The Work of the Churches.— The Roman Catholic Church carries on a great variety of charitable work in asylums, houses of refuge and reformatories. In the'province of Quebec all the provincial institutions are under Roman Catholic control. In the cities the Protestants have distinct institutions controlled by boards representative of the chief Protestant churches. In Ontario, the Roman Catholics are upon the same footing with Protestants in the provincial institutions. In many cities and towns the former have their own hospitals and reform atories, which receive provincial aid in propor tion to the number of patients treated. This plan also prevails in the other provinces to a less extent. In other cases, special provision is made for Roman Catholic religious services in addition to the Protestant services.
The charitable work of the Roman Catholic Church is carried on by the various religious orders, many of which are specially devoted to the relief of the poor, the sick, and the fallen.
The work of home missions within the Dominion in connection with the different churches reaches out to every corner of the land, and to the Indians and Eskimos. For eign missionary work is prosecuted with great vigor by all denominations. Among other good works of an inter-denominational character may be mentioned the Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, the Evangelical Alliance, the Young Men's Christian Association, the great Christian movement organized by Mr. Mott among university students, the young people's societies, such as the Christian Endeavor, the Epworth League and the Saint Andrew's Brotherhood, and above all the Laymen's Mis sionary Movement which has done so much to unify the evangelical forces of the Dominion, and to stimulate the missionary and evangelistic life of all the churches in Canada. The or ganization of women in the home and foreign missionary work of all the churches and in various other associations has greatly stimulated religious life and work. The reverent observ ance of the Lord's Day throughout Canada has been a marked feature in its religious life. Church attendance has, on the whole, been well maintained. The laws against Sunday excur sions and.other violations of the Sabbath rest are effectively enforced. The Lord's Day Alli ance has the co-operation of the labor unions as well as of the churches in the protection of the Lord's Day. The Protestant churches in Canada exercise a very strong influence upon legislation, education and the press. While not unaffected by modern controversy, their attitude generally has been, on the whole, conservative, while the general tone is more liberal and less acrimonious than in the past.
Old prejudices are passing away. A note worthy illustration of this is furnished in the public worship of the Presbyterian Church, one section of which refused to use anything ex cept the metrical version of the Psalms, regard ing even the use of the paraphrases as a serious and hurtful innovation. Now all are united in the use of a hymn book which contains hymns of all sections of the Church of Christ. In many cases the worship has become more liturgical even in non-liturgical churches. Old controversies have passed into oblivion. Greater liberty both in action and in thought is found in all communions.
It is more than possible that with this en largement and liberty, there has been a cor responding in the intensity of the religious spirit and a growing laxity within the churches which many regard with apprehension. Family worship is not observed as it once was, the children are not as familiar with the Scrip tures, as were their parents, and many things are tolerated in professedly Christian families which would a generation ago have been rigidly excluded. It is a time of unrest and transition, But in the midst of much change, the churches in the main hold firmly to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, and in all are found devoted men and women who earnestly follow after the ideals of truth, purity and righteousness.
Among the Anglicans, while the Oxford or Tractarian movement has exercised considerable influence, especially among the clergy, it has seldom reached the extremes seen in England. The majority of the laity have only been slightly affected by it, and they have continued decidedly Protestant. The Presbyterians have exercised a strong influence upon the national ideals of righteousness, and have set a high standard in the education of the ministry. The Methodists have been leaders in Christian liberality and in benevolent enterprises. The Baptists and Congregationalists have borne con sistent testimony to the supremacy of the in dividual conscience and the independence of the Church from state control. Thus each de nomination has contributed essential elements to the general religious well-being of Canada, each has in its own sphere accomplished a good work and manifested distinctive excellence, the value of which is coming, more and more, to be recognized by all.