Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-10-27
2Relisio,ts Department.
THE EVANGELICAL ALL
ANCE.

ance in this City is merely a new ex-
preston of that great longing for unity |
which now pervades the Protestant
Church of the world. The weak point
of Professionalism has always been its
division into rival and Earring sects.
Against skeptical Rationalism on the
one side and Romanism on the other,
attacking it with every weapon. it pre-
sented broken and disordered front.
Its very vitality and individuality weak
ened its unity. Each little body within
it claimed its own independent right of
free thought, and with that came too
often jealousy and hostility toward bod
les of differing opinions. The sectar-
ism of the Protestant Church has been
its scandal and shame.
Within the past few years, however,
there has grown up throughout the
Christian world religious impulse,
corresponding to the political passion
for unity. 1t has been more strongly
felt that the great cardinal principles of
Protestantism-its right of Independent
judgment, its free Bible and free educa-
ton, its dependence on spiritual forces
rather than on ceremonials, its purely
theological beliefs and religious exper-
ience-ought to constitute a basis of
union quite as firm as the tradition Of
Church, or the attractions of outward
and aesthetic rites.
Accordingly, all protestant sects have
been approaching one another, both in
practice and opinion, and the old lines
of separation have tended continually
to disappear. The forces of Christendom
have been concentrating, as if for
mighty attack or firm resistance The
time has indeed come for the union of
Protestant Christendom The Church
of Rome, in losing its temporal power,
has only gained in moral power in all
countries outside of Italy. In France a
reaction has set in for the Roman Ca
tholic religion, more powerful than any
religious movement in that country for a
century. It's vitality lies in the dread
of all thoughtful persons of the utter
atheism of communism. The French
bourgeolise and peasantry would prefer
the utmost priestcraft a thousand times
to communistic society, hating the
idea both Of property on earth and Of
God above. Rather than world given
up to its vulgar passions and greed,
even the Liberal Catholics would choose
pilgrimages to fictitious saints and mir
acles of Sacred Hearts. Some control,
by powers unseen and eternal" they
see there must be over the masses, OF
society itself will dissolve into fragments
The Roman Catholic Church is max
ing also an effort In this country, more
vigorous and more skilful than any
which have marked the modern days o.
the Church, to regain its old power anc
supremacy on new field. 1t strike
at the foundation of Professionalism ii
this country-our free schools-ant
seeks to place the education of the ignor
ant masses under the control of tn,
priests. 1t is vitality necessary tina
: there should be, without delay, a fir
: and cordial union of Protestant Chrlsten
: dom. But, more than this, skeptica
9 rationalism has marshaled its force
= against religion, and throughout Europ
i believes that the defeat of Christianit
" is nearly comsummated, and that ne
u kingdom of science and atheistica1 phi
g. osophy has begun, under which religio
/ shall vanish as have disappeared tt
le myths of the middle ages. This attac
P is the more dangerous in that it is mao
ID by some of the foremost intellects an
ne purest characters of the modern worlt
The skepticism does not resemble tt
he profigate infdelity of the English ath
a. lists of the last century, or the indifere1
10 unbelief and bitter hatred of the Freno
o. encyclopedias, nor is it accompanied,
is in the eighteenth century, by vlcio,
he lives, fippant persit 7age, and ignoh
II. characters. The atheists of the min
70. teenth century are among its nc
No solemn and earnest thinkers, its pure
,at philanthropists, its most generous al
~. devoted moralists. For this very reas
e.. the attack is the more inslduous a
err. the more perilous. To meet it uni
be in the Protestant Church is needed, a
RS. something even more than unity. The
should be all the best armor of scier
as well as faith; clear and we'll train
ny brains; the most simple love of tru
ay for truth'st sake; a discipline in
lite habits of scientific reasoning; thorou
Inc culture in modern thought and mode
a'o investigation, and the faculty of me
1he ing argument by argument, and no
Ice courage of convictions.
mp To prepare for this great defense v
OUT be one great object of the Alliant
BUS and we rejoice that such able minds
re- to join in the discussions on the day
apart for s'thc relations of science a
stir religion. ~. 7. Times.
w COP MAKES No MIsTAKEs.-In te
'u in Massachusetts, there lives vol
'uu man of fine talents for active life. ,