Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-20

in teachers is hard thing for the State to
crush out"
The Examiner (Baptist) says: at is
related OF Southern presiding elder that
at christening service he remarked, I'VE
have no Scriptural authority for infant
baptism, and | do not know that we have
any for the baptism of woman If the
incident is truthfully related, it is plain
that this presiding elder is wofully ignor-
ant of the Scriptures, though his candor in
admitting the lack of authority for infant
baptism is worthy of high praise As for
authority to baptize woman, what more
could be needed than the words of the
great commission, Go We therefore and
make disciples Of all natione, baptizing
them unto the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost But if
the elder meant that there is no distinct
precedent for the baptism of women in the
apostolic churches, his ignorance is not
lessened by his Interpretation of the words
In Acts viii, IL, we read, But when they
believed Philip preaching good tidings
concerning the Kingdom Of God and the
name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,
both men and women And in the same
book we read of a certain woman named
Lydia, seller of purple, of the city of
Thyatira,' who was baptized, and her
household "a favorite text with those
who attempt to find infant baptism in the
New Testament, ignorance of which on the
part of Methodist presiding elder is
doubly surprising. A little knowledge ,
of the Scriptures is a dangerous thing
indeed"
The Minneapolis Journal says: "The
Congregational Association at st. Paul
discussed card-playing and dancing. A
minister from one of the country churches
said he wanted to know what the city pas
tors thought about it. The presiding Off
Ger replied that it was not vital question;
and the matter might have been dropped
there, but this answer brought another
country pastor to his feet with the declara-
ton: Brethren, it is vital question. My
church is going to pieces on account of
dancing and card-playing.' 1t appears
that this good man had undertaken to set
tie this unessential matter for his MEN,
bers, and great many of them, who
thought that was their business and not
his, had left the church. Just about the
time ne had explained his failure to cor
rect in his peculiar way what he esteemed
vital error, DIR. Thwing, of this city, en-
tered the church, and was asked what he
thought was the duty of ministers towards
these frivolities. He said they should let
them alone He had dancing and card
playing members. He did not magnify
these things as necessarily inconsistent
with Christian living, but he chose rather
to leave such matters, as we'll as the the
alter, to the individual conscience, while he
sought to make the exercises of the church
SO attractive and to so interest his men,
bers young and old, in the work of the
church and the service of the Master, that
they would never allow their social pleas
ures to interfere with the enjoyment of
their religious privileges. No WONDER DR..
Thwing has one of the most efficient and
best working churches in the State. He
is so deeply concerned about the vital
question, and incites his people to such en-
thusiasm and earnestness about the essen
tial matters of Christian believing and
Christian living that they have no time or
inclination to fall out with one another
about minor matters of personal concern"
Charles A. Allen, in an article entitled
"Our Western Work." in the Unitarian Re
rietr, SAYS: "One common argument for
the abandonment of Christianity is drawn
from the fact that the country is full of
the 'unchurched' that our mission is to
them; that they have broken with Chris
tianity. Ergo, to reach them, we must say
nothing about Christianity. There would
be more force in the argument, were it not
for the fact that the men and the churches
that are most successful in dealing with the
unchurched are often liberal members Of
the older churches Probably liberal and
independent Christians reach, ten to one,
more tinfdels,' atheists 'agnostics' and so
on than any extra-C Christian Unitarians do.
1 do not think DIR. Townsend will accuse
me of violating confidence if l quote
him as saying that only Christian
churches can be successfully founded in
the West. The only manly course for
Unitarians who doubt this is to stand by
their principles, take cheerfully what
comes of it, and trust to the issue without
attempting to win partisan victory. But
it is so often said, I'VE must provide for
the coming of the new prophet; when he
comes, he must have liberty In answer
to this, it may be said that, when in the
ROOu pTONlQcuCC VI NIOU bhC b4OPhNS
comes, he will be abundantly able to take
care of himself, and is quite as likely to
come out of the Catholic Church as from
an agnostic congregation. The West is
full of substitutes for religion, but the tide
of protest has turned. The man who now
expects to gain favor by denouncing Chris
tlanity is hopelessly behind the times.
The many substitutes for religion need not
here be considered, because they are
ephemeral Our hope lies in the people.
Religion is to remain and grow-free,
strong and reverent. Christianity is to go
with the English language and the insti
tutions of civil and religious liberty into
all parts of the land Unitarianism is to
have an influential position on the line of
march whenever it chooses to fall in with
the manifest destiny of the English-speak-
inp racer