The record-union., 1893-11-24
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.

Christian Church. The church is ruled
by dogmaticians, ecclesiastics and tradi-
tionalists. But their day is nearly over.
There is that profound dissatisfaction
with the present state of things, that in
tense longing for better things, that anx-
ious quest for something higher, that
readiness to follow any one who seems to
have something new, which heralds the
approach of new era.'
''We print this, the opening paragraph
of DR.. Briggs article in the November
Forum, in order to express our radical
dissent from the first two sentences, and
our hearty concurrence with the last
sentence" says the New York Outlook.
1.-The Christian Church is an ambiguous
phrase. 1t may mean some definite or
ganiZation with continuous history, an
authoritative head and distinctive body
of doctrine. If this is what DR.. Briggs
means by the phrase, then there is no
Christian Church whose ebb-tide has
come. There are great many Chris
tian churches some of which are not
merely i'll an ebb-time but actually
stranded, others OF which are being borne
forward by the tloodtide. The Congre-
gationalist Church is not ruled by dog
maticians, ecclesiastics and traditional
lists; on the contrary, the spirit of free
dom was never more pervaslVe and dom
inant in that church than it is to-day.
The Roman CATHOLIC Church in this coun-
try is not ruled by dogmaticians, ecclesi-
astics and traditionalistS; on the contrary,
their influence and authority in that
church are even less than they were fifty
or sixty years ago. when Bishop Hughes
was the controlling factor. The Episco-
pal Church is not ruled by dogmaticians
and traditionalists: it is, to a considerable
extent, ruled by the ecclesiaStics; but in
England, in a large measure, and in this
country in a considerable measure, they
have shown themselves full of the spirit
OF the Gospel, and attached to dogma and
and tradition chiefly as those are instru-
ments in the work of the Gospel. 1t is.
indeed, only the Presbyterian Church
that is apparently ruled by dogmaticians,
ecclesiastics and traditionalists; and we
venture to say II, mlSled by their victory
in the prosecution of DR.. Briggs, they
should attempt to turn out of the commu-
Mon ali ministers entertaining in sub
stance the opinion of DIR. Briggs, their
rule would come to very abrupt end"
The New York Chlsrchnan Up, E0. on
the subject of Christian unity, says: 1.-The
subject of unity has been chiefly dis
cuSsed in its influence on the diStinctively
Christian world, in its bearing upon the
different denominations and the whole
body of believers. But there is another
and vastly more important side to the
discussion, and that is evangelization
among the non-C Christian nations. If
unity would promote spiritual life in the
body of professional followers of Christ,
would it not also aid incalculably in it's
influence upon the unconverted? Ought
the discussion to be confined to its bear
ing upon the denominations themselves
or extended far beyond this, to its limit
less potentialities in the work of bringing
the whole world under the power of the
Gospel. Christian unity-and by this
we mean fusion of sects into the one
Church of Christ-would afford resistless
power to the line of missionary endeavor,
abroad no less than at home. More than
one heathen soul, though tender and, per-
hapS, open to be led Alright has been be-
wildered by the different fingers beckon-
ing it on-a1 in the same direction, it
may be, but each into its own pathway.
May not such soul often have vaguely
1elt that the existence OF many diSprOVed
the oneness of any, and, perpleXed by the
divergent eXternals, have failed to pene-
trate the underlying truth that all sects of
Christian believers are, in hope and pur-
pose, one? We trust that the bringing
up Of this serious topic by a representa-
tive of the American Board will have the
effect of directing renewed attention to-
wards the cause OF union"
Commenting on the case of the Rev.
Dr. Philip S. MoXom of the First Baptist
Church of Boston, the Christian Register
Omit OF that city remarks: 1.-THE ground |
of the opposition to DR.. Moxom is that
his Christianity is too broad to suit the
narrow prejudiceS of the dissatisfied mi |
noriLy. Every attempt to give Christian
lty its fullest freedom and application
whether In relation to thought or to So
clety, IS met with opposition by those
who regard Christianity as a traditional
trust instead of living power in the
world. The growth of the religion they
taught was contemplated and prophesied
by Jesus and by Paul. But in every age
from that time TO ours there have been
men who have determined that Chris |
tianlty should not positively grow if they
could help 1t, except by the accreton of
old conditions. In church like the Bap- |
tist, bound by no creed or ecclesiasticism, |
such spirit ought not to have any wide |
or controlling influence. Unfortunately. |
however, there are many there as else |
where who worship the letter rather than
the spirit. DR.. Moxom's large minded |
ness, large heartedness, his interest in |
every good cause his power as a thinker !
and preacher, count for little, measured |
by the narrow rule of their liberalism |
For the sake of Boston it is to be hoped |
that DIR. MoxOm may be induced to stay |
In the city where his influence is so help |
fuI and necessary. 1t is a sad comment |
on Christian liberalism that there should |
be twenty-five people in his own church /
who cannot so well appreciate this preach |
er and pastor as the community at large. |
And it is a sad reflection upon Baptist |
principles OF congregational government |
that the tyranny OF the minority should |
prevail"
"The difficulties which have followed |
the creating and inspiring with certain
kind of life new so-called church in
Mexico, remind US of nothing so much,U |
says the LlUing Church (P. l.. of Chicago, |
''as the story of Frankenstein, the being |
which the presumptuous chemist sue
ceeded IN constructing and to which he |
impaired the gift of life. But, alasi when /
1t was too late, he discovered that he had /
produced monster rather than a man. /
At every town the dreadful creature con-
fronted its creator demanding his sue
cor as being accountable for its existence
and involving the unhappy experimenter
IN responsibility for its evil deeds, Turn
where he would, scheme and contrive as
he might, at moments least expected the /
awful form OF his own handiwork would |
loom before him requiring his aid and |
companionship. The Mexican branch,
has Tor many years been our Franken-
stein. How long shall we lack the cour-
age and determination to bring to an end |
business which, in its inception and in
tue methods employed to promote and
develop 1t, has never been a thing to be
proud OF, and which at every stage OF it's
progress has brought US shame and con- |
fuslon OF lace? Does any one still be-
leve that our work in Mexico has had
any real effect upon morals or life? On
the other hand, can wise man really
imagine that the extra-constitutionaI
methods and the highhanded action