1929-09-14 — Page 11

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1929.

OUR WEEKLY SERMON

Importance of Historical Element in Christianity

MODERN CHURCHMAN'S VIEWS

[By Michael Oakshofi, M.A., Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]

THE

CHINA MAIL,

VOLUNTEER CORPS SHADOWS BEFORE.

CONCERT SPOILED BY THE WEATHER

PLUCKY PERFORMERS

COMING EVENTS ANNOUNCED IN "CHINA MAIL"

Social Functions To-day-Dimer Dances at Hong

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.

CHINESE CUSTOMS

NOTIFICATION.

in-

It was a pity that rain prevent Kong Hotel and Peninsula Hotel,

CTING under instructions ed the whole programme being 8.20 p.m.

from the Inspector General put through at the promenade ... To-day--Tea Dances at Hong of Customs, 1 have THIS DAY convert of the Volunteer Defence Kong Hotel and Peninsula Hotel, taken over charge of the Chinese Corpe which was held on the Head-4.30 p.m. 1

Maritime Customs for. Kowloon able to offer, the ideas or things] its attribut-quarters parade ground last even- To-day-Dinner Dance at Repulse and District from Mr. E. A.

ed to vary not at all from what ing

Bay Hotel (with Nina and Jarques, MACDONALD, Acting Deputy continental dancers), 8.30 p.m. Commissioner in charge ad

To-morrow Tea Dance at Re- terim.. pulse Bay Hotel. 4.30 p.m.

Entertainments To-day Queen's Theatre;, "While The City Sleeps.

The Villa By The Sea" at 5.15 and To-day World. Theatre:

[9.20 p.m. "The Hermit's Own Wed- ding" Chinese picture), 2.50 and 7.15 p.m.

Theatre;

Stace what am pott min in no sense be cled au- thoritative, may I explain at the beginning that what I propose is

imply to present a point of view --a persond point of view it so far as it is mine, but something, hope, attle more valuable than merely personal in that I shall try to set sut, as clearly as I can, the reasons which lie behind it. The diff culties of the subject

are great enough to demand a more tentative Altitude thai that which I have adopted, but if I speak pitively Father than meticulously, I a so to avoid ambiguity and not to affect dogmatism.

Something of a Climat That the historical element in Christianity has been regarded of the utmost importance to Mir re- ligion cannot and need Dot be denici, On the contrary, 30 far as we can sze, with the growth of Caritimity the importance of this

element has increased rather than

diminished; indeed, the semitive

Bess to

answers found.

what is historial

in

in the drill

The attendance was not large, they were that moment wherein we

doubtless due to the threatening consider their former existence,

rain, and those who did brave it and to which we compare the pre- had to take shelter gent." It is the theory of identity hall, and finally make their way without difference, the

theory by home when

it became evident which difference of any sort de-that the rain was. stroys identity; and its defects have stop. The rest of the pragramme not going to frequently been pointed cut. Its was consequently abandoned. principle is simply that 'everything

Everything went well antil dur is equal to self'; it says nothinging the interval when some rain

than that A is A, and that fell, but soon abated. any change whatever in A causes moon peeped out for a while and all it to become other than A. In concluded that it was only a pass- deed, we may not speak at all of ing shower and the clouds would a 'change In A.' It excludes from clear. Soon, however, 'old man the thing all the differences of its Luna was again obscured, stales, attributes and relations, and the result is nothing more than barren tautology.

more

line is drawn

An Arbitrary Line arbitrary An across ety

Then the

and then, whilst the Aloha Serenaders were on the platform. the rain came down again, and this time

in earnest!

J. M. H. OSBORNE, Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowtoon & District. York Buildings, Hong Kong, 18th Sept., 1929.

Columbia RECORDS

New

New Electric Records We Recommend

9716-7 Capriccio Espagnole....Halle Orchestra.

9707 - Norwegian Rhapsody Sem. Orch of Paris.

9688 Senner Cove

..Court Sym. Orch.

9658-9-Haydn Quartet in F ...Lener String Gte. 9628 Concerto in G Minor (Bruch)

D1687

FOR SALE

"Blue Skies."

