The record-union., 1892-10-21
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligiOuS Newspapers.
Expressed In the sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

Speaking of the relation of religious or
ders to ecclesiastical authority, the Li0i1lg
Church (P. F. of Chicago remarks:
"While we do not desire to see any un-
just discrimination against such orders
such as is not made against the members
of other organizations, bound by secret
Oaths and often accused, rightly or
wrongly, of influencing ecclesiastical
politics-at the same time we could not
regard it as matter of serious moment
to the real interests of religious orders
and their true mission in the world if they
should in fact be excluded from eccle-
siastical preferment, from conventions
and from votes. An order which would
regard such restrictions as fatal to its
being or well-being would bring the
reality of its vocation into very serious
doubt. 1t is not good thing for such an
order or for its individual members to
bask in the smiles of the world. We be-
lieve that attacks, whether by legislation
or otherwise, upon the principles OF re-
ligious orders will rather do good than
harm. They may check or extinguish
superficial and ill-considered attempts at
such organizations, but they will be alb
solutely harmless against men who are
truly called by the Holy Spirit to this
WORK. anu VINO nelller ask nor expect
anything of the world, either of popu-
larity, privilege, dignity or money"
Abiding to the annual address of
Bishop Potter to the New York Diocesan
Convention, the New York Examiner
lBapt.) remarks as follows: Bishop
Potter complained with justice of the
amiable but precipitate Endorsement, by
rectOrs OF parishes and others, of persons
seeking TO become candidates for holy
ORDERS He laid his finger on the weak
spot of the present system of ministerial
supply-a weakness equally manifest in
every Protestant denomination. Any
Improvement in the quality of ministerial
students must begin right at the fountain
head. The vast majority of students for
the ministry would never take the first
step unless each had the approval of his
pastor and church. 1t is the too easy Civ
ing Of this approval that fills the ministry
with men untitled for the sacred calling.
Even though pastor and church have the
gravest doubts of a candidates fitness,
they too often approve his beginning
preparation for the ministry-in a formal
and faint-hearted way, it is true, but suf-
1icient to do the mischief. What young
man needs, when he is on the point OF
making a mistake Of this kind, is can
did and faithful pastor to tell him kindly
that he shows no such promise of useful
ness in the ministry as would Justify his
tDufCn IN approving MIN as Il student.
What he needs is a church whose MEM
bers have the courage to act according to
their convictins of mis- fitness for the
work to which he wishes to devote his
life."
1.-THE conferences that have been held
at Grindenwald on the subject of Chris
tian Union are not without proft,'' the
New York CburchmdH (P. e. thinks,
even if they only show how deep are the
divisions that keep asunder reformed
Christian bodies. The very fact that such
conferences are held at all cannot help
keeping alive the hopes of those who
look to the consummation of united
Christendom with passionate longing.
We are not discouraged when the Bishop
of Worcester tells the assembled Nom
confOrmists in so many words that thew
are required to be reunited not with one
party, but with another party of the Eng
lish Church, that they are asked to ioin
the wing which represents the views of
Nenn and Simeon, and not that which
processes to be heir of the influence of
Keble and Pusey and rejoiceS in ritual
istic usages recently sanctioned by deci-
sion of the Privy Council. We do not
feel at all troubled when the NonconfO-n-
lists at the conference plead for inter-
communion and not reunion. as ii inter-
communion would not be impossible ex-
cepting as the symbol and cement of or
us most of all is, that churchmen and
dissenters have changed their attitude to-
wards each other. They are talking of
one church, of one fold under one shep-
herd. They are CALLED by the thought of
separation, and even If they see at pres
ent no way of approaching 10 unity, they
feel that unity is what they want, and is,
moreover, condition which in the nature
of things out to characterize the church of
Christ"
son Tuesday of week after next. the
18th inst, the Synod of New York meets
in the city of Albany" observes the New
York Evangelist tPres.). This raises
the question, What is the proper place of
a synod in the Presbyterian system. or
has it indeed any place or power? We
ask the question in all sincerity, as some
recent proceedings leave the matter in
doubt But few months since our own
Preshytery. in an important judicial case.
jumped right over the synod and made
its appeal directly TO the assembly, and
the assembly sustained it in so doing
This was a 'snub' to the synod of the
most direct kind, as it absolutely ignored
its existence. The decision may be all
right, but, if so, what is the synod for?
It's members are chosen from all the
presbyteries of the State and travel long
distances at great expense, and to what
end? What is the synod anyhow? Has
II, as the French say, any reason for be-
ingY Ii it be only an ornamental body,
1t might as well be abolished. If it be
merely fifth wheel to a coach, it might
as well be dropped OIL, and the chariot of
the Lord would run all the more
smoothly. But if the synod really has a
place OF its own in our Presbyterian sys-
tenn it may be as well for it at the coming
meeting to recognize its own position and
assert its proper dignity"
stTVa ,acoptlx- ,o1Io5 ,++7,,+=.-. >, -
the WdtchHtGt lBapt.) Of Boston. 'sto the
attitude of the Roman Catholics Of this
country toward our public-school sys-
tenn, referring therein to their claim that
they cannot in conscience patroniZe our
goddess Schools as they call them. Now.
CONSCIENTIOUS scruples ought to be re-
spected; but we ought at least to know
something of the historic origin and
growth of these supposed scruples. 1t is
not unfair To assume that the Roman
Catholic conscience is formed bv dicfatiOu
from Rome. If this be so, then it ought
to be the same in all lands. But is it So ?
We may compare it as found in Germany
with that developed in our own country.
The German Catholics send their chill
dren freely 20 the public schools, where
no religion is taught except in separate
apartments and according to the wishes
OF the parents These are asked in which
of the religious systems, or whether in
any, their children are to be taught; and
they are taught or LETT untaught accord
ingly, being assigned to their proper
rooms and teachers. Now, if this GER
man conscience prevailed among Ameri-
can Catholics. they would avail them
selves of our free-sehoOl system, and in
stead of keeping up their parish school
Tor the entire education OF their children.
would provide otherwise, rs they could
do almost without cost, for teaching their
nrn lifrsrr