Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-05

NNiSaS VI HIS own CAV. surely
toere was never ceremonial more gor-
geouS or display more lavish than thaSto
when he was accustomed as a Jew, and
IN the midst OF which he grew up, in
ereaS'ng IN wisdom and stature and in
favor with God and man."
"A very grave question, of which but
little has yet been said, is presenting itself
to the Protestant churches and missionary
societies, which must be met AZ no distant
day. says the PreS5Hsriqa Banner. "This
is the matter OF the Independence of the
missionary churches of the authority of
the denominations and boards to which
they have heretofore been subjected.
The great thing to be consid-
cred Is the competency of those churches
10 set up and control ecclesiastical orrani-
cations for themselves in the near future.
composed as they are for the most part OF
those only one generation from heatheu-
ism and of these who have very recently
been converted TO Christianity. Are the
native pastors and elders so well instructed
in the doctrine and polity Of the church,
and so thoroughly grounded in the gospel.
that they can adopt or frame systems of
doctrine, church government. and disci-
pline for themselves? And then the ef-
feet upon the churches in Christian lands,
and the probable or possible state Of feel
ing in the missionary churches towards
them, must be carefully taken into ac-
count. 1t must be considered whether
contributions from the churches at home
to the same amount can be continued in
the event Of ecclesiastical separation
whether the missionary churches will look
to them with the tilial respect and afiec-
tion hitherto manifested; and also whether
the native churches left to their own guild
once will press missionary work in their
respective countries as they should We
do not propose 10 discuss these or the many
other phases of the subject that present
themselves, but simply 10 call the atten-
ton of the church TO it, as it is of vital
interest and should received the study and
prayers of all Christians"
The Christian Regisicr (Boston) says
christianity, which mas too long been He
braic and medieval, must feel the spirit of
modern life. 1t can no longer be a Ptole-
maic religion religion in which this
world is the center of the solar system. Is
must be enlarged and enriched by coneep-
tions of the universe which were never so
grand as in cur own age. The Christianity
of the future will have a larger Bible
than it ever has had in the past, 1t viii
not turn 10 the Hebrew Genesis for its
cosmology, but 10 the older and more
ample Genesis of science, revealing the
evolution of man and of the planet on
which he stands. With the disappearance
of arbitrary deities and polytheistic ty-
rants, it will discover a new unity in the
manifestation of the life of God. The
Christianity of the future will not be re-
ligion of three gods, but of one God Il
will still reverence and love and honor the
man Christ Jesus but it will find in Him,
not the source of final authority Of divine
truth, but holy example of divine living
and the inspiration Of the Christ ideal.
Christianity, we believe, is to become
more and more practical, and more closely
identified with human life and interest. II
will not surrender its immortal hopes, but
it will become more and more a religion of
this world. The Kingdom of God which
it seeks to bring in will be state to be
realized now and here. 1t will be less
religion of tradition and more a religion
ascetIcism, monachism and liberalism,
Christianity will become more joyous, less
Puritaxic, more sympathetic with whole
some recreation less divided from the real
life OF the wolld, and yet more conscious
of the reality Of moral and spiritual
truth"
"Some of the daily journals are greatly
disturbed" says the New York Examiner,
cover what ministers are doing in the Peo-
pies Municipal League. Two or three
prominent clergymen have been closely
identified with it, and many have greeted
it with expressions of hearty sympathy.
This is regarded by certain editorial cen
sors with grave disapproval and alarm
They fear that the religious interests Of
the community are going to suffer. They
pathetically beg the preachers not to
deprive their longing congregations Of
the bread Of spiritual life, and offer
them instead the stones of political
discussion. They draw lurid pictures of
caucus prayer-meetings, and shudder-
ingly anticipate campaign harangues in
place OF sermons. We would not asperse
the sincerity OF this edifying zeal for pure
and undefled religion by suggesting that
it proceeds from quarters where the Mu-
nicipal League-with its clerical annex
is regarded as hostile to partisan aims.
But we do protest against the assump-
tion that ministers violate any deco
rum of their office by interesting them
selves in public affairs. Party leaders they
should, of course, never become; but lead
ers of thought in reference to the duties
of citizenship, as well as in other direc-
tions, they are bound to be- They not
only have the right, like other men, to
take their active part in what concerns
the welfare of the places they live in
and the country at large, but they are
pledged by the very position they hold
to special attention and diligence in mat
tiers of that sort. They must illustrate
the bearing of religious truth upon these
things by fearless practice as well as by
faithful preaching. We have heard of
the church where notice was given of
service at which no men would be ad-
mitted, only women and clergymen.' But
we believe that most churches nowadays
have no use for ministers who are not
men as we'll"