The record-union., 1894-09-29
In RELIGIONS REALM
Expressions From the Various Re.
ligiOus Newspapers


The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.
Experience teaches u.s." says the New
York Churchnea1t (P. E. J, ''that no danger
has hitherto followed the use OF the
single cup among people who attend the
Holy Communion in the state of health
usual with those who form the bulk OF
an ordinary congregation. No one can
expect miraculous protection i'll the case
of any exceptional and unforeseen peril
III life, but all can look for the ProVi-
dental help and guidance promised 10
those who go about their business in the
name of the Lord. 1t is absurd to say
that it is necessarily extremely perilous
to turn a door-handle W hich fifty or a
hundred people have previously used.
The fact that physical danger is attributed
to what is a part OF the Holy Com
munion service in all excepting the
Roman churches leads us to ask whether
Roman influence is not once more al
work TO act the fox who had lost his tail.
The matter in dispute is one of such
trl1lng importance in itself that we are
Obliged TO look somewhere for the causes
that have magnitied a mOle-hill to the
dimensions OF q mountain. We suspect
trade enterprise or religious fanaticism OF
an ultramontane color, one or both, may
be at the bottom of this absurd and un-
profitable discussion"
sit is evident" says the L5ui,ag Church
(P. E. OF Chicago, that there is a serious
tendency in certain quarters to disparge
confirmation. We do not doubt that on
the part OF some this is deliberate, but
such current easily draws in a larger
number OF easy-going clergymen, en-
couraged in their laXity by the fine
sound of such phrases as 'liberality' and
the church's larger charity 1t is closely
connected with the Christian unity move
ment, which is fast becoming transformed
into liberal movement pure and simple.
The vision which looms up before us as
the ideal of this movement is that of d
Presbyterian or Congregational Episco-
pacy. arrived at through local adapta-
tlon,' joining hands with Unitarian
Eplscopalism,' attained by the metamor-
phosis of doctrine through the magic 'in-
terpretation,' together with new ethics,
developed by the reform of the moral
teaching OF Christ to suit modern condi-
tions. Those who are committing
themselves to the position that they
have right to defer to the prejudices or
convictions of members of other churches,
who, for reasons satisfactory to them
selves, desire to receive communion at
the affairs of the Episcopal Church, and,
by definite sanction, to allow the ap-
proach OF such persons for longer or
shorter periods without confirmation.
need to be reminded that they are under
law in this matter. The church has laid
down, as explicitly as language can ex-
press 1t. the terms upon which people
may communicate at her affairs. The ut
most that can be said on the side of in
duIgence is that the priest is not bound
to inquire into the status of doubtful
cases at the altar-rail itself. If he is con-
suited, he Is simply bound to xplain to
the inquirer the law OF the church. He
has no possible right to substitute other
and more lenient terms, as, in his judg-
ment, better suited to particular classes
OF people"
Speaking of the contest in the State
Constitutional Convention on the subject
of sectarian appropriations, the New
York Independent says: The amend
ment as 1t now stands is sound and good,
but it has not been finally adopted.
Nothing could show more forcibly how
deeply the poison of sectarianism
has sunk into the system of the State
than the unseemly struggle which has
been made in its behalf in the Constitu-
tional Convention. Men too intelligent
to deny the correctness of the principle
in the abstract set themselves to secure
opportunity to evade and violate it in
practice. A Baptist or Methodist academy
thathas been receiving few hundred dol
lars year clings to the subvention and
hates to have it cut of, and the politicians
become eloquent pleaders for Catholic and
Jewish institutions because of the promise
gives them of votes. Sectarian interests,
therefore may possibly defeat the educa-
tional amendent, or they may allow it to
pass with the expectation of getting
concession when the charities amendment
is acted on. 1t is regarded as settled that
private charitable Institutions will not be
cut off. The Committee on Charities pro-
poses to report paragraph of this tenor:
Nothing shall prevent the payment of
money by the State or any civil division
thereof TO the institutions mentioned and
made subject to the visitation and inspec-
ton of the State Board of Charities, for
the care, support. maintenance and edu-
cation other than religious instruction of
inmates received and retained therein,
pursuant to law and to rules established
by said board. Such rules shall be SUBJ
ject to the control of the Legislature' )
This would SO far vitiate the educational
amendment as to allow the State to sup
port schools in sectarian charitable insti-
tutions. 1t is pity, when the demand
OF the people is SO 'unmistakable, wide
spread AMI urgent for constitutional
safeguards against sectarian appropria-
tlons, that the convention should fail to
meet it. The circumstances of it's failure
to do so afford one of the strongest argu-
ments for the final and complete separa-
ton of church and State"
10 "There have been sensational dispatches
In the daily newspapers lately about the
alleged movement among Christian En-
deavorers towards the formation of a new
political party" remarks the New York
ECdDlGaer tBapt.). 'Ihese dispatches
may have alarmed some timid souls. and
they have certainly gratified those who
nave been prophesying for some years
that Christian Endeavor will come TO no
good end. The reporters who sent the
dispatches were endowed with two gifts
not uncommon in the craft-a great deal
OF ignorance and a lively imagination
Catching at few facts and phrases, whose
significance they did not rightly compre-
hend, they evolved this fable of new
party. Now the facts are simply that
Endeavorers have taken, as one line OF
work, the promotion of good citizenship:
and they, are in many parts of the
country, using that influence they have
to promote the formation OF good citizen.
ship and good government clubs. to
secure better nominations for Office from
all parties alike, and especially to sun
port SUCH as are hostile 10 the saloon.
Endeayorers do not in body support
any party, still less do they proposes
grr n AFN