His soul unto death,. that through that -obla-tion, life and light and joy eternal might be the portion of those who trust in His name. "He was made to -be sin for us who knew no sin." Let us remember with awe that .no shadow of evil ever defiled His white soul, and Satan ..came and found -nothing in Him. Here He is unique and of the people, there is none with Him. He came in the fullness of His Divine and human nature to atone for .sin, and to make - reconciliation for the world by the sacrifice of Himself.

There is a famous picture full of tender suggestion, entitled "Golgotha." The scene depicted by the artist is that of the Crucifixion, so-on affer the rulers and priests and soldiers had completed their ghastly work. The -strange supernatural darkness that had enshrouded all' is lessening, and giving place to a gentle radiance which gives light to Calvary in the foreground, and in a smaller degree to Jerusalem its the.distance. Along the winding path between, the people Wend their way homeward, many men and women, sad of heart, full of perplexity and questioning. Far back in the company can be seen soldiers on hOrseback carrying the banners of Rome. Right in the rear are foot soldiers, painting derisive fingers at the Cross. The Crosses cannot, however, be seen, only their shadows stretching back ' across the ground. Therein is a message for us ; there is no Cross on Calvary' to-day, for He Who died lives again for ever-more, and all the secrets are revealed to Him and He is worthy to receive honour and majesty. and power. But the Cross still stretches its healing shadow over Pales-tine -and Russia .and Washington and Genoa, ,over Ire-land and England, and it - is for us ,to find that the pains of the world and its tragedies can only be healed and changed into pleasures and triumphs, when in sacrificial service 'we realize

"The solemn shadow of Thy Cross Is better than the sun."

C.E. Topic for week commencing April 16th. LUKE XXIV. 5.

Eastertide and a Great Historic Fact. THE miraculous in the story of Jesus is made the more

easily credible by the fact that He was Himself so great a miracle. His character, His teaching, and His in-fluence on the world constitute such a wonder that we are prepared for marvellous happenings in His life. If our own personalities are strong enough to keep in check day by day the process of dissolution which is always going on in our bodies, there does not seem to be anything antecedently impossible in the belief that so mighty a being as He proved to be could even re-verse that process and resume possession of His physical frame. It is simply a question of evidence. And the evidence is overwhelming. The Gospels all describe the event. The Book of Acts is full of it. The writer of this very passage was one of the keenest minds of the ancient world, he lived on the spot and almost at the time, and he was so convinced of the ,fact of the Resur-rection that he was converted to a faith of which he had been the bitterest enemy, and.in his extant letters is continually referring to it as the great foundation truth- of the common Christian belief. Above all, no reasonable explanation has ever been given of the rise and power of the religion which bases itself -upon the resurrection excepting that it actually happened : that -it vas the actual appearance of the risen Christ to the dejected and despairing disciples which fired them with new courage and hope, and sent them forth with irre-sistible enthusiasm and assurance to conquer the world. Only if we share their faith can we hope to have their power and their joy.

-Christ is risen ! Christ is risen ! He bath left His rocky prison !

And the white-robed angels glisten 'mid the cerements of His-grave ;

He bath smitten with His thunder all, the gates of brass asunder,

He bath burst the iron fetters, irresistible to save!

The Living -.Christ.. 'Jesus is alive ! Stopford Brooke was usually ,con-

sidered to be 'a Unitarian, though he never really as-mined the name, yet when he came to speak out of the fullnesS of his spiritual experience he was not able to escape this fact of the living-ne.ss of Christ. 1" It seems," he, sail, in one of his latest 'books of sermons, " as we think of Him that He is • actually present • with us, actually living in our souls, though He has•been dead for so many centuries. It is as if He were walking beside us in the street, sitting. withus in our room, speaking to us, • warning, praising, uplifting us, hour by hour. It is impossible not to -believe. that He is nearer to us than the nearest friend. . . Of all sub-stances in humanity, our companionship with Jesus Christ is the most actual." How often a good- man's experience out-runs his creed! Jesus seems near because He is nears that is the Easter message, and that is the truth pro-claimed to us with power by His resurrection.

`` For warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is He,

And .faith has still its Olivet, And love its Galilee."

The Hope of immortality. "Because I live," said Jesus, "ye eshall live also."

When we know Christ intimately we feel that so long as Fle lives He will never let His loved ones die. In a sense, of course, the belief in immortality. is in well-nigh every man, .due probably to the conscious persistence of the self of

all around is- changing, and even' in the midst of the decay of the body itself, and the build-ing up, day by day, of a new, one in its place. "Man does not believe in immortality because it has been proved," said the late Dr. Martineau, "but he is for ever trying to prove it because he cannot help be- lieving it." But the resurrection 'of the Christ, who loves us, and the proof that He is the Son of God with power, gives a unique vividness and reality to the belief. In Him, too, is' the answer to many questions we ask about the future life. The fact that He appeared ill human shape and in a definite place throws light on the statement that by' and by we shall be "for ever with the Lord." In the light of Easter-tide we. see ourselves as not merely creatures- of a day, but beings with an etel nal destiny and the hope of an eternal home.

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April 6, 1922

THE UNITED METHODISt 165

Easter : The Light of the World (Missionary Topic).

BY ARTHUR H. ROBINS.

13ritish Uniform (Junior Graded) Lesson for Sunday, April 16th.

