The record-union., 1894-05-12
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
IigiOus Newspapers
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed In the seetarIan Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.


Ministers and Laymen.
DIR. Wayland, editor of the National
Baptist of Philadelphia, in published
letter says: ST do not in the least agree
that divided church is the reproach of
Christendom.' You might just as well
say the existence of four political parties
Is reproach to America. Perhaps some
time God Will so create men that they
shall see everything alike, but that now
Christians should be gathered into diff
ferent churches and denominations is
simply what is inevitable to human ma
ture as now constituted. That different
denominations should treat each other
with unfairness, should denounce each
other. this is a reproach to Christendom.
Christian union is quite a different thing
l live in Christian union with many dis
ciples of Christ who are not Baptists.
This Christian union would not be in
creased if, as the result of any legislation,
they and l were included in the same
church. Christian union comes from
Heaven. 1t Is promoted by mutual JUS
tice, mutual understanding, mutual cour-
y
especially by laboring together in behalf
of temperance, charity and the evangeli-
zatlon of the slums. l hope that the re-
plies OF the bishops showing that church
unity IS not attainable will do great
service by leading us all to strive for a
Christian unity which is attainable in
which will be answered the prayer of our
departing Lord.v
In the new Christian Socialism it is
maintained that the kingdom OF COD is
not the church, but includes all men and
The whole realm of nature" says the New
Ork Christian IatetLigeRcer (Ref.) "In
one sense that is true enough, and is dis
puted by no one who believes in God and
the universally of His dominion, and it
IS also true and Scriptural that in the de-
velopment of redemption by Christ all
men, all the activities of men, and the
physical earth itself, are affected. But
that the phrase the kingdom of God,'
the Kingdom of heaven as ordinarily
used IN the New Testament, is intended
to convey an idea of a field so wide is
certainly open to dispute. The king
dom consists of those who accept Christ
as their savior, become the children of
God, and love and trust and serve Him.
IL is in opposition to the world the do
minion of sin,' the kingdom of the
world and the kingdom of Satan;' it is
III conflict with these powers and is to
overcome them. The church is part of
1t, unquestionably far the larger part of
1t; but not even the most strenuous advo-
Gates of the supreme Importance of bear
ing testimony by means of church MEM
bership Will deny that there are many
members of the kingdom, wherever the
Gospel has been preached, who have
not made public profession of their
faith"
tsfIhnrn 10 fbo+
move US to righteous Indignation" ex-
claims the New Y ork Evangelist (Pres.
the bringing of machine politics into
our ecclesiastical bodies. The theory of
representation of presbyteries in Gen.
,eral Assembly is that each presbytery
shall choose its wisest and best men, to
meet those of like standing from other
bodies, in general council of the church,
to deliberate general good. The fathers
who established our Presbyterian polIty
little thought that a time would come
when presbyteries would be divided by
strict party lines; when nominations
should be fixed by caucus, as in our
city 'primaries,' and ticket be carefully
prepared beforehand, from which should
be weeded out the name of every man
who had the slightest leaning towards
independence, and could not be relied
upon TO vote the straight ticket; and
the said ticket be printed on a ballot to be
distributed on a election day. This may
be sure way to carry an election, but it
is equally sure to do something else-to
drive out from Christian brethren all
mutual confidence, and to divide every
presbytery into two camps which shall
contend, not always with spiritual weap-
ons, tor party victory"
"We have no sympathy" exclaims the
New York C0ngTegationGLiSt, ''with those
who condemn what are called reviyals of
religion as II they were only spasmodic
examples ofOverwrought and efferVescent
feeling, misleading individuals aud leav-
ing churches the weaker for having expe-
rienced them. That some revivals have
been open to this charge is too true. But
1t is equally true that many others have
been seasons of rich spiritual blessings,
lifting Christians permanently to higher
levels OF conservation and service and
adding largely to the number of intelli-
gent, purposeful and trustworthy be-
levers. Many of the noblest Christian
men and women in spiritual history have
been converted in revivals and unhealthy
excitement of feeling and fantastic meth
DDS of religious efforts are neither essen
tial nor usual characteristics of such pc
riods. When pastor or church sets to
work mechanically and professionally
to get up revival, if it results at all it
may do far more harm than good. But
when long-continued and earnest prayer,
genuine self-searching and penitence,
and humble, loving endeavors to lead
others to accept Christ as their Redeemer
bear their natural fruit by divine bless
ing, only good can result if wise and ten
der hearts maintain control of what is
said and DONE"
1.-THE radical Unitarians, who seem so
nearly TO have captured their own denom-
ination, but to have lost their allies, now
seem to need TO call in new allies,' says
the New York Independent, Hebrew,
Ethical Culturist and independent bod
les. 1t is well to have them brought to-
gether in convention, and we would be
glad to have them organized into one
body, so that we can see them and know
just what and where they are. They in
clude many excellent men, some of them
doing good work for humanity, but they
are so scattered and so few in number
that they would be utterly lost and swal-
lowed up by the overwhelming majority
of those who hold to the Christian faith,
if they did not take pains to crystalline
their atoms into some shape known to
ecclesiastical geometry. If among the
fruits of the parliament of religions should
be an alliance of the liberal Unitarian,