Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-08-03

THE NEW RELIGION.

The circle Of takers about "a new Church, ,,
Anex Religion" continues to widen, and is
,.Itsd of good deal outside Of the Unitarian
church. The main point of dispute is, as to
hat the Rev. Dr. Bellows, the broacher of
the new theory, really does advocate in this
connection 1t was before the Divinity School
:, Cambridge on the 10Th of last month. that
the reverend gentleman delivered the address
which has been seized upon as an evidence of
his desire to be the founder of the new institu-
tiop.-s Church which some speak of as ssCath-
oI;e. - and others as 1.-THE Broad Church. ,,
Vow, in order to ascertain what is what, let us
quote from q said-to-be accurate sketch of that
address as we find it in the Boston Daily Ad.
yertiser: --------- ---'
.. After this review Of the present symptoms
If tie life Of the time, which he had pro-
nouuced not irrefgious, but eminently unre-
ligiOus, the Rev. gentleman closed by indi-
eating the direction in which the want, uni
,ersaiIy felt, was to be supplied. This was by
the recognition Of the Church as the legitimate
and only complete religious instructor Of So
eiety Granting that God can and does COM
mune with separate hearts, still he claims that
..tbe Word of God" 1.-The Holy Spirit. couId
sneak to '.the Church" alone. No prophecy
could be Of private Interpretation, and to seps-
rate individual men 1t was impossible that the
whole Of Gods will for men could be unfolded
Dwelling earnestly on this idea, be asked not
for victory for the Old, Catholic Church, but
> for development Of the New Catholic Church,
which should indeed inform modern ciyiliza-
ton with its religious life. The work of the
Church, he said, is so to speak to the world in
the orotund Of the great historic incidents; so
10 preach by emphasizing the commemorative
days and Illuminating the holy symbols, and
plusing on the successive events which made
the doctrines of Christianity as gradually to
thunder into the deaf ear of humanity the
saving lesson of the Gospel No lecture.room
can do this; no preaching man can do this; no
thin ghoStly individualism or congregational
ism can do this. II calls for the organic, in
.tituted ritualized impersonsl, steady. patient
work Of the Church-which, taking infancy
into its arms, shall baptiIe it, not as a family
custom, but a church sacrament. which shall
speak to the growing children by imaginative
symbols and holy festivals; and not by Sunday
school lessons and strawberry feasts: which
shall confirm them and take them into the
more immediate bosom of the Church, as they
attain adult years and are about to step be-
y"nd the threshold OF domestic life, which shall
make marriage and burial both rites of the i'm
mediate altar, and give back to the Communi-
On service the mystic sanctity which two CEN
tuTles have been successfully striving to dlspel
Without gaining by its extinction. A new Cath
0hc Church-a church in which the need ed but
painful experiences of Professionalism shall have
taught US how to maintain digni6ed symbol
ie and mystic church organization without the
aid Of the state or the authority of the Pope
their support being now supplied by the dia-
mSTOus wants of our starved imaginatiops and
oppressed devotional instincts; this is the de-
nand OF the weary, unchurched humanity of
Cur era. How to remove the various obstacles.
how 10 lnaugurate the various steps TO it. is
E1ehnoiy more than any mans wisdom is ade-
qaate 10 direct Just now. But to articulate or
even try to articulate, the dumb wants of the
religious times, is, at least, one step to it. IL is
cry Tor help which God will hear and will
snsWer by some new word from the Holy Ghost
"nen humanity Is able and willing to hear it."
Now, if we understand the language and po-
sition Of Rev. DIR. Bellows, as herein set forth.
he does not propose to inaugurste any new sys-
ten at all.-but simply to restore the old In
other words, he simply proposes to abandon
Iniarianism for Episcopacy. He certainly
occupies the position Of a very High Church.
msn'-snd man 1t would be impossible for q Bishop
Mloerforce, or Bishop Whittingham or q
Bi'hop DosIe, even, were he alive, to enunci.
Ne, In stronger or more perspicuous terms,
uhat are called the distinctive doctrines of
the Church, than the pastor of All Souls here
enunclates them. Oxford itself, and Burling-
ton, may thus rejoice at the prospective recla-
nation, or conversion of the distinguished pa,-
tor Of All Souls; but even before the news has
ume to reach Oxford, a respectable Puseyite
eotemPorary here, The Churchman," we see
Is mus rejoicing over the accession of 30 briIi-
ant an intellect to the one Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church without the Pope.)
From the Church hman.l
This address Of DIR. Bellows, minister of the
nltaTlsn denomination, contains the irnper-
ieet utterances OF q man struggling for light
Ior some reality in religion-f6r substantial
Laltn-a resi- church. II is the lamentation of
plrlt weary Of the vagueness, shallowness
anu total lnsuficiency Of - popular religion -
ID al us various gradations to satisfy the soul.
he slghs Tor church which is suited 10 the
antS OF man; which shall watch over him
rom Ills cradle to the grave, guidiuy. direct
ng teaching him all his life long. ne wishes
ehlIdren to be baptised, not as 0famiIy ems.
tom, but as Church Sacramento he would
employ sacred symbols and church festivals:
He would also have children confirmed: he
"ouia sS0l make maTr age and burial both rites Of
ne immediate Altar, >" s.and give back to the
mmanion Service that mystic ssnct;,v vb;.b
o centuries have been successfully striving
usPel. He desires a dignifed symbolic.
i .u mystic organization, without the aid of
, ms ctate or the authority Of the Pope" What
ures does be propose by which to accom-
Plisn all this, He would erect {" new Cath
oile Church,'' But this ia i'm possible. Mar
an No more make church than he can make
go 70 supersede the blessed Saviour.
'I pTIhe Body is necessary to attain the ends he
IonL. and he may find such a body without
9Aing lar, II he seeks il with an humble
nLnd desIrous Of knowing the truth Let him
4aine the prayer book Of the church; there
no viii ma truly Catholic system, depend
sn' neither upon the State nor the Pope: and
-. .v,,an n,m sslt some church where that Catholic
.{stem Is fully carried out, and he will attain
.ae consummAtion Of all his hopes without en-
,snng upon the wild project of foundinz a
new Catholic Church" -
Inc Episcopalians thus having laid claim
" 'he Doctor, it remains to be seen whether
,he claim is to be recognized or repudiated on
MS part Rev. DR. Osgood and Rev. Mr.. Fro
hungham, distinguished Unitarian c c'srgymen
nhom some Of the journals had unaivisedIy
ttnfust On the new Broad Church, platform.
nave been at the pains, over their own names
SET themselves right, and to deny any com
ELlcity In the enterprise Of organizing a new
Sathoiie Church, or anything like il. Asths
matter now stands, then, we are bound to con
eluie that nobody would seem TO be respon-
.toie Tor the sayings Of Rev. DIR. Bellows but
tae rev; Dr. Bellows himself, and inasmu uch ss
us cambridge discourse uouid saap, 70 H.. a.