The record-union., 1893-07-29

consolation for the night, the morrow
and eternity. Even the old caretaker,
having seen these good souls out and eX-
tlngulshed the last lamp, stumbled back
to me with an ancient lantern in his hand
and let even his feeble light so shine that
he found huge copper penny which he
pressed into my hand with the kindly
admouition:
"Bide 'ere t moarn, n I'll let tha DOT
for beet (bite) = my ain table. Ma u
Laird be wi tina over meet an oalas
always ~
L sank into dreamless slumber, and
was awakened Detimes by the old care
taker. True to his word he took me to
his cottage for break fast. where, with eX
plantations, left the coin so kindly forced
upon me the previous night; and, having
had the honor of being the only person
exclusively entertained over night by the
heswlck Convention, after 1 had got well
settled at comfortable inn, where de-
parting tourists gave me place, leisurely
enjoyed old keswick town and its roman
tic surroundings and a cursory study of
the heswlck movement"
These now noted keswick Conventions
are SIMPLY great gatherings of English,
scotch and Irish clergymeE and other
Cnrlstlan workers of all orthodox faiths.
They are the outgrowth OF meetings
many years ago in the north and west OF
England OF local bodies OF the Interna-
uonal Evangelical Alliance, and their in
tuence upon the spiritual lives of indi-
vlduai clergymen, particularly the late
Canon t. d. Hartford -Battersby, incum-
bent OF st. Johns Church, X eswick, who,
perhaps, also aided by the gentle spell of
the Lake District genii, gradually de-
parted from Tractarian principles to the
Evangelical school. His life and work
were those of grand, sweet and, indeed,
holy man, sorrowing for the metes and
bounds OF creeds separating those work
ing Tor the salvation of men, and fervidly
striving for complete Christian unity in
essentials through realization of an ex-
alted faith.
In September, 1874. was held the OK
Iord convention on similar lines. 1t cre-
ated an epoch in the lives of many hun
dreds of believing Christians, and set on
loot movement of great and increasing
power for the promotion of holiness.
canon Battersby attended this. 1t re-
moved his last doubt. He "entered into
the rest of faith" he wrote at this conven-
tlon. In June of the next year the
keswick movement" which had now
practically become the Battersby move
ment within the Church of England, cul-
minated i'll the first of the Keswick Con-
Ventlons. They have been held every
year since during the last week in July;
and on the 23d OF July, 1888, their founder
died here at keswick, with thousands of
these convention folk about him as his
gentle spirit was "lost in the unutterable
glow" and faded before faiths vision
noiselessly."
IheSe meetings continue for week.
They may be said to differ from the
American Chautauqua gatherings in the
particulars of possessing no secularly ed
ucative or diverting features, and in the
sole aspiration by attendants of rest
rafhnF a IL ,,r,11f 3;
indeed the former is the keynote of every
phase of effort here. Five daily services
are held. All those who gather at kes-
wick can be seen but few days before in
the remotest places of Britain-oyer-
worked town clergy, lonely country par
sons, deVout women from merciful fields
of labor, gray haired veterans in church
and missionary and young men and
women just entering that battle which
has no end. The Cross is the one center
OF all teaching. According to the mani
fold individuality of all who come, who
are teachers elsewhere and learners here.
every phase of the possibilities of the life
of faith is presented, and above all else
they are all united in the one common
desire for the attainment of resting
faith through personal holiness. REST
ing" indeed is your faith and mine in the
devotion OF men TO their sacred and often
thankless calling from calm and solemn
scenes like these. Out of the tender heart
of this lake district land of Wordsworth.
Coleridge and Southey have issued count
less streams of purest everything thought
and imagery, reaching with their benefi-
cent influence TO uttermost lands; and
how fitting that in these later days from
almost the Self-same source should flow
as strong and pure those kindred streams
of everlasting Love and Joy through
Faith. EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.