The record-union., 1892-09-03
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.

Ministers and Laymen.
Speaking ofthe decision of the English
Privy Council in the case Of the Bishop
OF Lincoln, the LlUlRg church p. e. Of
Chicago says: '"Hhe real significance Of
this trial is to be seen, not so much in
Inc points actually settled as in the his
tory OF the case aud the grounds upon
which the decision was based. IN both
these respects a staggering blow has been
struck at the fundamental principles Tor
which the litigious association has con-
tended. One of those principles is the
right OF purely civil tribunal TO try
ecclesiastical cases. The expectation OF
the prosecution was that the Bishop
would be arraigned before the Privy
Council In the first place, but that body
dlsclaimed jurisdiction and remanded
The case TO the court OF the Archbishop.
L or more than two centuries no Bishop
mad been tried, and the vely existence of
bne ArchblShop'S jurisdiction IN sucn
cases had been forgotten. Thus, con-
Jrary TO all It's calculations, the Church
Association was instrumental in reviY-
ing distinctly ecclesiastical tribunal,
and found itself obliged to plead before
an Archbishop OF unTIyaled ability, with
assessors numbering some Of the most
learned and wisest men in England. On
the other hand, the grounds upon which
the now famous decision Of the Arch
bishop was based constituted another
deadly blow at the cherished principles
OF the Church Association and its friends.
II is fundamental axiom with these
men that the Church of England dates
irom the Reformation, and that it owes
ITS authority solely TO the fact that it is
by law established though ii is ex-
tremely difficult to show by what law,
or when enacted. But the Arch
Dlshop ana his assessors ignored all this.
They assumed the unbroken continuity
OF the Church of England through al
periods ot.its history, and, in their in
Vesugation of the points involved, at
Jached no more weight TO the legislation
OF the Reformation than to that of other
epochs.'
Concerning the use of the Bible the
CO1lgT'eg0tt0HuiJst of Boston argues as fol-
lows: "The Bible is library of sixty
six books, a literature by itself The
order III which these books are arranged
IN our English Bibles is not of first i'm
portance. 1t has varied widely in differ
ent editions In successive ages Of Chris
tian history. Neither chronologically,
historically, nor doctrinally can any one
give wholly satisfactory reason for the
present arrangement. In no other school
would a student be expected to bring his
entire library with him into every recita-
uon. The place to use it is in the study
1t would usually by hindrance to the
success of the recitation hour. 1t is inn
poftant that every person should have
the whole Bible, one that he can call his
own. But the grand fact Of its unity
needs to be taught in other ways than in
carrying all its books to and from the
Sunday-school. In the cheap portable
lOrm furnished by the Bible Society it
suffers, especially with children. in COM
parison with other books. The fine type.
close pages and plain covers do not invite
perusal beside the ordinary Sunday
school book. While, then, we rejoice to
see copies of the Scriptures entire placed
II all hands, we are confident that a great
work is yet to be done in issuing a.
iractively single books Of the Bible. We
believe that ut this time, when the Sun
day-schools are studying the Acts, the in
tenseIy interesting story contained in |
shat book would be much better under
stood and appreciated If it Were accessi-
Die to all, attracGiveiy printed and bound
Jy Itself. Let US anticipate the new use
ot the Bible which is coming by laving
aside outgroWn traditions and APPLYING
@ It's study the common sense principles
which have been found most serviceable
other education for the increase of
<noWledge and development of charac-,i
er."
The day has gone by,' SAYS the New
YORK Erdnll8er lBapt.), ''when many
christians can see in the Bible a work
writer's
1uanueuses OF the Holy Spirit. That is
lot doctrine of inspiration, but q doc
arlne OF dlcta0On. Men spake from God
1elng moved by the Holy Ghost' is the |
6lbHcal statement of the doctrine of in |
Splratlon, and if men spake is it not cred
-ble lhaC their speech contained a meas |!
IfeaDie amount Of human imperiectiOu- |
that is, Of errors? This seems a reason |
auIe deduction from what we know of /
every form Of human effort, and it agrees
WITH the observed facts in tho case Of the |
scriptures. When Matthew, tor exam /
PIE, quotes from jeremiah q prophecy
nat IS found only in Lachariah are we
quite honest with ourselves and with the
world when we twist and turn in every
imaginable way TO escape aconclusion in
3VltaDIe III the case Of an uninspired
writing, that the writer's memory con-
used the two prophets so that he made
10 error IN the uame? But II we make |
omissions OF this order what becomes of
me lnfaillbIe authority OF the Scriptures? !
That Is where the other half of our para |
uoX comes in. The Scriptures contain !
errors, out no error. ImperfectiOns of /
3orm due TO the ignorance and sinful !
ness OF those through whom the spirit /
spoke his message, do not affect the fact /
nat the message OF the Spirit was spoken. !
W have the truth in earlhen vessels. in /
teed, but note that we dO have the truth. I
takiug Gods revelation as a whole, COM |
- l'CtsAC NlLI 9CLl pure, We nave |
rule OF faith and practice free from en- |
ror.'
The Mosaic authorship of the Penta-
leuch IS not 10 be confouuded by rational |
men with the question Of a Genesis re- |
marks the New York EgqnqeHst Pres |
After all that has been said. men have |
out little patience now with the asserted /
6ac0nlan authorship Of Shakespeare,s /
dramas. But he would be STRANGELY
incompetent critic who did not know Chat /
IN many OF his comedies the manner and /
method alone are Shakespeare's The maj
ter baving been handed down THROUGH a |
succession OF inferior writers. Nor does I
1t detract from the beauty of Burns /
lyrics that IN lnnumerable cases thew are
merely adaptations from older poets OF /
me border. Even st. Luke, in the pre-