Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-29

I
truth certainly does not witness, and never
did witness, that all the Bible is pure
truth. On the contrary, il compe.s us TO
confess that the Bible contains a great
literature in which the light indeed vastly
predominates, but in which i, is often seen
shining into darkness, and the darkness
conprehending it not"
On the subject of "inspirationLo the Re-
rietr says: at needs to be understood that
the influence and authority of the Bible
have never depended on belief in its iner
rancy and infallibihty, but that theories of
its literal perfection and miraculous origin
have been adopted to account for its
power. This literature, Hebrew and
| Christian, has had charm, has made an
appeal, has exercised power unique and
! spiritual 1t has interpreted God 10 the
soul; and has found men, as Coleridge saws,
In the depths of their being. Such is its
direct, natural, irresistible impression.
But after time men began 10 theorize
about 1t, to surround it with mystery of
miracle or magic, and became blind to the
imperfectiens of its form, insisting that
such treasure could not be an earthen
vessel, but that every word date, name.
place, Is absolutely correct These notions
came to be held as essential to the power
the book had, as the very source of its
power. By and by it is found that such
theories must be modified, that the form
, has human imperfection, and then many
fear that the sanctity and authority of the
book will be lost. But the power is there
all the same, and remains to be ac-
counted for. Here is the alternative:
if this literature has no spiritual
power which makes it sacred, theories of
| miraculous origin, of freedom from mac
curacies, and the like, cannot give it real
| authority over men, but if it has that
power over the human heart which proves
it revelation of God, no conditions of
date, authorship, and composition can rob
1t of its authority. The fact that although
men think this of it to-day, and think
that OF 1t tomorrow, it is always bringing
God to the conscience and heart with un-
| abated influence, should enlarge our view
of the revelation which it contains, and
bring us to the broadening use of it in Dos
tive and aggressive forms, rather than
merely to the defense of it with glowing
solicitude. 1t may safely be predicted that
after adjustment has been made of the re-
suits of historical criticism to theories of
inspiration, the Old Testament will gain a
larger degree of spiritual meaning than it
had while the history it described was
partly misunderstood, as the person of
Christ stands out more real, more human
and more near since hostile attacks have
brought the church and the world to a
better knowledge of the writings which
describe and interpret that unique char
acter"
Writing on the question, "Shall Episco-
pacy be Reinstituted in the Andore1-
Recie'r the Rev. Charles G. Starbuck SAYS:
"Undoubtedly the present fluctuations of
mutual antagonism and attraction in the
church, or, to use term that has not so
shrunk into an inordinately devotional
and ritual sense, these impulses in Christ
tian mankind will ultimately find widely
prevailing and long. enduring equilibrium
of brotherhood. One of the signs of this
hardly one of the most potent instru-
ments-will probably be wider recogni-
tion and greater honor once more accorded
to the historic episcopate, as AN ancient,
decent and convenient polity.' And as it
is in no way derogates from republican in
dependence when we gracefully recognize,
on occasion OF the visit of king, the an
cient honor of his great office, so it surely
cannot be necessary, for the maintenance
of Evangelical freedom, thai those churches
which have laid aside the episcopal Office
should refuse to pay to it. and to its in
cumbents, a frank and free Difference, cor
responding to its immemorial dignity, and
to the manner in which, in its various
notifications, it has been bound up with all
the fortunes of the Church of God.
There is no reason why
any body of Christian ministers should
affect to slight the whole history
of the church, and to confuse distinc-
tion which three.fourths of the church
still maintain. K Unquestionably
we are not to ascribe an inordinate sig
nifcance to simply ecclesiastical reunion.
Ceremony and formulas of doctrine adopt
ed by vote will not have the relative part
in the future that they have had in the
past. Christ has entered more deeply into
the life of mankind, and is not so easily
compassed in sentences. The ultimate
issue of faith in God of which Christ is
the origin, the norm, and the mediator,
must be found in an energetic reconstitu-
tion of the relations of mankind, according
to the apostolic word which the President
of Harvard has propounded as the sigma
ture of the future society 'Ye are mem
for much in such an order, they must be
| men who are ritually careful, who do not
neglect the tithes of mint, anise and cum
min Terminated Christian faith will not
express itself in baroness and poverty, but
in variety and magnifcence Of rite. But
assuredly the future leaders OF the Church
must be men in whose thought judgment,
mercy and faith shall have finally and for
III
unique supremacy. And we have good
omen that we may hope for mulhplica-
tion of Bishops of this stamp in the future
in such names of the present as Manning,
Temple, Gibbons, Potter, Whipple, La
vigerie. We have to reason concerning
the future in the forms of the present. The
| prophets themselves could do no other
wise. The infinite capabilities of Christ
have but begun to be tested in rude, pre-
liminary essays.
For we are ancients of the earth,
And in the morning of the times.
| We do not know and cannot worthily
| imagine what form of the Universal
| Church, under the unexhausted energies
| of her head, impends form that shall
render her more worthy to be described
as the City of God. And as we know not
the form OF the city. so we know not the
manner of its leaders. Yet we doubt not
that into it will be emptied the whole full
ness and significance of all true leader
ships of the past, and that as all the citi-
zens will be both kings and priests, so, in
more eminent sense, win be the guides.
And present readiness in all Christians
TO recognize every great institute of Chris
tian society for all the value of which it
may still prove capable will be one of the
best auguries that universal Christendom
is ready to be led forward into fuller
achievement of the mind of Christ"
Brother Reynolds Observations.
! That they never forget to take up a col
| lection.
| That short sermons always seem 20 give
| the best satisfaction.
That everyone tries TO be the last one
out when services are over.
That no preacher ever neglectse to tell
the story of the Prodigal Son.
! That the young woman with n new bon
net and a Young man with high collar