The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-05
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE

OF them. The reason why these
conjscturcs are put forth 10
the. T rat ths 'cc.ic,se' are infidels
Who want 10 throw u lizion by casting
loal l. 90 The Bible. Treir efforts are
concentrated Oh oiscreoiIing anything
"a the Bible which implies miracle or
the supernatural. When future events
sre foretold, they say that tho
prophecy is fraud, having
been written after its alleged
fulillment. When Gods miraculous
dealings with man are narrated. the
critics set to work TO show that the
story is an ombsliisned version Of some
purely natural Occurrences. Whom the
author declares that he himself was an
eyewitness Of the marvels he relates.
the critics say the work is a late
forgery. Afterwards, when their
guess:work has been proved baseless
aud their arguments torn to tatters, the
critics publish new books, carefully
Ignoring all that has been urged against
the old ones. and simply reaffirming
dogmatically their former conclusions.
Then certain weak. kneed Christians,
deeply impressed with the sudsciously
positive assertions OF the destructive
school. hasten to accept them ssthe un-
doubted 'results.of criticism. They hy
70 church congresses 10 warn their
brethren against the danger OF disputing
these results. They wildly attempt
ne impossible task Of serving two
masters They imagine they can still
remain Christians aud still profess a
reverence for the Bible as whole while
accepting 10 detail the destructive the
orie, Of the l.ationolist school,"
TEE following is an abstract from an
article in Sclibner's Magazine for De-
cember. on the Age OF Words, by the
Hon. Z. j. Phelps. late Minister to the
Court Of st. james; and it is worthy OF
the most serious consideration:
The everlasting repetition. through
countless thousands Of volumes, Of the
story Of the imaginary courtship and
marriage of fictitious AMI impossible
young men and women; and when all
conceivable incidents that could attend
this happy narrative are used up. and
the exhausted Imagination OF the nar-
fator refuses any further supply, then
in their place an endless flow Of COM
monplacs and yapid conversation, tend
ing 20 the same matrimonial result,
until it Is clear that the parties, IL they
were real. would talk themselves 10
death-lhis is the staple Of what is now
called fiction, because it never could
exist in fact. What a food for an i'm.
mortal mind to live on, year in and
year out. as its principal literary nour-
ishment and what sort OF mental fiber
is it likely to produce
l. should be noted that this sharp
and just criticism is not based on moral
or religious grounds. but ON those
which are mental and literary. Mr..
Phelps is not a minister Of the gospel.
out lawyer and a man Of letters, and
ne speaks as such. His classification
embraces ne largest number OF the
novels Of the day, and his words against
them are weighty and powerful"
TX November, 1869, the Rev. Dr..
Phillips Brooks took charge of the con-
; gregation Of Trinity Church, then stu
ated on Summer street, coming there
from Philadelphia. where he bad already
, distinguished himself as a preacher.
About ten years ago the new edifice,
perhaps the most perfect in New Eng
land. was dedicated on Copley Square,
b aud this has since been thronged year
after year to hear the voice Of one OF
Americas greatest preachers. His
twentieth anniversary here has just
passed. though without any special OBJ
servance. Dr.. Brooks is the only cels'
brated preacher ia that great city. His
influence is very wide. His speaking ID
at white heat. aud comes from the
depths of warm and loving heart
but in doctrine he has some lamentsble
weaknesses. The latest phase OF his ID
The organzition..of a social prayer
meeting ia his church.
p sisrERHooDs are upon the increase
- among tire reform bodies Of Europe
e The latest statistics report fifty-ssyen
D religious houses independent Of Roman
< authority, in which are seven thouss nd
J one hundred and twenty nine sisters,
two thousand five hundred and ninsty'
20 three Of whom are serving their ncvi'
tiatc. The largest proportion Of the 80
houses are IN Germany, which claim
thirty.t two OF the fifly-seysn. In foul
years there has been 10 the various in
s.iiutions OF this order a growth Of one
thousand four hundred sisters.
a The fidelity OF some Chinese converts
e may be learned from nickname givel
}. few Of them living near Shsown
h They are called the "KneeI-in'be bee
Z sect, and some heather declared tina
r the Christians always went to sleep OF
x their knee. In the place and at to-
Ie time when their reigbbors would SUI
. pose they would be asleep, these Chris
10 tians we're at prayer.
A
"a ABOUT ss5 900 has been spent thu
IN past year by the American S-amen
N Friend S)ciety in missionary work
NJ publications, loan libraries, and othe
N aids. Altogether 80. 22l new libraris