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


'This great Cathedral of st. John the
Divine" says the New York Churchman
(P. E., will be a superb proclamation
that the churchmen of New York believe
that the religion of Christ is to last for
ever; is more essential to the glory and
delight and stability of human society
than Mayor and Aldermen, than magnifi-
cent drygoods stores, than telegraph or
Hfe-insurance offices. OF course, if there
were no belief at the foundation of this
great enterprise, it would be a most
dreadful absurdity. But people in these
days are not at all likely to spend Sl0,000,-
900 for the purpose of publishing what
they know to be lie, and it is high time
that men who do utterly believe in God
should build up their belief first of all in
noble living, and then in glorious monu-
ments which shall tell to all coming gen.
erations what made their lives noble, and
viii make noble the life ofevery man who
believes and obeys. But not only Will
the new cathedral be splendid procla-
nation of the supreme glory OF the Chris
tlan religion. 1t Will be-we say 1t ls-a
proclamation that American churchmen
believe in their own form or rendering or
expression of the Christian religion. 1t
is a splendid testimony to their belief in
God and confidence in the church."
1.-The dream of an undivided church,
embracing all nations and filling all lands,
has been, at least, a splendid vision" re-
marks the CHRISTIAN Register (Unt.) of
Boston, land it is not surprising that
many still turn to it, hoping against
hope for the rise of some movement
which shall begin to weld together the
broken fragments of Christendom. But
it is safe to say that intellectual differ
erences are too pronounced as yet to per-
init any Of the existing sectarian divis-
ions TO be closed up. The creed that will
include all the schools of Christian
thought which have arisen since the Re-
formation has yet to be written. Still
more, the bigOtry and narrowness which
refuse to tolerate the differences of opin-
ion and sentiment that must arise within
every organization has yet to be worked
out of human nature. Here, alas! is the
great stumbling block in the way of
Christian unity-a stumbling block that
more. or less troubles both the larger and
the smaller households of faith, the more
advanced and the more conservative sec
tions OF the church alike. Men are not
willing to advocate their views in the
open court of reason and abide the issue,
but must set in motion whatever ecclesi-
astical machinery they can reach to get
their opinion established by authority.
While there is in human nature this
rooted .distrust of the common mind,
which persuades men that, unless they
can boost the truth into power by artii-
.ciaEmeans, it is in danger of being swal-
lowed up by error, peace cannot long
reign in any Christian communion. The
true Catholic Church is not made by size
alone, and the idea of catholicitY does not
agree well with absolute uniformity.
That which is truly universal must cover
ynfao
is the degree of tolerance manifested to-
ward varying expressions of thought and
feeling. The Roman Empire was catholic
in that it embraced a great diversity of
political organizations under one rule.
But a church whose members, though of
different nationalities, are all essentially
of the same stamp of mind represents
more clearly the Indian system of Totem
ism than any ideal of civilized life."
''The minister in the ideal church,
says the New York Christian Onion, lis
not framer Of theologies, nor a teacher
of moralitles, nor an administrator of
charities, still less of ecclesiasticisIn, nor
"a reciter of rituals; he is a messenger
charged with a divine message. Ii he
1orgets this message to become teacher
of single tax or muluform tax, protection
or free trade, prohibition or high license,
socialism or individualism, Calvinism or
-Arminianism, Romanlsm or Protestant
ism, he ceases to be a preacher and be-
comes a lecturer. Religion is the life of
God in the soul of man. The function of
the preacher is to communicate that life
to the souls of men. If he has not that
life in himself or if he has not power to
communicate it to others, he should leave
the pulpit and take to some other voca-
ton. 1t is said that the people are tired
of hearing theology. Yes, if the theology
has no religion in it; no, if it be animated
hr-fI f1-4xa rrN1a-c il.if
preachers from the time of Paul down
have been preachers of living theology;
that is, they have proclaimed the living
God, His Law, His Life. TO know God,
the Maker-to know the Divine Laws
and inner harmonies of this universe.
must always be the highest glory for a
man; and not to know them always the
highest disgrace for a man, however COM
mon it be- So says Carlyle. To make
men know God and the divine laws and
the inner harmonies of this universe
this is the function of the preacher of the
ideal church. and so to give men this
highest knowledge that they shall live ac-
cording to Gods laws and in harmony
with the inner harmonies of the uni
verse;"
"If the public has not lost confidence
in the high standard OF the clergyman,
it must have lost confidence in his wis
dom as a reformer," observes the New
y ork ChTlSttdl ERqUlTe2 (Bapt.). SIT is
very easy for us to jump at some novel
way of reducing the want and woe Of
great cities to virtue and sobriety. but of
the schemes, how few produce ANYTHING
more than a spasmOdic ripple which dies
away as the wind at evening. Vice is an
established power in society," and it must
be assailed not only with valor, but with
wisdom. Hou may cast thousand the
ories at the citadel of vice and not de-
stroy it. Reformers without brains will
never overthrow the pedestal of sin or
make paradise in this lost world. OF all
men, reformers need to be wise men.
temperate men, conSiderate men, lust
men. Even wicked men have rights that
must be respected, and criminals are not
to be convicted without evidence. Be
cause DR.. Parkhurst finds his duty along
certain line of methods, it may not be
safe for other men to do the same. The
lntemperate speeches, the vehement reso-
buttons, the rash denunciations. them
selves bordering on sin, will not help any
good cause"
''There is an impression in some quar-
ters," says the New York Christian
Union, that somehow Professors Smith
and Briggs are undermining faith in the
Bible, and that their prosecutors are de-
Tending that faith. The reverse is nearer
the truth. Repression of investigation
always eXcites suspicion. The attempt to
punish men as heretics for no other crime
than that of subjecting the Bible to a sci
eutlfic study makes all the world suspect
hot ha Rinll stand O 81