The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-29
TOPICS In THE CHURCHES.
MATERIAL PROGRESS IN THE RE-
LIGIOUS WORLD IN 1889.

for the Dead-Religious Work at
Amherst-A Canard About Mgr.
Satolli.
Copyright 1s51)
NEW YORK. Dec 2S-As the year 1889
draws to a close the religious world finds, in
prospect and retrospect. many interesting
points of discussion. On the whole, the
work Of the year has been highly satisfac-
tory to nearly all the denominations, being
marked by substantial progress in ecclesi-
aStical affairs.
Just now the Baptists are considerably
agitated over the educational interests of
the denomination. About year ago,
through individual efforts, three new semi
nary schools-one in Boston, another in
Kansas City, and third in Minneapolis
were established for the avowed purpose of
affording a shortcut" to the eiuca-
ton of candidates to the min
istry. A widespread and spir-
tied opposition to the continu-
ance of these schools has arisen, and Bap-
fists throughout the country are discussing
the propriety of maintaining these abridged
theological senlinarIes All of the denomi-
national papers, and especially the Era1l-
snsr of New York, are either opposed to
these schools or are content to be non-com-
initial; no journal has avowedly under
taken their defense The discussion is par
ticuiarly warm in Boston, where the weekly
ministers meetings for several weeks past
have given their exclusive attention to this
subject
The theory upon which the schools were
established was usis: Many vino felt them
selves called upon to labor in the christian
field were, from age or other causes, unable
to completes the prescribed course of study
in the theological schools. Some prepara
tion was felt to be necessary 10 lit than for
their chosen work, aud the "short- cutn proc
ess was exactly what they required The
purpose of these schools was co provide
workers somewhat similar to the ex-
horters and lay preachers of the Methodist
church.
PROGRESS IN MISSION WORK.
''The past year in all the churches" said
Rev Dr. Schauffell, of the New York city
mission. "has been period of ex traordinary
activity and success. The work il on
decidedly rising scale, and there never was
so much being done at any previous time.
Our efforts are especially successful in the
smaller cities like Elmira, Binghamton,
Utica, Syracuse Rochester, and st. Paul
In the west, however, the success is less
marked, as the new towns IN that sec
ton are still, so Co speak, on cart-wheels.
Towns which have but one railroad are by
the construction Of a new line moved
bodily to a more advantageous location
People who are always going and coming
do not readily affiliate with any church
As time goes on, and the west becomes
more and moro settled, the churches make
greater Roadway. We are gaining ground
constantly, and the food of immigration
alone prevents greater progress"
DpurzE
Rev. Or. G. r. Van de Water, rector of
st. Andrews church. New York CITY,
has attracted a good deal of atten
ton by an emphatic declaration of the
dogma sanctioning the prayers for the
dead, accompanying the statement with a
remark that there is no clergyman of the
Protestant Episcopal church who can pos
sibly deny the doctrine, though there are
many who never proclaimed their accept
auce of it.n
Rev. DIR. Morgan Dix. of Trinity church,
speaking yesterday upon this subject, said:
The doctrine respecting the relation be-
tween the faithful departed and those who
remain behind in this world is one upon
which we should speak with extreme eau
ton. All that we know about the dead is
what faith accepts. No voice of ours goes
through or across to them, nor can they |
speak unto US. We live as though, what |
ever the dead may once have been to us. |
they are nothing nowhere names and |
shadows, scarce more than myths, persons |
with whom we once had to do, but are now |
extinct. If they were now annihilated, |
or the present separation were to be eternal, |
we could not act otherwise than we do ia |
naming them no more aud dropping them |
from our prayers. This practical separa- |
ton between lis and the dead is one of the |
misfortunes and calamities of our times: it |
rSafatd hn
losing spiritually every day we live in con- |
sequence. For thousands of wears PRAYERS |
for the dead have been part of the service |
OF the church. They were in use among |
the ancient Israelites. aud formed part Of |
the synagogue and temple worship |
in which Jesus and his apo stiles took part. |
They are in every liturgy of the ancient |
Christian church known to us at this hour.
They were retained III the first Reformed
prayer book of the Church of England,
through reverence of the ancient usages of
christianity. The communion between the
living saints and the dead was felt to be a
reality. The living asked of God rest,
light, and refreshment for the souls of the
departed. a custom which made the dead
seem very near to them, and not pale, dim
ghosts, lowering afar and waving with
feeble hands a long and hopeless
farewell. The rejection of the
doctrine of the communion of
saints was the work of those who. hvinp
from one series Of errors, fell into another.
They protested against the Roman Catholic
doctrine OF purgatory with its corollaries of
masses for the delivery of suffering souls,
and indulgences of time to be spent in that
place OF woe. In casting aside these later
inventions they went too far, and came
near TO utterly silencing the voice of the
church on this subject"
Belief in the propriety of prayers for the
dead, said Rev. DR.. G. F. Deems, sis con-
fined to the Protestant Episcopal and Roman
Catholic churches. The majority of the
Frotestants reject it, and think there are
a considerable number of Episcopalians VINO
do not accept it,"
RELIGIOUS WORK AT AMHERST.
The religious work which has for some
years been going on in the various colleges
Is nowhere more earnest and successful
than it is at Amherst The system of dep
utation work is employed, and this consists
IN bodies of two, three, or four student vol
unteers driving each Sunday to the sur
rounding villages, and there holding Sun
day school, prayer meeting, or Bible class
~ dwelling or school house. These ssrv-
ices are exciting widespread interest, and
are under the management of COMMITTEES
OF Christian Work"
Prof. Burroughs, who graduated at
Princeton in 1878 and came to Amherst in
1886. since President Seelye's disability has
had entire charge of the religious work in
college.