The record-union., 1892-03-19
Tn 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 Lavmen.
The New York Ctlerchma7l (P. E.)
doubts the benefit of the so-calied
Union Services which it is customary
TO hold in Lent. 1t saws: ''In what sense
are they (the officiating minister's uni
ted?' In the sense that their individual
opinions or feelings in some measure cor
respond or coincide. They all love the
Lord or entertain orthodox convictions
or agree in evangelical sentiments OF
course this carries along with it the i'm
sentiments and convictions diherentiateS
them from other men, puts them upon a
separate plane, makes them members of
an invisible church, whatever that
phrase may mean. And vet, in spite of
The assertion that this community of
opinion is the only fellowship worth con-
sidering. they all belle the statement by
their action as soon as the service is over
The Methodist goes away to be as Metho-
dist as ever, the Presbyterian as Presby-
terian, the Baptist as Baptist. Outward
and visible relations reassert themselves,
and church unity still remains dream
of the future. And not alone that. Prob
ably most Of those who have taken part
in such services have gone away with a
lurking sense of compromise, consci-
BUSINESS that it is not their negations
that they have laid aside for the nonce
bat what is most distinct and positive in
the belief. Is it not clear that if it is by
such surrenders that unity is to be won.
Il VIII be only when we have reached
that earthly millennium when, as Au-
Drey Moore says, Everybody viii agree
with everybody else because nobody viii
believe anything in particular and we
shall all be bound together in n universal
brotherhood, on the basis not of u COM
mon faith, but of common rejection of
the Creed OF Christendom?'
Discussing the vexed question of the
relation of Episcopal authority to religi-
Gus orders, the LdUing Ch18ch (P. E. of
Chicago says that a priest who becomes a
member OF such an order lis already un-
der the VOWS which he took upon himself
ut ordination. He is not at liberty TO take
other vows inconsistent with these. 1t
remains true, however, that there is con-
siderable area Of his life which is not cov-
cred by his ordination vows. He is at
liberty TO make such rules for himself as
seem To him best, or to join with others
IN common rules. 1t is contended that
the rules OF a religious order cover only
this unoccupied ground, and that they
cannot come in conflict with canonicaI
obedience. But it has been of late loudly
insisted that they do come in such con-
f1lct. The point seems to be, when it is
stripped of rhetoric and appeals to preju-
dice, that a priest has no right to resign
his charge without the consent of the
Bishop OF the Diocese, and consequently
that one who so resigns trangresSeS
the law ofthe church. Wedo not care at
present to enter upon this question as an
abstract one. 1t is enough to say that if
such be the law, it must be general in its
application. 1t will be news to&the ma
Jority of the clergy that they have no
right to resign the parishes over which
they have been placed, when the call
comes TO that larger field of usefulness
(for which so many, alas, are ever look
ing), without first obtaining the consent
of the Bishop. In like manner it is prob
able that many parishes would be quite
dazed at the idea that the Bishop should
have the right to say that the rector shall
not resign after the vestry has, with
more or less courtesy, requested him to
do So"
The New York Christian Eaquirer
(Bapt.) says that it begins to look as ii
pies were nOt
maintaining, and continues: $50 lar as
Baptists are concerned, there is general
lethargy as to maintaining their princi-
pies. Many believe in the power of truth
and hold that the New Testament will
certainly make Baptists. But others are
systematically and, we must say, siutully
silent as to our views. 1t is no uncom-
mon thing for minister to say that he
has never preached sermon on baptism,
and some will take credit to themselves
that they never say anything about it.
If such men were charged with being
traitors to the truth, they would resent
such charge, and probably manifest an
Indignation which they believed was
really holy There are so.
called Baptist congregations in which
the repetition of PEERS words: Repent
and be baptized every one of you,' would
be as an electric shock, great surprise
and annoyance. When one reads care
fully the passages in which mention is
made OF baptism, 1t seems impossible TO
understand how any man, whatever his
views, can think himself guiltleSs when
he does not bring them frequently before
his hearers, and, according to his light,
enforce their teaching. Every denomi-
nation In this country, perhaps with the
exception Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, is suffering to-day from the
lethargy and cowardice of the vast ma
.CAAtg " 40 A4iAAlAShAJ VIII AGStIu W us
distinctive principles. Doctrines and
uSages which are worth taking a name
Tor, and maintaining separation. from
other Christian communions for, are
worth promulgating and advocating.
''The ministers who, judiciously and in
love, advocate the views of truth they
find in the New Testament will in the end
accomplish most for the furtherance of
their denomination and the cause OF
Christi
"'Tell me what you believe; I have
enough doubts of my own,' is a saying
attributed to Goethe. 1t is a saying,' saws
The New York Examiner (Bapt.j, ''that
might well be written in letters of gold.
IN the study of every Christian minister,
where it might be constantly before his
eye while he is preparing for the pulpit.
il is perhaps the one thing of which he
needs most frequently to be reminded,
since he may be prone TO forget it. when
he stands before his people. The average
congregation of a Sunday morning does
not consist of amateur philosophers and
theologianS and Biblical critics. 1t con-
sists of business men trying to shut out
of their minds stocks and bonds and
notes for one day and attend to the things
of the Kingdom of Heaven: of lawyers
who ask nothing better than to forget
clients and cases and hear of their advo-
cate before the Father; of housewives
vasx.mrzz----z.,u.u.