The record-union., 1891-09-26
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 Chicago Standard, Baptist, says:
This matter of Old Testament errors
III any important particular, can very
Wen afford TO await developments. 1t is
a remarkable ordering of divine Provi-
qence that while modern scholars in one
o1rectlon are seeming to undermine con-
hdence in the absolute trustworthiness
OF these ancient writings, in another
direction they are bringing to light an
cient testimonies which not only restore
the foundations of faith but build them
IN stronger than ever. Believers in the
Bible can afford to wait with perfect
equanlmity OF mind for the sure result of
all.''
The Nashville Christian 4 dUoeate says:
The age in which we live is marked by
many extreme and opposing tendencies.
On the one hand we see profound and
pervad1ng skepticisn, which denies Or
questions all things; and on the other
hand we witness boundless credulity
which gulps down without the slightest
reserve or hesitation even the silliest and
most impossible stories. For the past
ten days the papers have been full of stuff
concerning the exhibition of the holy
coat of Treves'-a decayed and tattered
garment unquestionably many centuries
old, and alleged to be the very seamless
robe that was worn by our Lord himself
while he was in the flesh. OF course
thereis not the slightest reason for sup
posing this allegation to be true. Even
If If trnn If Unnl6 hn lFffnrlU with
out significance. 3 In view of
performances of this kind, ought we to be
surprised that there are so many infidels
in the world? Hard-headed, practical
men, who look upon such superstitions
with unspeakable disgust, are in grave
danger OF confounding them with the es-
sential manifestations of our holy re-
ligion, and of visiting both alike with
swift condemnation. The best cure and
antidote for all the forms of unbelief is
the constant presentation of a Just, ra-
tional, spiritual, Scriptural view of Chris
tianity.o
The New York Christian Enquirer asks:
''What has materiahsm done to bless
mankind? Has;it not left mind and soul
to starve and perish? Where are its
schools? Where are its missionaries
When has it ever tried to enlghten and
redeem the heathen? What reforms has
IL CNCI StStIlcd w AdO Is IL uOlIlS w
heve human suffering? Where are the
hospitals it has founded? Where are the
asylums for the unfortunate it has built
and supported? What sacrifice of sweet
charity does it offer upon it's altar to the
unknown God?' Science judges causes
from their effects. Is it not a fact that
our institutions of benevolence, and all
our organized charities and philanthro-
pies had their inspiration from Chris
tianity? Is it not a fact of history that
the purest and noblest lives ever lived on
Gods earth-liveS most conspicuous in
usefulness-have been born of Christian
faith? Here, then, is an added argument
in support of Christianity. A tree is
known by it's fruits. Christianity is
worth what it will produce. Goodness,
purity, beneicence, truth, integrity,
grandeur are not the fruits of error and
delusion."
The Pittsburg Presbyterian Banner
says: "a good many secular journals
and some of the religious newspapers
have much to say in condemnation of
what they call 'heresy-hunting.' They
speak of it as if there was a class of min
listers who go prying around and shifting
the air to see whether by any possibility
the least taint of error can be discovered
in the preaching or writings of others.
There is an effort to create the impress
sion that this is characteristic of those
who adhere to the doctrines they pro-
fessed to accept when received into the
ministry, and who believe in the abso-
lutte truthfulness Of the Word of God.
The accusation is unfair, unjust and un-
truthful. The truth is that those who
adopt heretical views parade themselves
so conspicuously before the public and
are so defiant that the orthodox are COM
PEELED in self-defense to call them to ac-
count"
The New York Examiner says: "Our
Episcopalian contemporary, the Church
man, now and then utters wall over the
slow progress of church unity, matter
that it PROCESSES to have much at heart.
1t speaks of deep encouragement in the
American church because the Lambeth
Declaration has not been Immediately
adopted by the Christian denominations
to which it was addressed We doubt
the existence of such discouragement,
outside of very small knot of church.
men. There has never been time when
any religious body was not ready and
anxious for church unity, provided the
rest of Christendom would unite with
them. If all other Christians will be-
come Bapuists tomorrow, we should well
come them with open arms, and church
unity would become an immediate fact.
Now, what the Lambeth Declaration
practically did was to say, Come all ye
sects and become good Episcopalians, and
Well be the one.' By defining the his
toric episcopate' as essential to the ex-
istence of the church, the Bishops said
in a formal and decorous way what we
have translated into the vernacular."
The Christian, Register of Boston Uni-
tartan says: 'The best way of spending
Sunday, the way which is to be counted
in the end, the Christian way, is that
which will lift up the level of the whole
week to come. The wearied crowds who
return on Sunday evening from excur-
sions down the harbor have missed such
refreshment for the day and for the
week to come as effectively as their
stricter brethren, who have been attend
ing the church and the Sunday school
and the prayer-meeting all day. The
rational course is the UiG media between
the thoughtless and the intense. A
division of Sunday between worship and
recreation is. to our mind, the solution OF
the problem. Worship will be more at
tractive and inspiring, and recreation
will be more truly refreshment of the
physical man, If the two divide the Sun
day hours between them."
The Boston Wdtchnaan (Baptist) says:
"Baptists, at least, have never claimed
that the church has right to enforce its
ideas of how the Lords day should be
observed upon the community at large
through the power Of the State. Stand
ing almost alone, they have simply asked
that the State should secure to all men
legislation beyond this they have urged
only on sanitary and moral grounds. We
have believed that the right to worship
is sacred: the attempt to compel worship