New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-15
CURRENT RELIGIOUS OPINION

That there is a shaping power over a generation
in the system OF International sunday school
Lessons. u obvious ltS enemies themselves being
iudges. Every now and then Inc Springfield hcpHb.
fican has some sheer at the plan and method Of
these Lessons yet that journal aurns That, " the
Church, by the vast ana powerful machinery OF Tue
international Lessons is drilling It's millions OF
children III absolute respect for the divine author
tv of every page from Genesis 10 Revelation Ana
there is "A good of truth IN this affirmation
moro truth than there Is 10 the same lourna sus-
gesIOn that "a feeling of doubt and unreailty AS To
very much Of this l. Biblical and supernatural the
ology IL perInenting the men who Listen and the
n en- who teach as we'll Tue international Lesson
system has quicheued thorough and Intelligent
Bible study in the whole English speaking world :;
il has created literature OF Its own, anu II has lar
more largely shaped the publishing aud reading IN
tcrests of England and America than any other
agency within the period OF lts working AS
result there was never 80 much oil an aDlulng resi-
on the inspiration amd the divine authority OF tho
Scriptures rs at the present time. IN NeW-fnganu
or ont OF It. And there WAS never day nhen inc
writings and addresses OF sccplce had rs ltte III
furnce actual or comparative influence on sltner
side of the ocean since the adoption OF me III
ternutonal Lesson system sunday school Times.
II uothlnr very remarkable that tGo ministers
OF the Methodist Church should leave that con-
nection to JOIN the Episcopal In body 80
vast as the Methodist, changes ot base VIII
frequently occur But It Is sign when two
respectable ministers, able 10 conmanu goou
pos tions should leave n church for the same rea-
son. and that the tlnorant system tEo rotary
system which has hitherto been the rule OF inc
Methodist denomination. Narions modlhcatiohs
havO been made IN that system from Tune 10 tine.
and il Is apparent that more Will DO maze az tne
Church gathers strength. and becomes 1883 uslIhc-
tive IN the habits Oflts membership Inc pans tiao
worked grandly in the earlier stages OF ChnTEn mo
are found to be less adapted to present CONDITIONS
10 is therefore not strange that now anu theh one
of th" ministers wishes to change from being MetIi-
odst Episcopal to become Protestant EpiScopal,
This change il made without any relectloh on
Church or minister. and shows now loosely de-
non national ties hold the minds OF some good men,
-iObserver.
There Is n anew Theology" and ntimations
of its existence and of the points IN which IL uels
from the old have boen floating through inc Ielle-
ious journals, and have been discussed IN various
religious councils. In the mist in which IL was en-
veOped ii was supposed that its doctrines were IN
the process o. fornu laton, and that tne hystGeay
would be revealed in due timo. Some nave waiteu
for the coming unfolding with tropluatoh QUILTS,
il may be. with excited expectation, and the larger
part of the rel glous public with the easy uhcoh-
Germ of those who thought they knew at least inc
chefest Of the novelties which would DO made
manifest -,
Theology" seems to have now come. AS IL mas
found its trainers and exp0unders cnlehY alhone
the Cor gregatUnallss OF New-EnglanI, so ts pl9ph
cts and heralds have very properly Deen iouhu III
that part of the land. Ii looks also. as II ltS most
vigorous antagonists would be found there ING
array has been set, and before the ConereSatunai
Club of Boston tho lines have been publicly draWh'
-(Presbyterlan.
The Christian lie Is n copy OF ChIlSt lllo, anu
Chrsts life is to infdels the most dnanswernOle
p-Oof of llis doctrine He is the only perfect
character in history. To this HIS enemies have
borne Uniform testimony. While they have pro-
nounccd His divinity myth, and denied HIS MIR
aces they have confessed their inability TO account
for tho unparalleled perfection of His character.
Those who have resisted all other evidences have
at len 9Th been convinced by beholdlng the man.
he believes. Snoh Christian In his disposition.
purposes and conduct resembles Jesus Christ. his
character and life are fashioned after that perfect
model; and though he may never reach the perfec-
ton OF his model, no may become sufficiently IKE
Him to convince the world. The Christian IRE IN
cludes every virtue. every excellence that com
mands reverence, everything that is beat IN men
and women, every sweet and noble quallty tnat
sh.nes in ufe-Northwestern Christian AdVocate.