New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-10
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.


ENGLISH SUNDAY OBsERvANcE.-1he London
World gives some startling views cOncernins
the observance of Sunday In Engiano, Mmioa
at thia time NAV be of interest to Americans.
Between the Sunday of the well-to-do classes
and the Sunday of tie poor there ls, IL say, q
great gulf fixed. To the polite worIo tne 4ay
II ore of gayety and pleasure decosateu MI.d VIII
LITTLE fringe OF optional religion, and pr1ncipaiiy
noteworthy for its festivities, its disslpatlons III
tow n. or its banquets at Richmond ana Greeh-
witch. To the poor man 1t does not away !. :
mean an absteution from work anu even IL IL
does, there is little to replace II put senseiess
stupid dissipation. Tho upper classes DIeak
the Sabbath with an elegant rehnement that
hides the transgressiou. The poor man breaks
it in a way to offend the conventional hypocrisy
that ordinarily passes for religion. Before. a
just judge. therefore, the transgression OIL 'ne
rich, II transgression it be, is the greater.
The objection to the opening Of museums and
galleries on Sunday comes not from any reng-
ious sentiment, but from the spirit OF soclal e4-
clusiveness; and it is characteristic OF the lot
bearance of the English masses that they should
acquiescc in the existing system as quietly as
they do. The considerations, however, when
weigh with them are of peculiar Kind liz the
working classes were bent upon securing such
legislation Us that proposed by Lord Dunrayen,
they would obtain ii with very little delay.
But the truth is that though, as an aostract
propositson, they might like to have more OPP
portunities at their disposal for rational enjoy
ment on Sunday they have u vague fear OF the
practical results which it might entail. The
English working classes dread above all things
the risk of working seven days week ana
they are full of apprehension that III museums
and picture galleries were opened on the SAD
bath, this might be their doom; Ultimately
they will no doubt think differently on the sub
iect and the real demand for Lord DunIavens
motion will come when the working classes
nercelve that there is no other Justification for
our existing scheme of Sabbath observance
than the mvidious distinction between rich and
poor
THE "HARD CHURcH" PARTY.-1he american
Ltewry Churchmdn reads some members Oh
the Episcopal Church lecture for their narrow
intolerance and inability to see any goodness
outside of themselves. IL duhs them the
q Hard Church party. 3Viewed from WITH,
OUT it says, q the Episcopal Church cannot taii
sumptrlous for this small body to unchurch the
rest of the universe. 1t also notes the con.
temptuous tone which this Hard Church
party adopts toward the secular press. when
the writers on the secular press" u says, NOT
few of whom are in fact clergymen-under,
take to pass an opinion upon ecclesiastical
affairs, ON the expediency OF certain ceremo-
MES. or on the conformity of certain sermons
with the standards Of church dogma, they are
soundly rated for their imperinence. ihey
are not only treated as fools who know nothing
about the matter, but as impudent and lntrn-
siye meddlers who have no business TO Know
and are not meant to know. Now what is thls
but pleading. guilty to charge OF utter ana
shameful failure 1t Is that; but 1t is more,
ard worse. 1t is what we mean by hardness !;
and hardness which is not only goddess but
ex0uisitely absurd. It is proof, 10 lar as IL
goes, that the Church does not really wish
q the knowledge of the Lord TO cover tne
earth y; does not desire the time when we shall
anot say to one another, know the Lord, be-
cause all shall know Him, from the least to the
greatest She wants the Church not 10 be the
renovated human race, the City OF God, but ,
close monopoly in the handsand, under the
ahsolnte control of the clergy. The Editor of
The Literary ChHrchD,dR is the Rev. Or. kirkus,
prominent clergyman of Baltimore, and his
vigorous criticisms of his church VIII no doubt
excite wide attention
THE gNorNTAIN George O..
Barnes, the Mountain Evangelist" who Is
now in England, processes to find encourage
ment for the work which he has set out to do IN
that country. 1t is not at all certain, however
that he will be successful. The exravagRnt
relivionism of the English Salvation Army has
made the people rather indifferent to reiig-
ious novelties of that character, and whatever
legitimate field there might bave been for an
American evangelist has been fully reaped by
Moody and Sankey. IMr. Barnes speaks perhaps
With tinge of complaint of the lmpossiollity
in England Of doing any important work with
out the backing OF great name his .atest
illusion is that the British people are the ten
lost tribes OF Israel duu He HDus tHc piooi ".
this in the alleged fact that Israelitish ideas of
temperance are rapidly spreading In Great
Britain. His name for stubborn EugiishmeD,
"dogged sons of Abraham" is unique IL not
accuratt.
A BAD VERBAL MEMoRY.-An English clergy
man, the Rev. Arthur Mursell, has given some
interesting "reminiscences of his father, who
though q powerful and impassioned orator,
had an exceedingly bad verbal memory.
aOnce,n says Mr.. Mursell, @after working us
up with splendid passage of unprepared and
impromptu eloquence, he tried to close the
sentence with the text, Mercy and truth are
met together; righteousness and peace have
kissed each other But the words escaped his
memory, and he said Mercy and truth are
met together, and-and-and-two similar
sentiments have kissed each other!"
sCHAPLAINn McCABE:-The. well-known
and popular chaplain McCabe, of the
Methodist Church, intends to spend the entire
summer in tour of church-plantinR upon the
frontier. He will be in Dakota about the month
of June, will spend July in Northwest Iowa
and Nebraska, and August in Utah and Mon
tapa. Special contributions of $3.50 will insure
the erection of houses OF worship-ore for each
gift of that amount-in places now absolutely
destitute of such facilities and privileges.
In the Episcopal Convention of the Diocese of
Illinois. few days ago, resolution was intro
duced asking the General Convention to change
the name of the Church frouf'4 Protestant Epis-
copal to Holy Catholic.a So much opposition
was manifested to the proposition that it was
hastily Withdrawn.
CURRENT RELIGIOUS OPINION
The praver-msetipg makes n special demand on
the can t-getaways in the summer days. The old
stand-bys who have been accustomed TO lead In