Lesson Passage : John viii 12 ; Mark xvi. 1-15. GOLDEN TEXT : LUKE II. 32.

1. TEACHER'S PREPARATION. 1. With all the mystery and many problems which inevitably gather' mound the Resurrection we must feel that only some such a! stupendous event can explain the change in the disciples. Suppose one of them had written a - life of Christ during the three days which elapsed between the first " Good f'riday" and Easter Day, what would it have contained? "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel," say the two going to Emmaus. They were disillusioned and disappointed. Did they think that their quondam Hero was either an impostor or a foolish dreamer? " I go afishing," says Peter. "We also go with thee" say the rest. 'It is all over—if they with their cowardice do not come well out of it, well, neither does He Whom they had followed! Death had triumphed over all their hopes! They shared the common view that righteousness was rewarded and evil suffered-tried by that canon what would they make of Jesus of Nazareth? But, pass on to the. sequel. There is no recorded eye-witness of the actual .Resur- rection, but, first of all,-the, women were convinced. When they told their story, however, " their words ap- peared as idle talk and they disbelieved them." "Fla) as yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the dead." Then came their own con- vincement, when "He showed Himself alive. after His passion by 'many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days." So came the .change in their out-look and thus they gained the message of a Christ Who `died for our sins and rose again for our justification." G. Stanley Hall in his recent " Jesus the Christ, in the Light of Psychology " says : " The world had been ruled by fear and the greatest of all the fears is that of death. To be relieved of this and all so suddenly . . . caused, as was most natural, an outburst of unbounded enthusiasm, that in some temperaments amounted .almost to delirium." Later; he points out how this remarkable experience of theirs "exploring the possibilities of human experience each way, both up and down" gave "breadth and range " to their lives.

2. Notes on Lesson Verses. Mark xvi. 5, "young man "—Matt. says " angel" and Luke " two men :n dazzling garments." Verse 7 "and Peter."' Is this a memory of Peter's way of telling the story—not daring to include himself with the disciples after his denial, though Jesus puts him in? As the Rev. Vet-. Margin makes clear, the closing verses of Mark create a problem. Verse 8 , ends abruptly. (Dr. Harris says that the words following "for they were afraid " will be found to be "of the Jews"). Dr. Moffatt's New Translation shows the variations in the endings. It may be that the original ending was lost through the accidental mutila-tion of the original, or,, some suggest that it may have differed from the other gospels and so weas suppressed. We cannot say. Our present ending is a summarised acocunt from other sources. It must have been made very early indeed and may therefore be considered as a further witness,' from the, earliest times, of the fact of the Resurrection.

3. As it is-suggested that the lesson should be treated as a Missionary topic a story has been chosen from "Yarns of Heroes of China " by W. P. Nairne, ls., published by the United Council for Missionary Educa tion. The aim of the story is to " show that when Christ enters a man's .heart, whatever his race, he is compelled to go forth and serve.." With senior scholars_ teachers may prefer to .discuss the Easter lesson some-what on lines suggested by the notes given above—going on note how the Resurrection became the theme of the Apostles' teaching (cf. Paul 'at Athens, Acts xvii:

• :i2 ; 1 Cor. xv. etc.) II. .SUPPLEMENTAL. (OR BACKGROUND)

TALK (if not taken .by leader of .department should be taken by teacher before lesson). What is to-clay? (Easter Day:) Why " Easter "? We, of course keep the Day in memory of Jesus' rising from the dead, but ages ago people kept a festival at this time of the year in honour of the goddess "Eostre," ." the dawn." Can you - think why? Because they noticed how at this time of the year ne,w life was springing up in trees and flowers ; birds and animals shared it too. The sun Was stronger- and had conquered the winter cold and death. Is there any fitness in our Easter coming just when it does? 'What did the first Easter Day bring to the hearts of Jesus' disciples. (Refer to the dis- appointment of the Crucifixion, etc.) Leader should read Mark xvi. 1-15, scholars following with their Bibles. Then (if possible by writing in parallel columns on large blackboard) compare John- viii. 12 with Luke ii. 32. Recall how recently we were speaking of " Lights in Darkness" (recent review lesson). Was there any way is which Jesus', followers were ,light bringers as they went out to preach? Who are the light-bringers to-day? (Lead on to missionaries, but also show that others may he "light-bringers.)

III. LESSON. 1. Introduction. In our. Supplemen-tal Talk we have been thinking of the joy of Easter and how it became a message of light for the Apostles. and others. I am going..to tell you of a man who lived just a few years_ ago who had the Easter joy in his heart and carried light to others.

2. The Story. (1)• Blind Chang. Away in Man, churia (Northern 'China—show a map) in a little town called Mo-Pan-Shan stands a monument set up by the Government in memory of a blind man who died a

to others." So away he went, carrying a bundle of gospels to sell. When he came to lonely farm-houses he gathered the folk -about him, told them stories. from the Gospel and if any •could read he sold them a book.. People wondered at his story of Jesus the Light. and Joy Bringer, whom death could not overwhelm, and many came to know how true it was for themselves. All over the countryside he passed and many little churches marked his tracks. Like Jesus, however, Chang had his enemies. In July, 1900, they took him into a temple and ,bade him bow to the idols. ". I can only worship the True God," he said, "Will' you believe in Buddha, the True Light," they said. " I believe .in Jesus, the Light of the World," was his.. brave reply. So, when they found they could do nothing with him, they led him out to die. Kneeling and praying, "'Heavenly Father, receive my spirit," he died. So brave was his death, that his enemies took alarm. "This was a good man," they said. "His spirit will soon come down and take revenge upon us." Then they fled the district and the Christians lived in peace. A little. later the Government set up a monument to the memory of Blind Chang.

