Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-06
In RELIGIONS REALM.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO MINIS
TIERS AND LAYMEN.
Expressions of Opinion by Newspapers
Representing the Various Denom-
nations. on Many subjects.

The Christian Obserrer of Louisville says:
''The wrongfulness OF dealing in lotteries
Is, perhaps, not SO obvious as OF some other
sins. Yet it is no less real. The whole
| scheme is based on an effort to get
neighbor's property away from him with
out giving him an equivalent. And this
| is violation of the eighth command
ment"
The Independent says: "The indignation
| OF the citizens of Dakota, we do not doubt,
| will overwhelm the legislators who have
| voted for this infamous bill, which trans
| fers the lottery of Louisiana to that young
and promising State. Think of it: Pro-
hibition and lottery; temperance and.
gambling; protection of homes and their
destruction; the State honestly refusing
to enrich its treasury by the license Of
saloons, and then filling it from the license
of lotteries"
The C0ngregadondijst says: "The Chris
tian Mirror estimates that the lottery bus
iness draws from the State of Maine $780,
900 annually. h is hardly less damaging
and demoralizing than the liquor business.
And these statements ought to move citi-
zens to urge upon their representatives in
Congress the enactment of the bills re-
Gently introduced giving to Postmasters
greater authority to keep lottery letters
and circulars out of the mails, for if that
could be done the.miserable swindle would
be practically suppressed"
The Christian Union SAYS: "There is
nothing more foolish than an investment
in a lottery, except for a State to license
A Ia al -a+
gain than loss TO the urchaser-though
in the long run it rarely happens-but
hundred thousand tickets, which whole
State would buy, are certain to result in
| a tremendous loss, and this loss keeps on
increasing with the decentralization that
ensues. We are glad to record the protest
| which the Chief Justice of North Dakota
has made to one of the State Senators.
He begs him to save the State from the
| stigma of being the tool of gamblers under
the guise of Il lottery. Poverty we can
stand; infamy, never"
The Examiner Bapt says: "We neither
expect not wish to see a prevailing Bap-
tlst ritual. At the same time we are not
distressed or alarmed to note among our
churches disposition TO make the service
! of worship more interesting and attractive.
Many Baptist congregations join nowadays
| in repeating the Lords Prayer and In re-
sponsive reading of the Psalms. The
Gloria in Excesis is sung by many every
Sunday. We even know of some in which
| that grand old symbol-notable alike for
its comprehensiveness of statement and
the Saxon purity and strength of its Ian
guage-the Apostles Creed is regularly
taI hn \
either uniting with the minister or else
responding at the close with an Amen"
A correspondent of the Church of To- Dau
(P. E. says of the Boston Episcopal
Church Association Rooms: "a placard
upon the door beseeches every visitor, in
terms which recall his thoughts to earth,
to please Use the Mat 1t has always
seemed curious circumstance to me that
the presiding genius of the Episcopal
Rooms, in thus assuming that the clergy
| do not knew the usages of good society,
should assume that SO simple an appeal
would be understood. For mats may be
used in variety of ways; they may be
converted under favorable circumstances
| into bedding, or even into articles of orna-
| ment, although that is not conceivable IN
| the present instance; in an extremity of
cold or of famine they might be made
| available either as fuel or food; in fact
there seems hardly a limit to the number
of useful careers that are open to a we'll
conducted mat. When, therefore, one
(, finds himself implored, on entering an
| assembly-room for clergymen, to please
use the mat and finds the entreaty stare
ing him in the face in every sort of
rootbar bn Oh bo ,Na,Jo,,oI ..
to me, if he becomes at times bewildered."
The Christian Inquirer (Bapt.) says:
Though there were not family living
| within mile of the spot, Trinity
| Church should be kept as ay-mark,
| teaching every passing traveller the lessons
of life everlasting Though the time
should come when no services should be
held there, and no living preacher pour
| forth his eloquence on the air that vibrates
| in the old, dim aisles, Trinity should be
kept open that weary ones might 90 in,
out of the noise and confusion of Broad
way, to seek the rest and quiet that are
found in the narrow way. Well would it
| be if all Protestant churches were kent
open that the people who have a few min
utes to rest might go-in an sit, and COM
mune with God. We need houses of med
itation as well as preaching-stations, and
perhaps sad and sorrowing souls might
gain as much comfort, and find as much
peace in silent, lonely communion with
God as they could from the preaching and
praise of the Lords Day. The human
heart has its own tabernacle, and if op-
portunity should be given it, it would
often unfold its curtains and let in the
blessed Spirit who comes in silent commun-
ion and meditation. Too few persons in
this busy, driving world have a still hour.
Time to think is crowded out bv the con-
slant, ceaseless, bewildering doing of
human life. Why should the doors of the
First Church on Park avenue, or the doors
of the Epiphany on Madison avenue, or
the doors of the downtown churches be
closed six days in the week? If stran-
ger finds door open on week day, and
goes in to rest and pray, why is he dis
turbed by some meddlesome sexton, who
comes and asks him what he wants, and
what he is doing, and watches him until
he goes out as if afraid he would steal the
pulpit or carry away the organ"
The Christian Leader (Univ.) says: "The
suggestion comes to us by letter that it
would be wisdom in the Universalist de-
nomination to cultivate fellowship on new
lines. We have been, the writer remarks,
making overtures for half century and
more to the Unitarian body, and whatever
of inter-denominational fellowship we en-
joy has been and still is with Unitarians.
From this We have derived some benefit,
perhaps, but more harm. They have
taken our Universalism and given us in
return our rationalism. We could do bet
ter. Let us cultivate the Christian con-
nection, the Dunkards, the Mennonites,
all of whom are Liberal Christians and
not inclined to rationalism. So runs the
suggestion. 1t is further inquired
whether we could not profitably form
an alliance with the liberal Congregations
alists, and with the liberal party which is
making distinct appearance in every
branch of the Protestant Church. This is
worth thinking of. If the personal and
local fellowship now enjoyed by Univer-
salist ministers and churches with Con-
gregational, Baptist, Methodist and other
ministers and churches in all parts of the
J country could be made dedenominational and
general, it would surprise and delight the
world to see how great and influential a
host the whole communion O. liberal Chris
] ton rootoc Sold ~ a,,;nn,t n