Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-28
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO MINIS
TERs AND LAYMEN. =
Expressions of Opinion By Newspaper
Representing the Various Denom-
nations, ON Many Subjects.

Expressions of Opinion By Newspaper
Representing the Various Denom-
inations, on Many Subjects.
Fhe Chr's.iaa Inquirer (Bapt) says. IL
the Baltimore Baptist DR.. w. E Hatcher.
man who weighs his words, describes Sau
Jones' as the 'ungodly and blaspbemou
evangelist No doubt there ia consider
able trath in the adjectives, but it puzzle
one to understand how evangelist can b.
tackled on to them"
| The Cestraz Fea (Pres saws: "If len
atty to our Calvinistic system of doctrine,i,
| 10 De fostered IN our church, the training o
| our Sabbath school children should receive
une attention. The Shorter Ca,echism i,
| neglected to fearful extent. OF the 7,1I7
atn.schools reposted to the last Assem-.
Oily, o,z4o, or about is per cent. do no,
study the Shorter Catechism. This ouebt
not so to be. There is no compendium Of
scripture doctrine in existence suited 10
the youthful mind that is so valuable as
our shorter Catechism. 1t ought to be in
troduced into every Presbyterian Sabbath
school. Otherwise, we cannot expect N
raise up generation of strong and intelli-
gent Presbyterian Christians. Our Metbo-
dist Episcopal friends are not so neelectfnl
OF their standards in the training of their
children. We need to initiate their de-.
nominstional loyalty"
The Vatc2iman Bapt says: "The story
OF Dave Crocxett's coon that called out
from tne Tree, when 1t saw who was aiming
at him, Don't shoot, I'll come down. has
been often used to illustrate the prudence
Of surrendering in good season 1; but we
have always thought that the coon should
have been pretty certain that it was the re.
doubtable Dave beneath him; that the gun
was loaded; that it would not miss fire. or
that Dave would not this time miss bis
aim, before the wisdom of coming down
could be made evident. There are, it seems
to US, too many theolegians who, when
they see sharpshooter calling himself
German critic, come down. quite too
readily. We remember some English and
american theologians, who came down
Tor the Tubingen sportsmen altogether too
soon, and it would not be strange if some
OF those who seem SO eagerto come down
for Wellhausen and his, co-labsrers would
wish, after dozen years or 80, they had
stayed up"
a movement for Sunday closing of the
Chicago Fair has issued an address to be
forwarded to the religious press of the
country for approval and signature. The
Chicago Living Church (P. E.) has returned
the address unsigned, with the following
explanation: THE editor of the Lipin9
Church will advocate the closing Of the Ex-
position on Sundays, at least as far as all
industrial and commercial activities con.
nected with 1t. He cannot see, however,
that there is any more harm in walking
through the parks and halls and conserya.
tories Of the Exposition on the Lords
Day than IN carrying on great mass meet
lngs for the discussion of moral questions.
Indeed, the Exposition would SEEN to be
the best place for the holding of such meet
1ngs. In view of the fact that the city will
be crowded during the season referred tn
with multitude who have for the time no
homes but the hotels, boarding houses and
saloons the managers would seem 10 be
following the law Of mercy and not sacri.
nee. by keeping open on Sunday afternoons
such portions OF the Exposition as above
indicated
Dean Murray, of Princeton, writing on
Isaac barrow, in the Homitetie Revietg, saws:
BarroWs distinctions always have off.
ference. He does not confound things
opposite in their nature, nor separaie
things which belong together. And, if we
are not mistaken, the homiletic use of such
study is very great. How often, for ex.
ample, have sermons on wealth, or amuse.
ment or temperance failed simply for want
OF truth and proper discrimination. 1t is
easy always to be sweeping. The puIpit.
af,er all, is not in the wholesale. business.
1t is not so easy to make careful distinction.
to retail truth, so that it sticks in the indi-
vloual conscience with its thou are the
man. But he who will work for this. has
this for his reward, that be covers the
whole ground more Justly and more eff.
caciousiy. He will ind in Barroy's ser.
mons useful study for this end. Like
Dr: South, he wrought out his plans care
fully before writing, and while he filings
aside all scholastic subileties, he brings
common sense to bear in the use of these
Determinations. We have heard certain
men described as discriminating preach.
ers' The class needs 10 be made larger
"Farmton" says, in the Adyance: 1t has
become quite customary for our churches
to put gallery for the choir either behind
the minister or beside the minister. The
people want to see the singers; they want
to face the music. | do not like the Gus
TOM. These last months have been sit
ting in the pews and have faced the mnsic
l have thus added evidence, drawn from
observation, to my theories, that music
should be heard and not seen; it shonid
appeal to the ear and not to the eye. The
sense OF worship il song through the
agency of the ear is marred by the distrac.
tons which the eye brings The oreapist.
jumping about on his seat, paving the
pedals, pulling the stops, the size Of the
sopranos mouth, eccentricities OF dress and
department, all these the eye brings to the
heart and mind and thus serves 10 mar the
sense of worship. No, no; let us hide our
musicians, in order the better to hear their
music. Even theaters hide their o-chas.
oh IL
choirs in side galleries or lofts where thav
are not easily seen. shall rel llce in the
day when there is clear discrimination as
to the proper place of music in the church,
uang the word place in material as well
as an intellectual and spiritual sense.''
The Cumberland Presbyterian saws: "Per.
haps under our Presbyterian system what
Is called candidatiDg is a necessary evil.
but II can never be other wise than embar.
rasslng 10 man with ordinary sensitive.
ness and any proper modesty 10 enter .be
pulpit feeling that he is on exhibition: that
his virtues and failings are to be critically
observed, and, in due lime, discussed and
voted on. The people come TO such a
service not to be fed, but to criticise the
spiritual 1000 set before them, and to pass
]uogment on The style and character of the
cooS- Nor does it much relieve the embar.
- ~ - tlldt lQe cDurcl
as well as the prospective pastor is on trial.
That while the members are taking his
measure be is also taking theirs. The feel.
ing on both sides is in danger of Being
strained and unnatural. One sermon
and listened to under such cir
cumstances is not fair test. Most trial
sermons fail to give true impression Of
the preachers ability. and he need. more
Lhan one Sabbath with the people 10 form |
a correct idea of their character and wants.
There would perhaps be fewer misfit pas. |
torates and less frequent changes if there |
we're some standing arrangement among |
vacant churches and unemployed ministers |
every candidate for the pastoral |
office to spend some weeks or months io |
he congregation before receiving CALI
The Unitarian Reriep says: "a friendly
out possibly over-anxious critic of our
movement in some of its more radical
phases has sent US few words which we
nay we'll accept as hint or warning: "A
man made religion. specializing about a
'ilent, absent or quiescent God. looking
,ondescendinglv towards an amiable, help
ess. harmless Jesus, making man a self
sufficient creature who is happily and at
asst successfully striving to be self satisfied
ALI main and eUffarirp spriucirp aolalr |