The New York herald., 1872-12-15

Spirit and Spice or Our Religions
Contemporaries.
There is neither much of the one nor the
other in the columns Of our religious contem-
poraries this week. Whatever of spirit there
is is not vivacious nor yet devotional and
whatever of spice there is is neither piauant
nor peppery-except in a few instances, as we
will proceed to demonstrate.
The Christian Union comes to the conclusion
that the ''world moves" and therefore it is not
fixed concern in the pulpit of Plymouth
church, Brooklyn. The installation of the
Rev. Mr. Hepworth as pastor of the Church of
the Disciples is the theme for this article ON
mundane progressiveness. "Happy Hep
worth |" CALCULATES the Union s'the bars were
let down for thy feet to enter the green pas
lures and wander by the still waters Hadst
thou gone over the stony paths to ordination
which we shudderingly remember long ere
this the wolves and ravens would have de-
voured thy remains
'Imagine,n continues Mr.. Beecher, 1.-THE Presby.
one chock fun OF the Westminster Assemby's Con
lesion o. Faith and 80 evenly divided against eacn
70 OF Or Nsw ~"
violence OF the clouds. The Old School held to Cal
vnism as 1t developed in Geneva and In Scotland.
The New School held to Calvinism as 1t developed
In New England. John Knox and his school, Jona-
than Edwards and his sch00i Between these tive
the other was aDominabiy wrong. the he, canddats
mad TO make his way. Sometimes for .
ss an With the s
pfnched with yet finer distinctions, lodging ono
arrow brought into the range OF another. There
was spear In front and spear behind, both o.
which he tasted. The scene usually opened gentIys
the existence and attributes OF God were soon 0is
Ss S"s NOT til %s reached shs Ss
crees and the character OF man, his natural in
ability or his moral ability did one see the resl
Through such fire of examination" con-
cludes the editor-orator- preacher Of Plymouth
church, "came we to the liberty of preachingl
1t is with kind of mournful envy that we
see Hepworth riding in chariot drawn by six
denominations, while we fought almost in
blood through six mortal hours to win the
prize. All hail good sense All hail Christian
good sense! All hail the growth of manly in
dependence joined to toleration All hail the
unity Of the spirit in spite of external diver.
sity -
Touching upon the subject of 'sitting
memorial to the late Mr.. Greeley, the Golden
Age gracefully AYERS that
1t was graceful and magnanimous act on the
part OF the HERALD to propose journalistic sub
scripton for the benefit OF Mr.. Greeeys daughters.
When 1t Is remembered that that paper has always
been Mr.. Greeley's opponent and has oftentimes
criticised him and his views with mercesa
severity and wit with all sorts Of weapons, the act
takes on truly beautiful aspect and becomes q
welcome Illustration of the innate generosity OF
human nature and its profound and ineradicable
respect for the sterling integrities OF character
and life devoted to human welfare. The ami
mOSitieS OF politics. the rivaries OF business, the
violations ana nltsernesses Of personal contact
and dashing spray on the wind tossed tide which
hide the clear, calm waters underneath. and seem
storm and reveals depth that is a mirror OS
heaven.
The Age thinks the event of the installation
of the Rev. Mr.. Hepworth, without being re-
quired to make statement Of faith, is Of
more significance than some of its participants
seem to be aware. It indicates not only
step towards a most desirable unity of our
contending sects, but departure from the old
dogmatisms and standards Of faith.
The Liberal Christian (Rev. DR.. Bellows)
wants ga credible and credited theology" and
relates that fortnight ago twenty or thirty OF
the well known ministers of this city were pres
ent on the platform from which Mr. Froude de-
ivered his reply to Father Burke, and during
which the English historian said he would
have no clergymen on the jury of arbitration
to which he proposed to leave the case be-
tween himself and his accusers Of inaccuracy
and Justification of records, s'because clergy.
men are always blind of one eye.' And here
the Liberal Christian Indignantly exclaims:-
Has it come to this that the people have come to
consider the clergy as one-eyed instead of single
eyed as halfblind guides with characteristic
squint OF lncapacity OF sound judgment and candid
consideration OF disputed themes And are the
a. s do but sG oe
naturedly in the laugh that assailS their character
as veracious unprejudiced and candid men, or at
least as much so as lawyers and doctors and mer-
chants Are the teachers OF faith and morals, the
examples OF purity, piety, moral courage, cnarity
publicly rdicued as wanting all judicial qualities
as If 1t were u thing wholly admitted and too well
known to be taken amss !
Referring to the Jewish emigrants from
Roumania, expected here, the Jeaoish Mes.
senger remarks that the Israelites of America,
being practical nen, are disinclined to defer
action until shipload of emigrants shall
actually land at Castle Garden. The Messenges
continues -
When the Roumanians come in bodies OF ten, fifty
or hundred there ought to be an Organiza.
tion already matured, and nobody should be sub
jected to the pain and modification OF vaniy
applying for aid to societies and individuals that
disclaim any connection with the business OF
helping the friendless stranger.
Such an organization, we believe, is already
in process of formation.
The Methodist hopes that the project of
general council of Presbyterians will be car.
ried out. Evangelical Protestantism,' says
the Methodist twill be stronger for such
council. Counting the Continental churches,
the Presbyterian polity is represented by
population of over fifty millions. A few of its