Smyrna times., 1877-05-30
Religious Conventions,

Two notable religious bodies held their
annual sessions during last week, but with
difference of aim which attracts notice.
The Reformed Episcopalians, meeting in
Phi!adelphia, base their action uDon tbo
expected downfall of the mother church Of
England, which they declare "will be dis.
established before many years." and, as
many OF its members will doubtless then
turn into the Reformed fold, it is thought
eXpedlent to appoint u shepherd for them.
y Bishop for Great Britain and Ireland was
therefore elected, which is according to
secular Judgment most Napoleonic bit of
strategy and a carrying of the war into the
heart of Africa. Whether wise or not is
for the two churches to decide.
Our Methodist brethren, mertingin Balti
more, who seeded from this same mother
sect long ago, and have been ever since
splitting into parties on all kinds of doc.
trlhal and political differences, are now
earnestly endeavoring to bring about a
general truce and to find some common
standing ground Of truth where all the
branches of Methodism can meetand stril.e
hands, and from which they can work
heartily for the cause which seems true to
them. The proceedings of the two conven.
tionS, printed side by side in the mornin-,
papers, offer curious study for observers
OF the queer deilcctions which human ma.
ture takes in pursuing the same object.
This man sincerely believes reform to mean
destruction OF old ranks and rules of belief,
while his neighbor, just as sincere, holds it
10 DC forming again into line, as nearly as
possible on the old ground, and a defer
ence at least to the ancient officials and
passwords.
In the mean while our Quaker friends
or at least that part of them who long ago
placed themselves outside the camp of anv
fixed belief or organization, are holdino a
conference too, but do not trouble them.
selves about their enemies or their doc.
tnnes. Their problem is the old Indian
trouble, which they have worked patiently
SO many years, and we are pretty sure that
they will puzzle it out at last if anv human
being can. The Presbyterian Assembly
met yesterday at Chicago to transact n
years business for the great denomination
which 1T represents. So that it has been a
week OF church conventions.-N Y T,iJ,,ne
Secretary Evarts has been much criti.
cised for continuing his law practice while
holding the office of Secretary of State. II
has been declared that such action is en-.
tirely unprecedented. This, it seems. is
not the case. When Daniel Webster was
Secretary of State he continued his prac.
tlce and won some Of his most celebrated
cases, among them being that of Goodyear.
the inventor of hard rubber. But Webster
was always poor and desperately in debt.
while Evarts is wealthy gentleman
man, able to live in luxury without his
practice, and it certainly would be in
better taste for him not to continue to
practice. On the other hand it must be
admitted that the government paws him
far less than he can make in the line of b;s
profession.
DIR. b. was called to visit lady in Chel.
sea. After continuing his calls for some
weeks, she expressed her fears that IL
would be inconvenient for him to come so
far on her account. "Oh, madam" replied
the doctor, innocently, 81 have another
patient in the neighborhood, and thus I
Kill too birds With one stone I
-
The most intelligent dog known-the
type-setter.