The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-25
RELIeloUs DnIrT AND DISCUSSION,

RELIGIOUS DRIFT AND DISCUSSION.
DEAN STANLEY was lately worshiper at
Father Hyacinthe's Old Catholic Church
in Paris He did not assist as clergy.
man.
The Mennonites are about 10 establish
mission among the Indians in the island
Of KODIAK, six hundred miles west Of
sitka, Alaska.
The Roman Catholic clergy Of the dis
trict Of Montreal are said to have petition.
ed the Pope to remove Bishop Fabre, on
account Of his rules against smoking and
other social customs.
A PROMINENT Scotch divine condemns
tendency to return, in the arrangement
and construction OF churches and furnI.
ture, to the old pOpish idea" He favors
the Grecian style Of architecture, and
would leave tie Gothic 10 the Catholics.
THR Rev. Mr. Alcott, whose name has
lately been stricken from the roll OF the
Presbytery ofWorcester, Mass, for hold
ing the doctrine OF an unlimited atone
ment, has received q call to q Cumberland
Presbyterian church, which has been
formed al Fredericksburg, Ohio, and is
composed Of a number OF the members Of
his former church.
THE Rev. Chauncey Giles, aSw edenbor.
gian, was denied the use OF the Young
Mems Christian Association room in Phila-
delphia the other day. Thereupon the
Rev. DR.. E. l.. Magoon, the pastor OF a
Baptist church in Philadelphia, wrote TO
Mr.. Giles: "SEy dear fellow.sinner; II
you wish, my pulpit is at your command
for next Sunday night, to teach any truths
you honestly believe.
Yours fraternalIy,
+. L. MACON"
recent article in the Atlantic Month.
~ Professor Goodwin Smith says:
az collapse Of religious belief Of the
most complete and tremendous kind is APP
parently now at hand. Not
supernatural religion alone but the exist.
ence Of Deity itself has for many minds,
and those the minds Of good, able and
nightly instructed men, ceased to be an
object OF distinct belief, II It has not be.
come an object Of distinct disbelief. : .
With the belief in the Deity perishes
that in the Immortality Of the soul, which,
apart from animistiC supersLitions and
special fancies about the other world, is a
belief in the connection OF the human
soul with the Eternal. Nothing apparent.
ly is left but the secular consequences OF
conduct, human law, which the strong
may make or unmake, and reputation,
which success, even criminal success, may
to q great extent command
There is perhaps an increase OF church
building and Church.going, but the crust
OF outward piety is hollow and growing
follower every day."
THEODORE CUYLER writes in sOmber
strain in the Erungelis on the general de-
cline Of church.going. Any one who re-
calls the moral condition OF New York
city forty years ago, he says, will remem-
Der that at that time fully one-balf OF the
population attended some Protestant house
OF worship. Now the highest claim made
by the city tract society is that $4,000 are
regular or occasional worshipers in Pro.
testant churches and chapels, in popula-
ton OF over one million. In the rural
districts Of New England "there Is mark
ed decline in the number who attend ha.
bitually on the teaching Of the Word"
The latest spiritual statistics Of Cincinnati,
Chicago and st. Louis show even a more
uniavorable outlook OF evangelical relig.
ion Brooklyn is styled "The City OF
Churches" hut Church.going is on the
decline. The crowds that may be drawn
to two or three places OF worship by the
peculiar style Of attractions, do not inval-
idate the truth Of this statement. A few
days ago friend remarked TO me, "On
this whole block OF browD,stone houses
not more than one-half Of the people reg.
ularly go to church." What then must be
said for those occupied by the more i'll.
dressed and ill-taught classes? When
three or four Christian ministers come to.
gether in almost any locality and begin to
compare notes, they soon discovers most
painful coincidence in their reports. Each
one Is forced 10 acknowledge that the
tides which set in against the breakwater
OF divine truth are increasingly strong
and that some OF the temporary make
shifts which have been often employed to
resist these tides are about worthless. Not
one OF these ministers may have any the
less faith in the word Of God, the gospel
OF Calvary, or the ultimate triumphs OF
the cross. But he cannot shut his eyes to
present and patent facts.
THE pastors Of all the English speaking
congregations in Paris, had meeting re-
Gently at the home OF Rev. Or. Hitchcock,
Of the American chapel, and formed sort
OF alliance for the promotion Of mission.
airy work in the gay and wicked city. Rev.
Dr. Porter, writing to the New York on
serrcr on the subject, says: at is impossi.
BILE for me to convey 10 American readers
any adequate idea OF the amazing change
in religious affairs that is going on daily
among the people, not only in Paris, but
in nearly all the provinces. Whole com.
munes (townships) have asked for evan.
gelical teachers. In some oil the cities
such has been the eagerness OF the multi.
tude to hear the pure Word, that halls
have been thronged before the gas could
be fully lighted. The avenue DIES Capu.
chins, which is, as you know, the Broad.
way oil Paris, has q fine large ball, which
has been used for concerts and infdel per.
lotmanCes OF one sort OF another. Mr..
Gibson has hired it, and now the Gospel
approached there every Sunday night, in
one Of the most fashionable parts Of the
city, The people have come to believe
that Professionalism and republicanism are
twin sisters. Their republican principles
doctrines Of Christian faith. Il does not.