The record-union., 1894-02-10

to-day have not been college graduates is
neither conclusive against the value OF a
college education nor against the lnuu-
ence and power of the American pulpit
On the other hand, we venture TO say
that at no time has the standard OF preacn-
ing been so high or eXactlug as 1t Is To-
day. A comparison of the volumes OF
the printed sermons, or the printed
sermon pamphlets which. from time to
time. appear with the religious literature
of hundred years ago will show, we be-
lieye that sermons to-day make greater
demand upon the original power OF the
preacher than upon the authority OF
quivers full of Scripture texts which
preachers used to shoot at their audience
every Sunday. 1t is the fault of much OF
the training in our theological semlna-
ries that it has suppressed originality
and turned out too many candles OF the
Lord in the same mold. Sensationalism
and dullness have both been failings of
the pulpit; but there is not nearly SO
much dullness as there used to be, and
not so much sensationalism as one might
infer from the article in the Forum"
The New York Examiner (Bapt. speak
ing of published reports that union is
imminent between the Baptists and the
Disciples, or christians" remarks ::
"Ono would suppose that by this time
every HAL Vi SQl1lC1SIll ROuSIdl lHISIll-
gence TO conduct, or even to write for, a
daily newspaper in the United States,
would know that no man and no body
of men can make an agreement binding
Oh either the Baptist or the Christian
denomination. a denomination differs
from church in exactly this. that it con-
sists of body of independent churches,
united by no bonds save by those of
Christian fellowship and mutual interest.
There is such a thing as Presbyterian
Church, a Methodist Church, an Episco-
pal Church, and the ruling bodies OF each
have power (Within limits) TO make
agreements that are binding on all the
local churches and Christian churches,
each of which is wholly Independent OF
all others and a law unto ITSELF y o
power on earth can bind the action Of the
weakest of these charches, save its own
vote. Nobody is authorized to make
terms OF union or terms of anything on
behalf of Baptist Churches, unless dele
gates have been appointed by the churches
themselves for that very purpose, and
even then the terms are not binding on
any church until they have been ratified
by its vote"
The Christian Register (Unit.) of Bos-
ton, commenting upon the increase OF
suicides, remarks: 1.-The press, the pull
pit, stand mainly silent before these
facts recorded from day to day. They lie
among those hopeless things society has
resolved TO ignore, although they ring
condemnation on society. They are left
to the study OF the morbid pathologist
and the insanity expert; but science,
which does not deal with spiritual veri-
! ties, cannot touch the heart OF the mat
! ter. The cause lies even deeper than
brain tiber-in the temper and spirit OF
the age. The general causes may be
summed as a too rapid pace OF lite, that
exhausts the nervous forces while it fails
to strengthen will-power or build up
/ the moral nature. We note other facts
besides financial loss, love, jealousy and
drink, which connect themselves with
these phenomena. Some who are pros
porous ana apparently happy In all their
! relations put an end to themselves with
out visible motive They 90 about care
less and high-hearted to the superficial
eye, laugh at supper, play with the chill
dren, then quietly disappear, and pistol
shot is heard. We shake the head and
ask why the deed was done. Evidently,
! it was done at the moment when the toe
rapid pace of modern life palls-when ii
is slowed down by disgust of the things
that once pleased, by the jar of over
wrought nerves, by an indescribable
ennui that casts the hue of death and
decay and putridity over all objects of de.
sire"
"When Ingersoll makes assertions
: about the mistakes of Moses, he works
little mischief" says the Interior Pres.
of Chicago. when eX-President White
of Cornell makes mistakes about religi-
GUS statements of scientific facts, his rep
utation for learning creates opportunity
for mischief. In the Popular Science
Monthly he has begun new series o.