The record-union., 1894-11-03
In RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re.
ligious Newspapers

Inc hSIlS SiOuS 1hOIsuC Oh Cn9 DAY as
Expressed In the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymeu.
The following is from the New York
CbttrchnsaR (P. e.: 1.-THE founding of
several religious orders in the American
church within recent memory suggests
the question: WIN these semi-monastic,
or monastic, associations last? The ad-
mirable self-devotion of tleir founders
no one will deny. But does the idea of
religious work under the control of sim
gle leader, and by men governed by more
or less minute rules of life and wearing a
special dress, appeal TO the enthusiasm OF
q large body OF churchmen? Nothing
can be more fatal to the ultimate progress
OF permanoncy of what we may call the
monastic movement than sudden in
rush Of hot-headed novices, who come
quickly and as quickly depart. But from
another point of view il is to be con-
sidered that no great order has ever been
constituted without a certain definite
nucleus of brethren. Bendict had many
followers when he founded Monte
Casino IN 529, and from Monte Casino
the Benedictines overran tho world.
Francis d'AssiSi was surrounded by a
band OF men with one mind when in 1909
he received the ratification of his order
from the Pope. So with Ignatius Loyola,
the first Jesuit, and Dominic, the
preacher, controversialist and man of at
fairs, who called into being that great
noi mo- nd 10 cd
cutting order, which bore his name. All
were mon OF pretty mature life when
they ventured upon these magnificent
experiments. Francis, the youngest Of
all the founders OF an order, was II, but
Francis was religious genius OF first
rank. Dominic was 46, three years
younger than Benedict when the latter
inaugurated the BenedIctine rule. Igna-
thus Loyoia was ~ (the same age as Ben
edict) when the Society of Jesus was con-
stituted by him. All, excepting Francis,
were men who had seen much OF life. and
who had been Versed IN profound expert
enceS OF some sort; and the influence OF
Francis never afterward permeated his
order as the spirit of the soldier of Pam
peluna, of the great hunter Of heretics, or
Of the practical and tar-seeing hermit of
Subiaco survived in thoir several sue
cessors. These considerations are we'll
worth the notice of those who undertake
TO initiate in religious enterprise men
who in any walk OF life would have been
leaders OF men,
With regard to the commission on the
proposed revision of the constitution, the
LiUlHg Church p. E.) of Chicago re-
marks: 1t is highly desirable that the
laws Of the church should be rendered
entirely harmonious and freed from ali
antiquities, and that they should be eX-
pressed with all possible accuracy and
precision. These are the points included
under the first and last of the declared
purposes of the commission. But the
remaining head is indefinitely compre-
hensive, namely, adaptation to the
greater enlargement and growth of the
church. Almost anything may be
brought under this head. There are,
moreover, different kinds OF enlarge
ment and growth, some of which are of
questionable value To the church, or even
20 the cause OF rellglOD itself. 1t cannot
fail to be q matter OF extreme interest to
know what kind OF changes or additions
appear to this commission TO be required
for the future Of the church. There is
liability in every such body to be iutiu-
enced by novel and striking ideas pro-
NOTED by able and persuasive men.
There is the danger, also, that considera-
tions OF merely ephemeral or local inn
portance may have undue weight; that
stamp itself TOO strongly upon a work
which is concerned with permanent
rather than changeable elements"
How shall we secure evangelical
unity" asks the New York Iade pendent,
''if men go on forming additional denom-
lnatiOns? y new denomination was
born last week, making two where there
was only one, dividing the ministers,
dividing the conferences and diYid-
ing the 0ocks. AS the outcome of this
process of division we have in the new
body the United Evangelical Church.
Strange result How can division make
union? How can you divide and call the
quotient increase? The bad end of a
quarrel is division, and so we have di-
vision in the Evangelical Association, q
body not SO large or unwieldy as to need
TO be divided. But the smallest deuomi-
nation is too large if brotherly love con-
tinue not IN 1t, and SO this division is,
after all, for the best. 1t is better to
divide than to burn with hate. What
shall we do then-wait for the process
OF division to work itself out, before
trying 10 bring about unity? If we did,
we should never achieve unity. Church
QuarrelS are not as numerous as they used
to be. 1t is becoming disreputabie to in
dulge in them. They are more and more
lntOleraDIe and hateful to the great body OF
Christians. A quarrel such as that in the
Evangelical Association Is worse, far
worse, than doctrinal heresy; il is a
heart hereSy. The very fact that 1t can be
50 called with the approval of most Chris
tians is an augury OF a better time COM
ing. We shalt have to receive the new
denomination and treat the old one with
respect; but let us do il with a final pro-
test against the division as unnecessary,
unjustihable, and an injury to the cause
of Christianity"
The New York Examiner (Bapt.), in
speaking of the controversy in the Ivan
gelical Association just decided i'll the
Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania, says:
"Heresy trials and other ecclesiastical
contests conducted according to strict
rule are bad enough and bring only too
much scandal on the faith, but when
rival factions take church contest into
the courts they do untold damage to the
cause OF which botn profess to be Jealous
servants. In the name OF Christian NOR
ais the pulpit and press are nowadays
urgently advising employers and en-
ployes to submit TO arbitration, instead
OF resOrting 10 strikes and lawsuits.
What chance is there that men who pro-
tess no especial religious character will
consent to the arbitration of purely secu-
lar issues If the church Of Christ itself sets
an example of unholy strife to the bitter
end? To one outside of the Evangelical
Association the occasion of this strife
seems SO trivial as 10 suggest that there
must have been some deep-seated ami
moSties behind il. 1t is hard to see how
those responsible tor beginning it and