The record-union., 1892-11-26

The study OF comparative religions
has been advocated as an aid to the ascer-
tanning OF truth. 1t is difficult" SAYS the
New York Christian Leudcf REF J, ''to
see on what ground Christians can accept
such view. They have the truth as fully
and clearly as God saw tit to make it
known, and they have it in a revelation
the record of which was inspired bv the
Holy Ghost. What more is or can bo
needed? 1t is interesting and NAV be
useful in the way OF contrast to consider
the attempts of the heather at solving the
mysteries of sin and death But what
can human Vagaries do to help those who
have the living Oracles Of God? The
Scriptures claim to be an exclusive reve-
latiOn, and turn away with contempt
from the wisdom OF pagans. To put them
on par with the teachings Of uninsured
men IS to insult their Divine Author.
There was no doubt general guidance OF
Providence in the current OF thought
among the outside nations, and we NAV
conceive OF distinguished teachers as
raised up for the accomplishment of GER
tain ends, but how does this iact Justify
any in turning away from the direct and
immediate teaching of specific revela-
ton? What can tallOw dip add to the
light which comes from the glorious orb
Of day? What can the groupings in the
darkness of nature or even the wisest or
most acute add to the knowledge of those
who hold i'll their hand the word of God ?"
The New York Examiner (Bapt.).
speaking of DR.. Parkhurst's declaration
that the Scotch Presbyterian Church ex-
hlDlted cOWardIce in removing from its
present site, says: ut is usually condi-
ton and not theory that confronts a
downtown church. 1t must move or
die. The agonies of dissolution may be
prolonged over a series of years, it is true.
but the end is inevitable. Protestant
church cannot sustain itself below Four
teenth street, according to the established
usage Of such churches-that is, by the
voluntary offerings of its worshipers.
That is equally true, whether the offer
ings take the form of pew-rent or out
right gifts. A time comes in the history
OF every church below Union Square
when it must have help from without
merely to exist, to say nothing of doing
effective work about it. What wonder.
then, that the churches have followed
their members to the uptown fields?
This does not prove cowardice but it
does prove that voluntaryism has broken
down in New York and in other cities
where churches are left stranded in the
midst Of great population, but without
resident membership adequate TO their
support. There is but one way
to insure the permanence and success Of
these downtown churches. and that is to
generOusl with what TO those unfa-
miliar to the work would seem a lavish
generosity. Look at Trinity and Grace
Churches, with magnificent incomes from
invested funds, ana see the vast work
they are doing. And yet some other de-
nominations can make a dollar go as far
among the poor of New York as ten dol
lars spent by the Episcopal Church"
1.-The fact that the institutional church
is city product is only another illustra-
ton of the law, To him that hath shall
be given,'" says the Congregationalist of
Boston. 1.-The institutional church
provides a reading-room and library
the city has furnished these already; the
institutional church opens evening classes
the city supports evening schools: the
Institutional church has cheap enter
tainments, lectures, industrial classes, a
gymnasium, a dispensary-an these are
to be found elsewhere in the city, If.
therefore, the institutional church meets
an untitled need in the city-and the fact
that what these churches offer is eagerly
sought proves this-how much more
would it find room in the quiet country
village where, when the cold weather
shuts down, there is little to take one
from home, the prayer-meeting and the
village store being the rival attractions?
Give the young people in the country
something to enjoy, and show them how
10 enjoy something better, and they will
not be in such haste to go to the city
where there is something going on
Give the older people something fresh to
think of when their lives seem narrowing
into the treadmill from which no hope of
youth viii come to release them and old