The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-11
editorial Grtcfs.
BY REV. I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, n. Y.

The Lining Church ventures to say
that mot three Episcopalians in three
hundred approve of the late utterances of
DIR. Brooks on the Apostolic Succession"
The LiUing Church should know more
about its own sect than any outsider; but
we hope the number Of persons of scholar
ship and common sense in the Episcopal
church exceeds one per cent of its mem
bership.
The overture from the Episcopal
bishops to the Congregationalists did not
take Dr. Brooks's position, but it careful
| ly avoided taking the other extreme. We
presume, however, in the event of Church
union" getting any closer than an ex-
change of diplomatic correspondence, it
will be fouud that the concessions must
| all come from the CongregatioDalists and
the condescension all from the Episcopa-
lians.
The explanation OF the omissions SO
much remarked upon from the lis. of dis
tlngnished men chosen by Harvard for
hOnors on the occasion of the recent an
niversary, is doubtless provincialism.
The world of Harvard is somewhat mar
rover than the real world. It's group
of scholars and literati is smaller than
the actual concourse of sages It is i'm
probable that any slight was intend
n6 Thnco pvorlnDlyoI
the Harvard range. Nor need there be
any surprise nor "feeling." If any other
college had the same discretion to exer-
else there would be similar inexplicable
omissions. No institution knows or ap-
preciates or can honor all the worthy.
The "honors' men 80 much coyet
are, after all, OF little moment. Titles
are very much dotted on by large part
of mankind; and they are we'll enough.
But it should reconcile sensible man to
his lot, as respects titles, whatever it may
be, to reflect, that high title given to a
man not worthy to wear it makes him
neither more nor less; while if a man of
real learning and character goes untitled
all his days it cannot lessen by a single
degree his actual merit. The only thing
of value is to be conscious of truth in the
inward parts"
Many parishes, particularly in the
country, are inexcusably remiss in their
financial obligations to their minister.
Collections are not promptly made; and
| Che Tailufe to collect promptly involves
loss of some portion of the amount due;
the quarter or the year comes round;
there is deficiency; but some have not
paid and more time is taken too often
without more effort, with the final result
of large arrearage to the pastor In
many cases we have ascertained that the
real cause OF a pastors change was the
constant irritation he had suffered from
the failure of the parish to pay his salary
promptly.
The better the minister is the more
he suffers in this matter. 1t is subject
he does not wish to speak about. They
know what is due him, and how much he
has received, why should he tell them
about it? In the meantime he must meet
his obligations. To plead his church's
delinquency as the ground of his own
non-fulfllment Of them would be humil-
iating, almost disgraceful. What shall
he do? II there is any part of their bus
mess in which men should be more
prompt and scrupulous than another, it
is their church business; we fear there is
none in which they are so uniformly and
unconcernedly slack.
The Catholic papers discuss with
great freedom all sorts OF subjects and
are, in this respect, as unconventional and
newsy as any secular journal. They
take hand in politics without thought
apparently, of offending any portion OF
their clientage. Heretofore, they could
do SO with the greatest impunity since
their readers were pretty uniformly of
one and the same party. But times
change, and men change with them. The
Catholic church in America is no longer
a political unit. Both the great parties
now have a share in what was formerly
the almost exclusive property of one -
"the Catholic vote
- We feel like taking up and echoing
far and wide the truthful and punRent
statements of Dr. Gunnison in the Lead
er relative to the duty of the ministry as
inspirers of others to enter on the same
great work: preachers that love their
work can make others love 1t; preachers
that believe their calling is highest, hol-
est among men, can inspire other men
with the same enthusiasm" These be
faithful words. But the strain of COM
plant in which some preachers love to
indulge must impress the young men OF
their acquaintance with a devout horror
of the ministry.
-Robert Lewis Stevenson is much
praised just now in literary circles, both
in this country and in England. We have
read Prince Otto" "The Case of DR..
Jekyll and Mr.. HYDE and "The New
Arabian Nights" MIR. Stevenson is a
writer Of strength and grace, and his gen
ius seeks out path Of its own. We find
him painfully interesting. But when We
compare the delicate moral dissection Of