The record-union., 1893-05-20
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.
Speaking of the Congress of Religions
at Chicago the Ch1 istian Register (Unit.j
of Boston says: "On paper the scheme is
magnificent. In spirit, purpose and in
tention it is great undertaking, and de-
serves to succeed. Whether it viii or
will not accomplish all that is planned,
it cannot be void of results which will be
tar-reaching and deep. The religions
which now command the attention OF
men are Christianity, Mohammedanism,
Buddhism, Brahminism and ParseeisIn.
These five practically divide the world
between them. All of them are passing
out Of the stage when externals, whether
in symbol, rite or formula, engage all the
attention of the believer Idolaters are
ceasing to regard the idol as anything.
From symbol and formula and form the
minds of men are retreating towards
fundamental ideas of religion are few,
simple and of universal application. 1t
IS OF the greatest Importance 10 get them
simply stated so that they may be COM
pared. If any religion Is marked by
plain defect or evident excess, that should
appear. If two religions, having the
same ideas in common, show difference
of methods and Of success in applying
them, that should appear. Whether the
eXponents of the various systems are
themselves aware of the kind of impress
sion they make or not, the world must be
the gamer"
1--WE are informed on the authority of a
telegraph dispatch from England that the
Arch bishop Of Canterbury has decided
against allowing the Church Of England
to be represented in the Congress OF Re-
Hgions at Chicago, on the ground that it
would involve too much recognition of
the religions other than Christianity
which are there to be heard. one hopes
that this Information is not true" says
Late number of the same journal, land,
fortunately, the means by which it is
transmitted do not place ii above sus-
picion. The dispatches Of newspaper
correspondents have not that reputation
Tor unVarylng accuracy which would
lead one to accept their statements in all
cases without question. on the other
hand it might easily be true, for the atti-
towards religions other than Christian
ity, but towards other branches OF the
Christian Church, makes such decision
as that referred to above far from lncon-
sistent on its part. Standing in the face
of the intelligent scholarship of our time,
this refusal to acknowledge anything
true In the religion OF other races is Su-
premely ridiculous. There was q time,
to be sure, when children were instructed
there were two kinds OF religion in the
World-the true and the false-Christlan-
lty being the one example to be classed
under the first division, and all other
faiths being grouped under the last. But
though that time, as marked by years, is
not so very far behind US, yet for every
well-intormed person IL is practically as
far raway as the Middle Ages"
"The effort of the Presbyterian Church
to revise its Standards" says the Boston
Coagregat1ondLiSf,' lis now plainly doomed
to the failure which was predicted for it
from the beginning. No doubt revision
is desired. In response to the overture
from the General Assembly in 1889, 1874
Presbyteries voted for revision and 6S
against it. Since then the desire for re-
vision has been growing rapidly. But the
declared effort has been to change the
language without changing the substance
OF the W estminster Confession, while the
root of the desire has been to slough of
the more obnoxious features of the Cal
whistle system. This widespread effort
to seem to do something without really
doing anything has wearied out the Pres
byteries, and they are giving up the mat
ter in despair or disgust. Though only 81
out of over 200 Presbyteries had reported
action at last accounts, 1t is evident that
nothing like a two-thirds majority eau be
secured approving the revision as pre-
sented. Indeed, only IL approved entire
while q disapproved, 29 approved in part
and 81 asked ior a new, short creed. By
and by, alter prolonged struggle, this
short creed Will come, but before that
other questions more directly personal
Will be the center OF discussion, and will
test severely the power of the denomina-
ton to maintain its outward unity''
Commenting on the result OF the voting
on the question of feudal union between
the Reformed Churches in America and
the United States, the New York Ch77s-
tan IRteLdgeHcer (Ref) observes: 1t is
needless for the Christian ItteLhgence3. to
express its disappointment and sorrow
at the result. While it would not have
desired 10 push the plan through in face
of an obstructive minority, since that
would foredoom the experiment to fail
ure. 1t has been both surprised and
grieved that this first attempt at ecclesias-
tlcal union on the federative principIe
has been overbOrne in the church which
by all historical and natural right should
have given 1t welcome. We feel that orr
two Reformed churches have missed the
opportunity OF leading i'll movement
the benehcent effects of which no one
could forecast or measure. That cur
church should be the obstructive one
fills us with shame as well as regret.
Some, and may be a decisive number
voted against this proposed union in the
delusive idea that II stood in the way of a
wider federation. If so, we fear they are
doomed to disappointment, for how can
those who advanced as their great arpu-
ment that there was dOctrinal unsound-
ness in the German Church, come with il
and the still more tainted PRESBYTERIAN
Church into form of union, or how can
those who objected 10 the present plan as
not worth its cost accept wider fedora
ton, which in the very nature of the case
must be even more loose and general2
However, we leave the future to answer
these questions. Meanwhile, we are thank
ful to have had some part in promoting a
plan of Christian union which will ulti-
mately triumph even though at present
defeated"
at is surely a matter of no little con-
cern," says the New York IldeDeUsie,,L
''that the Oldest theological seminary of
the LCongregatiopall denomination grad
yates in one year two Untarlans. while a
third was only saved to orthodoxy bvt the
willingness of a Western church to trust
to time TO set him right. 1t will not do to
say that this is an accident liable to occur
in any theological seminary. Ii is true
that men of mature years leave orth0-
doxy occasionally for liberal folds. be-
cause of change in doctrine; but theolori-
- 1ss, a.