The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-01
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
BY REV. 1. NJ. ATWOOD, D, D.,
Canton, N. W

- IonkS iooecr WituurhWlng nlmSelf
from further candidacy for congress, we
felt that congressman who could truth
fully render such a report on his manner
OF life as public officer, should be con-
strained by spontaneous public senti-
ment to continue in the public service.
The men who will not beg nor fawn nor
use money to get Office are, just now,
the very men that should be in office.
Oar public service is debauched with
deals and brides and hunkeyism. Mr..
Long is man untouched by either of
these forms of political leprosy. It is a
pity to lose from place where his tai
ents and virtues are 80 conspicuous and
needful. man of the calibre and charac-
ter Of John d. Long.
1t was pleasant surprise to read
Charles A. Dana's Eight Rules OF Jour-
nalism." The business and good taste of
the rules were apparent. 1t did not seem
to the more critical readers of the paper
Mr.. Dana co nducts with SO much ability,
that he had either drawn his rules from his
practice or developed his practice from
his rules. The theories which the editor
OF the Sun breaches with SO much fervor
and the prin ciples which he has often
illustrat ID in his career as journalist
afford another instance at once amusing
and sad, of the eccentricities of genius.
"A writer in the Bosto Sunday Her.
aid who shows traces of clerical ear
marks-charges the PROTESTANT 10 inistry
in the different denomin atoms with lack
OF ethical education and proposes chair
in their seminaries from which ethics
may be taught as ethics now is." The
same writer contrasts the education of
the ministers " in the different denomina-
tions," on the subject of moral science,
with that given to the clergy of che Ro-
man or the Anglican" church, to the
prejudice Of the former. One cannot
suppress his wonder at these obsery8-
tons, nor restrain his curiosity to know
where the writer got his education and
his original information. We do not
know and have never heard of theoIog-
ical seminary in any Protestant denom-
nation which does not have a chair of
ethics.
The late N. P. Willis gained some
notoriety among his neighbore, but no
popularity, by affecting the manners and
dress OF an English lord. As he was an
American and not an Englishman, and
as no class of Americans adopted that
style and costume, his neighbors could
see nothing but a small species of vanity
in Mr.. Willis coach and coats. It has
long been usage in the English church
for bishops to wear knee. breeches and
buckles, after the fashion OF a century
ago. One American bishop adopted the
same costume in neither garments when
he received his Episcopal robes We
have not heard that it has done more for
him than to confirm the popular convic-
ton Of his personal vanity. In the mean
time We learn that several English bish-
ops have taken TO trousers TIE fashion
OF this worl9 9Th away.
The unsett ed condition of the phil
osophy Of evolution in general and Of
that department of it concerned with the
problems of religion, is brought out again
in a strong light by the appearance of
DR.. Max Hanks Unity of the Truth in
Christianity and Evolution" In the An
dover Revieao the Rev. Francis a. john
son, an ardent evolutionist, supplies a
number OF strong reasons for the opinion
that DR.. Hark has missed "the truth "
completely, both in respect of Christian
ity and Evolution. His criticism of the
chief positions of the volume is very dam
aging. But writer in the Christian
Union, obviously disciple in the same
school with Mr.. johnson. finds DIR. Hark's
book almost miracle OF discernment
blended with discretion. "The truth" is,
in bis view, at last out, and in Dr. Hark's
pages the illuminating disclosure is made.
1t makes things lively to have few
clergymen in each denomination who as
sumo the role OF the free lance. But it is
not profitable to have many of them.
Clergymen not born nor reared in the
church for which they minister, and not
educated in it's schools adopt
ed from other scots without novitiate,
are apt to be slow to understand the ge-
MUS OF Universalism and late in getting
ito working relations with the Univers-
slist body. Sometimes they never do;
but are always an unassim Hated element,
running a sort OF denomination of their
own. A measure of indepen dence is trib-
utaIy to power: too much OF it renders the
best planned efforts migratory and unity,
either OF life or action, impossible.
In his Natural History of Atheism
Mr.. Borden P. Browne gives another ex-
ample OF the keenness an clearness of
thought which have given him first
place among the metaphysicians of his
time. Amy student of fundamental re-
igious problems could scarcely spend an
hour more protitably than in close apph-
ton to this mastery essay; and an in
memorable company of pretentious but
shallow thinkers might give O solid
month to it with great profit to them
selves and infinite relief to the rest of
mankind.
The Prison Congress, lately in ses.
sion in Boston, brought together an un.
usual number of men and women whose
interest in the care and cure of criminals
honors the nation and the race. There
was, OF course, come sentiment; for it is the