New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-06

quality of American COngregatiOnalsm, and
he has used 1t with magnificent effect 10 tell
the truth, most of Ills know very little about
him. The great reputation of Richard ).
Storrs on this side of the Atlantic hal left no
room in our minds for his cousin But DIR.
Henry NJ. has proved that all the power III the
family has not been concentrated on one
man. Dr. StOrrs spoke for about an hour ana
a quarter, and ION first TO last maintained
the sympathy and excitement OF an immense
audience Much was sad about the Jubilee
Fund which is being raised To strengthen ana
multiply the Congregational churches ana
which already amounts to over P3ZO,OOO. On
another day the New Testament revision was
topics discussed were "COllege Reform " and
Ministerial Training" Several resolutions
relating to political questions were discussed
and, says the correspondent OF me C0R9Tegd-
HORdlist "the tremendous applause which
greeted the accidental mention of Mr.; Glad
stones name, proves Enthusiastically that English
CongregatiOnalists with very few II any eXcep-
tions, are staunch Liberals"
- TIE DANcING QUEsrroN.-The decision of
the PRESBYTERIAN Synod of Erie, Penn, III The
case of Ieber Donaldson, who was expelled
from the church for dancing, was the subject
of some remarks recently by the Rev Or. Her
rick johnson, of Chicago, who was inclined to
disagree with the majority oil the synod. lhe
synod il will be remembered, refused TO enter
tain the az T al, and third appeal was taken IA
the General Assembly. DR.. johnson Thought
that there must be some mistake about the de-
CisiOm. 1t cannot be possible he sald, "that
the Synod or PresbyteTy can have disciplined
any man simply for indulgence in cOtilliOn
II certainly cannot be made condition OF
church membership, and such provision Is not
i'm the bounds of our Church. so far as | know,
anywhere. IF it is in any individual case, and
if such rule Is made III any individual case, II
is withClt the authority of the Church. Dane
iu,r l. "A matter of ulSClDlIup, ana In
Judgment il ought not to be. 1t Is one OF that
class of iudulgenccs that comes under the law
of things Indifferent. 1t * one of those things
which is not right or wrong in itself, but only
the one or the other in connection with sur
rounding circumstances. Therefore, 1t Is
thing which must be left for settlement, as To
its moral bearings, to the individual con-
science. That is the position OF our Church on
this subject. The great law OF our Church III
reference to church membership Is this, namely,
that there are no conditions OF church member
shin which are not likewise conditions essential
to salvation" The Rev. DR.. Thomas, of the
same city, who was recently tried Tor heresy,
touched upon this topic in his sermon last sun
day. In the course OF his remarks he sad
"The teachings OF the Old Testament and the
New throughout, in their letter and spirit, con-
denim the principle that 1t is right or profitable
for any Christian TO 20 to prayer-meetlng one
evening and To "A dancing party the next:
Further on he gave three reasons why, In ms
opiniOn. dancing was wrong. They were: ~
athc two free minglng of the sexes" (2) " the
practice is directly opposed 10 the influence
which every Christian Is expected to exert
and CD "a desire on the part OF Christian Tor
the dance ~ a source OF enjoyment argues
state of spirituality that needs looking after"
FAMOUS LONDON PREACHERS.-SimcOn Gil
bert. the Editor of The 1drance, in the course
of a recent letter to his journal from London,
,,iyrs an interesting description OF some OF the
Nil. l,unNVu pt the .OnIOu preachers.
Suurgcon, hc says, has a magnificent voice,
that makes itself heard from the first word OF
his sermon to the last by everyone OF ms IOOO
hearers Ii is of agreeable quality ana Is ht
for assertion if need be, but equally sympa-
thctic, winning and persuasive His preach,
iug " is Biblical, yet cmnently Scuptural ana
ever tcXtualn He never writes his sermons,
and gives only a short time to special prepara-
non. He is capable of passages OF SURPRISING
L,o1ty and yiVtnCSS of description but he
wastes none OF his resources IN the support OF
mere side shows He has the advantage of a
Grand audience, containing great number OF
admirable men and women, as any stranger
could see 1T "A glance" Ihe deep galleries eX-
teud ali the way around the church, and the
pulpit is thrust far 10 the front IN the midst OF
The congregation. OF his personal appearance,
MIR. Gilbert says: Ills halr Is black. lie uses
no razor but has rather Il light beard. In form
he is not tall, but is thick-sct His face wears
some trace of the physical pain which he en-
durcs. lie breads the winter" Though New
man Hall il ngTegatlUnallst, his church IS
INDEPENDENT For the most part the service of
the Established Church is used. The orSanlza-
ton of the church is Congregational at bottom,
but most of its affairs, however, are managed
hy a board of Elders, about half OF whom are
R,p,i,t. DIR. Gibson, formerly OF Chicago,
WAS found occupying line churCh III one OF
the most desirable parts of the cry. On one
side of his church Is jewish synagogue ana on
the other is Professor lluXlcy'S house. 80"
- AR Gilbert " between the lcaVCn OF the
P6arisccs and that of the SadducecS even IL
live Scotch Canadian American English pas
for has enough to do" Canon farraI sermon,
which Mr. Gilbert heard, was thoroughly good
and admirable in matter style ana manner
DR. .Jo,cph Parker still draws crowds to the
civ Temple, an" those who can endure his
cvress of cgotism speak very warmly OF the
good which, nevertheless, he Is DOING
pror,ssor David Swing, of Chicago, preached
last sunday upon "Thc Worth OF Life In
Lasting his sermon he said: If the grave Is the
end. then the march of man, otherwise made
MIN nviur banners and with rich CapaTlSOn,
and with victories assured for to mOrrOw, be-
comes Il funeral march before we nave Jour
nrycl Car from our childhood home and III all
the last years the flags must be iurled anu their
stails pointed downward, and the music must
Inc hushcd into muilicd drums. Follow edica-
tiou and law and pow ertu will and lofty Ideals
as our youth may, many OF them dle III carry
life. and many live long only to tall OF indlDS
anywhere the smile of their Father IN Heaven
n yve uust limit this human experiment TO this
hricf earth then our logic fails, and all our elo
ournce must turn into a lamentatlOn, 10 emu
with the sad words: lie IS dead. OlVcn such Il
sudden termination of the human career, ana
and orator and thinker, the aspirations and
bnn.s of man. grow silent in anticipation OF
that perpetual silence Just at manu-