Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-10
In RELIGIONS REALM.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO MINIS
TIERS AND LAYMEN.
Expressions of Opinion by Newspapers
Representing the Various Denom-
nations, on Many Subjects.

The Nashville Christian Advocate Meth
says: "Our Christian schools have gener-
ally opened well, and we are glad. Let
them maintain high standard Of Chris
tian character, and we will be gladder. If
Christian school is not distinctively and
thoroughly Christian, what reason can it
show for its existence? The Gospel is the
only sure and permanent moral reformer.
Its teachings are crystallized in civil
statutes wherever they are plainly taught
and honestly put into practice. A Chris
tan people make a Christian nation.
These old truisms involve the whole duty
of Christian citizens in these United
States"
Time says: "Some of the members of
other congregations have joined the I'M
godly in scoffing at the rector of an Epis
copal Church in this city who has given
up his Sunday evening services and thinks
that his church may be obliged to move on
account of the growing wickedness of his
neighborhood. The natural inference is
that neighborhood which is particularly
wicked is pretty good place for church.
But great many theories are right which
most persons are perfectly willing to let
other persons carry out. Ii those among
the scoffers who go to church to save other
souls than their own, and who do not care
whether the clergyman is eloquent and
the music impressive, so long as the former
is earnest and the latter is fervent, will
only unite to buy st. Clements Church in
West Third street, no doubt they can
secure bargain and accomplish vast
amount of good by worshiping in it.
But how accommodate the crowds of such
persons who would flock there? Would
not services on the installment plan be
necessary ?"
The Hebrew Journal says: "The mass of
Hebrews OF this city go no further in Sab
bath support than in offering decided op-
position to Sunday movement. They do
not observe the seventh day, or rather the
majority do not, they make it a chief bust
ness day-but, nevertheless, they are al
ways anxious to support it in argument.
Whatever words can do to support the Sab.
bath they are willing to supply in generous
quantity, but when it comes to deeds, they
beg to be excused. The Sabbath cannot
live by any such pseudo advocacy. Its
quasi-supporters are its real enemies
Rather the conscientious Sunday Sabba-
tarians than the shifting Saturday Sabbath
takers. Speech is very important gift.
The scientists say it is one of the distin-
gushing marks between man and brute
one of the chief advocates in human civil
lization. We are anxious to render unto
Cesar his full due. But we beg respect
fully to say that language alone did not
bring about human civilization. Speech
is only the explainer and director of action.
All the words in the world would not build
house-we want bricks, we want hands,
and we want men. All the words i'll the
world will not observe Sabbath-we
want men there, too"
Writing on the subject of revision of the
Presbyterian standards, in the Evangelist,
Mr.. Henry Day says; ut seems to me
abundantly proved from Scripture that
men can be and have been saved withouta
personal knowledge of Christ. And
that the statement of the Confession that
none not protesting the Christian religion
can be saved, is error. The truth appears
to be that God of old hath spoken unto
men in divers manners and at sundry times.
But in these last days hath spoken unto
us by His Son. That in whatever way He
bath spoken or revealed Himself if men
have heard and believed and endeavored
to obey they have been accepted, through
the atonement of Christ, although they
knew Him not. Thus persons have been
saved whose characters we should consider
far from acceptable to God. Who would
have supposed that Rahab and Samson
would have been among the accepted of
God, if the Scriptures had not SO assured
us? What did they know Of Christ? If
such persons could be saved without
personal knowledge of Christ, then we
ask why may we not hope for the salvation
of such souls as Socrates, Plato, and Epic
tetus? Did they not seek for glory, honor
and Immortality? Did they not seek
after and believe God as Herevealed Him.
self to them? Who does not hope, and
can we not believe, that the bloed of Christ
availed for them and millions more whom
the Confession has doomed to everlasting
death ?"
The Examiner Baptist says: CDR. F.
NJ. Ellis asks for the Scriptural authority
for inviting to the Lords table those who
are not members of the local church by
whom it is spread. Now this is, in our
| judgment, putting the cart before the horse.
What DR.. Ellis is bound to do is to show
cause why he or any other man should put
| obstacles in the way of Christian brethren
who feel the force of Christs command,
This do in remembrance of me- That
command is nowhere limited in Scripture
| by the accidental fact of membership in
particular church, but is addressed to every
baptized believer, as Baptists generally I'M
derstand the Scriptures. But if it is
Scriptural authority that is wanted for in
vitation, what better precedent could there
be than Acts Xxx, I'll, which records how
Paul and Luke broke bread with the
church at Troas, of which neither could
have been members? We wonder, by the
way, il DR.. Ellis and other ministers who |
agree with him have any scruples about |
breaking bread for church Of which they |
are not members? And if minister may
do this on invitation, why may not an in |
vitation be extended to a mere layman to |
Join in the service, and be accepted by |
him We cheerfully admit that there is
no explicit direction in the New Tesla |
ment to invite visiting brother to the |
table of the Lord neither is there di-
rection to invite him to seat in pew, |
save the general command, Be courteous
which we conceive applies equally to
both cases"
On the color-line question in the Epis-
copal Church The Church of To-Day (P. e. |
says: "As to the separate organization of
the colored congregations into a mission
airy jurisdiction in each diocese, or one such |
Jurisdiction for the South, something may |
be learned from the experience of our
Baptist brethren who have tried to unite |
both white and colored churches into one
convention, and who have found that the
results were not what they promised. An
association known as the Independent |
Baptist Union, which includes the States of
Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, at
recent meeting in Baltimore, decided
that it was for the best interests of both
white and colored congregations that the
two races should be separate in ecclesiasti-
cal government. And they have taken
steps looking towards such separation. We
are firmly persuaded that this is the only
wise course 1t will be found that this
work will be carried on with more vigor
and earnestness if the colored clergy are
given full charge of the government of
their own people, under the direction and
guidance of some Bishop who knows the