Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-04-04
bsrmoitt l1boenis.
DRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1915.
RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS.

serious character.
Untarians The question that is raised in this
denomination, seem TO be the enent of the hberality
Of Liberal Christians The occasion is the preach
ing of The Rev. Theodore Parker Of Roxbury, a
Unitarian minister. lie is earnest and eloquent
man, and has put forth doctrines that looked upon
by many orthe leading Unitarans, as sceptical and
tending directly to lnfidrliiy. Consequently most
Of Unitarian Clergy Of Boston and vicinity, have
refused to exchange with him And when one of
"The Ministry at large" who are supported by an
association of churches, exchanged with him, the
committee Of the association demonstrated. This
has led very earnest paper warfare that has oc-
cuped the collmns Of both the religious and secular
press Mr.. Parker and his friends contend that by
prescribing him, the LIMITATIONS are exercising that
very intolerance which they have so loudly con-
demned in others, and that his position and that Of
his followers, is to the great body Of Uniiariuns,
Just what that the Unitarians was TO the Ortho-
dox forty years ago that he and they have made
further step in that "progress,' Of which the great
Unitarian division was the first, and they pur-
suing towards him, and the doctrines, the same
course that the Orthodox then pursued towards the
Unitarians. On the other hand il said, the ques-
ton now is not whether there shall be tolerated
among christians, large liberaty in interpreting
the doctrines of the Bible, but whether there shall
be any faith in the bible itself; whether christian
communion shall be extended to those who have
no faith in the Divine mission of the great Re-
deemer. The dispute is not decreasing in serious
ness.
Epscopalians.--The wide spread dissensions heav-
ing the bosom of the Episcopal Church, which have
,t,,l ,~l,t l.,tu md in ed
by the Oxford Tracts, involve many OF the vital
doctrines of the reformation. A large portion of
this church, seems to be making rapid strides to-
wards the church of Rome, and is adopting some OF
its most objectionable doctrines. Another portion
adhere firmly TO the doctrines of the reformation.
As the doctrines of the Tracts tend to increase
clesiastical power in the hands of priests and
Bishops the priests and Bishops generally favor
then, especially in England In the American
Episcopal Church, the Traciarans or Puseyites,
are probably in The minority. Time alone can UNI
fold The consequences of these dssensions.
The slethodisis The high and strong ground
taken by the Northern Methodsts in relation TO the
subject Of Slavery, in demanding that the Bishops
Of Tie church should be free from the sin Of slave
holding, has greatly ncensed the Southern portion
Of The church, and will probably lead to division
into two great bodies, northern and southern
church The subject is now undergoing discus
sion in the various local Conferences preparatory
to decision in National Conference. All honor,
say we, to the noble and Christian stand Of the |
northern NIethodsts ioi
The Baptis,s- Slavery, is too, the disturbing
cause among the Baptists. 1t maniiests itself
chiefly in operations Of the Baptist Missionary So
c;ety. All the last general association, north
ern men who were strongly tainted with antslnve-
ry feeling, were by southern influence, dropped
fiom the executive Committe Of the Baptist Mis-
sionary Society. This was the Of great dis
satisfaction ut the north, and led to decrease in
the funds of the society But the committee elect
ed, have been far from satisfying the south. In
swer to categorical questions put 10 them by south
ern churches, The committee have said expressly,
that they would not employ a missionary Of the
society. one who should insist upon holding slaves
This has caused serious uneasiness at the south,
while at the north, there many who insist not
only that the missionaries shall not be slave holders,
but that the money OF slavc-holdcs shall not be
ceyed for their support, as il is the price of blood,
II is not easy 10 see how the matter be salts
factorily adjusted
Congregationalisis aud Presbyterians, We class
these two denominations together, as their interests
seem nearly Identical Slavery is, 10 some extent,
disturbing the peace of the Presbyterian church ia
both Of its branches Qhe old and new school) North
ern churches and christians, demand that some &C.
ton be taken upon this exciting topic, and that the
voice OF the church be raised against this crying
evil and monstrous sin, while the South demand
silence upon the subject. A cfiss must or
later come. Congregationalism from its having
national organization, escapes the disturbing in
fiuence OF slavery. ~ rR
Another recent and present cause OF dissension
in these denominations although not confined TO
them, is the course pursued by the American Tract
Society in the alteration, or il is called by some,
"Mutlationr of books. ea.lf .,i .fl sr
The American Tract Society is formed upon
broad and Catholic basis, for the disse mnation of
tracts and books of practical pety, free from de-
unconditional bias. Among IFS officers and patrons,
are Congregationulists, Presbyterans, Epscopa-
lans, Baptists, and Methodists. In pursuance OF
its great plan, IL has published large number of
tracts, and republished many standard religious
works where the aim and object of the author has
been consistent it'll the basis Of the society, such
as Wberlorce' "Praclical View Hannah More
"Pracical Pieiy, Bakers "Saints Rest, &c. Nc,
and scattered them broadcast over the earth =
The committee Of publication in revising these
works, have omitted some passages, and altered
others, whiciexpressed the peculiar sectarOn views
Of the authors, aud offensive to some Of The
denolninatops forming the society, when in their
view il might be done without perverting the nten
ton the author or doing injustice to his great de.
sign. s
Soon ailer the appearance Of D'Aubigpe's History