The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-02-01
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 Herald and Pres5yer had said:
Our Roman Catholic exchanges are dis
cussing the question, Can a priest con-
vey absolution by telephone?' More mo-
mentous, however, is the question, Can
he convey it at alp We do not believe
that he can. Who can forgive sin but
God only?'" On this the Christian Union
remarks: 1.-The Herald and Pyes5yter
has not yet learned the lesson Christ at
tempted to teach those who first denied
that man can forgive sin. Christ said
the Son of man can forgive sins; and
atterward He sent His disciples out with
the assurance whatsoever sins We remit
they are remitted.' And still Christian
ministers quote, as though it were con-
elusive, the words of the carping Jew
denying that man can forgive sins"
The IVatchmds CBapt.) says: 'Not a
little IS said by those ayerse TO revival
methods in churches as to the honor to be
regular agencies are to be honored, no
one doubts that but we have q profound
Sceptlcism as to the efficiency OF regular
dizziness and Journalism and of all me-
chanical and ifeless service, regular or
irregular. When we talk about the value
OF the regular services we need to have
pretty clear idea of what these regular
services are. If they are not informed
with life, with freshness and with spirit
nal n1XyeT little To Nv hot would
introduce these elements would be the
best thing. But when the regular sery-
ices' Of q church are vital and inspiring,
and blessed by the Spirit to the CONVEX
sion of men and the building up of man
mood, we do not need irregularity OF any
kind.'
The Congregationolist thinks well OF
baptism without any water" 1t SAYS:
The Christian Inquirer OF December 18th
had an article on the conservation of in
tants, and leditorially commended the prac-
tee. The ceremony suggested seems to
have been similar to that usually en-
ployed in infant baptism, except that no
water was to be used. Its published cor
reSpondence on the subject shows that
there are Baptist churches in which the
public conservation of infants is common.
one pastor sending copy Of a certificate
OF conservation Other correspondents
are greatly alarmed, and regard the prac-
tice as 'Romish' and Il 'P0piSh folIy.' Yet
it shows how near together many Bap-
lists and Congregationaiists. The gulf
that divides them is not only shallow, but
absolutely dry. Those children whose
parents solemnly and publicly enter into
covenant with God in their behalf, even
without any water, we have strong conf
dence will realize the fulfillment of His
promises, and accept the conditions of the
MT "a III, nit
On the subject of opening the Column
bus Fair on Sundays the Rev. J. II. Van
Buren, writes in the Churchmdn Up. E.)
There may be different opinions on the
nature and obligations of Sunday itself;
but whatever view may be taken, Sab
batarian or other, in this the Chris
tan element of the American people
unite, they do keep Sunday. 1t is not
right for the authorities in charge of the
Worlds Fair to ignore their wishes. To
set aside the sanctions which have thus
far sateguarded the Lords day would be
usurping function which the Govern
nlent of the United States itself does not
exercise. For, while the Constitution
declares that Congress shall make no
law respecting an establishment Of re-
lgion or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof the opening of the Worlds Fair
would certainly prohibit the free exer-
else OF religion to every employee in the
service of the commission. Such a
course could not be said to reflect Alright
the genius of American institutions as in
terpreted by Congress itself, which al
ways adjourns on Sunday"
The Wester7, Christian Aduocate has
new view of panics. 1t says: I'VE sus-
pect that Satan has something to do with
timing these stock panics. They do not
Int do, friy-
u chance to cry hard times as an excuse
Tor not taking church papers or helping
on the benevolenceS. Never was Christ
mas more generally or generously OBJ
served than the last one Never were
more cigars smoked than on that day-or
better ones, perhaps. Home spreads
have been abundant ard outside the
specializing and borrowing classes there
has been little financial distress. But it
is whispered aloud by some pastors that
they meet the hard times when they
approach some laymen on the matter of
four cents week for the AdUocate.''
''Farnlton'' says in the 4 dgance: 81 do
not approve of the church-bell. Poetry,
imagination, history are on its side; but
usefulness is against it. Formerly use
fitness was in its favor. For formerly
watches were not common, and clocks
were less common than at present; and
care was not easily exercised as to the
accuracy of these measures of time
Practitioners needed the bell as an aid in
their promptness at the service. But at
present every house has clock, and
its daily adjustment by the noon whistles
is easy enough. The bell has become
comparatively useless. But, further the
bell has become in many instances q
nuisance. If every church in one of our
cities had bell ringing at the same hour,
lnnf arsfl 4
than all Poe's poetry about bells can
suggest. Such commotion is not pleas
ant for healthy folks; but to folks whose
nerves are tickliSh it is q torture; and to
those who lie on beds of sickness, either
chronic or temporary, these noises are
form of the barbarism of Christian civ
ilization from which they have the right
TO ask to be freed. I admire the iudg-
ment, as well as the energy in which the
Judgment was expressed, with which DIR.
John Hall declined to have a chime of
bells put into the steeple of the Fifth
Avenue Church. A gentleman offered
chime of bells. IF it is accepted" the
pastor is reported as saying, the Fifth
Avenue Church can be looking for new
suffering ones who lie in the great hospi-
tai directly opposite his church. No
church bell should be allowed in city,
In the country it is far less Objectionable;
and in a sparsely settled community it
may prove of great worth, ministering
at once to aesthetic delight and religious
emotions, as well as prompting to pune
tuality."
The Rev. Prof. Crooks, of Drew Theo-
logical Seminary, writing in the Metho-
Est RerieU for January on 'sThe Gospel
81 John," sums up the attacks on the
Fourth Gospel as follows: at has been
by the Tubingen critics that