St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-17
SUNDAY CHATTER.

SUNDAY CHATTER.
1t probably isn't true that the last
time Mr.. CLEVELAND attended church
the choi' sang an anthem commencing
"Marcll forth. the victory is ours"
He is frequent church attendant, and
his mind always rises to the devotional
heights, so that he would not have noted
the chance for the ioWer-minded Re
publicans.
~
A bill likely to pass the legislature of
California in relation to marriage has
one feature worthy of special note. In
the issuance of the license by the county
clerk, i'm addition to the usual details,
there must be two reliable witnesses to
prove that neither Of the contracting
parties is Incorporate, or addicted to
opium, morphine, cocaine or other mar
cotic; that neither is feebIe-minded,
idiotic or insane. If there is doubt
judicial inquiry may be had, in addition
to the witnesses. This will break up
secret matches, and make parties more
conservative in marrying. 1t is be-
lieyed that it would be wise to further
include among the prohibited class all
who have inheritable diseases. such as;
scrofula, consumption or any severe
A0'A' q "'ui0S'S' ~ 4
In the rambles of some of the ad-
venturous newspaper men. they have
dropped upon the track of the clergy.
and inquired of them what they shall
believe in regard to evolution and its:
harmony with the Biblical account of
the creation. In one locality clergy Of
twelve denominations were interviewed
and nine of them were free to express;
their views. No one of them held that
evolution is Inconsistent with Christian
dogmas or morals. They were inclined
to more or less belief in the theory, and
several accepted it in the broadcast
form. A prominent Presbyterian clergy
| man was one of the most pronounced in
favor of evolution. While it is rare to
find an intelligent preacher who holds
to the old literal Interpretation of the
first chapters of the Old Testament /.
is rather matter of surprise to fnd so
prevalent leaning toward evolution.
In touching on this subject last Sunday,
the pastor of one of the largest congrega-
tionS in St. Paul said his hearers were
at entire liberty to believe that ADAM
was not the first human being, and that
creation could be dated as far back
and to whatever diminutive germ they
chose. The Biblical account was a
myth, not in the sense of being untrue,
but broad and fguratiye often, and not
to be reduced to the hard lines of exact
description. Nature and science would
aid to interpret, and not contradict.
~
Massachusetts has always been the
hot-bed of isms in politics. religion, and
| most other spheres of thought or activ
ity. The new schemes to doctor the
body through the mind have been par
ticularly active there, and are now in
danger of being excluded. The regu-
lars have assaulted them through the
| legislature. The bill introduced cuts
| Off all the later remedial devices, such
as Christian science. faith, mental, met
| aphysical, mesmeric and other idiosyn-
crasieS of the Boston mind. The ablest
legal talent has been secured to plead
Oh either side before the legislative
committee. One of the attorneys, whose
| name is familiar all over the country,
| has volunteered for the defense of the
| Christian scientists, impeliedby the be-
lief that his wife has been cured by
them. The probable result will be that
the new healers will get vast deal of
advertising and the legislature will not
| sit down on them, even if it has the
constitutional right. If it is shown that
| persons have died under the Christian
| science treatment, it is alleged that SIM
| lar NOR tuary incidents or results have
ensued where the resources Of the old
| school we're all brought into requisi-
ton. Very similar legislation is sought
III oeFelai o'iioi S'atee' q
The impression that the religious seets
are not keeping pace with the popula-
ton does not seem to be sustained by
| the figures put forth by the church COM
| pliers. Some statistics recently gathered
| of the Protestant societies show 10Y, 200
| churches and II, $780, 600 members. These
cover only the six leading denomina-
| tions, and do not include Catholics or
any Of the religious classes not termed
| orthodox. There are several million
Catholics, and the SpirilualIsts claim to
| have religion or substitute. Accord
| ing to the figures put forth at the begin
| ming of the century only one in fifteen
| of the population was church member;
| fifty years later it was one in seven: in
1870 one in six; in 1850 one in five; and
in 1888 it is estimated at one in four and
| half. This shows surprising progress
| on the religious line, which may be
taken as the measure of moral growth.
The church was never a larger factor in
society than to-day. 1t has over 9000,-
600 young people in the Sunday schools
and 1900 organizations of the Y. M. G..
| A. in the United States. The church
keeps step to the demands of the age.
Red Wing Happy.
| Special to the Globe.
RED WING, Feb. 16-Red Wing peo-