The record-union., 1892-10-08
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligious Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed IN the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

sit is possible to criticise the Litany,"
the New York ChaeTchmdn (P. E.) says,
''as it is TO criticise any composition-but
OF what use? The Litany has commended
itself not only TO the reason, but the affec-
tions of millions of people for two rea-
sons-its fullness and its moderation. 1t
would be hard to say what genuine neces-
sity it does not set forth in reverent sup
plication. Yet, by wisdom little short
of direct inspiration, it stops short at pre-
cisely the right place. There are general
petitions, there are minute details-[just
enough and no more. All sick persons
but not persons sick of each OF a hum
dred diseases. Then there is an exqui-
site rhythm-a restrained fullness almost
like that of Hebrew psalm--which almost
the slightest touch would destroy. Com
pared with modern litanies. it has
classic perfection of form as we'll as
wonderful reserve of reverence. What
would be gained by the proposed addi
tion Of the words from fire and flood?
| As to form they would surely be wholly
inappropriate. Why pray to be deliv-
cred from fire? 1t is a necessity-man's
most useful servant. Fire does not at
all correspond with 'ilood,' which is a des-
olating and destructive body of water.
ConfiagratIon would correspond to flood
and lightning and tempest. We venture
! to think that the very best amendment of
the Litany in this respect is to let it alone;
| and SO leave it with the formal approval
| which it has won from the silent rev.
erence and deep joy of innumerabie
| hearts,"
I Speaking of the approaching Triennial
| Convention OF the Protestant Episcopal
| Church. the New York Observer (Pres.)
remarks: The report on Christian unity
at the coming convention will be looked
for with interest by all Christians. Quite
an important matter will be the action to
be taken by the House of Deputies upon
| the ordination canons. These canons are
| in the direction of increased facility in
| the work of clergy who have come into
the Episcopal Church from other Chris
tian bodies. The bishops have passed a
| canon whereby their former standing and
experience may free them from the long
! training required from young men just
entering the ministry; so far the House OF
| Deputies has failed TO concur in the ac-
ton of the bishops. A still further ad-
! vance in the direction of wise Ilberality
| will be made if the Thirty-nine Articles
| be bound separately from the Book of
Common Prayer. They were originally
published by themselves, and the bish-
! ops having in their declaration of unity
practically offered ordination on the con-
| dition Of behalf in the two creeds-the
! Apostles Greed and the Nicene--itis now
suggested, in the interests OF union, TO
repeal these articles, which were not
adopted i'll the American Church until
1901. Should this suggestion prevail, the
Articles would be put by themselves with
no idea OF affirming or denying any truth
they contain, but simply TO set men OF
to-day behind the religious controver-
sizes of the sixteenth century, and to free
them to go forward into the twentieth
with every barrier down that separates
Christian from Christian, Church from
Church, against the will and Word of the
divine Master of all. If the House of
| Deputies in Baltimore shall, by taking up
this matter, accentuate this action OF the
bishops in giving the simple creeds as the
one necessity Of union in the faith, EpiS-
copaI ideas of Christian union will as
sumo color they have not hitherto man
ifeSted.'
zone Of our respected contemporaries
surmises' that the liberation which has
been so conspicuous in church matters
for the last two years may give place to "a
revival OF old differences, or to the draw
ing OF new cleavage that will divide
men more sharply, perhaps, than any in
the recent past Barring the rhetoric
we accept this estimate Of the situation as
very nearly correct" observes the LiUing
Church (P. E. of Chicago. "By old diff
ferences' the writer doubtless meant
those of twenty years ago; we should add
fifteen centuries to this in our interpreta-
ton of the signs of the times. The 'cleav-
age is not new; it is as old as skepticism,
as old as philosophy, as old as history, as
old as sin. The cleavage is between the
natural and the supernatural, between
Imagination and revelation, between n.y.
pothesis and fact. The cleavage has al
ways existed. An EZRA of good feeling
has been, in almost every century, the
precursor of controversy which has re-
suited in firmer grasp of catholic truth,
and more uncompromising resistance
to the materialism and rationalism that
would, while contradicting each other
destroy religion"
''We do not wonder" says the New
York Evangelist (Pres.), sat the fact that
President Harper has been criticised fo1
saying that the intellectual classes in
America are inclined to be skeptical
Were it wholly true it need not surprise