3. Conclusion. Why was it Blind Chang was so eager to tell the Gospel stories and willing to die a martyr's death? Write in notebooks the two verses in parallel columns—Luke ii. 32, and John viii. 12.

News of Our Churches. ‘• All communications sent by Me penny post for this bage should bear on the outside, distinctly written, the words "News for the Press," and should be directed to 'The Editor, United Methodi.it,' 188' Rye Lane, Peck- tam, London, S.E." A number of communications cave been surcharged through omitting to conform to kese Post Office regulations. News should arrive not 'ater than the FIRST delivery. on Tuesday .morning, Ind be written. on one side of the paper or postcard only.

MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS. Key, R., invited to remain at King's Cross Mission

until 1924. Dennis, F. and Steele, F. A., remain in the Edgbaston

Circuit, Birmingham, till 1924. Keeley, A. J., Sowerby Bridge, till 1924. Sheppard, E., a third year at Crewe.

BIRMINGHAM. UNDER' the auspices of the United Girls' Missionary

Committee, a very fine Missionary Demonstration was recently held in the Town Hall, Birmingham. The effort, the second of its kind—was an attempt to bring into closer touch with each other girls and young women of the different Protestant Churches of Greater Birming-ham. The Committee consists of. representatives from the following denominations—Church of England, Wes-leyan .Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Presbyterian, Society of Friends, United Methodist—and girls from all these societies took part. The Demonstration took the form of a series of tableaux entitled " Women Pioneers of Christendom," and concludes with pictures of the work of Pundita Ramabai (the Mother of Indian widows)' towards whose undenominational mission, the profits, amounting. to some X30, will be devoted. A large choir, dressed in costumes representing all the countries of the world, sang appropriate hymns ; and altogether over 400 young women took part.

Martyr 22 years ago. Chang Shen - lived in. a village 100 miles from .Moukden. He had heard. of some foreign doctors in that city who wrought wonderful cures, .restor-ing eyesight, healing sickness and, some said, they could cast out devils. Sight was precious and Chang made up his mind to see what the foreigners could do.

(2) On the Road. Imagine the long weary tramp, fumbling his way along, begging for guidance, buying a very little food out of his slender store of money ,(all his life-time sayings were wrapped up inside his robe). A poor, pathetic figure he tnust have looked. Yet, at one place on the road he was met by two ruffians who had no pity. Hearing them coming, but not knowing their evil intent, he cried out "Honourable wayfarers, I am Blind Chang from the valley of Tai-Ping-kow. I journey to Moukden for a cure for my sightless eves and medicine for My fever. Tell me, how many ' I have to travel ere I reach the city ? "

"Not so far but that thou mayest reach the gates be-fore sunset. Let us help thee on thy way."

"Ah, a thousand thanks for thy compassion on a poor blind man !!"

.With a wink to each other the robbers seized the poor man, and despite his cries and protests soon had him helpless and searched his ragged clothes, discovering his little hoard of silver.

"Have pity, sirs, have pity," he cried. " It is the savings of many, many moons, and is intended to .pay the foreign doctors who will give me my sight."

" For the foreign devils ! " roared the ruffians. " Have thou nothing to do with their witcheries. It is better for us to have thy silyer than they ! Now begone, old ragbag, and beg ,for your night's lodging."

(3) At Moukden. I t was a pbor, weary, miserable blind beggar who crawled into Nloukclen atter sundown and begged to be shown wher the Jesus-man lived. And when he presented himself at the humble place which served as the missionary hospital and had timidly knocked, disappointment awited him. " EYery bed is full," said the kindly doctor. " Your Excellency," said Blind Chang, "it is many days since I left home and I have travelled 400 11, passing through many dangers. being robbed of my all. I an blind and stricken with fever. If you turn me away I shall die ere morning." What to do the doctor did not know, \ vh e n a native teacher came up and quietly said, " Doctor, I can do without a bed ; let him have mine."

(4) A Month Later. It was sunset a month later when a man made his way slowly and carefully along the narrow path in the Valley of Tai-Ping-how. The village children hailed him with " Here comes Blind Chang ! " i'ben a woman looked out, "Ho, ho, Blind Chang, so you are back again, but you haven't got your sight ! "

"Ah, friend," said Chang, " 1 have got something better than my sight--though I have even recovered a little of that !

"Better than your sight,"-said the woman's husband. "What's' that? "-

"The secret of happiness, here and hereafter," was the reply.

Now the other villagers came pressing round, asking how much it cost and begging to be told. And there as the sun sank slowly, Blind Chang told them the story of Jesus, the Light of the World. Some laughed and said, " He is mad ! " But others said, " Blind Chang is no fool. He has something we want. We must hear more of this Jesus."

(5) Chang's Mission. It was night and Chang lay asleep, when he had a vision. Clearly he saw with his dim eves, the Saviour who handed him. a book and smiling on him departed. When he awoke he said, " It is the Master's command. I nnist carry His: message

E ASTER GIFT BOOKS -121;;;;:t1 Dr. JOWETT'S " Yet Another Day."

