Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-15
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO MINIS
TIERS AND LAyMEE.
Expressions of Opinion by Newspapers
Representing the Various nenom-
nations. on Many subjects.

The Buffalo Christjan 4drocdte Meth J
say I'VE would suggest that the man who
writes the advertisements for the columns
of the New York Christian Adrocdte be
cautioned about indulging in such sensa-
tional and unguarded expressions as char
acterize some of his productions. He is
giving the concern an unenviable noto-
riety. We are surprised that the wide
awake editor is found mapping over his
own columns"
"FarmtonS says in the 4drocate: '''What
shall We do exclaimed wise and loving
father, with the Sunday-school library
books which the children bring home? 4
don't know replied the mother, they are
terror to me. If only had the time 10
read them, could tell whether the chill
dren ought to read them, but can't read
them. To tell the children that they
shall not read them is little severe, for
does not the church and Sunday-school
stand to them for instruction in good things?
If We tell them that the Sunday-school
book is not fit for them to read. they infer
that the church is not a proper guide.
What shall We do% And what shall we
do? OF course, we might take the most
pains possible in selecting the books, but if
even the ordinary library committee take
the most pains possible, Il am sure saws
many mother, Il should find some books
that my children ought not to read l
should like to go through the Sunday
school libraries of this country and destroy
about two books out of every four of them.
But you ask, What are the children to
readY Such question is very annoying.
In answer, ! should like to say to parents
that if had the making of the parents for
a generation, could make the children's
reading all right. But fortunately or un-
fortunately, | cannot have this power Of
recreation. /, for one, should like to see
more reading of the stories of the Bible, by
and with the children on Sunday. |
should also like a return to the books of
Jacob Abbott. But what is even better.
could almost wish that the whole stock of
'children's books were entirely destroyed.
If book is written as it ought to be, in
clearness and simplicity of language, chill
dren will read it and like to read it,
The Rev. Dr. r. A. Holland, writing on
inspiration in the Liuing Church, says: "The
criticisms that finds less of the individual
and more of the race in the Old Testament,
etNoSotSc iabhSl Als u4NlHt
authorship. Better that it should be
1sraePs book than some books of Moses
and David and Daniel and Isaiah and the
best of all, that its Israelitic quality should
be made up of the wisdom of many lands,
meeting in an experience that filters them
to the pure flowing of the river of life
The manner Of the books composition has
nothing to do with its divine quality.
Gods message is His, though spoken by
Balaam or an ass Homer is Homer, and
Shakespeare is Shakespeare, by whomso-
ever writ. Even forgery would not undo
the divine Importance of the Old Testa-
ment to my mind, any more than the
treason of Judas vitiates the Divine Love
of the Cross. The mistaken zeal of
those apologists who would wager
thp divinity of Christ on the ques-
tionable character of the Book Of Jonah,
or the dubious authenticity of a Psalm of
David, | cannot understand 1t would be
much easier for me to believe that Christ
quoted writings as they were accepted
and named, just as any man might now
quote Ossian without referring to McPher-
son; or, indeed, that his words about
David and Jonah were an Interpolation
like the pool of Bethesda, or the woman
taken in adultery, or the three that bear
witness in heaven than that their critical
accuracy involved the whole faith of the
Christian Church. Such recklessness takes
my breath. | should be amazed by it as
the desperation of Protestant Bible-wor-
ship, but in Catholic whose pillar and
ground of faith is no book nor theory of
book, the hazard seems insane. Do we
h~lI ha
textual pin, bent at that? There was no
reference to the Scriptures in the making
of the Nicene Creed. 1t was made ont Of
the traditions and consciousness of the
Church, which, while illustrated by the
Scriptures, are still independent OF them"
The Evangelist Pres says: THE anti
revisionists who have been appointed on
this committee, by accepting such ap-
pointment, accept the duty imposed, which
is to revise the Confession. If there be
any who are so strongly opposed to revis-
ion that they cannot, and will not. assent
to any change, it is their duty to leave
their places to others. One member, Mr.
Junkin Of Philadelphia, offered his resig-
nation, on the ground that he could not
undertake to do what he thought should
not be DONE but finally reserved his deci-
sion to see if he could reconcile his duty
with his convictions. This was a manly
course, and one which Others would have
taken had they fully sympathized with
him. The fact that they did not, is pre-
sumption that they are prepared to accept
the position, and to perform the duty as
signed them. They are men of Christian
honor. No doubt they will urge their
own views, as they have perfect right to
do, but that they will try to de-
feat the object and aim of the COM
mittee, we do not believe. But will not
the whole thing amount to nothing?
By no means. A great point has been
already gained, viz: that the Presbyterian
Church has declared by an overwhelming
majority that it desires some revision of its
Confession of Faith That of itself laws
low and destroys forever the Dagon of in
fallibiiity attached to that Confession. 1t
is settled that it is not, like the Bible,
given by inspiration of God, nor even the
work of angels, but of men, infallible men;
and that what men in past ages have
made, other men in later and perhaps
wiser ages can revise and amend. And
when this committee have once put their
hands to this service we have faith to be-
lieve that they will not do the Lords
work negligently, but wisely and well.
The mountain of Presbyterianism has not
been violently shaken for whole year
only to bring forth a mouse. TIE result,
we believe, will justify all the labor it has
cost, not only giving relief to our faith,
but removing difficulties in the way of the
Presbyterian Church that will add greatly
to its strength and prove gain to our
common Christianity"
The Rev. DIR. A. ]. f. Behrends says in
the June Forum: 'The drift of modern
thought, as anyone can discover in our
current literature, in newspapers, maga-
zines and reviews, is not anti-religious, but
the reverse. That the drift is anti-ecclesi-
cal and anti-dogmatic is equally certain
The pulpit has almost abandoned polemic
utterauces. Scores and hundreds of
churches would not endure them. They
were once the fashion, and public debates
on the rites and doctrines of opposing
sects were in high favor We have out
grown ali that. The change is partly due
to social and commercial causes. The
Calvinist has fallen in love with the Meth
odist, and has not found the heresy to be
very pernicious. The Trinitarian has en-
tered into partnership with the Unitarian,
Il Il IL 1. Il p