The record-union., 1891-03-15
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions from the Various
Religious Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed In the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.
The Sundny-School Times anticipates
the time when selling or renting pews
will be classed in church history with
raising money by lotteries and buying
rum with church funds for ordination
services.
The Freeman Journal (R. c. says: ga
new step in advance has now been made
by the Paulists in the Introduction of
congregational prayers and singing at the
3 O'Clock low mass. This was first at
tempted last Quinquagesima Sunday
morning, the Rev. Father Elliott, by
whom the Sunday-night services have
sort of precentor or leader in the pull
pit. Without a word of exhortation or
direction the people Joined at once with
full voice in all the prayers and hymns.
This devout method of assisting at low
mass will no doubt be recognized as
great boon, and we venture to predict
that it will spread rapidly throughout the
country. All question of its feasibility is
at once settled by this instance of prompt
and notable success"
The Examiner (Baptist) says of the OBJ
servance of Lent: ''Where the purpose
Of helping and lifting the spiritual nature
is kept intelligently and strenuously be-
fore the mind, the process which adj
vances that is a wholesome one, no mat
ter what its title and details. Fasting has
been well and broadly defined as the
voluntary disuse of anything innocent in
itself, with view to spiritual culture
Moderation in food may be an essential
part of it. Adoniram Judsoni put
Eat not so much,' and many Christian
people would doubtless find profit in oc
casionally, at least, acting upon the same
rule. But fasting does not apply to food
alone. 1T applies to everything which a
man may DESIRE The real Lent says
Phillips Brooks, SIS the putting forth of a
mans hand to quiet his own passions,
and to push them aside that the higher
voices may speak to him and the higher
touches fall upon him. 1t is the making of
an emptiness about the soul that the
higher fullness may fill it. 1t is the utter
ance of penitence and the opening of
doors to Christ. 1t must be very sacred !;
not formal, but alive and glorified with
motive. 1t must be very personal: not
initiated from any pattern, but the utter
ance of each mans repentance, and love,
and hope, and fear. 1t must be very rea-
sonable; not uniting the body for any
good work, but making it a more and
Whether such Lent last forty days or
four, is of small account. The more of
itthat any of us have, the better"
The Presbyterian Banner says: 1.-THE
suggestion is eminently wise that the re-
port tof the Revision Committed after
being presented to the Assembly shall be
referred to the Presbyteries for their con-
sideration, but not as an overture for
final action; that the Presbyteries be re-
quested to take up the report at their fall
meetings, carefully examine and discuss
it, and propose any changes that may be
deemed desirable, and forward them to
the Secretary of the committee; and that
the committee subsequently act upon
these recommendations of the Presby!
teries, and make final report to the AS
i. sembly of 1892. In such an important
matter as this, haste would be delay and
unworthy of a great church, whose history
has been so grand, and whose possibili.
ties are so closely connected with the
evangelization of the world. The church
wishes time for examination and deliber-
alton, and will have it, notwithstanding
the desire of a few restless spirits anxious
for controversy, and having but little re-
gard for the peace and unity of the
church"
The Christian Inquirer (Bapt.) says:
''We are glad that the Lining Church con-
fesses to the difficulty of converting Bap-
lists, and we appreciate the comment of
the Iaterior-"The arrows of the historic
Episcopate strike the epidermis of Bap-
tist and glance off, The Christian In
Qmirer ventures to suggest that Baptists
don't need to be converted in the sense
the EiUing Church implies. When the
historic Episcopate,' with humble,
the historic baptism,' there will be
much hope for church unity as far as
Baptists are concerned
The Interior Pres.) says: sit is well to
know that the conservative or evangelical
school of higher criticism is winning its
way against the deStructioniSts at every
point. Kuenen, Wellhausen and their
school entered the field with an animus
against the Scriptures, and constructed
their rules upon negative basis. The
positive school gave their attention to
facts rather than to literary theories.
They studied the historical passages as
: true history. They availed themselves of
the results of archaeological investigation
in Egypt and Chaldea. They made a
close study of the civil and religious laws
of Egypt. They compared the topo-
graphical descriptions in the Pantateuch
with the Typographical descriptions of
modern travellers and geographers. While
the destructioniStS were fooling away
their time with their imaginary score of
Elohists, Jehovists, and redactors, the
evangelical school We're gathering great
mass of evidence showing that the writer
OF the Pantateuch was thoroughly ia
rliliar with the laws, ideas, religion, u.s.
ages, and customs of the Egypt of the age
of the Exodus, and with the topography
of the line of march. They We're making
critical study of the history and of the
archaeological facts which bear upon it.
Against the assertion that writing was
not known art in the age of Moses they
threw one book a thousand years older
than the Pantateuch which shows that
then literature had already become a pro-
fession. The battle between the positive
and the theoretical schools is already
practically ended. To confuse these two
schools and charge upon the defenders of
the Scriptures the motive and methods of
their assailants is to try to make beauti-
ful maroon pigment by mixing gun
powder with fire.
The Christian Register UNIT saws: 81
spoke last week of the enthusiasm which
a parishioner may have for his minister.
Whatever change may have taken place
in the position of the minister in modern
life, / believe that it is true that he was
never held in higher regard than at pres
ent. AT least, the respect he commands
grows not out of the traditional view of
his authority and the imposing nature of
his office, but from a simple regard for
the man and his message. But there is
another form of parish enthusiasm which
is very Interesting to me. 1t is enthu-
siasm for the minister's wife, The sun
rise is pleasant thing to behold. fire.
quently get up in time to see it. And one
of the pleasantest forms of sunrise is
when minister's wife dawns upon a
parish and kindles it with her cheer. 1t
was very interesting, not long ago, to see
the faces of the people light up when her
name was spoken. Men old enough to be
her father smiled naternally and the