(Special Edition 3/6 net.) Dr. MEYER'S "My- Daily Prayer."

Dr MATHESON'S "Day (into DaY." "Treasured Companions for Quiet Moments."

From all Booksellers or O. S. H I R ST, C Memorial Half, 'E.C. 4.

■■■■••■■■ =wk

166 THE UNITED METHODIST. April 6, 1922

CHATHAM. Free From Debt After Nearly 100 Years.

UNDER the Debt Extinction Scheme Union Street Church has, in little more than two years, cleared off its liabilities of £250 and, in addition, renovated the whole of the premises at a cost of over ,4;100, and now for the first time in its history of nearly 100 years is free of debt. To the trust treasurer, Mr. W. J. Hodges, who has worked so hard for this and has for over 50 years been actively associated with the cause there, and to all the members of the church and congregation this is exceed-ingly gratifying. It is intended shortly to hold a public thanksgiving tea and meeting in celebration of the fact.

By bazaars (opened by Col. J. T. Moore-Brabazon, M.P., The Mayoress of Chatham, and Mrs. R. D. Batchelor), donations and children's plays, Luton Road has raised during the last three years nearly £800 to-wards the clearance of its trust estate. It is hoped that with the aid of the Kent Debt Fund Grant and another bazaar, the total liabilities of £1,627 will be cleared by the end of the year, when the scheme for the whole area is due for completion.

HASLINGDEN. £620 Raised.

A TWO-DAYS' sale of work was opened on the first day by Councillor Alfred Clarke, J.P., of Rochdale, whose father was for thirty years a superintendent of the Sunday School, and Mr. W. A. Platt, M.B.E., of Bury, presided. On the Saturday the sale was opened by about forty children, who had been trained by the pastor (Rev. G. Froggatt), assisted by Miss A. E. Fletcher and Mrs. Hill. Miss Alice Ford presided in a very efficient manner. The special hymn singing was a de-light to all. Master Leslie Warburton was the accom-panist. The Mayoress of Haslingden received the chil-dren's gifts which amounted to £48 5s., which she gene-rously made up to £51 5-s. The ceremony was an in-spiration and a joy. The two days' gross receipts amounted to ,;620. During the past two and a half years this church, besides meeting all the increased ex-' penditure has cleared off debts amounting to £730, in-stalled the electric light throughout church and school at a cost of .1-47t,, and raisea a memorial new organ fund from £160 to nearly £1,000. Besides this, it has in-ci eased its weekly offerings over 50 per cent, and in-creased all its contributions to Ccnnexional Funds.

ROCHDAT E. £1,155 Raised in Two Days.

A SUCCESSFUL two-days' bazaar was held at Spotland to raise funds for decoration, repairs and the purchase of the recreation field, was opened on the first day by the Mayor, Ald. S. Diggle, 'Coun. Robert Turner, J.P. presiding. Both gentlemen are honoured members of the church. On the second day Mrs. W. Tweedale opened the bazaar, Mrs. Jessie Lord presiding. Great enthu-siasm prevailed when the result, £1,155, was declared. Rev. W. Richardson, minister, cordially thanked the workers for their magnificent service to the cause.

Bazaars. Louth.—The annual bazaar was opened the first day

by Mr. T. Shucksmith, the Mayor (Councillor H. S. Walker, M.D.), presiding, and on the second day by a number of children who had been trained by Miss Nora Snowden and Miss Mitchell. The total proceeds amounted • to £266 14s. 1d., an advance on last year of ,*26 14s. 1d., and a record for these sales.

Manchester North (Failsworth).—A sale of work, by whioh the sum of £315 was realized, was opened on Monday by Mrs. Andrew, of Sedgley bark, Mrs. John Walton, of •Clayton Bridge, presiding, and on the

Varicose Ulcer Mrs. Hillman Finds Immediate Relief

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Mrs. M. L. Hillman, 10 Amies-street, Lavender Hill, London, S.W., has suffered for five years with varicose ulcer. The pain in her ankles and legs was terrible, and she was hardly able to do her housework. She used many preparations, but nothing did her any good until at length she was 'induced to try Germolene. The very first dressing soothed the pain, soothed it at a touch. She had such rest and sleep as she had not known for years, and now she is altogether free from pain and goes about in perfect comfort.

Germolene has superseded all the old antiseptic salves and ointments. It is prepared in the laboratory of the Veno Drug Co., Ltd., the most perfectly equipped, the most up-to-date of its kind in the British Empire, which is also the home of those world-renowned remedies Dr. Cassell's Tablets and Veno's Cough Cure. Germolene costs 8/- per tin (1/B for the small size) of all chemists in the Empire. '

Monday by - Mr. Thomas Morris, Rev. W. J. Hopper being .chairman. The room was decorated to represent a Moorish village. The amount raised will clear the estate of all debt.

Stockport (Portwood).—sAt .a successful two-days' bazaar £350, the amount aimed at, was exceeded, £366 being raised. At . the opening, Col. Challoner, J.P. (Anglican) was in the 'chair, and the bazaar was opened by a well-known Wesleyan, Sir Thos. Row-botham, J.P., supported' by the Mayor, Ald. Chas. Royle, J.1'., one of the esteemed members of our own church at Portwood. The Superintendent of the. Circuit (Rev. W. J. Southern) and the Vicar of Portwood (Rev. M. H. Ridgeway, M.A.) also took part. There.was a children's opening on the Saturday, presided over by the Mayoress, Mrs. Royle, which realized A great lover of children, Mr. John Moss, gave .4;50 towards this amount.