Fo-day Star

FOR SALE.-Portable Victrola (Model 255) Automatic Stop and To-day Majestic Theatre; Orthophonic Sound Box. "The Battles of Verdun."

Only six weeks old. With seventeen records. To-day At Theatre Royal, Quick sale, Machine cost. $70. What Forbes, Russell Comedy Co, in "Her "China Mail"

uffers Write Box Nc. 622, c/o Cardboard Lover," 9.15 p.m.

D1622

Sept. 21-Kowleon Football Club Concert, 9.15 p.m.

Oct. 21-Nelson Day Concert at

Theatre, 9 p.m

13 p.m.

Land Sale

The "Hawaikas" plucky car-Lee the change and varried on until they were forced to ON the process of his-stop on account of the rain on Sept. 16-At P.W.D. Offices, one tory, and identity is denied merely the strings of their instrumer's lot of Crown Land at Tai Kok Tsui, at the paint at which some little making it impossible for them to education is required to recognize continue. Audience and perform- it. How arbitrary that line is iners then sheltered in the drill ball, the case of Christianity is at once rather too packed to be comfort apparent; for where is this

ab-able, but nevertheless, cheerful. solute eriginal which, unchanged,

Another Downpour

To-day--Charity Football Match:! is the real thing? We have no Then the rain held for a while United Services v. S.C.A.A., Caro- knowledge

unchanging, and it was decided

to continueline Hill, 4.45 p.nl. original Christianity which existed the programme, but the K:0.S.B.

To-morrow Closing of the C.A.A.

ci

an

Sports tic sports meeting of Police and Pri- To-day Eighth annual aqua-

son Depts, V.R.C. Club,

Christianity appears to have reach ed something of a climax at the prosent time. And this cir- camistance raises, for me at least, two questions, for which reasonable of some kind shod be They are (1) What is the at one moment in time, absolute and Band had hardly taken their place meeting, and distribution of prizes historical element of Chrigianity whole, to change which is to pro-en the platform when once more by H.E. the Governor, at North which has been regarded important? duce, something other than Christ-it poured, and they had to retire Point Stadium, 4.36 p.m. and (ii) Does the fact that it hasianity. The New Testament is a Gradually, the audience trickled been held to be important mean record of change and development: away after this and the that it is necessarily and permental what point did this development concert ly as important as it has been held to be?

An answer to the first of these questions has been provided for us already The historical diment which has buar regarded important in Christianity is not the dious

fact that Christianity is funded' religion, not the fact that Chris- tably in a sense) did star at a given date for that is equally true of a great number of regions

War abandoned. Some cease to be Christian? The got

а wetting when A par- 'teaching of Jesus, as we have it, ticularly heavy shower came

Only a few of the audience re-

tired to the drill hall during the Serenaders' turn.

The majority equally sportingly, sat through the "Hawaiians"" performance before going to shelter.

Sept. 21 Victoria Recreation Club Night fete.

Sept. 20-St. John Ambulance Brigade aquatic sports, King's Col lege bath, 10 a.m.

Meetings

Sept. 16-Third annual meeting of H.K. Ladies' Hockey Club, Helena, May Institute, 5.20 p.m.

Sept. 17-Sanitary Board Meeting. 4.15 p.m.

is neither comprehensive nor down soon after leaving and had thoroughly coherent, and a view of to take shelter as best they could Christianity which identified it whilst taxis were procured. with the 'religion of Jesus' would exclude any beliefs which may have attached themselves to the experi- ences resulting from His death, Nor are we able to propose a selec- tion from the beliefs and facts of those early years, for it is essential

The Band in Form to the theory before us that every which in a more significant ense

The major portion of the pro- have little use for history in their

event and belief (up to a point gramme was in the capable hands beliefs); nor is it a simpl re- which it is impossible to determine) of the Band of the 2nd Battalion cognition of the value of tradition. fa equally necessary to Christianity. of the King's Own Scottish Bor- ineligion; but, rather, what it has

This theory seems to me as un- derers, under the able baton of been held to mean is a belief in the satisfactory as any could well be; Mr. Fitz-Earle, and their playing necessity of that which is prime and it is unsatisfactory for the was up to the usual K.O.S.B.'s ex-

