The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-27
RELIeIous DRIFT.


The Wyoming conference cannot be charg-
ed with laxity Of political morals. 1t
has passed a resolution unanimously ex.
pressing It's hopes that William q. KEN.
BILE and his coniedsrates, convicted Of cor
ruption and bribery Of the Pennsylvania
Legislature, may be brought to speedy
punishment and that their great crime be
not condoned." 1t will be seen by dis
patch in this issue Of the ISTELIldEScERI
that Kemble & Go. received their senten.
ces Yesterday. We congratulate the
brethren OF Wyoming on the fact.
TnE Rev. H. W. Miller, Of Richmond,
Va, in an article published before Easter,
laid down these propositions for the BEN
eft Of his parishioners: 1.-THE man who
does not receive the holy Communion at
Eastertids (l) dishonors Jesus Christ, (9
breaks the law Of the Church, (S) fotfeitS
the name Of Christian, ~ staryeS his own
soul, (5) brings himself into danger oil
dampation." He also warned hisparish-
toners to beware Of dissent. He said;
"The Church Of England, in her Book oil
Common Prayer, teaches that there are
two sacraments 'generally'-that is, uni
yersally-'necesSary to salvation, Bap.
tism and the Lords Supper, or the Blessed
sacrament Of Christ's Body and Blood.
We must affirm, therefore, II we are
Church OF England people, that without
these two great sacraments where they
may be had) there is no salvation"
TUE Baptia Weekly anticipates the
building of cheap churches, as one OF the
results Of the passage of a bill taxing
church edifiCes:
"Some will even think 1t good thing.
That many churches have been built
under the inspiration Of pride and vain
glory Is perhaps not to be disputed, but
that cheap churches are TO be generally
desired Is not apparent. The beauty Of
our cities and villages Is greatly owing To
their houses Of worship, and il, in place OF
such buildings as have heretofore been
erected, we have to consider how to build
a house which shall be as lightly affected
as possible by taxation, we shall have
brick and wood structures, with as little
outward and inward adornment as posi-
BILE. and architectural beauty will be as
CONSEQUENTLY absent as In common FAC
tories. With taxation churches will be
loath 10 accept gifts OF church property.
Such present as that OF our church at
| Yonkers would be calamity to most con-
erecations. In one OF the Hudson river
Villages there Is an Episcopal church,
which gentleman, lately dead, erected
at q cost OF 100000, The congregation
can scarcely raise thousand dollars q
year for the pastor, and taxation would
undoubtedly deprive the people OF the
church editice 80 munihcently given.
This is not rare instance Of what must
occur with taxation"
Tnn Christian Evidence Society, Of Lon.
don, recently held conference on Rea-
sonable and Unreasonable scepticism, at
which the Dean of Canterbury, who pre-.
sided, remarking that reasonable scepti-
cism aimed at discovering the truth, while
unreasonable scepticism endeavored to
throw doubt and uncertainty over every
thing. DR.. Donald Frazer said, in an adj
dress that was heard with deep interest,
that fringe Of doubt chad always existed
around the believing, adoring church, and
its existence had been beneficial, for it
had led believers TO make sure that they
were worshipping the risen Lord" His
torical facts and moral truths must, from
their very nature, be subjects Of doubt.
Formerly people seemed to be all Of the
same mind because they dared not ex-
press their doubts: but the plague Of the
present day was the staggering Of the
Ssdducees. They should distinguish be-
tween the human framework Of the Bible
and the Divine Spirit which animated It.
He would have them, too, get rid Of moral
horrors and moral absurdities in their
theology, and not seek to justify in God
what they condemned in man. Atten-
ton to perspective and proportion in the
study Of the Bible was also urged.
THR Presbyterians Of the country meet
in general assembly at Madison, Wis,
May 20. This is always an important
meeting, attended by over 500 delegates
or commissioners" from all parts Of the
land, and its sittings occupy the greater
part OF two weeks. One OF the questions
Of discussion is likely to be how to de.
crease in future the unwieldly size Of the
assembly which the present system OF
representation brings yearly together. A
committee appointed by the last assembly
to revise the book OF government and dis.
cipline will probably offer q report. This
book was compiled more than hundred
years ago, and has some incongruities
and antiquities in It which need to be
changed. 1t is possible that some more
radical alteration than this will be made.
The Jesuits lately ostracized by law in
France have cunningly discounted some OF
the immediate effects OF the crisis. The
closing Of their establishments and the in
terdiction OF their association will be fol-
lowed by quiet emigration Of the obnox.
ious ecclesiastics who are said to have
made all their arrangements some time
ago, with view to this eventuality, as al.
though they may contest the validity OF
these laws, they do not underyalue Il cir
power. Most Of their educational houses
have been sold to Catholic banking com.
pany, which was formed for the purpose
about IS months ago, and which is said to |
have made operations to the value Of 40 |
millions Of francs.
The centennial Of Robert Raikes, found.
er Of the Sunday School, which will be
observed May 9th, at the Madison Squire
Presbyterian Church, New York, is to be
celebrated with much more important
aud extensive services in England than in
this country. An international conven-
ton, TO which number OF delegates from
the United States have already been ap-
4 IL y tf