Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-01
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO MINIS
TIERS AND LAYMEN.
Expressions of Opinion by Newspapers
Representing the Various Denom-
nations, ON Many Subjects.

Representing the Various Denom-
nations, on Many Subjects.
The Examiner (Bapt.) says: ''For the
present nothing is certain, except that, as
revolutions never so backward, something
will be done to bring the professed faith
and the actual faith of Presbyterians into
harmony"
The Christian Aduocate (Meth.) saws:
Not few of the presbyteries, in taking
action favorable to revision, and in speci-
fylng the particulars in which they desire
1t, have added proviso that the revision
should so be made as not to affect the in
tegrity OF our Calvinistic system 1t is quite
natural that an Arminian should wonder
how such change can be made without
affecting the integrity of the Calvinistic
system. These are the very features Of
that system which have seemed to him at
once the most prominent and the most re-
pugnant."
The Wdtchman (Bapt.) says: att has
been hastily assumed and loudly pro-
claimed that Calvinism is doomed. and
the Westminster Confession remanded to
the dust of antiguaries. 1t has been sue-
gested that there is no further use for it.
but to show by contrast how far the minds
OF men have travelled since the sixteenth
century. But time writes no wrinkle on
that doctrinal system, and the only effect
of the sitting it has received will be to re-
move some incongruous statements. and
supply some manifest deficiencies. Ac-
ceptanee OF the proposed amendments will
leave the essential substance of the Confess
sion intact, and the Presbyterian Church
more than ever united and harmonious in
maintaining the faith once for all deliv-
cred to the saints. In the view of such a
result we may be able to see that meas
ure which on one side moved fearful fore
bodings, and on the other called forth ac-
clamations for anticipated victory, has
wrought only good to the interests of that
church, and to the cause Of sound the
ology."
The Rev. Geo. T. Rider says, in the
Licing Church: ave pitch our liturgic
music on too high key, and so miss the
highest delights of it. Our model choirs
commonly sing as high above the aesthetic
perceptions of the congregations as they do
above their worshipful capacities and op-
portunities. 1t is one of the strangest but
truest experiences of well-meaning and
fairly cultivated church people that the
modern, excessively elaborated choral
services, especially when Mathis and Holy
Communion are 'telescoped' in one inordi-
nate function, become very fatiguing
thing for heart and head alike. Partly
because there are no middle-distance rest
ing places for undistracted meditation and
spiritual repose. Just think of it ! stim-
ulating professional, choral Mathis, Psalter
to double Anglican chants, out of every
ones reach; an anthem Te Deum, an an
them Jubilate, an anthem Kyrie, an an
them Otfertory, an anthem Creed and an
thems for Sanctus Ofiertorium, Benedictus
qui VENT, Agnus Del, and Gloria in Ex-
celsis-take all these ten anthems, with
the incidental chant and hymn-tunes, and
choose what composer you please, classic,
Anglican or continental, and the only pos
sible result must be the utter exhaustion
of all really musical worshipers, and the
hopeless obfuscation and bewilderment of
people who happen to be. musically, illit-
crates"
In an article on Socialism and the
Clergy" the Ghristian Union says: sThe
clergyman may, whatever his personal in
terest in Socialism, decline to identify
himself either with it or with its antagon.
lists. He may regard it, as he does the
issue between free trade and protection,
as outside the province of the pulpit. He
may hold that the work of social. indus
trial and political reform belongs to other
reformers, and that to him, as clergy
man, belongs only the duty of developing
in the individual a higher spiritual and
ethical life. From this work of individual
reform he may refuse to turn aside to take
active part in social reform. This is prob
ably the attitude, more or less carefully
considered, of the bulk of American
clergymen, Protestant and Roman Catho-
lie. 1t is seldom that the worshiping
congregation hears Socialism referred to
from the pulpit, whether by name or
otherwise. We do not remember to have
ever seen or heard of sermon upon
Socialism from Phillips Brooks or Morgan
Dix, from John Hall or William NJ. Tay.
lor, from Father Preston or Cardinal Glib
bons. This is not because these men lack
the courage of their convictions. The
bigotry that accuses the clergy of coward
ice because they are silent on these issues
is very ignorant bigotry. They are
silent from more or less well-considered
conviction that the subject does not be-
long to the range of pulpit themes"
The Churchman says: at is a fashion
nowadays among certain religious teachers,
and particularly among men of glowing
minds and high power of rhetorical ex-
preston, to emphasize the difference be-
tween theology and religion. They talk
slightingly of dogma, and exalt emotional
apprehension and conviction at its expense.
We suppose that thirty years ago this
would have been called feminine way Of
regarding Christianity. Theology is re-
ligion reasoned out; dogma is the forma-
tion in language of that reasoning. To
talk slightingly of dogma Is, seriously
speaking, to evlnce an intellectual attitude
which is absolutely pitiable. To talk
slightingly of dogma is to talk as if the
ipse dirit Of the talker was alone orthodox,
1t argues not only arrogance, but ignor.
ance. 1t is only our languid interest in
speculation said the late Aubrey Moore,
or a Philistine dislike of metaphysics,
that makes such an unintelligent view
possible The only way to treat dogma is
either to accept it and hand it on, or else
to restate it in such terms as shall COM
mand the assent of universal reason. I'm.
fortunately, those who speak disparagingly
of dogma are sometimes those whose stu
dies have not seriously engaged them in its
origin and authority, and who will not
equip themselves philosophically for its
analysis. They much prefer to exercise
what George Eliot calls the right OF the
individual to general laziness,' particularly
as haze refracts the light into dazzling
colors, and glitters while it conceals and
misleads."
A correspondent of the Presbyterian
Bonner (Pittsburg) says: "If a majority OF
Presbyter;es shall vote for revision and
indicate what the revision should be, and
the Assembly recognize these answers to
the present overture. and proceed to APP
point committee to formulate, in order
to overture amendments to the confession,
to the Presbyteries, it will be the duty OF
every loyal Presbyterian minister and
elder to refuse to serve on such committee.
The reasons are palpable: ~ The over
ture itself is Illegal, revolutionary, null
and void. ~ The answers to the over
ture are the same where they are affirma-
tive. (3) The canvass of the returns is
the same. (4) The whole procedure is