The record-union., 1893-12-01
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.


says: SIT is very plain from Mr.. Hall's
own statement, and from the acquies-
cence of the Bishop of Oxford and others
concerned, that ali the requirements of
his release have been satisfied. and that
he is thoroughly authorized 10 write 10
the Diocese OF Vermont that the society
tine CowIey Fathersl, with the concur
renee and sanction of the Bishop of Ok
ford as visitor, has formally released me
from all obligations TO the community,
that | may be free to accept your CALI 1t
is a statement of singular definiteness
and exactness. To insinuate that it is
treacherous and deceitful is unpardona-
BILE. We can scarcely. even now, believe
it possible that the distinguished and
honored men who fulfilled their parts in
the release could be subjected to the in
dignity OF those cruel and groundless in
situations or assertions. We certainly
trust that all who have yet to consent to
the consecration of Mr.. Hall will feel sat
istied that his acceptance OF the election
was given only when he was completely
released from the society, and at abso-
solute liberty freely to determine his
course in the matter"
ITO cherish and love episcopacy,' to
consider it the best form OF church gov
ernment,' are purely secretarian senti-
ments," says the LiCdHg Church (P. E. of
Chicago, If episcopacy be not part of
the divine constitution of the church. If
epIscopacy is no more than very an
clent thing, and a thing of temporal adj
vantage, it is narrow and bigoted thing
TO say 10 our separated brethren that the
acceptance OF 1t must be a condition of
reunion with them. What is not of di-
vine institution must be matter of hu-
man choice. What is a matter OF human
choice cannot be essential. But those
who are pushing these union projects are
never weary of insisting that he must be
willing to yield all nom essentials, LOgi-
cally, therefore. they must be willing TO
yield eplscopacy if the various denomina-
tIons Will not accept it, To say that epis-
copacy Is sine qua non is a glaring IN
consistency If it is as much a human in
sltutlon as Presbyterianism or COngre-
gatlonalism."
Writing of the conclusion of the Moves
controversy IN the American Board the
Rev. DR.. h. NJ. Field says in the New
ork EUGRgeilSt pres. J: so our Congre-
gauonaI brethren have got rid of ques-
tion which has been TO them a perpetual
fountain OF bitterness. And they have
made an end of it without any compro-
mise OF principle, simply by distinguish
ing between things that are essential and
those that are not essential; cOnceding
that man may hold a great many opin-
Ions that are not strictly in line with
those OF his church or denomination, but
that so long as they are purely specuIa-
tive, and especially so long as his heart is
right and his life is right, they call for no
CenSure. They have faith in the power
OF a Christian life, and believe that a man
VINO may be IN error on some minor
points. if he be truly in Christ will
work his way out. Wherefore thev saw.
Let him alone! He will not be helped by |
persecution, by 'haling' him before the |
judges, or by whisperings and back /
bltings, and insinuations that he is not |
sound and not to be trusted. Is not this /
the course OF wisdom as well of Christian |
charity? Is there not in all this lesson |
for the Presbyterian Church? Have we |
not magnlned the MINOR points of doc |
trine to the overlooking, or at least |
throwing into the background, of the |
greater things of walking with God of |
sitting at the feet of our Divine Master. |
taking the words from his lips and try
ing above all things TO follow His exam /
ple?"
There is never anything gained for the |
unity of the faith by the splits between /
the two natural divisions OF mind the /
progressive and the conservative" ex- |
claims the Interior Pres of Chicago. |
because the same lines immediately re-
appear IN the fragments, and usually
more pronounced than before. Take the
original 'COVenantels.' They had a split
ot by the 'ASsociation.' No sooner were
they IN working order than they split,
and the new church was the Associate
reformed. What was LETT of the Coyen-
anters split again into Old Side and New
Side. The Old Side split again and the
New Side followed suit All these
churches were extreme and ultra conser-
Vative. Thus the intolerance Of the two
types OF mind towards each other was re-
duced TO absurdity. The place where
mutual intolerance should begin is at the
beginning. We must go back to the
Master for the broad platform upon
which all can stand. No organization or
association Of men can be at best without
the activity of both types of mind. The
progressive type is needed, or we should
have stagnaton and decay. The conser-
vatIve type is needed to give readiness
and certainty to the movement. We
must have Peter and we must have Paul
WHAT did the Creator mean by enacting
TINS universal law OF mind if it were not
essential to the general and spiritual
well-being?'b
Nothing can be more unstable in this
age as basis Tor religious faith than the
appeal to authority" says The Christian
HeglSteT u nIt-) Of Boston. so long as
unquestloning assent is given by an inert
or passive intellect to an assumed author
lty, there may be no difficulty; but when h
the reason enters the arena it asks not
only what rests on authority but what
IS the basis OF authority itself Such
question has power of penetration like
a ball from krupp gun. No theologl-
cal breastwOrk can withstand it. Au-
thorlty erected on the foundation of
popeS, councils, creedS and Bibles can
never be absolute or permanent under j
the dissolving power Of the modern in
teilect. The man who is most unstable
is not he who is moving forward with the
progress of our times and adjusting his
intellectual conceptions TO new revela-
tons Of life, but he who has tied up his
faith to a proposition which has no basis
IN logic or fact, but is simply tradi-
tlonal post set up to counteract the drift !
OF opinion. Such conservatism is far
more destructive than the progressive
spirit 1t lmpQgns. The intellectual and
critical processes of to-day have been
essential Tor the publication OF religion.
Such mental sanitation is as necessary. as
that which IS physical. and it is as whole
some IN its final result.u
On the subject of Catholic press restric-
uons the New York FFeeH0gl'S Journal
kRom. CATH remarks The Tudependent
THINKS Ihat the reiteration of the warning
10 the Cathohc press which the Bishops
have seemed 1t necessary to send ont is
calculated to put premium on episcopal
license and gag the mouths of Catholic
editors III matters of legitimate criticism
If ever there was a time when il was
necessary Tor the Catholic press to criti-
else the actions OF individuals among tho
nlerarchy, thaI ume has passed away. :
We trust IL will never return. The rem.
resentatiye OF the Holy Father to whom