In the course of a chatty letter facic historical, or tan historial as purpose of identifying Christianity collent standard. Particularly ap- such: Christianity, so this inter- because, and only because, it is un- pealing was Chamber's Reminis- Mr. J. Kerr, formerly A.S.P. here, pretation runs, by the assertion of satisfactory for identifying any cences of the Plantation (as per-writes from Garden Vale, Mel- the necessity of certain events hav-thing.

formed by Sousa's Band, by com- bourne: ing taken place, put forward &view

sary historical event. I need not enlarge upon this view, for it is

Still Another Theory

MANY TRAVELS

FORMER A.S.P.IN REMINISCENT

MOOD

SETTLED DOWN NOW

NELSON DAY CONCERT

On MONDAY, Oct. 21st, At 9 p.m. at the LEE THEATRE. Keep the Date Open.

DON'T FORGET YOU ARE BOOKED

FOR

SATURDAY, September 21st.

AT THE

KOWLOON

FOOTBALL CLUB CONCERT

9.15.

An Entirely New Programme By Entirely New Artistes,

IN OTHER PLACES

mand of HM the King, at Sand- I have settled down quite com-CHRONICLES FROM JAPAN TO

It introduced such fortably, and have no desire to go

JAVA

Major General A. E. Wardrop,

of the time-process which gave it If, then, an affirmative answer to ringham). a significance and a value which it the question, is the historical ele- well-known pieces as "My Old away from this suburb, I do not otherwise could not possess. The

ment of Christianity necessarily as Kentucky Home"; "Clog Dance"; know if it is that I have got travel atonement is a unique and neces- important as it has been regarded? "The Old Folks at Home"; Schot-weary or not, but I hardly like lear-who was holding the North China a short Command when it was abolished a were to depend upon such a theory tische "Old Zip Coon"; "Poer Olding home to go even

As a boy and a young few months ago, is promoted lieut.- as this, we should be forced to de-Joe": "Essence of Old Virginny"; journey.

"Dixie" with variations; and man I had seen a fair amount of the general "Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground"East and Australia. I left home

at 15 as an apprentice In sailing Mrs. Danson is staying in Singa- *3 finale.

Another well received item was ships. That was in 1885. Two pare for a few weeks. The Bishop the singing of excerpts from mouths later I was in Shanghai, of Labuan and Sarawak is on his "lolanthe" by 2nd Lieut. and Mrs. from there on to Puget Souad, back way back to Kuching, where Mrs. D. M. Richards, with band accom again, and then on to Melbourne.

to Shanghai, back to the Sound Danson will join him about Sept. 22. paniment.

I spent a week in Melbourne, then

Leave in the Malayan Civil Ser- went to Adelaide, Sydney, Java, vice has been granted to Mr. 11. J. New Zealand, and back to Austra Markes, Capt. F. W. Howel, Mr. lia, next to Haiphong along the G. L. Jerram, Mr. P. V. Norman, Indo-China Coast, on to Singapore Major W. H. Elkins and Mr. E. and Penang, then to Ning Po and Jago. Northern ports, Japan, Formosa, and Whampoa. Thence I went back

Programme as Played Items which were presented be- fore the rain intervened were:-- March, "The American Red Cross

Panella. (The Corps Band.) Reminiscences of the Plantation, Excerpts from "Iolanthe",

Chambers.

Sullivan, (Vocal Items by 2nd Lieut.

one with which we have all been clare it groundless assertion.

a familiar since childhood;

But it is the

we have before us another traditional interpretation of the theory which has alen been taken meaning of the historical elment to support an affirmative answer to of Christianity.

our question.

Its argument is as Two Theories

follows: there has been a history The second question, however, attached to Christianity, there have permits no such simple explanation, been changes, but Christianity it- and the fact that it has tually self is an unchanging core ог been answered in the affirmative centre which has persisted through must not deter us from exaching change; this particular belief in the grounds of such, or any, reply, the necessity of the prima farie his The assertion that this element of torical is part of that core; there- Christianity is necessarily a im-

fore it is an essential part of portant as it has been held to be, Christianity. Here again the minor implies, and has usually been con-

premise is an historical statement sclously associated with, on of

of which I need say nothing; it is two theories

of the natur

with the major

we are concerned. identity of Christianity. Chris- The theory or identity which this tianity has been identified ither argument implies may be character- with the whole original Christianity, ized as identity of substance. which is held to include this parti- is. perhaps, only à modification of

