New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-17
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.
REIIGIoUs NOTE AND COMMENT.


western editor SThe American people, no says,
are not pictorialy religious but they are innatey
| So They have an old-fashioned habit OF DeheVnB
| I'm q man who believes IN God Their memories arc
melodous with the sound Of the church DELL 1hey
recollect the little sunday-schoo which tney uSed
| 10 attend. The silhouette against the background
OF their childhood Is the solemn-eyed, earnest I'M
| fashionable, homeIbe old minister who numbered
| doctrine which wholesome, grave ana earnest
| We may drift far away from these memories, at
| once sweet and quaint. We may 1--we largely on
| the surface OF ephemeral thought and acuon. We
may lose sight Of the steady inslsent earneSness OF
| the old days. But we never outgrow our profound
| respect for them and their suggestions OF life
noblcr than animalism We may laugh when ne
| inhdel points a clever sneer at some Vulnerable
spot in the old mother faith But deep down In our
| life lasts. Thoughtless, and hippant we may be,
but We are not irreligious"
| The growth of liberalism in Scotland IN recent
| years Is remarkable. The Edinburgh Presbytery OF
the Free Church has Just virtually acquitted the Rev.
Alexander Martin, OF Morningside, who was charged
with having said that the Bible was full of mac
curacles. Mr. Martin admitted that his phraseOlogy
| might have been somewhat too strong, but did not
| recede from his main position. Nevertheless, the
Presbytery dismissed the with gentle warning
| to the radical clergyman to be less vehement IN
his structures in the future. Surprising as 1t may
appear Scotland Is apparently destined TO play
leading part IN the great liberal religious movement
many Christians. And Scottish liberalism Is at once
so profoundly reverent and so intellectual as 70
arouse the interest and attention Of both believers
and unbelievers.
Another development Of religious thought in Scot
| land IS found in tho compilation recently by the
Church Service Society Of the Established Church Oh
/" The Book Of Common Order" It contains much 10
DO found In the Book OF Common Prayer. There are
morning and evening services for hvc Sundays, forms
uo1,y the dpfr q
mems to the confirmation Of the baptIsrna VOW VS.
ltatlon OF the SICK burial Of the dead dedication OK
churches, otc. There also many collects, ltany
; forms Of ntercesson, and prayers for illumination
This, be II remembered finds favor in church WHICH
has virtually canonlzed Jennie Geddes for her vgor-
Gus opposition to a lurgical church, and which has
based much of its hostility to epIscopacy on the fact
that It prayed from book. One reason for this
change of sentiment Is 10 be found in the fact that
so many sons Of the Scotch nobility arc educated IN
ornate service OF the English Church And when lhey
become laris themselves hey naturally throw their
influence on the side Of those who are trying TO give
more color and tone to the services OF tho krk
Bishop Coke, Of Buffalo, vigorously denies that he
b monomaniac on the subject Of Roman Catholicism
Unitarans arc not at all sensitive about their re-
neon Governor Talbot, Of Massachusetts, used to
tell this story. One day Colonel Roland O. Usher
said TO him, " Let see Talbot you are Method
| ist berevoi' No. replied tho Governor, i am
a Unitarian" "wou, Them said Usher. perhaps
You can tell me what the Unitarians believer mo,
can't said the Governor, frankly You surprise
mes SAID Usher al VIII ask my brother Jim. then
lie IS Unitarian minister and guess he can tell
mes A few days later the two men met again, aud
Usher said. Well asked my brother Jim what the ne
UnIts1ans believed " And what did no ,rePlyIs
noibinr .nd lived mn 10 A., answered Usher with .
laugh In which tho Governor Joined
II Robert Eismere were alive he would hnd Presby-
terlan church in Philadelphia with whose work no
could heartily sympathize. The church IN quesuoh Is
tho Beacon PTosby tenan Church OF kensington Oh
which the pastor Is the Rev. DR.. Francis l. Robbins
Connected with tho church proper Is the Beacon
Dhpensary In whose four departments moro than
10 600 people find medical relief every year. some
of tho best physicians In Philaneiphs
are on tho staR OF the institution which
Is entirely free. The Beacon lnsutute
ls another important department In IL there arc
| Eve classes presided over by competent teachers.
Music languages shorthand, bookkeeping, sewing and
fancy work arc taught TO al corners nee OF oharge
The Beacon Lyeeum Is n literary associauon' win
| roadlngroom and library. There is ladies' Kitchen
| and ladies' parlor, with ACCOMMODATIONS ior A,-OV
pupils Disston Hall IS used as sunday schooi
lecture room and for all church entertainments Inc
Young Peoples Working Association aids the uneni-
| pIoyed in getting work And a good orchestra OF
| sixtoen pieces has been formed by the church, 10
furnish music at all the numerous church emu AN
The whole ShTTsh VIM " s VERY Kind Of helpful
| agency In active operation and instead Oi ponk
p found to be help In fact 4 IS their belief
which inspires these WORKING ChHsuahs W w ""S'
| they are doing.
aThe Churchman' thinks that II would DC COCO
| Nsa for tho mora fashionable and popular ohurohos
| 20 have an extra Sunday morning service, say al
10 O'Clock at which all the sittings would be free
10 tho general public But It Is doubtful IL the plan
would prevent transents from going TO the regular
| morning service For Of the Obleos OF Such
transents is to see the regular church MEMBERS anu
another IS 10 hear the pastor OF the church pio~ch
| HIS cracks sermon. The rank and file OF average
church-gOcrs in this country could not DO ihuuoeu
IN 90 to church simply for the sake Of taking part IN
| a religious service without a sermon. 10 O'CLOCK
service might possibly succeed preacher OK great
reputation were secured for It. But that wouu ho'
meet with the approval Of tho regular PASTOR "ao
is usually human enough not to relish the presence VI
rival too the throne. AL tho same sees
a pity that so many magnificent ana costly rS"S moro
edHces arc. in many cases, actually IscH nv
than three four hours week Ana ~ ~ arc az
little available for worship on the day winch y
especially set apart for worShp'
Why many churches have second service az su
| on Sunday Is beyond my comprehension ior "oUou!
seems TO take tho slightest interest IN ins sol.0o
During the last few weeks have attended TOUT M'er.
| nnon or evening services at as many uhefent
churches in size among tho largest IN tho Guy, anu
having preacbers Of wdo reputation. Tho atenaanoe
ranged from little over a hundred to twenty-five
Tbink>oi a congregation OF twenty-five people In
church that seats 200 being sung to by An eApon-
sIve choir Of twenty four voices and proacheo 10 by
| a clergyman OF tho first rank What an enormous
waste II all ISL It won't do TO say that those twenty
two peopIo ought TO have the gospel preached TO
them for that Is not the point at issue, which Is
that the ordinances Of Christian worship were made
ready in that particular church for 1,l'e people
| who didn't think It worth while to come. IL suon
dance on the second service Is not CHRISTIAN uuty,
then lot t DO discontinued but II 1t DO CHRISTIAN
| dptv n IA high time that tho churches maze some
attempt TO rescus IL from o6liv1n vi course taere
ARC many churches I'm which tho second setVIco Is
entirely successful from every point OF Vew' out
| am not speaking OF these.