New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-23
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

Ollie Church. Philadelphia, in order TO render
thanks to Almighty God for the victGry over
CORVALLIS at Yorktown. General Washington
and the Marquis de Lafayette with their re-
spechVe stalls were also present. On that Occa-
sion TIE Deum was sung in an impressive man
ner by the choir. To-day in the same church.
said to be the Oldest Roman Catholic church in
the United Statesvthe same Te Deum will be
sung. The pastors of st. JOseph's century
ago were the Rev. Robert MOlyneaux and the
Rev. Ferdinand Farmer. The latter for a long
time was with the Continental army, minister
ing to the spiritual wants of the Roman Catho-
lies in the different regiments. Washington, it
is said, knew them both intimately. On the Oc-
CasOn OF the thanksgiving service the CONT
mental Congress, accompanied by many patriots
of note and not a few ladies, marched IN body
to the church, " hich was brilliantly Illuminated
and decorated. The lilies Of France were sur
rounded by constellation of stars typical Of
the United" States. The sOemnities were
simple even to severity. Mass was celebrated
by the resident clergy of the church, and
discourse was delivered by Able Randall, the
chaplain of the French embassy. His words at
this time, when the eye OF the Nation has been
fixed upon Yorktown for week past, will be
read with peculiar interest. He SAID III part:
While camps rcsOund with triumphal deeds
while the Nation rejOiccs in victory and glory
the most honorable office minister OF the altar
can I'LL is to be the organ by which pubic
gratitude is conveyed to the OmulpOtent For
how many favOrs have not to thank Him
during TIC COURSE o. me DltHtDb year. our
Union, which was at first supported by justice
alone, has been consolidated 10y your courage,
and the ties which bind you together have be-
come indIssOlube by the accession of ali the
States and the unanimous voice OF all the con
frderatcs. We present to the universe the
noble example of a Government which, founded
in equality and justice, secures to all the lndl-
viduals who compose it the utmost happiness
which can be devised from human Institutions
Heaven rewards your virtues. lhree large
At.tf.. af man rod
rapacOus soldier has been stricken in his
stronghold, and oppression has vanished like
phantOms which are disSl ated by the morning
rays. On this solemn occasion let us renew.our
thanks 10 the God of Battles for the victories
vOUchsafcd Us and our allies on land and SEA.
Let us ofirr Him pure hearts, unsoiled by phi
vate hate or public disSensiOn, and with one
will and voice pour forth to the Lord that
hymn of praise by which Christians proclaim
their gratitude and His glory
PROFESSOR SWING on HEREsY.-A few Sun
days ago Professor David swing OF Chicago,
preached a sermon on heresy, suggested by me
recent preliminary trial OF DIT. Thomas. In the
course of his remarks Professor Swing spoke as
follows If, then, trials tor heTeSy are logical
and essential, whence is to come the peace OF
this religious storm The answer l. complex:
Perfect peace cannot soon appear. Men VIII
dilcr in opinion rs long rs the human race
shall continue on earth. The race Is an lnqulr-
will ever be seen when all inquTing minds VIII
reach the one rcsult. Not by any possibility
can difference of judgment disappear IRON me
temple Oi sod. Debate Will be as lasting as
society. But this debate will diminish IN guam
tity because with the advance OF the mind men
will lose interest in small questions, and
theology has been rich in small matters. QueS-
tiOuS which set the world Wlld IN the DAYS OF
Abrlard do not affect in the least the men OF
the current century. This new age asks Tor
more influential and more plactlcal doctrines,
and not only are these fewer III number but
they are less open to debate. Most of theUlOgl-
cal wars have been fought over metaphysical
questions where one side vas Just as clear as
the other, and thus assured almost an equal
division of the parties to the dispute. Were
tine ourstion raised whether the followers of
Christ should bee honest. and pious, ana KIND,
so many would rauk themselves upon the
affirmative that there would be no lnccnu &c on
the NEGATIVE side to show battle; but were the
question whether Christ was the equal OF the
Father, there Is no choice of sides, ana 10y the
law of averages there must be such an array on
either hand ~ 10 suggest cOhucI Nheh
questions have no answers possible, those VINO
imagine they find answers are quite equally ap-
poruoued to yes and no.. Therefore, the
darker the inquiry the more probability OF a
war in the Oldcn time and heIcSy -trlal IN the
more recent periods. The rational tendency OF
our az, i therefore diminishing the qHailels Oh
the Church Oy diminishing the number ana
uopularltN Of abstract inquiries and by direct
ing Church love and thought toward the laws
OF Christian practice over which there can De
less luminosity. Hundreds OF dognas nave
been silently Withdrawn from the fields OF DIS
cus,iou, aud other theories, such as that OF the
atuncmcnt and of inspiration, ana OF heaven
and hell, are evidently preparing To lolloW. II
being at last admitted that many OF the IDEAS
of rcl gion do not admit oil an exact definition.
All Christians admit the fact OF an atOnement
and the fact of inspiration and of a heaven and
he'll. but they do not feel willing to put TO
death anyone WHO may not know Just what Is
meant by these terms. What all admit to be
fact no one can define and explain"
CHtNNING MEMORIAL CHURCH.-A deScrp-
ton of the Claiming Memorial Church at New
port, which was appropriately dedicated last
"Wednesday, has already appeared III the news
columns of TUE TRIBUNE. The leading event
.t fine dcdicatory exercises was the sermon,
which WAS delivered by tie Rev. DIR. Henry w.
Fellows. of this city. OF Claiming, to whose
memory he pdd glowing tribute, Dr. bellows
said /" II seems conceded by all candid critics,
of ever, school, that Claiming and the Unlta-
rilus however defective In their theology,
measured 10y church standards, have rendered
the most Characteristic service the Cnulch ana
Inc world have received IN GU era, IN tnpha-
sizing and developing the human side OF Jesus
Christ and the relations of His gospel to the
immediate affairs of this present world, ana
thc formation of characters Httcd Tor useful
ness in the life that now Is. Among the
leaders OF the Church. since apONtoic DAYS
who has come nearer to the Master IN the beau
tiiul oneness or Wilderness of Christianity than
Chu,uincl How sanctilcd his intellect, how
iutrllrctualizcd his moral feeling, how holy his
heart. how unbro,cn the impression OF his Hie, |
whether gathered from his public conduct, felt
In his writings, or made 10y ms presence anu
nrr,on. How strong and persistent his conylc- |
tons. vet how tolerant and lnperSonal his uIS- |
ing of them! How he remained the same, seen |
rom a distance or close at hand How free
like his MastCr-frOm ccclcslaStlcsm, yet how |
mryrrctIy dcvout! How raised by purity and
rriiurucut of tastes above the average, yet |
how ltlc shrinking frCm tLcir approach, and |
with no preference for the company OF the |
jllustrious or the ari>tocIatic, yet having no
proud disdan of them How utterly, free IRON
HntrlIectual pride or scholastic and literary |
nrctcnsions, Vet now able to clothc his thoughts
H. rnIinnL irnnsnnrent fnrms of words that |