The record-union., 1891-09-12
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.

The New York Observer says: I'VE
are quite sure that many Christians at
tempt to cover too much ground on the
Sunday and make the day one of rellg-
lous dissipation. At the same time mere
ldleness is not rest, while change OF occu-
patton very often proves the most re-
freshing rest possible. Each Christian
must judge for himself and try to strike
the happy mean between wearing out
and rusting out.''
The CongregatioRGE5st of Boston says:
VAS far as our observation goes, the
change which has made the modern Sun
day in our great cities very different from
the Puritan Sunday is almost altogether
in the direction of devoting the day to
recreation and pleasure, rather than In
the direction of any perceptible increase
IN the volume of business. Men are not
ready to pull down all the barriers be-
tween Sunday and week days, but III the
last fifty years growing freedom in use of
Sunday for purposes which suit the lndl-
Vldual fancy has been evident. But 1t is
to be noticed that the people who make
the day one of pleasure simply, in the
main manifest spirit of moderation and
decency. Riotous behavior is the eX-
ception. What shall be the atti-
tnde of the church toward the present
popular methods of observing Sunday?
Should it bend its energies to the en-
deavOr. to restore the Sabbath as our
grandfathers kept it? Or shall it simply
unite with all well-intentioned persons
who viii strive to secure for every work
ingman q day of rest? Shall the church
denounce all forms of railroad and street.
car traffic? Or shall it simply insist that
through travel be reduced to a minimum,
and that the roads which run excursion
trains shall be compelled to employ, as
rule, no man more than six days in a
Wnpg1 ri p1T pn-
treat from the position that the Sabbath is
not only day of rest, but q day of Wor
ship, that every man owes it to himself
and to his God to make the best spiritual
use of the day possible. The church must
hold to the Christian conception Of the
Lords Day, but it must understand
clearly what that Christian conception
requires"
The New York Examiner says: "Presi-
dent Patton of Princeton made in his
last baccalaureate sermon a remark
which excited at the time widespread
comment, and is still the subject Of fre-
quent retrospective reference. Quoting
the familiar epigram TO the effect that
christianity is a life, not a DOGMA he
said it would be nearer the truth to affirm
that Christianity is dogma, not a life.
he went so far, indeed, as to aver that if
he had to choose between man whose
Christianity was all life and no dogma,
and whose Christianity was all dogma
and no life, he would unhesitatingly give
his vote for the latter. What
DR.. Patton undoubtedly meant to say,
and what we are sure the majority of in
telligent Christians strongly hold, is that
there is no basis nor assured warrant for
right conduct save in right and clear be-
lief. In this sense we fully agree that
the man who has certain fundamental
doctrines-or dogmas, if the word be in
sisted on-firmly fixed in his mind is
more to be trusted than the man who
says, / don't believe anything in particu-
lar, but / mean to live a good life. There
is a tar better chance that the indoctrin-
ated Christian viii behave himself we'll
that he viii be unselfish and clean and
upright and faithful in his various duties
and relations, than that the same desira-
able results will be achieved by his
neighbors whose only equipment for the
worlds work and warfare is good inten-
tlons. Whatever may be the
meaning given by the dictionaries TO the
word dogma-whatever may be the ideas
associated with it in ecclesiastical and
theolOgic usage-the thing it actually
stands for in the whole controversy we
are speaking of is not one or another
creed, or formula. or approved confession
OF faith. The real issue is between belief
and no beliet-between a foundation of
positive moral and religious principle
anu q sliIItlll5 AulChSduu Oh vague
'goody-goody' notions and amiable i'm
pulses"
The Christian Register (Unit.) of Boston
says: People becoming more wealthy,
cultivated, and refined have q nat
ural tendency toward making religion
aesthetic and beautiful in all its appoint
ments. They are apt to resent even the
suspicion that their delight in an inn
pressive service, Gothic architecture,
pealing music and priestly robes is largely
a matter OF gratifed taste. But it is sign
of decay Of the vital religious sentiment
when men OF religion, most of all, young
men, concern themselves especially about
vestments and liturgies. The remedies
for decline OF religion are more thought
and more action; the increased feeling
that does not come out of these as q nat
ural effect, TO react upon it's cause is
superficial and misleading The Unita-
rian Church, when true to its mission,
Will not bestir itself very strenuously
either TO bring in or to keep out ritual
ism, whether simple or elaborate, but it
viii plainly say that such matters are of
secondary importance in the Kingdom of
Cod"
The New y ork Independent urges the
general use of the Revised Version. 1t
says: Let us impress upon ministers
the duty of reading in their Sabbath min
only from the Revised Version. 1t is
not right TO read from the poorer when
you can get the better. Let us impress
upon Sunday school teachers the obliga-
tion of persuading, as far as possible. the
scholars to use the revised New Tes-
lament. Let private Christians use the
Revised Version for their household wor-
ship and their private devotions. Let
parents, when they give Bible to their
children, always give the Revised Yer
sion. Let this be emphasized with re-
peated and unwearied persistence until
our Bible societies shall understand that
II Is their duty to have their charters
amended, and to make themselves serv-
ants and not masters of the Woid and to
give US that which shall best set before
the reader what is the inspired utterance
Of prophets and apostles"
on the subject of the itinerancy the New
York ChTiStidR Adcocdte says: ''There is
not a Baptist or Methodist living, in our
opinion, who will see the whole system
of itinerancy gone Too many of the
ministers and too many of the churches
know that its advantages to the denomi-
nation, and to them individually, are far
greater than the advantages of any other
system 10 allow il to melt away But
that it may be modified with the flight of
time is TO be expected. 1t has been sub
ject to such notifications from its origin
until now. Statistics show that the Bap-
lists are among the most itinerating de-
nominations in this land, and when their
ministers itinerate it is generally in one
of two ways-either that the minister vol
untary goes because he can do better
Qeaving disappointed and saddened
peopiel or he goes because he has to go
Qeaving friends that feel by no means
kindly toward those who have caused the
cjectionl. Whereas the Methodist con-
gregation that loses a pastor, whether the