4-Dance of the Imps in the Halls in a very battered. appearance, after ver of the Indian Legislative As-1 cular belief; or, with

a entral the first theory, for it, also, de- of the Mountain King.

been touring core, of which this particular belief manda an identity without dif- From "Cavalleria Rusticana,"

a month. The result was that I Malaya since May last, left Singa- ie a part, which has remained un- ference. This core or centre

Mascagni. left the ship and joined the Eolice ore for Bangkok on a tour which is Christianity has been Overture "Maritan” ......Wallace. seven days after my arrival in "Siam." variously conceived; it has been

(The Corps Barid.)

or

grounds for an affirmative answer

It

it makes Christianity out to be a

D. M. Richards). Peer Gynt" 1.-Morning.

Sulte

2. The Death of "Ase". 3-Anitra's Dance.

Selection

According to the Malacca Guar

to Java, returning to Australia dian, the Colonial Secretary, the and Mrs from there at the end of each Hon. Mr. John Scott, C.M.G., will

journey, and Sally, journeyed

Greig. from West Australia to Hong Kong, pay his first official visit to Malneca

during this month.

which ended my sea life.

3 Typhoons In One Month

The Hon. Mr. T. Prakasam, Mein-

My ship arrived in Hong Kong

battling with three typhoons within sembly who

Hong Kong to be exact on October 28, 1890, and practically remained

"A Bit of the East"

I have recently net a Mrs. Me- Kenzie, whose husband was a Ser- geant of Police at Tai Ho, but died about 1909 or 1910, his wife was in

has

of

Mr.

changed throughout the history of our religion. These two theries of the identity of Christianity are thought of as a general tendency The Aloha Serenaders.

Mr. and Mrs. V. H. Whelan are not always distinguished with the moving through the history of our Bands had to be abandoned:

The following item by the there till September 2, 1925. In the returning to the United States from care required to see them early, religion as a spirit informing it, Descriptive Fantasia—

meantime I had had several trips a holiday trip to the East. and since both have been taken as or as an ideal or purpose guiding "A Hunting Scene" Bucaloasia. home, visiting the Philippine Whelan is the general manager of it; but whatever it is, the only "Early Morning"; "The Meet" Islands, Borneo and Timor on the Messrs. Dodge and Seymour's inter- to our question, I must do my best change it has been thought to (with Huntsmen's Chorus) "On the way. During the latter part of my ests in the Dutch East Indies, to explain them £ little more suffer is that produced by the mere Cry"; "The Kil; "The

Scent";

"The Bun"; "Tally Ho!" "Full connection with the Police, I Straits and Indo-China. fully.

Return visited Swatow, Shanghai, Weihei- passage of time, though this itself Home" The first argument is this: implies a formal contradiction. In Xylophone Solo The Meteor",

wei, Chafoo, Tientsin, Peking, Mr. C. M. Farquhar, of Bukit Christianity is the whole original all its forms it is an excessively

Greenwood. Singapore, Penang, Calcutta, Dar Asahan Estate, Ayer Tekah division," Christianity: this includes a belief vague theory; it admits differences The Reminiscences of Tschaikowsky,

(Soloist: Corporal H. Stokes.) jeeling, Agra, and Delhi, so, I think is getting married in Septem- in the necessity of the prima facie but leaves them as anachronisma;

it is time that I settled down.- Arr. Dan Godfrey, Junr.

ber in Singapore. His bride, Mias historical; therefore this beef is they are regarded as, at any rate, Regimental March

Peters, is coming out from home. essential to Christianity. The partial destructions of identity.

