The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-05-01

are to be intelligent Christians and
| churchmen they must be given definite,
positive instruction in Christian doc
trine and concerning historic Chris
tianity and this national portion of the
Holy Catholic Church.
The whole system as outlined in the
baptisnral service and Catechism brings
great responsibilities to the clergy that
there may be awakened in the souls of
the children a. spiritual conception of
what their membership in the Church
of God means. The danger is, lest
children should grow up with mechan-
zeal ideas of the church and sacra-
ments and worship.
The mechanical view holds that bap-
tism is necessary but looks upon it as
a function rather than a sacrament Of
life. 1t looks. later upon confirmation
as a matter of formal necessity, when
the Catechism is learned-and then too
often those who are confirmed seem
to think they have graduated in reli-
gion and they do not bother the clergy
again until there is a child to be bap-
tiZed, a marriage to be solemnized or
the burial office to be read.
Such religion may be better than
none but it is an incumbrance and
blight upon the church for when one
member is weak all suffer. Only
teaching, aiming. visitation, exhorta-
ton, prayer and tireless pastoral care
can remedy the formal. mechanical
idea of religion.
In this connection l spoke at length
last year. 1 wish to emphasize again
the necessity OF insisting that spon-
sorship shall mean something more
than a compliment given and accepted
That sponsors ought to be, are expect
ed by the church to be Christians in
reality and if possible church people.
How can We expect that children can
be brought up in the church to ''leal1
a cody and Christian life and to be
faithful soldiers of Christ if the
sponsors are not Christian people or
perhaps Indifferent and neglectful
Christians. Many of the children
whom 1 question do not know who their
sponsors are. Every sponsor should
be asked by the clergyman to read
ing in that capacity.
And now as to confirmation. the
Anglican Communion. orders that the
one who is confirmed shall be 'suffi-
GENTLY instructed This means
q cat dceti more tIidIl DelilS aDie TO say
the Catechism. 1 heard a conversa-
ton some time ago not far from here.
One person said to the other. why
was not A. confrmed-she knew the
catechism?" The answer was. "A is
not ready yet ''Oh, yes. she is was
the reply: Il taught her the cate
chism." I presume if that girl had
been confirmed she never would have
n of chm e.
and it is a mechanical idea which
would attach much good to such a per
functory confirmation
RESPONSIBILITIES IGNORED.
The church in the United States has
distinctly gained something from 9TH
er Christian bodies lin the emphasis
which she puts on preparation and fit
ness for confirmation The idea of the
other Christians referred to is that
when a. young person is given the
right hand of fellowship and so is
made a member on confession of faith.
there shall be evidence of sincerity and
a spiritual desire for help. This has
affected the practice of the church in
preparing candidates for confirmation.
In the ordinary practice in the United
States the one who is to be presented
for confirmation is expected to have a
firm decided purpose of trying more
earnestly to live a practical Christian
life
Is any one sufficiently instructed"
in those things which a Christian
ought to know and believe to his souIs
health who has not this purpose
aroused in his heart? 1t should be the
distinct aim of the priest as pastor to
reach the hearts of those whom he is
Continued on page 81