The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-03-12
A Departing Clergyman Criticiscs Us.


Another important New York pulpit is
soon to be left vacant. The Rev. DIR. BEvAE
has sent in his resignation as pastor of the
Presbyterian Church at the corner OF the
Fifth avenue and Thirty-seventh street, and
next month will return to London to take
charge Of n new Congregational society there.
or late years, it may be remarked, Prcsby-
terrain and Congregational ministers have
frequently passed from the one denomna-
ton to the other. They can easily do this
without sacrificing their theological opin-
ions, for the doctrines taught by old-fash-
iond Congrcgntionalism are closely identical
with those OF the Prcsbyterans and the
clcrgymcn who change their ecclesiastical
relations merely leave one form OF church
government for another. In former days
there may have been sharp controversies be-
tween Presbytcrians and Congregation ulists,
but now their varying church forms are not
regarded as of vital account They are moth
ing more than the shcll-gartnents to be
changed as convenience dictates.
A Congregational minister who is a strict
Calvinst suits the theological tastes OF
PrcSbyterians "a well as minister who has
been trained in ono of their own divinity
schools. Congregational church which
has not fallen away from the teachings of
the Puritan fathers, may be just as we'll
pleased with the ministratioDs of Prcsby-
terrain pastor as with those Of one bred
among themselves. The new school, latitude
marian, semi Unitarian, skeptiral Congrcga-
tionalists, however, are not tolerant of The
Westminster Catechism, and the sort of milk
and water thcOiogian who would suit them
would be utterly rejected by the Presby-
tcrians AS a dangerous spiritual guide. 1t
takes good, sound Calvinist of tho truly
orthodox stamp to satisfy the Prrsbytcrians
There is no theological significance, there
fore, in the passage Of DIR. BEvAH from the
Brick Presbyterian Church, one of the
stanchest In its order, to a Congregational
society OF London. His leaving u pulpit 50
important, and church so rich. so long cs-
tablishcd, and so influential TO go back to
London To take charge Of IA church only re-
Gently organized, is. however, significant
step. After five years experience in New
York in an old and wealthy parish, he returns
to London to set about building up one which
is new and comparatively feeble.
His reasons for leaving. according to an
explanation made by him to u reporter OF the
climate of New York and that there is n
wider, @ less restricted, e field for thought" in
London than here. The climate Of London,
said DIR. BEvAN, is much abused; but for some
reason, perhaps because it is really more
braclng, though less pleasant, professional
men in London do more hard work with n
smaller loss of vital power than they do
here Our business men, he thinks, use up
twice the strength Laudoners do in accom-
pllshing til" same amount of work. Row
ELLIS breakdown in the -you-plcase
match he attributes to his loss Of English
stamina in our climate.
All this Is rather interesting. UnGucstion-
ably our people l,nok az il they were
under scv2ror nervous strain than the Lon
doncrs. Th" eager, anxious, drawn express
sion OF the faces he secs on landing in New
York after a trip 10 Europe is apt to strike
the returning traveller. But whether tina, IL
caused chiefly by tlle peculiar conditions of
our manner Of life or by the climate merely.
is doubtful. SUI, DR.. BuvAH says he eau
work with less waste of enoigy in London
tlan in New York, aud he has tried both.
There is less independence Of thought hero,
he further remarked, than in England. Iii
vcrhity OF opinions and individuality arc
more tolerated there tapn h"ye, according to
him. Take fifty average EYgishmcn, amuit
Is ten chnc"S "a one that there will be a di-
versity OF opinion between each two Of thrm
No two vii! think alike, and they will all adj
init VA liberty ii discussion and Civ e each ot hct
free hearing, which yen do not always got
here. Take fifty Amrricnlls and you will
lind that they crystalIiZa into ten ,.roups. the