New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-12

EDTR rs TO THE 'FRONT.'

II has often been remarked that Il great Crisis
cr.,,.s , great man To deal with It and guide Ii
Alright: or if it does not actually create hl'i' IL
encourages him To step out OF the "pSc"r''! III
which an unoward fate has envciop'd hiih' ana
stand forth before the world as The nero anu
idol Of the hour. This theory finds some con
nrmation In the recent history of the. Presoy-
terrain Church When the souldcstroyng spec
ire Of "Rriggssul' escaped out Of the bottle OF
scholarship in which the Westminster Divincs
had confined It. DR.. Birch and his colleagues
Of the Prosecuting Committee promptly APP
nearcd and corkcd the bottle. 1t is true they
did not succeed in getting the spectre back into
th. bottle, before they corked II: but that j.
mcr. detail that should not count against them.
Though thr spectre Is abroad in the Church,
they have in their custody the empty bottle on
which they have affixed the picture 81 sShii
and cross bones. with iii" word "P"lsoh'
What more could be expected Of them:
SO when another crisis arose in the meeting
Of the New York Prc>byirry on Monday. man
doomed forth out of the darkness To grappe
with II a man with four Is In his name deep
voice aud self writ commission as Defenh"r
Of the Faith His name. DR.. Francis !. Null
mlly. had. up To- Monday. escaped III" notice "i
the great uncarinG world: but II Will do SO no
longer: for he has rescued he Church ~ which
he is Il minister. but not pastor. from the
frishtful crime ~ ndorSlng the Rev. l'r. Park
hurst.
It seems that >otnr members Of the Presby-
terry wcr, imbucd with the pcrnicionS idea that
DR. Parkhur~t had rendered conspicuous ser
vice l., the cause of righteousness and good
morals, ami HAT II was III" duty ~ ih" 'hiirch
to bid golsDccI 10 iho>c uf it, members VINO hhd
thu. distinguished themselves. They therefore
introduced a resolution appointing committee
to drafi a suitable minute on the subject. Even
the rank,St outsider can s"e the lncnncing char'
acicr II The crisis hat was thus flung into Inc
Prc~byi,ry II actually proposed To d"-
clare 10y Il formal Resolution that the Gospel of
Christ has some Aori ~ mission 10 make IDS
world better AMI pur"r apd cleaner AMI more
wholesome. when. as every one knows us sole
function Il 10 stand apart from ihis world ana
lis activities aud assure the elect that heaven
j. their home For a few minutes things looked
dark for th. Church For II Il man who X
nurcd The great questions ~ pretcriion aud pro-
biilon after death In order Ia promote better
Observance ~ the Decalogur WAS TO be IN
dur>cd. what would become ~ the church:
Would II not be- said ~ it thar IL held some
relation. after all 10 the everyday HE III men
and women: And II that idea was encouraged,
where would theology be-:
Bni happily there WAS one man who rose,
not simply To- the situation. but superior Ia II.
H. was DR. Mutually. After enjonng upon the
reporters 10 be- sure To- get the four IL In his
name he brought not only his intellect but
his voice into play, aud soon frightened The
friends of the militant rrformcr into postpone
mcni of The matter FOR thc present II was
nothing to Or Mutually that DR.. Parkhurst was
largely instrumental In hurting from power the
worst oligarchy 81 thieves and thugs that ever
disgraccd the fair fame Of city. Nor was hr
affected hy The almost universal tributes II
thanks aud praise that have been paid 10 DR..
Parkhursi by everybody I'm the community ex-
ccp the aforesaid thieves and thugs. DR.. Mutually
knew that Presbyterian minister had no bust
ness To be- promoting mere righteousness when
there are 80 many knotty points In theology 10
talk about: and h. was courageous enough 10
remind the Prcsbytcry ~ the fact. So. for The
present AZ least. the Presbyterian Church Is
spared the disgrace II giving its approval 10
man who thinks that Christianity Is for this
world rs well rs for the world 10 come And
Or Mutually stands forth rs the latest Defender
Of It's historic Faith.