New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-18
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.


The NINETEENTH CENTURY CLUB.-A wlde
federation of opinion and belief is certainly one
of the most striking characteristics OF .ne WI VIZ,
1t il true that the Odlum theOloglcum u IN
very bitter; but the Church OF to-day Is hot us
posed TO persecute OBJECTIONS IN 1altn anu ue-
fief with the unrelenting hostility which was
once Characteristic of it. Whatever tHe 'hc-
olOgans may say or do to each othei, 'le ioli
mon people arc allowed "lne ih'ltuuo vi
onniOn. 1t is even possible to-day ioi lHo III
telligent unfelever and the deyout OeiieFel W
meet together in the same sOclely anu Ieas"n-
ably discuss the points on which they disagree
Whether or not lhis liberation Is goOd tthE'
need not he discussed. But 1t may Oe ho'cu u
a fact. The Nineteenth Century CIuo' "nloh
has been recently formed IN TINS CITY, is Il con-
sDicuous example of this liberation. me IL
is largely composed of ladies ana gentlemen
who are prominent members OF the chuiCu 'i'iu
of society, there is in IT also IespeC'"ulo
sprinkling OF agnOstics and men VINO 90 hoU az
cent Christianity IA q divine revelation us
president openly avOws himself fIee- tllnher
while among its Independents may DIT iouhu
the names of some Cf the most prnnilhehl huu
orthodox clergymen of the city,: ne ino,'o vi
this III Ique club is taken from 10Y scripture
Prove all things hold fast 10 that Wilch ls
coodr At its next meeting, on Tuesday even
inc, at the house of the president, Mr.. C0lrtiahnC
Palmer III East Twenty -tirSt-st., the snbltcJ
of Free Thought will be discussed toy thG
Rev. DIR. Rylance of this city 1t Is eXl,tcleu
that he Will he followed III INC ulot u0Ni"ti VI
this subject by the Rev. Henry Ward Befcher
the Rev Il. Heber Newton, the Rev. Dr' J' l.
Newman. the Rev. Dr.. Gottheil, ana other chl,-
neut cergymen. Such n club DISCUSSING such
subject would have been an lmposs'hlH'y
fifty years ago, and is an interesting sisA Oh
the times.
PROFESSOR SWING on BRoApNESs.-In Ihe
Christian Register there is generally something
to stimulate thought; and 1t leaves upon every
thing that il touches the impress OF q Chrl>tla
charity too rare in religious papers. Professor
Swing has been telling IN readable way SOME
of the indications OF hr0adness III the Icsoy
teriap Church. and appears 10 make out q very
good case This brOadness ne THINKS began
with Dr. Chalmers and Norman Mcleod. IL is
shown to-day IN the fact that so rev dochlnai
sermons are preached in the Presuy ieriah
Church The Gospel as applied 10 everyday
life il mostly preached now. A Unitarian OF
a UniveIsalist,o he says, who may at times
take seat for the hour in some CaiVinl7tc
church will not often know from the remarks 9l
the pastor that he Is IN an assembly "hlch nous
To the belief in election, repro palOn anu eternal
torments: but he will generally emerge from
the house with his mind full of the flowers oil
liberation and duty and righteousness. Al OUT
of the abundance Of the heart. me NOUN
sneakeib' we feel compelled to Affirm that the
PRESBYTERIAN heart has not IN 1t the Abundance
of orthodoxy il once possessed lhls Is
strong statement to make, and many VIII not
accept it. Ii may be that many individuals III
the Presbyterian Church are becoming mnrc
broad in their views but they generally ma
il more comfortable to 20 outside The very
fact that the Editor Of The Christian HegiSiH
was obliged to ask Professor swing ana not
some orthodox clergyman in the Church, 10
write this article, is in itself strong pTcEunpiYe
evidence against the position he assumes. ne
Church may very we'll answer that 1t was Tor
holding such views that Professor swing was
communicated.
THEOLOGY AND RELIGIoN-Pr0fc-s or Simeon
f. Baldwin, OF Ncw-Ilaycn, at recent rcIlg-
iouS gathering expressed well the diiielcnce Ot-
tween theology and religion. he0lOgy, he
said, as not religion. Religion Il TO 1--we the
life of Christ He who best does that has all OF
theology that need be asked OF one who only
asks To Ue enrolled among Chrlsts followers.
Somebody has said hate botany but love
flowers hate theology, but love religion
have no doubt that q sound and critical dc-
duaintance with theology IA one of the best sun
ports of religion but there are few who can
have that knowledge; there are none who can
not adopt and practise, with His help the rprlt
of Chris.'s teachings. He did not teach religion
in cateciiisms, but in stories. ! fear that we,
and most OF our congregational churches, nave
snned and are SHINING, III asking TOO huch OF
a confession Of faith 10 those on the threshold
of the church. To ask 1t OF q child - mock
cry to demand 10 Of anyone, Is To impose a test
which j. better suited to the genius OF Roman
Catholicism than to Il ut OF Protestant New
England of the nineteenth century, ! ne
old theology Of early Newt England has passed
away All admit this, and few regret II. IL
has passed away to give place to more christ
ike faith, one which leads men to follow HIM
because He is worthy To br followed and loved
and trusted in not because they dread nell or
are aiming at heaven, 80 much IA mat tlley
wish to do right and find peace IN believing
here and now : because they find His tcllg-
ion A ioy and III harmony with whatever is best
in their nature.
OTHER RELIGIONS these days when so
much is said in favor of other religions than
the Christian, it is well to bear IN mlpd their
defects There are many who remeniher Max
Nullcr's glowing eulogy of the Hindu sacred
books but forget entirely his admission OF
their pueriitles and interioritles. In truth, tie
Hindu conception of divinity Is so sensuous "a
to dcbasc and corrupt any sentiments that may
gather round it. still, the ordinary Hindu OF
fo-day has "A vague impression that after death
he Will he absorbed body and soul into "a su-
nreme being. who is beyond all the gods and
gnddcsses. But his notion of a blessed reward
for virtue or a future punishment fol SIN arc
so sliadOwy AZ to he almost evanescent. lie
Uindus have indeed n moral code binding on
their conscience and conduct; they seldom or
never ask themselves whether TINS code Is an
emauatinn from the supreme beng II pressed
they would doubtless acknowledge that origin
ally il must have 80 ernanatcd. The hindus
nav. no definite expectation OF an earthly Mes
siah visiting India TO rehabiitatc the Hindu re-
liOlon and to Tcestabsh Hindu Nomination.
Still vague idea OF thls description dOes sonic
times float ACROSS their maids. And III the
every day matters of practical life they are
perhaps influenced by conscience trained
through reli zion quite ~ often ~ Christians.
But taken IA a whole Christianity has done
more to elevate and ennoble man than any
other religious system that has ever existed.
Useless RELIGIOUS SocIrrrEs.-The Free
mans journal, in its usual able style, Is light
ing good fight against religious deadheads.
lt is frequently asked by Roman Catholic
literary societies to send copy OF the paper
free on the ground of n common Catholicity.
II believes that tins species of begging IL de-
structlve of sclt-rcspcct, and ought to be
stopped. Any journal which is worth reading
is worth paying for Aud then il reads these