The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-11
RelIsIous Drlft and discussion.

Religious Drlft aud Discussion.
The following resolution was offered d
a recent meeting Of the London Presby
terry: THAT the Presbytery instruct dea.
cons and managers having recourse to ba,
zaars absolutely to prohibit lotteries and
kindred games Of chance" DR.. Donald
Fraser, one OF the members, regarded this
as an arbitrary motion. "Ithad got abroad, /"
he said, "that the Presbyterians were a
dictatorial body, who raped peoples
knuckles atevery opportunity; and II they
issued such an ukase as was contained In
the motion, It would bring upon them a
Lotto unnecessary odum." The DEGREES
against dancing in the United States had
caused infinite trouble in church courts.
After a long discussion the motion was
withdrawn and an amendment carried by
eleven votes to eight, urging ministers and
sessions to discourage bazaar lotteries.
Nothing recent in the way of religious
advertising is more novel than the an.
nouncemcnt lately made in IN English
newspaper by gentleman OF Hammer.
smith, whostylcs himself "The Command.
er-in.Chief Of the Salvation Army" II
runs in this wise:
"The Seventeenth IIammesmith Corps
VIII take up arms against the DEVILS
Kingdom on Sunday next; firing to com.
mence in the Broadway at 10 O'Clock.
Every member to muster In the Broad way
at six for general attack upon the Enemy's
Kingdom, Captain W. Bould, in presence
Of the Commander-in'Ch Chief, will deliver
his charge to the members Of tho corps,
and explain the many advantages offered
to those who will volunteer 10 Join the
army"
Canon Rylc, of the Anglican Church,
makes the following points in reply to an
article printed in the London Times upon
"Thc Decay of Eangelicism:"
81. The distinctive doctrines of evan.
gelicism are preach in five times us many
churches in England and Wales as tbey
were fifty years ago. 2. Ten times as
many pulpits in large towns are occupied
by clergymen who are thoroughly evan.
gelical US there were fifty years ago. q
Those religious societies which are mainly
supported by evangelical churchmen are
the largest, wealthiest and most powerful
of the day, and twice as strong as thew
were NIFTY years ago: 4. Large associations
OF clergymen and laymen Of evangelical
opinions hold annual conferences ali over
England with annually increasing mum.
bers and success"
The Times article referred 10 contained
the following paragraph:
ITO men Of the present generation, in.
deed, the old Evangelical party Of the
Church OF England, once SO powerful and
triumphant, must wear somewhat Of the
aspect Of one OF those seaports Of ancient
fame from which the sea, with all Tia
storms and currents, all its busy burden
OF life and turmoil and contest, has long
since ebbed away. It's Wondering build.
ings and torsakGn quays still attest Tia
former importance and its lost place in the
world; but the life and commerce OF
modern times now sweep past it 10 new
Ravens, and 1t remains goodIv but de.
caying monument of past activity and for
gotten warfare"
Rev. DR.. Adams Of Fall River, cl,erishes
a deep sense ofthe specifically Of the re-
ligion which is tho mere outgrowth OF re.
vival excitement, and warmly expresses
himself on the subject in the Congreqa.
ttondlia. "The modern evangelist" SAYS
he, sis a product of an nnscriptural, de-
generate type Of religious and church
life; and his work tends ultimately to
greater degeneracy. Said wise and kind
pastor of large experience: THE apparent.
ly good results OF an cvangelists work are
immediate, and are therefore credited to
him; slowerin coming, and therefore not
credited to the evangelist, are the evils
and mischiefs which are permanent and
often remediless.' Among such evils NAV
be rcckoned type Of piety spasmodic, un.
faithful, ungenuine. From torpors men
rally for few weeks, to relapse into
torpors again by and by, and they call
1t Christianity. The appointed means for
propagating the gospel-the ordinary
means-&re disesteemed and neglected. II
is easier once in few years TO get an
evangelist 10 do the work which men
ought themselves to be constantly doing
for their own salvation, their Christian
self.respect, their growth, their real par.
ticipation with the Master. No eyangel
iat can make good such negleGts. The re,
suits OF his few weeks Of strainlng on,
deavor, and Of their unnatural zeal, arc
very different from the results OF worthy
Christian life. The ground that is moi
regularly titled grows up 10 weeds; some
Of them weeds OF sin; some Of then
weeds oil religious ianRti0ism, the seeds O
which were sown in the time when Tho
special movements were made"
The queer resolution passed at recen
Old Catholic synod that a priest proposing
to marry should submit his choice to thu
approval Of his congregation and III,
bishop, affords Father Irenpus, OF the Oh
serrT, the text for short discourse OF
pastors wives. He evidently thinks tina
tile poor priests on matrimony intent, will
have a had road to travel, and bring
his application home in this wise: But i
Is one of the peculiaritics of our churCl
lifo, especially in the rural village or dis
triCt, that tho young wife Of the pastor i
claimed as q part Of the church property
TO be talked about, criticised, instructed
sat upon, dissected and pulled 10 pieces, a
the sweet will OF the congregation. Whel
the pastor has brought 10 his peopl
la vile whom God has endowed will
Gifts IN be n wise and useHul Iaojo