Wakefield ,(Market Street).—A very successful two days' bazaar was opened on the 'Wednesday by Mrs. Edwin Hirst, J.P., with Mrs. George Craven in the chair; and on Thursday afternoon, in the absence of Mrs. H. E. Gledhill, of Scarborough, owing to illness and family bereavement, by Mrs. Percy Denton, under. the chairmanship of Mrs. H. C. Renshaw. Great inter-est attached to the event, as it is eleven'years since. a similar function was held in connection with this church. It is expected that the total proceeds of the effort will, be upwards of £250.

Presentations: Cowling.—Mr. Joseph Bradley, who is retiring from

the position of choirmaster, after having served in. an honorary capacity for 44 years, was recently the recipi-ent of a framed illuminated address and a wallet con-taining £50, subscribed for by members of the church and past and present members of the choir. Mr. Everett Binns made the presentation, and addresses of apprecia-tion were given by Mr. N. Jennings, Bradford, and Mr., James Hartley, Skipton, past members of the choir, and Mr. A. Binns, representing the present choir. A choir of nearly 100 past and present members sang choruses from "The Messiah," under the, conductorship of Mr. Bradley, Mrs. W., Whitehead presiding. Mr. Joseph Bradley is a brother of Mr. Jonas Bradley, of Stanbury, the well-known nature study expert.

Anniversaries. Bristol (Fishponds). --- The missionary anniversary

preacher in the morning was Rev. G. H. Kennedy (of Bishopston). In the afternoon a musical programme was given by missionary collectors and address by Rev. G. H. Kennedy. Chairman, Mr. A. E. Moore (of Bishopstonl, who also took the evening service. Musical enter,tain• ment given on the Monday by the missionary- collectors Chairman, Rev. Thomas Fish ; soloist, Miss Doris Venn The •training of the children reflects great credit on Mrs Mrs. A. Tanner. Collections Sunday and Monday, £8 12s -10d.

Bristol (Bishopston).—The missionary anniversary services were conducted by Rev. 'J. T. Mildon, of Tot-terdown. In the afternoon, the united service was under the chairmanship of Mr. C. Vallis. On the Tuesday, a demonstration. entitled "Gang-ai's Quest " was given by the friends from the .Cock Road U.M. Church, Hanham. Chairman, Mr. H. J. Rider. Receipts for the year -,1;132 16s.. 6d. '(not including £28 10s. from auto-graph albums for special funds of -,4;30,000)—an increase of 4.3 14s. on last year, which was. a record one.

Bury (Brunswick).—ln connection' with our memorial institute, the first anniversary of the opening of the institute has been celebrated. On the Saturday, the proceedings commenced with a short meeting, when the report, etc., were presented, followed by a concert pro-vided by, the Black and White Pierrots, consisting of members of the Institute. On the Sunday evening, Pastor Rev. W. H. Proudlove had the assistance of five of the young men in the pulpit, each taking some part of the service, and the choir stalls were occupied by a men's choir, numbering about 40 persons, which led the singing and provided several solos. A fine spirit pre-vailed throughout the entire proceedings.

11 udders El dd.—The juvenile missionary anniversary has been held in the Shepley and Shelley section of our High Street Circuit. The deputationwas the Rev. J. G. Hyde, of East 'Africa. Mr.. Hyde addressed meetings at Shepley, Shelley and Penistone. His visit will long be remembered with pleasure by the large audiences who lisrened to him. Others taking part included Messrs. Frank Copper (secretary), and

taking 1-I. Barden, Misses

Addy and Lockley, Miss Whiteley (soloist), Miss Wortley and Mr. Raymond Holden (juvenile secretaries), and Rev. W. E. Kirby. -

Middlesbrough (Milton• Street).—On Missionary Day Revs. J. G. B. Corin and H. G. Allchurch preached. In the afternoon a children's; service was held addressed by Mr. Allchurch. Prizes were presented to the scholars who had collected moneys for the Hotne and Foreign Mis-sions by Mr. F. Outhwaite. On the Monday an "At Home" was presided over by Mr. W. Davies. The total amount raised for the year is £60.

Scaliam I-Iarbour.—Women's Bright .Hour anniversary preacher, Sister Lilian, of Sunderland. Afternoon, great rally, over which Sister Lilian presided. Representa-tives from neighbouring churches were present, and re-sponses' were given by each. Special singing by the Women's Choir. Soloist at eveoing service, Miss Elsie Nicholson, of Sunderland. A successful day.

Scarborough (Clarernont).—The church anniversary preacher was Rev. W. Conrad Balmer, of Bridlington whose ,helpful .sermons were greatly enjoyed. On the Monday, the tea was given by Mr. and Mrs. Gomersall, and it was followed by a well-attended meeting, presided over by Mr. J. W. Blackburn, J.P. Speakers, Revs. W. Conrad Balmer and. George Parker. The annual report presented by Rev. Genrge,,Carver showed increases in all departments of church activity. The Rev. W. Gibson (Congregational), Rev. H. Hinchliffe and Mr. W. W. Gibson, J.P., also took part in ,the gathering. Soloists,

Mrs. Bremner, Mrs. Petch and Miss Edna Lynes. Pro- ceecls L58 4s. cad. ; increase of over on last. year.

