Local Appointments

The first draft of the appointments of Wesleyan Methodist ministers for the year beginning Sept.1st has been issued this week. The appointments are subject to further revision.

In the Higham Ferrers circuit the Rev.J.W.Eacott remains as superintendent and the Rev.D.Pughe continues at Irthlingborough. The Rev.R.B.Woodward removes from Rushden to Woodville and Swadlincote circuit, and he is succeeded at Rushden by the Rev.Robert H.A.Morton, from Brynmawr, South Wales.

Former Rushden ministers are appointed as follows:- the Rev.W.Newby remains at Birmingham (Smethwick), the Rev.T.Edwards Thompson continues at the Devonshire Park Mission at Buxton, the Rev.A.L.Fillingham, B.Litt., stays a fifth year at the Newcastle-on-Tyne Mission, and the Rev.C.F.Groom remains at Wesley Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

RUSHDEN METHODISM

With its 520 scholars, including the Adult Bible Class, and its 52 teachers, the Park-road Wesleyan Sunday School, Rushden, is doing an excellent work in the town. The anniversary services on Sunday last were a conspicuous success, the collections, £26, being the highest on record. The preacher was the Rev.W.Newby, of Birmingham, who was the first Wesleyan minister stationed at Rushden, removing from the town nine years ago. In the morning he preached on the responsibility of parents, and incidently stated that it gave him great pleasure to come to Rushden again, and especially to see the beautiful chapel which they had built.

In the afternoon Mr.Newby addressed a young people's service and presented Bibles to the senior scholars.

"Environment"

was Mr.Newby's subject in the evening. He spoke of King Josiah, who, he said, resisted the lower environment and yielded to the higher. There was a serious flaw in that modern doctrine which said that a man could not be a good man if he lived in the slums or worked with men who were ungodly. Josiah was living in the midst of moral degradation where the devil seemed to have his fling, and yet in this foul den of moral disease Josiah conceived the idea which totally changed the religious aspect of the whole country. It was a shame that people should be forced to live in tiny little places; the Socialist had a right to be heard in demanding better housing for the working classes, and the churches were prepared to assist in propagating some of his views; but a man would not necessarily be better if he was taken from a cottage and put into a palace, neither was his case hopeless if he remained in the cottage or in the slums. God Himself could go into the slums and make saints of men who were vile in sin. As

Sir Oliver Lodge

recently said, "There is no reason for any man to be mastered by his environment." It must be an exceedingly difficult task for some people to live a Christian life in some homes and workshops and surroundings, he would grant that; but still, without the slightest reserve, he would flatly contradict the Socialists or anybody else who said that under such circumstances the Christian life was absolutely impossible. The vilest surroundings could not prevent a man from being a Christian, and, on the other hand, the holiest surroundings could not make a man a Christian until he himself consented. Certainly environment would modify a man's responsibilities, but would never entirely removed it from his life and soul.

After the sermon Mr.Newby said it filled one's heart with delight to see so many young people in that church. He prayed that they would resist their lowest surroundings and would open their souls to that environment which elevated and saved, and then they would prove that men could be

Master of Their Surroundings.

He had heard with delight that many of the scholars in the school were also church members, and that so large a proportion of the young people attended the week-night meetings and the weekly open-air service. He believed that school was one of the best in the whole county.

The children, carefully trained by Mr.F.Betts, the choir-master, sang special hymns during the day, acquitting themselves most creditably. The anthem in the morning was "Brightly gleams our banner." At night the choir and children gave a praiseworthy rendering of an appropriately descriptive anthem, "The blessing of the children" (Thomas Facer), with separate choruses for the scholars and for the choir. Mr.C.Wooding ably presided at the organ throughout the services.

The congregation as well as the collections proved to be a record, the spacious new church being crowded for the evening service.

Delightful weather prevailed on Monday, when

The Annual Treat

was given to the scholars. Tea was provided in the school-room, excellent arrangements having been made by the officers and teachers, and subsequently a public tea was held at which about 200 adults were present. The usual games were played in a field lent by Mr.Geo.Denton, C.C. The Mission Silver Band played some excellent music, and the proceedings were most enjoyable.

Rushden Echo, Friday, December 8, 1905, transcribed by Greville Watson

The Rev.W.Newby, formerly of the Park-road Wesleyan Church, Rushden, has accepted an invitation to the Maidstone circuit after the Conference of 1906.