The Leather Bottel," (H.K.V.D.C.),

Mr. Farquhar is the nephew of the minor premiss is an historical state

The Chief Objection

"Blue Bonnets O'er the Border"

Hon. Mr. A. Mackenzie, Manager of ment which I do not venture.to

Telong Estate. But the chief objection to it is that (KO.S.B.). question, but the major 'contass a theory of the identity of Christ bare and bloodless abstraction, the firm of Verhomal Shewaram & She remarried a man named Me Officer, Butterworth, will be leaving Mr. T. A. Tharani, manager of Scotland at the time of his death. Capt. E. Pratt, Senior District anity which is open to agical wretched fraction of any of our Co., leaves to-day for India by the Donald and has been living about on home leave some time about the criticism. Christianity, it aas, fe experiences, such as we are cons. Moren" after four years ser-five minutes walk of Magnolia Road end of October or November. Capt. the whole original Christianly; if vinced, when we are not defending vice, taking with him the beat for the past sixteen years. Some Pratt is retiring from the Malayan something to-day proposes italf as a theory, it can never be. Though wishes of the Indian community other old China residents are living Civil Service at the expiration of his Christianity and yet differs any it is true that some parts change for a pleasant holiday and an early quite close to me. I refer to the respect from the original Mug, more slowly than others, it is only return to the Colony,

leave: then it is not Christianity, The, the barest abstraction that can

on the Chinese Imperial Railways Morten, from the Singapore Secre records we have of that begming show no change at all, something are the criteria by which alote we

Mr. John Hamilton, who joined for some years and afterwards at tariat, is mentioned as a possible which occurs alongside the facts, the Army during the Crimean War the Tong Shan Mines. Mina Ricker-successor to Capt. Fratt may judge the Christianity of on the historical facts of Christianity, as a drummer, has died at Cur-by arrived here from Tientsin last idea or doctrine or practice. To something we can deduce but never dridge, Hants, aged 89.

year

Mr. F. G. Coples, who prior to his say that Christianity survives even experience, surmise but never

Some people from Shanghai departure Home on leave was if weakened and disestablished, is know. Those

moved in next door to me, on the Executive Engineer, Larut and to say that the Renaissance, and the this theory, and they are not thing, but when all the differences their names. They have been ey. It is rumoured that on his who believe in the differences and so, exposing the 1st just but so far I do not know Matang, is due back short- Reformation are incomplete. This a few, may be invited to show are gone we shall discover that what diding in South Australia, I know arrival he will succeed Mr. Goings is not a now theory, nor one perllar us this unchanging central sub remains, so far from being our re nothing about them at present. But as Senior Executive Engineer, to Christian theology. I this stance. We should imagine that it tiglon, is an invulnerable nothing you will see that we have a little of Kuala Kangsar, says the Times of consists identity, says Locke, when might be found by whittling away! bike pure water. It has no taste. the East around this district. Malaya"

Rickerbys. The old gentleman wis

The

name of Mr. F. J.

{

Minnelied

On Wings of Seng

Barcarolle

La Cinquintaine

Zimermann-Violin

.Furtis- Vida.

Squire Cello,

Anderson Munis

強風

SEE THAT YOU GET

BOORD'S

GINS

"CAT ON BARREL BRAND."

CALDBECK, MACGREGOR & CO., LTD.

(Incorporated under the Companies' Ordinances of Hong Kong).

Prince's Building, Ice House. Street

Tel. C.75.

NEWLY ARRIVED

REAL HABANA CIGARS. HENRY CLAY:

Pánetelas

Jockey Club

Londres Finos

25's $9.50 per box

25's 9.50

19

"

25's 7.75

?

Bouquet de Salon.. 25's 6.25

LA CORONA :

Coronas Half-a-Corona Celestiales Chicos

25's $21.50 per box

25's 11.25

25's 10.75

39 »

22 "

EL AGUILLA DE ORO “BOCK Y CA":

Excelentes

25's $8.25 per box Portenas Finas 25's 7.00 "

"

TABAQUERIA FILIPINA

Asiatic Building, Queen's Road C.

SHIN HAIG & CO Romany Hong K Aqua MATEMINICH

The Whisky of Quality

from the oldest distillers in the

world

Haig

{TEE’FATHER

ALL SCOTCH WE

Consumers are requested to see that every bottle of John Haig Gold Label Whisky as supplied by us bears the foot label thus: "Gande, Price & Co., Ltd. Sole Agents for Hong Kong."

SOLE AGENTS:

GANDE PRICE & CO., LTD. St. George Building, Ice House Street.

HONG KONG

Tel C. 135.