The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-22
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 LayImen.

Expressed In the Sectarlan Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.
Discussing the authenticity of the
Fourth Gospel, in connection with a
recent article by DR.. Cone, the New York
ChTaStldn Union observes: 1--WE have
not space to point out the incidental indi-
cations in the Fourth Gospel that it was
written by an eyewitness long after the
events occurred, and by an eyewitness
possessing the characteristics of John;
nor to dwell on the other important fact
tnat Johns Gospel is necessary to ac-
count for the fervor of Christianity in the
first four centuries, and TO explain the
transition, otherwise difficult, if not i'm
possible to explain, from the Sermon on
the Mount to the Epistle to the Romans.
The ethical teachings on which the three
Synopusts lay their chief emphasis would
not have sufficed to revolutionize the
Roman world-they are not, indeed,
radically different from the best ethical
teachings of ancient Stoicism-had they
not been accompanied by that mysticism,
that Interpretation of life as a long strug
gle between the powers OF good and evil,
light and darkness, and that doctrine OF
divine iinmanence, and of human power
TO possess God and to be possessed by
Him and in that possession to triumph
over the evil, OF which John and Paul
are the great opponents, the first as a
biographer ana historian, the second as q
philosopher and a preacher. If the
Fourth Gospel did not derive its inspira-
ton from Jesus Christ, and does not in
spirit report his otherwise unreported
dlscourses, then the author of that
Gospel and the Apostle Paul must be re-
garded as, together with Jesus Christ, and
scarcely less than he, the founders OF
Christianity. And this they very dis
tlnctly and unequivocally disavow."
1T seems inevitable that as liturgies
and Catholic activities go up, must pull
pit ministrations go down in quality, in
SEPARATION and effectiveness" says the
LiCtRg Church (P. E. of Chicago. Very
few gifted, richly furnished souls are
voluble or glib Of speech, or able to turn
on an indefinite series of strong dis
courses without careful preliminary
thought, meditation and study. Fluency
and depth are rarely found in coniunc-
ton. So preaching is gradually dropping
astern, and High Service or Musical
Nespers' come TO supplant the evangelist
and the pulpit. Not infrequently the
pulpit has literally disappeared altogether,
or is relegated to a movable book-rest, to
be taken away after the discourse. This
reminds us unhappily of the Roman
Churches, where the pulpit is apt to be
literally a 'makeshitt,' rolled out from its
corner for the preacher, to be rolled back
again out of sight when he has finished.
But our congregations are not ready to
give up the pulpit, and there remains at
least traditional conviction that SER
Ill IL.
worship, at least on the Lords Day. And
no priest or layman who is instructed on
the actual conditions of life, social and
religious, will question or dscredit this
conviction. The gospel yet needs TO be
preached, and more earnestly and per-
slstenuy than ever, not only as to the
worldly lying in ever-deepening wick ed
ness and unbelief, but in our own
churches, and in every one OF them, for
the latter-day apostacy OF faith and life
have gained toothOld even in the Lord 5
house and among the Lords people.
Musical services and high ornate cele-
brations do not fulfill the evangelistic
r command and mission. The living
prophet-preacher must go before the
priest, and the burden and urgency of his
Office are greater than ever"
The New York Observer (Pres.) re-
marks: "Dr. Beecher says that the right
~ nave a ' G4 ulCN VI dCAl lllltdl as
nnal should be more sacredly maintained
IN our church courts than in the secular
courts Then when a guilty church
member is acquitted by the church ses-
sion or when a guilty presbyter is ac-
quilted by his Presbytery, that acquittal
must be regarded as final. There is no
redresS-no way to correct the gross
error, or to repair the grievous injury.
Because, forsooth, in secular court, a
verdict of acquittal, in the case of crimi-
nal charge, is final, therefore much more
in church court verdict of acuuittal in
the case OF charge for heresy ought to be
final. This is the logic of DR.. Beecher's
appeal from verdict of acquittal.' 1t is
not good logic, and we are bound to add
that II is neither good Presbyterian law
nor good Presbyterian morals. Admit
the principle laid down by DIR. Beecher
and there is no way by which an hereti-
cal Presbyterian minister can be reached
by higher court, provided majority OF
ms PreSbytery choose TO stand by him.
IN such a case the Supreme Court of the
Presbyterian Church is as powerless To
deal with hereto who has been acuuit-
ted by the Presbytery as the Supreme
Court of the United States is to deal with
murderer who has been acquitted by a
petit jury, We claim that such is not the
law of the Presbyterian Church, and it is
unlikely that such a law will ever prevail
in the church. We maintain the right o.
the Prosecuting Committee to aprpeal
either to the Synod or the General AS.
sembly."
The New York Evangelist pres. raises
a practical question in connection with
theappeal in the Briggs case. 1t saws
AN appeal to the General Assembly in
wolves an expenditure of money The
appellant or appellants must be trans
ported TO the place OF meeting and be
supported while they are there. The
sending for records costs something. Al
whose charge are these things done?
When the appellant is a defeated individ-
ual prosecutor, VINO brought charges as
an aggrleved person, he must bear the
cost. How is il when the appellant is a
public prosecutor? There are three Dos
sible sources from which to draw-the
General Assembly, the Judiciary ap-
pealed from, and the pocket OF the appel
liant. II the General Assembly pays the
bills, how does this please the Presby-
teries that contribute their quota. but are
totally opposed to the continuation of the
case? If the judiciary appealed from
pays, then we have the absurdity of iu-
dietary compelled to spend money for the
sake of getting its own verdict over
thrown! 'Sare.' said a Frenchman. per
meet me to run zis red-hot poker tree
inches into your body NO. sirr Won
inch?' Not at all, STRIP Won leetle beetY'
Get off, you rascalv Den, sare, vii YOU
have re kindness TO pay me for re trouble
and expense OF heating re poker?' But
il the appellant, when a public prosecutor,
bears his own expenses, he must do il
because he has a personal interest in the
matter. The church cannot tax him for
doing the church's business. As soon as
it allows him to tax himself for an an
peal, the business ceases to be that of the
church and becomes his own. He shows
b;r,gatf no lonpqr the mara