The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-03-02
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.


THE Episcopal Chuch," observes the
LtUing Church (P. E.) of Chicago. sis
sometimes called the roomiest church in
Chrlstendom, and some of our own writ
ers and speakers are so proud of this re-
pute that by minimizing process they
would obliterate all bonds and limita-
lions whatever. The result of this is to
hrlng reproach upon us rather than
credit. 1t is true, however, that to many
OF our brethren the church has, through
the circumstances of the case, presented
an appearance of breadth and even of
laxity which they viewed with grave
d1sapproval. This is because the sects to
which they belong have added, as vital
TO salvation, statements which can only
De held in the church as private opin-
ions. The history of the rise of modern
Erotestant denominations will show that
several of them went out from the Angli-
can Church as much because she refused
10 add to the deposit of faith what indi-
Vlduals or parties insisted upon as neces-
eary, as because OF anything which she
eAacted from them. She persistently re-
FUSED, Tor instance, to adopt the CaIvinis-
ilc platform as her own, while it is still
tSttSS'AJ POSSlDi0 LOT d clurcllQan, as an
individual, to be a Calvinist, if he will
IN another sphere of things the church
mas refused to accept an ascetic system as
the form of the Christian life. while she
always mas place for those who feel
called to life of special and extraordina-
~ self-denial. But in the realm of the
fundamental catholic faith, the catholic
order, and catholic institutions and sacra-
mentS THIS church cannot admit compro-
mise. She has not adopted these things
as a platform upon which she agrees to
lake her stand, but has received them as
u secret trust. She cannot dispense with
Them Without losing that character which
Is her only justification for existence;
mat Is, her position as part of the Holy
Oatnollc and Apostolic Church,
Doubtless" the New York Observer
tPres.) says there are some even in the
Presbyterian Church who object to the
statement that the original autographs
must have been inerrant.' and also 10 the
deilverance of the last Assembly that
our church holds that the inspired word
as 1t comes from God is without error
because they hold loose views of inspira-
1lon, deny the infallibility of the Bible
and doubt the truth Of its historic state
ments, but such are few in number and
out OF place. We are convinced how
ever, that those among Presbyterians
who hesitate to make the proposed affir-
nations generally do so because they
read into them more exact and limited
meaning than is intended by their adyo-
Gates. and thus in "a time of extraordinary
senSltlVeneSS' they are misunderstood
and accounted faithless. For example.
those who hold that the original auto
graphs were without error nevertheless
agree that the inspired writers used the
ordinary language OF the time in refer
ring to events i'll natural lie, spoke phe-
nomenally of the movements of the
heavenly bodies, drew illustrations from
The current Ideas OF natural history en-
ployed tropes and other figures of speech
IN Oriental fashion, and recorded chro-
nology, as 1t has been well said, only
approximately, not mathematically cor
rect; but it is precisely the existence of
these forms OF expression that makes
other orthodox men object to the accu-
racy of the word 'inerrant' and decline 10
use 1t. The discussion therefore wakes
warm about word, instead of the idea
which that word was intended to repre-
sent. Thus 1t may come to pass that
men equally orthodox if not careful to
be 'fair-minded' toward one another. NAV
misapprehend each the others position.
and SO drlit into apparent opposition and
possible strife.'
docs this 'inerrancy of the original
autographs seem harmless specuIa-
tion?' asks the New York Eu0n0ekist
(Pres.l. so it might be if those who in
NCnlSQ IL were COlllbtlG 10 Keep IL 10 blGnl-
selves. But when they undertake to i'm
pose it upon us as an article OF faith, they
are really propOunding a new dogma as
much as did the projectors of the Vatican
Council IN decreeing Papal infallibility
II they insist in forcing il upon MS we
must demand by what authrity? 1t is an
article of faith never heard of before in
any creed in Christendcm. Not a trace
of it can We find in the Fathers OF the
Church, nor in the Retormers. Luther
and Calvin knew 1t not. Even the West
minister Confession, which some look
upon as including all wisdom, contains
not the slightest allusion to it. 1t must
be a stroke of American genius if it be
not rather one of the creations of Ameri-
can folly. We take the latter view of it.
and are impelled to cry out, % foolish
theologians, who hath bewitched you,
that ye should put forth such unsubstan-
Iial fancieS, to brighten timid souls and
TO furnish material for ungodly mirth?'
We are suspicious of all these new
tangled notions. Sick of theories and
1ancies, we go back to the good old Bible
that our fathers had, and that we have.
not in the original autographs but in
the tongue wherein we were born. Here
Is a fountain of truth, large enough and
full enough to supply our every want"
1.-THE recent trials for heresy in the
Presbyterian Church have given new cur
rency to the old objections to the exist
ence of creeds. Yet nothing is more alb
surd than these objections" says the
New York CsniStidH I1teLilgeRcey (Ref)
Theology is in the Bible as science is in
nature; it is work alike OF duty anti of
love TO classify and arrange it, When so
arranged and classified it becomes a
creed. Every creed is what somebody be-
lieves that the Scriptures teach A man
may persist in fighting creeds and bring
ing all sorts of accusation against them,
.llt no ha l,,NS
natically asserting. Every church has
creed, whether written or not; it would
lie only decent if they wrote it down so
that all men might know what they
agree upon in reference 20 the teachings
of the Bible. How stupid, then, are
the imputadoDs upon the Presbyterian
Church, as if the fact that it held the
Westminster Standards was deplorable
weakness and the cause OF the late Judi
cial proceedings! Every church has some
standard OF doctrine and in some way
gets rid of those within its pale who speak
or act contrary to the accepted form OF
faith and duty"
''There are very good reasons" says
the New York Christian Union, "why
nom Episcopal churches should, with
their brethren, recognize the Lenten sea-
son. 1t is true that the forty days of
fasting in the wilderness have no histori-
cal connection with the passion and death
of Christ. 1t is true that setting apart
these particular forty days is a purely
ecclesiastical II not artificial act. Never
theless, they have been so set aside, and