Sundurland (Westmoor Road).—At the highly suc. cessful Sisterhood anniversary, Rev. W. H. Wheeldun, resident minister, preached appropriate sermons on the Sunday, and special music. was given by the choir. Miss Young was the soloist for the day. 'file Monday rally was attended by members of 15 sisterhoods and brother-hoods, who filled the ,church. Mrs. Newrick was the chairwoman, and Mrs. Embleton and Rev. W. Hall (superintendent) the speakers. Soloist, Mrs. Snowaun. Alderman \A, alker (Wesleyan Methodist) conducted the roll call. It was a great meeting, and the massed sing_ ing of the choruses of the rally hymns was exceptionally Iospiring.

Reception of Members. Batley (Broomhill).—On Sunday, Rev. J. Rutherford

preached on "Our . obligations to the Church," and at the close of the service publicly received 26 into church membership. Most of these are young men and women who for several weeks attended a preparation -class con-ducted by the minister.

Birmingham (Dudley Road).—At the last sacramental service, 17 young people were received into membership. For several weeks they . attended a Membership Prepara-tion Class. Several of the young men who were re. ceived have become connected with the church through the League of Comrades, which now has a membership of 80.

General. Batley '(Zion).—On Sunday last special services were

held and collections taken on behalf of the Russian Famine Relief Fund. The morning service was con-ducted by Rev. T. Entwistle and the evening service by Rev. A. Bench. The choir rendered good music. The collections amounted to Os. 7a.

Bradford (Shearbridge Road).—The men's effort took theform of a tea, which they prepared and served to a good company, and a concert, at which Mr. W. Hop-kinson presided. A programme of glees, recitals and songs, along with pianoforte music and conjuring and ventriloquial items, was well received. The young men gave an amusing sketch in conclusion. Proceeds ';'20.

Bury (Brunswick).—On Wednesday, March 29th, Mr. Charles Eastwood, of Manchester, gave us a lantern lecture, entitled " Among the Mountains of Yunnan," which was very much enjoyed. The large number of admirable pictures, and the racy, interesting account of the life and work of our missionaries in S.W. China made a delightful evening pass evry quickly.

Carlisle (Lowther Street).—A very successful "daffodil fair and reception " was recently held to help to meet current expenses. Solos by Mrs. Tarrant, Mrs. Jack-son, Miss Carrie, Mr. Tom Johnsoin and Mr. Robertson. A reading by Mrs. Blundell, a pianoforte solo by Miss Jessie Turnbull, and a sketch by the young people were given during the evening: The net proceeds were ,;'37.

Halifax West.—The " Springtide At-Homes," held at Oueen's Road U.M. Church, Halifax, on March 22, 23 and 25, have been a great success in every way. On Wednesday, the Married Ladies' Day, Sir Harold and Lady Mackintosh acted as host and hostess, under the presidency of Mr. Austin Hancock. The young ladies to^k charge on Thursday evening, when Mr. E. C. Stoneham, 0.B.E.. and 'Mrs. Stoneham received the ouests, while Mr. J. E. Henderson occupied the chair. As the host and hostess are active members of the Church of England, their official, nresence in that capacity was much appreciated. Saturday's proceedings were looked

Lost all Power and Feeling.

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meeting was the crowning meeting of all. Long will that prayer meeting be remembered. The church is able to report an increase in the missionary income again this year as it has done for several years past.

The Shadow on the School. By Frank Elias. (R. T. S. 3s.)

ON the second day of the annual examination for the Brighouse classical scholarship, the question-papers were missing from the desk of the Head of Grange School. The six senior boys who had entered for the scholarship were detained whilst their rooms and lockers were searched, and the missing papers were found in the pos-session of the one whom the school had always regarded as the most trustworthy of all. The story of how this "shadow" was removed from Grange School is told in the best "Boy's Own Paper" style, and should prove of interest to school girls as well as boys. D. S.

APPOINTMENT VACANT.

T AY PASTOR required for St. Mauves Circuit, commencing next 1_1 August.-Write seating particulars and terms to Rev. H. Robson, 35 Marlborough Road, Falmouth.

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ALL COMMUNICATIONS RESPECTING ADVERTISEMENTS should be addressed to the ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER,. "United Methodist," 2 Farringdon Avenue, London, E.C.4,

HARROGATE, - ASHVILLE COLLEGE.

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April : "THE REVIVAL IN SCOTLAND." By the Rev. It J. DRUMMOND, D.D.

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United Methodist Church, Springfield Rd. BLACKPOOL (Opposite Hotel Metropole).

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Hearty Welcome to Visitors.

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private): near Prom., Lord Street, churches. Methodist home: highly recommended by ministers piano, bath invalids specially studied: moderate terms, Stamp, Mrs. Hall.

