The record-union., 1893-11-17
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.

Ministers and Laymen.
Commenting upon Father Puller's
book 1.-THE Primitive Saints and the See
OF Rome" the New York CburchnoaR (P.
E. remarks: 1--WE cannot follow Father
Puller into detail. He clearly shows
bow wholly incompatible the Roman
claims of st. Peters supremacy-eveni if
that supremacy had been transferred to
the Bishops of Rome-are with the Scrip
ture history. In fact, out of respect to
the fathers-their views can easily DE ac-
counted for-he seems to US to attach
very far too much importance even to
what he calls st. Peters primacy of honor
or order. The words of Christ spoken
at Caesarea Philippi are exceedingly
hard to understand to say nothing of
the fact that precisely similar authority
was afterward conferred on all the apos-
ties. The only way of ascertaining what
st. Peters primacy amounted TO is by
studying st. Peters own history. A
any rate it did not exclude the fact that
st. James presided at the meeting in j u
rusalem, and that st. Paul had not the
slightest hesitation about rebuking the
Prince of the Apostles to his face.
Moreover, it must be remem bered that
the Bishops very soon fell into the habit
OF treating one another with the most
fuisome flattery, and calling one another
by the most exaggerated names. The
general result of Father Puller's argu-
ment is that Peter himself had no such
primacy as the Pope claims; that he
obtained his supremacy chiefly by impe
rial, though in slight degree by synodi-
f.al oTIfh Ifx- nd hot fha ala Of
BOniface VIII. and the Vatican Council
were totally unknown to the first six
centuries"
''The Anglican Communion, of which
our own church is a part, stands before
the world" says the Lining Church (P. Ed
of Chicago, lin the attitude of portion
of the Catholic Church. by inheritance,
faith, worship and essential character in
union with the general Catholic body
through union with her divine human
head In the Sacraments of salvation; yet,
like large part Of eastern Christendom
and various portions of the ancient
church of different periods, she is out of
communion with the see of Rome. 1t is
because she cannot renew that commu-
MON without asserting to claims which
were utterly unknown to the saints and
martyrs OF the early ages, and which in
VOlVe a complete revolution in the con-
stitution or the Church of Christ. II er
true position is thus marked out for her.
While rejecting these untenable claims
on the one hand, she cannot, on the
other, abdicate her own claims by throw
ing herself into a Protestant alliance.
Rather, it is her mission to vindicate
true catholicity, and wait in quietness
and confidence for the times and sea-
sons which the Father put in His own
power"
The Rev. DIR. Joseph n. McGiffert.
writing in the New York Eoa1tqeList
(Pres.l on the case of Professor Smith,
says: mo one has claimed that Mr.
Smith has preached the views for which
he has been condemned, or taught them
IN his classes. They were presented in
an unofficial paper before an unclesiasti-
cal body, and as such were published.
May not minister be allowed more lib
erty IN such directions than in his official
preaching and teaching? May not the
conflict between the duty of the church
to provide what it regards as orthodox
teaching for the people under its charge,
and Its obligation to give reasonable lib
erty OF thought and discussion to it's emil
nent scholars, be solved in this manner?
at least, 1t is a necessary inference that
because minister has ventured, in
essay or book, on the discussion of views
which the church would not consider
safe or suitable in her pulpits, he must
therefore be debarred from preaching the
views which the church holds, from pro-
claiming the pure simple Gospel? There
must be some way in which the church
can insure the orthodoxy of the public
teaching OF her ministry, and yet allow
larger liberty of thought and investiga-
ton. How these two, orthodoxy and
liberty, can both be properly conserved,
Is the great question confronting us.
And such question demands careful
bearance, on the part of all who love
Christ, His church, and His intallible
Word"
ut is noteworthy" says the Co7aqrega-
tiO1l0LiSt of Boston, ''that the Methodist
Episcopal Church has not, at least in re-
cent years. been much disturbed by the
illogical controversies. Its disturbances
have been mostly concerning matters of
administration. a very astute leader in
that denomination recently remarked
that no Methodist minister now remained
long enough with one congregation to
secure In 1t strong following for his
views. II he had any not generally ac-
cepted in Methodist Churches, but that if
the time limit which has lately been ex-
tended from three years TO five, should be
removed, within twenty years after the
church would divide over theological
questions. This Is an argument against
long pastorates which we have not seen
urged in Methodist newspapers. But it
is possible that the church would gain in
knowledge of divine truth more than
to compensate it for the discussions that
would follow. Progress in likeness TO
God is not attained by the quiet of indif-
ference nor by diversion from thought
on what he has revealed to interest in
methods of church government and dis
Ncipline. The Presbyterian Church does
not move backward by having two par
ties which contend earnestly with each
other for what each believes to be the
faith once delivered to the saints"
'The increasing reluctance with which
men speak of their spiritual experiences
has long been noticed. and is no doubt
responsible, in measure, for the difficult
ties which beset the prayer meeting in
recent times" says the New York out
look. However much some of the re-
suits of this reticence may be regretted,
there is very wholesome element in it.
Ii men are more sensitive about making
public the sacred things of their per-
sonal life, it is largely because they are
more sensitive to the vital relations be-
Goyvnlanns Baking