New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-11

these ten days, covering, az it has, all the
greatest problems at which mankind has
wrestled and tugged always since the
fall, there had not been imperfection.
shallowness of reasoning. unsound logic,
impotence of opposition, uncharitableness,
WEAKNESS, and vanity. These things, what
ever the occasion, we may expect always.
But there have been, on the other band' large
contributions to the sum of human knowledge
and the results of human thought anu what
is more and better, large advance in toler-
ance, cathoicity, charity. The Christian world
draws close together. Differences In uniform ana
armor, in watchwords and counterslgns, are
growing smaller and counting Tor less Inc
larger Interpretation of tho need OF eternal
"yigilancep dawns. 1t is the price not OF ho-
erty alone, but of everything. Christianity
that for nearly nineteen centuries has cano-
pied itself in the security of date line that
recognizes "Our Lord" in reckoning from hrs
birth, finds need of it, and the Christian WOiiu
awakes to sense of its besetments.
Grand encouragement for the sincere seeker
after truth and lover of his kind may De
found in the tone and spirit OF the debates
lust now closing. They illustrate inteiiectua'
progress as well as spiritual life and develop
ment. and what is Of far greater consequence
IN the welfare of humanity, they exhiplC
great stride forward in the tolerance, catno-
licitv and charity through which alone inc
,rboIo worlds way lies out into the light ana
tbo truth. Such an Alliance as this Is an
emergcnce not only from the harIo"nesS VI
sects into the broad effulgence OF world
wide Christianity, but out of all Pharlseelsm
and Pbarisaic tendencies into recognition
of the all-embracing Manhood IN DIVINITY
and the honest reaching out after God" Ill
every human breast. This as 1t seems to us
"a the best lesson of the Worlds Conference
to whose discussions we have Tor the past
week been listening.
The subjects have been well arranged III
their order, and for the most part very aDiy
treated The first days programme consisted
of reports on the present state oil reilSlon III
various parts of ChristendOm, and was
nroner introduction TO the discussions which
followed. christian Union" the general
subject of the papers offered at the
second days session, fifty followed these
reports. laying down the fundamental
principles of the Alliance and the basis
npon which it was formed The Sunday
following was given up to sermons III the city
churches from foreign clergymen. 30 lar
we had sort OF greeting ana manu-
shaking: an "era of good feeling" among
Christians of differing sects and denomina-
tiops who had followed back the lines OF
their divergence to sit at the root of COM
mon Gospel under the spreading boushs
of a universal church. The next day the
Alliance put its best men forward In
series Of papers upon the general topic
"Christianjty and its Antag0nisms," IN which
the most conspicuous forms OF modern skep-
ticism and doubt, metaphysical, materalistic
and rationaistic, were discussed with much
ability and force, their arguments controVerted,
and their essential weakness demonstrated.
Following this broadside upon one wing OF its
opponents, the Conference gave day to dis
cussion of the general topic, the Il" Christian
"Life,n in the course of which President Porter
read an essay on Modern Literature in its
"Relation to Christianity" and the Rev. DR..
Parker of London and the Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher made Characteristic addresses, the
former written production and the latter ex-
temporaneous, on "The Pulpit of the Age"
The next day was devoted to broadside
upon the other wing of the opposition
in the discussion of Professionalism and Ro-
"manism,r in the course of which the
important and significant letter of the
Old Catholics, showing the relation of
that movement to Professionalism on the
one hand and the Church on the other,
was brought out. Thursdays topic was
christianity and Civil Government" the
notable papers being that by President
Woolsey on Constitution and Government
sin the United States as related to Religion"
which was an exhaustive essay upon the sub
ject of the dependence of religion upon the
State in this country, and that by President
Curry of the Richmond University upon "The
"Church and the Nation,n which was so
close and uncompromising an argument
that the Chairman of the meeting cut
short the delivery, upon the ground that,
if prolonged, "it would leave deep and
"abiding wounds Yesterday the topic was
christian Missions" and the discussion is re-
ported in full herewith. To-day the practical
work of the Christian Church is to be discussed
under the head of Christianity and Social
Reforms and some very fresh earnest talk
may be expected upon themes that come home
to the daily life and experience of all of us.
To discriminate among so many topics Of
such universal interest, in the treatment Of
which 80 much learning and scholarship have
been exhibited, is not easy but we apprehend
that the discussion which has been and will
continue to be most widely read and will at
tract most attention, is that of last Monday
upon christianity and Its Antagonisms,n in
the course of which President McCosh deliv-
cred his brilliant address upon the Doctrine of
Development" and Prof. Christlieb his add
mirable treatise upon the "Best Methods of