New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-07
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.
SIDE LIGHTS on MANY TOPICS.


Collect Epistle and Gospel furnish tho keynote To
the teaching Of the day. In general way this 10
true and In many instances they dovetail together
in the presentation OF dominant idea in a very
remarkable and beautiful way. In other instances
the Keynote is not apparent except no such cconds
thinkers Bishops Coke and DoaDe. Of whose
commentaries the Christian year marvels Of
ingenuity II is doubtless a good thing to have .
leading thought for each Sunday; but when tho
clergy conine themselves 10 the consideration %
that leading thought year after almost invariably
selecting their text from the Epistle Gospel for
the day, they do serious wrong 10 their hearers
Said loyal layman of the Episcopal Church to me-
the other day: 4" / wonder II clergy
Of the dissatisfaction which many Of the lay tel
because Of this practice. believe in the theory of
the Christian year; but don't believe IN II 20 the
exclusion OF everything else. The Epstles and
Gospels OF the Prayer Book not the whole Of ths
Bibe nor are the truths suggested by them the only
truths worthy Of pulpit treatment The lessons for
the day often more suggestive Of topics, and
should not be ignored they frequently are Tho
same is true of every other part OF the Bible Our
clergy often show poverty Of thought In tbs
pulpit that they show nowhere else. And bellows
1t is due to this practice OF combining themselves To
conventional mode Of discussing a conventional
list of topics. The clergyman who
ignores the living people around him and the many
sided facts and experiences of human life as they
reveal themselves day by day in his church. will never
become an effective preacher, matter how closely
be follows the scheme Of the Christian year.
Why should the clergy always preach from a text
can understand the propriety Of a preacher taking
chapter or a passage from the Bible and giving
exposition Of It. But / own that can see luls
advantage In the almost universal practice Of taking
few stray words out Of the Bible as the basis Of
DISCOURSE In the first place the preacher who follows
this is very apt, without all intending IL,
to vi.ya rod vfcu ~ he al
Ing Of the Bible. Indeed such preaching inevitably
leads the people regard the Bible simply store
house of proof texts IN favor Of their theological
hobbies In the next place tcxtua preaching dwarfs
and cramps the thought Of the preacher, and beges
that conventional type of sermonzing which is 20
capitally satrizcd in the well known discourse on
Mother Hubbard. Having only few words to COM
on, which words oftentimes convey but broSen
and incomplete idea without the context, the iext
preacher gets into the way OF seeing farfechef
meanings and suggestions in these few words. Or
still, perhaps he doesn't see anything that
cannot be stated In good sized paragraph and 50
he pads out the rest Of his sermon with frothy
rhetoric and meanin gless word-chopping. Instead
Of this poor thin stuff, would like to see the OLD
style Of expositOry preaching revived. The averags
nearer doesn't object to Bible preaching. On the
contrary he wants more Of IL than he gets In tbs
ordinary textual preaching Of the day. There IS .
lack OF proportion and perspective in such preaching
that often leads, as nave sad. 10 an
sentation of the meaning OF the Bible, and confines
the hearer to few little ruts Of hackneyed thought.
hear that the Rev. Father Grafton Of the Church
Of the Advent Boston, Is talked of in connection With
the bshoprc OF the Episcopal diocese OF Fond du Lac.
Iowa. Father Grafton Is an earnest and able man,
and he is Of the recognized leaders Of the al
vanced Catholic party in the Episcopal Church, hs
would make admirable bishop for Fond du Lac which
Is dominated by that school Of thought.
Pedestrians as well as Catholics will rejoice n the
elevation of Bishop Ireland Of Minnesota to the rans
Of an Archbishop. For many years he has been
associated with every movement for the betermens
Of society, and his apostolic abors in behalf OF tenn
perance have given him national reputation Hs
represents in an eminent degree the enlightened zeal.
and practical philanthropy which have distinguishes
the Roman Catholic Church the West and Northwest.
and has gained the goodwill of Christians of every
name. The warm tributes paid to Archbishop Ireland
and to Archbishop Corrgan on the occurrence OF his
jubilee the other day, by many Protestant religious
papers, are pleasant evidences Of the comprehensive
charity that is beginning to make itself felt in modern
Christianity.
The Rev. DR.. Howard Crosby has once moro msfs
the Prohibitionists unhappy. Some time ago 'hs
Rev. DR.. Edward II. Jewett High Church Eplscopaf
clergyman Of Norwich, Conn. wrote review ~
several pamphlets show that there are two
wines mentioned In the Bible. The Rev. Dr. g. ".
samson, of this city the author OF one Of these
pamphlets OF the merits OF Or. Jewett's reply do
not feel competent speak; but in the opinion 81
many II not ALL of the most profound Biblical schol-
ars the two wine7 theory which he assails Is utterly
untenable, and was only recently adopted by toif
abstaners TO siren ghen their position on the question
of temperance. II is needless TO say that DR. crosby
takes that position and with him To believe IS 10
| act he at once sent Dr. Jewett's essay TO large
number of representative clergymen Of all deno7"s-
ons requesting them to say what they housnt OF IL
He has now published the Of these clerymen
incorporated with Dr. Jewett's essay. OF these TWO
hundred and sixty four believe in only one Bible wine,
and twentytwo believe that the Bible refers ~ a
frmened and an unfermented wine The letters are all
interesting and some OF them are full Of theologcal
| heat They probably present very fair view OF the
| state OF clerical opinion this subject.
The average layman cannot understand why mo
subject of Bible wines should be considered so mpor
| tant by modern Christians. The use OF fermenfed
li1uors IS practical question that ought to be decided
bv the world of to-day Us merits irrespective Of tho
usaoes of an Asiasc two or three thousand
| Years ago IT, as some total absrainers say, II -
unsafe 10 use fermented wine even In the HOLY
Communion that fact, proved ought to settle ina
question no matter what kind OF wine was used 10
the time of Christ. II. the other hand, Christian
men may and do use fermcntcd wine with entire