The record-union., 1893-08-12
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligiOus Newspapers
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed In the Sectarian Press
Ministers and Laymen.

Cda1chn1dn Up. e., ''or should be, the last
| people to tamper with the text of the
Prayer Book, to garble or mutilate the
services of the sanctuary. The reason for
this is chiefly that the Prayer Book is not
a random compilation of devotional state
ments, addresses, prayers and hymns 1t
is Intended to represent the truth in it's
many forms. 1t is deliberately woven
tissue, in which are comprised the true
theory of Christian worship, the true doc
trine OF repentance, the true theory and
administration of the sacraments. 1t is
the complete and fitting garment in which
the church has chosen TO array herself,
and cannot with justice or advantage be
/ changed for rags and tatters, although
these rags and tatters may be gold and
purple remnants OF the original raiment.
The English Prayer Book has in England
| the binding force of an Act of Parlia-
| ment, and the Sealed Book is astatute of
| the realm. In this country the Prayer
| BOOK is living canon. 1t contains the
| sum and essence of all apostolic tradi-
tlons, the full dogmatic statement of
apostolic truth, the strict law OF apostolic
| ecclesiastical discipline. In it the church
! shows herself q teaching church, and it
stands behind the ministry as the indorser
and supporter of a teaching ministry.
The teaching church will find
! expression in the teaching ministry, and
! The Prayer Book in its minutest detail is
! the best written expression of the church's
doctrine, and so long as it is preserved in
/ violate, and used Without prOfane or care
less omissions and alterations, it will
! prove the best support OF ministerial au-
lhorlty and the best text and reference
to ministerial teaching"
| ut would be most unfortunate posi-
| ton for Christianity to assume before the
world" says the Lining Church lP. e. of
Chicago, IF it should appear in the light
| OF endeavorlng TO restrict the pleasures
l winch large numbers OF people feel To be
perfectly innocent and proper and this
| upon the ground that Sunday recreation
Is unlawful. But such a course is still
| more unjustifiable when we recall the
fact that there is large proportion of the
| religious world itself which holds no such
| position. W g have referred to the case of
the Seventh Day Baptists, who, as mat
ter OF course, attach no sacredness to the
| IL rst day OF the week, and, if in Difference
/ To the best interests OF the community at
| large, they abstain from Sunday work,
| would have good right to complain il
| their liberties were still further restrained.
! There are also various bodies of so-called
| liberal Christians who unquestionabIy
do not hold that the sanctity of the day
! requires them to hold aloof from any
| lawful pleasure. Finally, among those
| who may be called orthodox Christians
there is still wide difference OF opinion
| on this veXed subject, and even 'evangel-
! icaP PrOtestants are not at one. In view
OF all this we cannot but think that there
| has been dIscouraging amount of intol-
! erance and narroWnesS in the agitation
| through which we have been passing, as
there certainly has been great deal of in
temperance Of language, Tar from any
thing which the essential spirit of Chris
tianity ought to produce"
The Interior (Pres.) OF Chicago saws:
"Dr. Carroll read some weeks since pa
per before one of our religious societies
upon Christian union. AS Government
expert upon religious statistics the doe
tors views have attracted wide remark
lie suggests that churches most nearly
allied be the first to lead off in the much
desired movement. He marvelS that the
Presbyterian Israel should be divided
into twelve tribes so long after the middle
wall of partition had been broken down
between Jew and Gentile. But from our
| own observation we are inclined to be-
lieve that the barriers for which there is
the least apparent excuse will be the last
to give way. 1t requires more time and
more skill to graft a branch than to split
tree. 1t Is easier to make a new friend
| than to heal an old quarrel. One of the
minor Presbyterian bodies in this coun-
try has twice survived the loss of its eu-
tire ministry for years. The larger bod
les can only exist by the presence of a
larger authority in their makeup, and
without such spirit in the minor bodies
there Is little use of talking union to
them. We prophesy that the great bod
les of evangelical Christians will draw
nearer together, while the asteroids of
each system viii fly farther apart. Mana
gers OF our ecclesiastical meetings Know
that the harmonious conduct Of an evan
gellcal alliance does not require half the
finesse to prevent friction that is neces-
sary when the di$jectd mIebt6r0 of a single
denomination are brought together. All
the tinkering with eXternals will never
effect real union if the spirit of union be
not there. Where that is present differ
ences OF form will be respected-and ig-
| nored."
"A writer in the Church Union, whom
we take" says the New York Examiner
(Bapt.), ITO lie an Episcopalian clergv-
man, argues at some length that the MAIN
obstacle to Christian union at the present
time Is the unwillingness OF so MANY
Protestant denominations to accept epis-
copacy. This, he says, is matter of con-
science with the Episcopal Church, and,
moreover, by abandoning it they would
abandon all hope of possible union with
The other ancient churches constituting
an overwhelming majority to Christen-
dom. lie therefore urges that it is the
duty of other denominations to Weld this
point; 1t certainly would not imperil sal
vation or holiness of living to be under
the jurisdiction of a Bishop. Acceptance
OF eplScopacy Is therefore not q sim and to
refuse to accept it when this would bring
unity is a sin. 1t is not little curious
how blind our Episcopalian friends are to
/ the bearing OF this argument on one of
! the questions that separate them from the
Baptists. Let us apply to immersion
what our brother says of episcopacy. 1t
certainly would not imperll the salvation
! or holy living of any Christian to be i'm
mersed, and all other bodies know very
well that insistence upon immersion is a
matter of conscience with Baptists. We
cannot yield the point without disloyalty,
but they can, for they have admitted that
immersion is valid baptism. Therefore,
as our Episcopalian friend so well puts it,
| acceptance of immersion is not sin, but
to refuse to accept it when acceptance
would bring unity may be sin. 1t is
poor rule that does not work both
ways"
1T is very difficult for US to think or
write seriously" says the Christian Req
1Ster tUnit.) of Boston, concerning the
action Of the Prudential Committee of
the American Board of Commissioners
Ior r forelgn Missions If that is the proper
title OF the body which has just decided
the official standing of the Bev. VIM. II.
Noyes, missionary to the Japanese. The
awful doctrine which Mr.. Moves holds
dear ana the board rejects with decision
is that it may be that, after death. the
love of God in Jesus Christ NAV be re-
vealed, may win them and save them.
We said at the beginning it was difficult
to treat the action of the board seriously