The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-13
Tho Religious situation.

Very naturally the new theology mas
been making much more noise OF late than
the old. As a novelty. people are curious
about It. DR.. BRIGGS is not a lecturer with
any OF the arts Of oratory. but whenever he
has spoken in public since he became con-
spicuous as the champion OF the new theol-
ogy. he has attracted as great a crowd az
the most popular Of preachers can draw out.
Now. however. the old theology is to be
expounded and defended in a course Of lee
lures at Calvinistic church in the Fifth
avenue. It will be interesting to observe
whether loyalty to the old fills the house as
completely as curiosity about the new has
crowded the Church OF the Covenant. in Park
Avenue. in which DR.. BRIGGS. DR.. VINCENT.
and DR.. ABBOTT have attacked the venerable
dogmas Of orthodoxy.
So for as financial support goes. Calvin
ism Is ahead at the beginning Of the new
year. It Is estimated that the Princeton
Theological Seminary will get more than
$500. 900 as one Of the residuary legatees Of
the estate Of the late Mrs. STUART. and the
money will enable that conservative instltu-
ton to provide the further accommodations
which the recent large increase in the num-
Der Of its students renders necessary.
vi LILO ouL CIlC uC" thCoiOSy oSVALo W
be more attractive than the old. and per-
haps here In New York it is more favorably
regarded by large part Of the Presbyteri-
ans. Among the hackers Of DR.. BRIGGS and
his theological school are some OF the rich
est men Of that very rich denomination:
but the earnest Presbyterian conviction is
with Princeton and its Calvinism. Doubt
is not aggressive and self-sacrificing like
belief. Outside Of New York. New England.
and few Of the large cities. the old ortho-
doxy is undisturbed in Its intrenchments.
As Dr. ScHAFF. one Of the colleagues Of DR..
BRIGGS. says In the January Forum. this
country is more orthodox than Europe. and
here the South and the West are more Or
thodox than the East.
A Society OF Radical Religious and Social
Reform was started in a hall In the Fifth
avenue on Sunday evening. Its conception
OF religion. as defined by its founder. is
1.-The alteration Of the Hottest conceptions
Of the soul. subsection to the highest ideals.
adaptation to the laws OF being. and the
knowledge OF discoveries" That is a very
general sort OF creed. and we are not sur
prised that Col. INGERsoLL Is among the
supporters OF the movement. DR.. BRIGGS
and DR.. LYMAN ABBOTT might also join
without doing violence to their principles
| carried out logically.
The theory OF the new society Is that
1.-THE day Of destructive free thought has
! gone and the day for constructive free
thought has come" In other words. these
free thinkers propose to initiate the Church
| by organizing so as Ito take advantage Of
the social instinct Of man." But. as we
have said. a common faith and not COM
mon infldelity is the strong bond Of union.
Mr.. FRoTHNGHAM and many other free
thinkers found that out long ago. 1t is the
Church or nothing. Religion cannot be
made out Of lofty conceptions. the highest
ideals. and the most perfect science as Its
only constituents. 1t must have faith,
dogma. and authority beyond the human.
Infdelity and the proposed organization
are not congruous. The new society has
nothing definite to fight for. 1t might be
| destructive. but 1t can never be constructive.
| Some Of the Methodists have a plan for
building q great mission church In the
Bowery and for connecting with it struc-
ture in which will be provided means and ap-
| pliances for popular amusement. The pro-
ject is devised for the purpose OF reaching
1.-THE masses" Originally Methodism reach
ed them by very different means. Instead
OF catering to their desire for pleasure. it
warned them of the danger OF sacrificing
everlasting happiness in the pursuit of
mere earthly enjoyment. So preaching. it
won its early successes In this country:
and it is very doubtful whether it can
profit from the allurements OF the build
ing proposed.
A really important development OF
Methodism is the vote Of the ministers
| in favor OF admitting women as delegates
to tho General Conference. The majority
Is very small. but it probably indicates
that In the early future the religious
enthusiasm OF the Methodist sisters will
exercise still more powerful influence In
the churches than 1t has welded In the
past. However it may be with the men.
these pious women are not likely to en-
courage compromises with the world.
With them will come into the General Con-
ference strong conservative force. SO far
as faith and doctrine are concerned.
| pnsslhla Ue~aI and Hin voldahIa