New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-04
REPORT OF REV. EUGENE REICHEL.

| GENTLEMEN OF THE EVANGELICAL ALI
| ASCE AND BRETHREN BELOVED IN THE LORD JESUS
CHEST: Called upon to address briefly in reference
to the present religious condition OF swift rland feel
sensbly how difficult 1t IL TO portray cOempOraneous
pcrplexity materially increased by the crisis which
present exists Swiss churches, and which has not
| have in Switzerland two powerful forces in
| opposition Evangelical Church. On the
| hand Is the Church Of Rome, winch, among our
| Alps elsewhere, ia making pTodiglous efforts
foist her despotic dogmas upon all cantons-a
opposeds well hold in proper subsection those OF
her children who continue faithful to her communion
while out and out repudating the dogma OF infalbhity
OF this latter NUMBER Ii the Old Catholic party which
has become power indeed under the IMPULSE given it
Hyacinth Loyson. An auspciOus future venture to
provided its members allow themselves TO be swayed
more fully by spirit OF this leader and remain
the alert against enlargement IN false alliance with
ON the other hand we have TO contend with rank
lnfdeiity-a second mighty source OF cyl IA swlzer
land. Ii is not thing OF yesterday. For long tme
already deporabe unbecf has led captive the masses
on 1nS @ e v1ax et baGes a6d wo
pleasure This state Of things In measures parayzes
Inc efforts OF the servants of jesus On every side inf
deity IL become rampant and much more aggressive
than former years. Better organized than once, and
finding an efficient support both in the indifference Of the
people ana the cuuntenance Afforded by Government
this nsidous foe, closing up lts ranks, Is not slow 10
asslr thr truth The first great repulsed
The lectures delivered by Prof. Buisson. In all the
French cantOns revived IN measure the dying attach
ment of the people the faith OF their ancestors The
enemies of the Church OF Christ then changed their
ties Strong in the patronage OF the Government they
aimed 10 imulant within the bosom Of the national
church the seeds of a sodisant Liberal Christianity"
aud very persistent still are their 'HJrs 10 uhdermne
and destroy her influence by the passage OF unjust and
iuIauitous ecclesiastical laws
But brethren beloved, the friends Of Christs
have NOT lost courage on stand ready.
II necessary, to establish They have followed the
example Of the enemy and are In turn the aggressors
They have marshaled their strength aud organized
Their forces The Evangelical National UnOn,"
their association is called has arisen out or the very
midst of these complicated dangers Each canton has
It's ~
under one common confederation. Thls general Union
is fully on guard" aud II both prayerful and active
IL IL preparing the elements OF regenerated condition
OF things, and should the State Church be forced TO
succumb before the power oil me tempest sch an eGee
sasca revelation will not put an end 70 the people OF
God in switzerland; the Church OF the living God VIII
only emerge out OF ner trial ia puIer anu more glorious
With heartfelt satisfaction we are able to DECLARE at
th. time that the great ideas of the Evangelical Alliance
are making decided progress amid the crisis that now
agtates tile land. The partition walls which human
ignorance and blgotry have set up are III iar way VI
being pulled down. A common danger has caused
ancient rvaries forgotten. and all the children OF
their creed NAV present-feel themselves increasingly
drawn by the sole ties OF mutual love ana mutual
thauktuiness toward Hum who died Tor us all
similar condition OF things prevails in German
Switzerland, brief report OF which Gahtons anu aiso
charged 10 present TO TINS meetng III ts P0r'on pa
country religious f questions d92 on are every sde
in Tue bosom OF our families. on oar very
streets topics agtated which were once deeueltno
exclusive gatiye pupits and church papers IN
every direction confused shouts are heard or He od
Catholic! He Uitramontane WINE Oud above ah i
the cry, HE Reform! He Orthodoxy y When'
however we eagerly draw near 10 Inquire into he spirit
of the Reform" discover az once inst an ~ lalAc
Is but the fl disguise OF deadly Hostility 20 tne
Gospel and its ralyng watchword only re'esatlo o.
the ancient enmty to Christ SO expressVely SCI oitn ~
the language Of the parable, we VIII nor h'e tl3
the lower classes. of the public press VI the legislature
and am sorry to be Obliged to add even ot Inc pup
Rnt here also in German Switzerland, we find a de-
ced reaction in form OF earnest resoute strV
ing for the name OF the Lord Jesus Inc ltiehus Vi
the Kingdom OF God are stirring MOd that they WIZ
more energetic and united We find an ORTHODOX party
and a marty OF Mediation" as II Is termed, WHICH
stands the former and nfdehty Tnis party OI
Na,t"n derives some Justification for its existence
from the narrow minded spirit of the nrst hehoneu'
yet we cannot but deplore the DIVISION HnyI !. pl
Union similar 10 that In French switzerand oeslue
other truly Christian associations. May the LoIu
speedily unite his people INTO eiO'cs' oon"S VI io
Thank God we can discern bright flush OF red in this
respect upon the horizon az .ne m or brethren
will show For more than 20 years Dahu OF pleenieu
from among the 1000 that have not bowed heI Knees "
Baa has met annually every spring 10 onr va ne r
po.e OF mutual edfcaOn aud furtherance OF the "oIk
| Of the Lord -. .A,. poAor co,,erepre oradn.
slIy ,,ray tn he a mower the land The question or
such occasons IA not Do you belong 10 tine Nhoha OF
to the Free Church Are you baPs S, VI ma 49, lin
but, !" DO you love tno Luz" '
| domi -, ma, 1,,,oro,oo haan an
FvsneeIicni Alliance without such distinctive ute pc
frs t5e world. perhaps without even being personally
conscious OF the fact lt was only last epflng tna' '
body assumed the actual sppelaion' anu y% =.
missions ia delegates 10 convey heaiIeit sIeeunh
from little Benjamin TO his mother anu 70 his n1Jt
brethren here assembled but must enuea'o, 70
make these good wishes lnlelhsole !. eh. ahHuaho
spoken by the majority Of tins respecteu auuleuCe.
Brethren allow me 70 present 10 Eoutne os' Vri
love Of the several branches OF the EVlgeical Ahbee
In sWitzaraud whose representative am having beel
requested by the Associations OF Nlu0uasc t'",
and German Switzerland " appear as be ueieE@te On