Convalescent ST. ANNES-ON-SEA -- NURSING and Home. Medical, Surgical Rest, Chronic and Aged Patients from 4 guineas weekly.-Sisters Podzus and Richards. Resthaven." 64 St. Andrew's Road, S. WWI TN! 11 fl -Board Residence in bright and nu• comfortable house ; mid-day dinner.—For terms apply Kenilworth, 9 Browning Road,

crest klets-Rateeries Goad- Corner of Romtord Road ... „ - Field den Forest Gate Station ... AIIIINati Town-Shirley Strut Bottom of Rathbone Street Plaistow-14mM Road.. - Near Plaistow Siation Word -Ilford Lane South of Ilford Station - gray'--,yew Road _ Enquire at Grays Station Manor Park-Romford "toed _ Near Manor Park Broadway • last Hare NW Street, N. - Right of East Ham Station testeliff•sm-gas, Leigh Road int. corner of Argyll Road) * Chalkwell Park. Eastwood Lane .. evtle Kim

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'"Ilisstol-Geott's Eastern Esplanade. Southend .. Rev. T. J. WATSON Services oommenoe at 11 a.m. and SAO p.m. Ylelfors w lJ wootipe

lEiCIEIM GATE C tier W. E. CHIYERS D.A. Qov. R. 41TRomn, m Rev. FRANK HARPER Re. J. 'HOMAN Rev. J. SODEN Rev. W. C. HOPE Sc.,. H. WILLIAMS Rev. T. B. CLARKE, Hon. C.F. it's,. W. J. REOM Aim Rev. W.J. REDMORB (supervision) Rev. R. ASHBY rlOwE

April 6, 192Z

THE UNITED METHODIST. 167

after by the men, and the opening ceremony was given by 30 children connected with the Sunday School. The children had been trained by the. pastor, the Rev. F. J. Wharton, and Mrs. and Miss M. L. _Wharton. The total proceeds for this, the second series of " At-Homes " this season, was just over 4'125, which will be divided -between the Trust (two-thirds) and Auxiliary (one-third) Funds..

Leicester (Hill Street).—In connection with the chapel anniversary, Mrs. Albert Lythall (Baptist) arranged an excellent concert programme. Those taking part were Miss Lily Clarke, Miss Doris Smith, Mr. Bert Waterton and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Lythall. Miss Gladys Frost was the .accompanist, and the chair was taken by .Mr. T. Pywell.

Ilaslingden.—The annual School missionary meeting was presided over by Mr. James Holden. A very interest i ng missionary service of song, entitled " Born in. the East," was ably given by nine young people from the Trinity Baptist Sunday School. Prizes to collectors were distributed by Rev. Geo. Froggatt. There were fine con-gregations- and a very helpful service. The result -has enabled this church to make its -highest contribution to. the mission funds.

Manchester (Central Openshaw).—Six months ago, as a result of an evangelistic campaign, a Women's Own, under the presidency of Mrs. Attoe, was formed. The weekly attendance has gradually increased until the mem-bership now stands at about eighty, with an average at-tendance of over fifty. At the first social evening 100 persons enjoyed a most happy evening. Rev:. W. Attoe presided. The Women's Own is filling a long-felt want and is drawing in many of those who come under • the heading of outsider.

Sheffield (Thorpe Hesley).—The above church was crowded to its utmost capacity for two cantatas, " The 'Coming of the Flowers," and "The Festival of the

Flowers " (G. F. Root), rendered by the young ladies and girls connected with the Church and Sunday School. All the artistes excelled, and at the close received great applause: Mr.. Dennis Willis conducted and Mr. Cyril Cooper was the accompanist. Mr. W. L. Ridge, of Sheffield (late organist) presided, and the proceeds which amounted to upwards of '13, were for the re-duction of the church debt.

Spalding.—Mr. Charles Eastwood has just given to this circuit one of his long week-ends on behalf of the Missionary Society. Three large audiences at Spalding, Cowhit and Weston have beon delighted with his lantern lecture on "The Romance of Meruland." Very great admiration was expressed by the audience for the heroism of Miss Jennings and Miss Taylor especially for facing such conditions of life aS were - depicted on the .slides, for the sake of Christ .and His Gospel. On the Sunday, the deputation took the three services. at our beautiful Crescent Church, and with a fine imagination took his congregation among the Yunnan hills in the morning, and through the Mendi Bush at night, while in the afternoon the children were captivated by his stories of East Africa. Miss Kate Slingsby, of Lincoln, was the soloist for the day, and with Mr. J. R. Green san gillustrated songs on the Monday night. The circuit will show a good increase in missionary income.

Stockport (Portwood).—The minister, Rev. J. Martin, conducted a very impressive service at the annual dedica-tion service of leaders. There were 35 present, • who listened to a very helpful and appropriate address. At the close the leaders took part in the sacramental service.

Wigan (Goose Green).—On a recent Sunday Sister Lily Armitt, of North China, spoke at a Sunday School rally. About 11 scholars were dressed in Chinese costumes and Sister Lily gave a telling address. In the evening she gave a beautiful missionary sermon, which was greatly appreciated' by all. The missionary prayer

floe Grammar School, Plymouth (ESTABLISHED 18 6 7.)

G. P. DYMOND, M.A., Principal. F. J. DYMOND, B.So., A.I.C.. Vice-Principal. SUCCESSES 1920-21.

LONDON MATRICULATION : Five. SENIOR LOCAL ExAMS: Seventeen. JUNIOR LOCAL EXAMS: Thirty-five. SANDHURST : One.

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MISCELLANEOUS. A NY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH THAT

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\ •

;A'

To such desperate straits have the people been driven in some districts that they have eaten the straw with which their houses were roofed—and the rest of their homes have been used for fuel. Now foodless and without shelter, they huddle together or wander forth to die I Suffering unparalleled in its intensity is the lot of hundreds of thousands. It beggars description and defies imagination! Those who have witnessed It say that they have been through Hell. For Mercy's sake give, give again and continue to give.

