New-York tribune., 1868-04-24
ODIUN THEOLOGICUM.

Redemption in FOurteenth-st. would have Gre
ated wonder of nine days duration but the
public has become so accustomed TO the once
scandalous spectacle of ecclesiastical teuds that
it now hears of riots, to the great dlscredlt OF
the church, at the very rails of the altar, with
perfect equanmity. 1t was not astonlshed
when the Rev. Mr.. Tying, standing with no
excess of humility to receive the Episcopal
admonition, received also something like
round of applause from sympathzing sheep
upon the secular benches. 1t is neither sur
prised that there should be hot and heavy
war between Rector Scott and Warden Welch-
man, nor that the votaries OF the Warden
should seize the church edifice, should lay in
stock of provisions, and thus prepare Tor a
barring-outn analogous to that sometimes
resorted to by English school-boys. Ihe APP
pearance upon the scene OF police captain
and dozen of his patrolmen was
followed by that of an army OF
three hundred lambs of the flock, ready to lay
siege to the Fortress of the Redemption, ana
to storm it should opportunity offer. Here
indeed, is a very pretty quarrel, which, In the
Middle Ages, might have led to long and
sanguinary war, but which, in these more
lawsuit, without any end at all. If that
angel who has been, by way OF Illustration,
supposed to descend for the purpose OF she'd
ding tears over the foolish distractions OF man
kind had arrived in Fourteenth-st. last Monday
morning, had found three hundred Chris
tians intent upon breaking into the church,
and smaller number, with nine points of the
law in their favor, equally intent upon keeping
the holy place against all corners, while twelve
policemen, by the magic OF their buttons ana
their batOns alone repressed the storm, Is
it not probable that the angel would have
stepped around the corner and used his pocket
handkerchief in an irrepressible burst or
grief or Indignation But we beg leave to
remind those who have an immediate interest
in the credit and prosperity of the church,
that there are many mOrtals of cynical rather
than seraphc natures who will be much more
likely to laugh than to cry at the desperate
earnestness of these fraternal Efeuds, and who
WILL it ma" be, quote the divine injunction 10
give mp the cloak even though the coat should
be taken away (Matthew ". 4O). For our own
part, considering churches as in some sort fam
lies, we cannot but remind these combatants
of the old proyerb which afiirms the proprlety
of washing ones dirty linen at home We ex-
pect the unregenerate and the ungodly to re-
sort to carnal weapons, to break the peace
and each others heads, and to be duly locked
up therefor in the On-hOuse, with the
prospect OF fine or an admOnltl0n IN the
morning; but considering that the leading
doctrine of Christianity is the duty OF cheer
fully forgiving injuries and of patiently de-
clining to resist evil, it Is. we must con-
fess, a trife depressing to find these quarrels,
which have become so common in the best
regulated churches, incapable of other adjust
ment than that which may be enforced by the
profane and Indifferent hands of the officers of
the law. Ii seems to us something like sac
rilege, by brawling and other TiotOus behavior,
thus to invite the attention and the criticism
of the secular public. and thus to make these
most unfortunate differences between professed
brethren the common theme of the streets and
the newspapers. If the members of "a church
cannot "be knit together in love-" there is no
reason why they should proclaim their misun
derstandings and advertise their hatreds; and
if anything so obviously worldly as a resort to
physical battle is absolutely necessary, we think
that an edifice cOnsecrated to love and frater-
nifty is hardly the proper circus for the combat.
1t is the complaint of those who most strictly
adhere To the ancient doctrines of the church
that the age and society are tending to latitu
dinaran opinions, and that there is a wide
spread inclination to revolt mt all forms of the
illogical authority whatever; but men who love
peace and have little liking for endless cOntro
versy will not seek for a religious standpoint
within an organization which is at war with
itself and discusses trtes with fervid enthu
siasm which graver matters OF the law can
hardly excite. Sectarianism is trlte and not
very logical argument against Christianity, but
faction among sects claiming an identical name
and faith is a more serious as it is very
different matter If no church can attain unity
and maintain harmony, is it strange that men
will be asking the value of church at all :
We beg that it may be understood that we
offer these suggestions, as the intelligent reader
will perceive, in the interest of neither party,
and that we would fain consider these painful
events from n purely secular point of view,
and simply as they concern the peace and we'll
being of society. There has been time, in
the history of the world, when the feuds of
Christianity brought desolation and wo upon
distracted States, changed the policy and the
position of nations, and overwhelmed whole
populations, indifferent to the quarrels, in a
common doom of bloodshed and starvation and
exile. Such results from the folly of the head
or the fierce ffailty of the heart, we have no
longel-at least in this favored land-reasOn to
anticipate; but in commonwealth like ours,
in which every member has direct interest in
the moral and intellectual health of his com
patriots, it is infinitely to be desired that in
sincerity should infect no considerable or inn
portant organization, and that high profession