"SAVE the CHILDREN FUND." (Registered under the War Charities diet 1916.)

Patrons.—HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTER-BURY ; HIS EMINENCE THE CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER; HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF WALES ; THE VERY REV. THE CHIEF RABBI ; THE MOST HON. MARQUIS CURZON OF KEDLESTON, K.G. ; THE REV. R. C. GILLIE. Bankers.—LONDON COUNTY WESTMINSTER & PARR'S BANK, LTD. (Gt. Portland Street Branch). To LORD WEARDALE,

Chairman of Committee of " Save the Children Fund" (Room 242e),

42 Langham St., Cit. Portland St., London, W.1.

Sir,—I would like to make a Gift to help the Starving Children in the Famine Areas of Russia. and enclose as a donation to the " Save the Children Fund."

NAME

ADDRESS

" United Methodist," 6/4/22 Aro

T. C. BENCH, LTD.

168 THE UNITED \ METHODIST. April 6, 1922

Can you listen unmoved to the Moans of Starving Children P MILLIONS OF RUSSIA'S HELPLESS INNOCENT MITES

ARE AT DEATH'S DOOR TO-DAY.

Will our Christian Compassion and Duty permit us to let these little ones suffer P

WE CAN AND MUST GIVE ALL WE CAN, AND TO-DAY. Have you ever yet attempted to

realise the horrors of a hunger which is sapping the life-blood of one of the world's greatest coun-tries? Can you credit the over-whelming fact that millions of tiny mites for many months have never known what it is to assuage the gnawing pangs of a hunger which has reduced them to the semblance of living skele-tons. Yes, skeletons, for every bone in their poor little weak bodies protrudes—their eyes are sunk and glassy — their frail, emaciated limbs cannot support them, and the breath of life seems a mockery to inhale.

THEY KNOW DEATH IS NEAR.

Yes, and these children wel-come the coming of death—for in their childish fashion they know it means the end of 'their misery.

Too feeble to forage for the decayed refuse, the noxious filth for which they have so long searched and scraped—they lie in huddled, abject helplessness wait-ing for the Reaper to terminate the tragedy.

If ever a silence and scene was eloquent .and compelling—then the sight of these speechless suf-ferers, whose tongues cannot lisp for protection—should melt the stoniest heart to mercy and care.

Haven't they as much right as ns—as our dear children—to know something of life's sun--shine ? Were they born but to perish like dumb brutes? Made in the image of God, must' their whole experience of human exis-tence be but one unending period of woe and .want.

Eleven hundred kitchens have been established by the Save the Children Fund from whence plain, nourishing food is distribu-ted and hundreds of thousands of Russian children are thus being kept alive.

BUT THE GREAT WORK IS

SADLY CRIPPLED.

Yet despite all efforts there are countless hundreds of thousands still feebly clamouring for rescue and redemption. Doomed to in-evitable death unless the resources of the "Save the Children " Fund are increased a hundred-fold-they will wither away and sink into those ever-open graves which yawn open-mouthed in every Russian village and town.

We have given—but we must keep on giving, for it would be undying shame and dishonour to take our hands from the plough and to abandon the glorious crusade to which the "Save the Children " Fund is pledged.

Won't you help to found just one more Kitchen and thus per-sonally aid in the noblest rescue work that the pitying heart and loving mind of a. Christian can conceive, and carry through?

In the name of Him who paid such a price for our salvation—will you not recognize humanity's debt, and by filling in the sub-scription form below as gener-ously as you can, do your per-sonal part in this redeeming work?

But act TO-DAY—for time is precious and lives perish every moment.

When the great Redeemer of the human race spoke those gracious all-embracing words, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me "—he meant the children of the Universe, Russian as well as British—and he looks to His disciples to follow in His footsteps.

Anc.I have you heeded His example and command? Have you yet given expression to the Divine gift of love—or, if' you have given once—do you think that your duty and service is ended?

Why, it is a Sheer mockery just to prolong life for a few short days. It were better to pass by on the other side—to close your ear and to harden your heart against the beseeching sobs of these starved innocents.

WONDERFUL CINEMA FILM OP RUSSIAN FAMINE. A special cinematographer has just returned from Russia

with a film which shows in detail the conditions of Child-life in the great Famine-stricken areas. Dates • are now being booked for the loan of this film to Halls and Meetings which have the interests of these children at heart. Will sympathisers of the Cause phase apply for full parti-culars to The Film Department. Save the Children Fund, 42, Longhorn Street, London, W.1.

IT IS OUR DIVINE TASK.

We should be false to the Founder of our faith if we swerve from our Christian privilege of succouring those in need and want. We should be but mere professors of our Divine principle if we forsake these hungered inno-cents, and we should sully the Christian creed by such an unbelievable apathy.

Those who are working on the famine field are striving more earnestly than ever to save• and succour the starving children.

THE SAYE THE CHILDREN FUND, THE RUSSIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND, THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS FUND, Realising how stupendous the task of relief is, and the need for co-operation, have agreed to work together under a JOINT COMMITTEE of representatives of each Fund, with Sir Benjamin Robinson as Chairman.

Printed at THE MAGNET PRESS, 188 Rye Lane, Peckham, S.E., and Published by HENRY HOOKS, 12 Farringdon . Avenue, London, E.C., tor the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Thursday, April 6th, 1922.