The record-union., 1894-02-24
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.

"We are thankful" exclaims the LaU-
ing Church (P. E. of Chicago, Ito note
the decided stand which the Bishop of
Iowa has taken in his late convention
address as to some of the doctrinal teach
ings of the late Church Congress. This
attempt to Arianize the church, he says,
will be as futile as the effort to Romantic
1t has been. The latter, ifit ever has been
serious danger, can scarcely be consid-
cred live issue to-day. For thirty years
or more it has been in the air. but it
somehow has failed to materialiZe. The
former, the rationalistic movement, is
present and palpable danger, bold, ag-
gressive, determined, persistent attack
upon revelation, doctrine, dogma and
polity, as this church has heretofore re-
ceived the same. 1t is an issue of such
moment and magnitude as to threaten
the whole fabric of the church. its doc
trine, discipline and worship, it's Scrip
lures, it's sacraments and its orders. We
are glad to see that Bishops are Begin
ming to administer TO this sort of thing
some magnificent rebukes.' If there
IS such thing as erroneous and strange
doctrine possible for the vain magma
ton of man to conceive, surely such doc
trine is preached and taught by more
than one priest and in more than one dio
cese OF this church. The Bishops have
sworn before high heaven to punish ana
drive 1t away. Thank God, they are be-
ginning to speak out"
1T has we'll been said that much of
the OaQ-mindedness of which men
boast.to-day as an evidence OF approach
i
observes the New \ ork Christian ItteLLt-
geHceT (Ref.). Men have no positive
convictions as TO fundamental truth and
SO are very ready TO sacrifice what they
profess 10 hold. Their reason for being
IL any one denomination rather than an
other is simply that the current of cir
cumstances led them on. Had the cur
rent happened to lead in a different di-
rection 1t would have carried them with
1t. such persons are no real help to a
church. They swell its mum bers and add
q little to its financial resources. The
real helpers are those who know what
they believe and why they believe it.
who have hrm grasp OF Scripture prIn-
cipIes, understand their value, and are
unwilling to give them up. They have
true charity for others who hold differ
ent opinions, and are ready to cooperate
III all ordinary works Of religion and be-
nevolence, but they will not surrender
convictions as to what God has made
known and HIS Word requires"
AFTER all, !" says the New York Econs-
iacr lBapt,). 'is there not greater en-
phasis laid upon the evil of denomina-
tionalism, so-called, than the facts war
rantY 1t is doubtless deplorable that
Christians do n0t all see eye to eye; but
the Scriptures promise that only when
the Lord shall bring again Zion Would
il help matters to crowd the disagreeing
elements into one organization, instead
of leaving each body of hke-minded
brethren TO flock together, each in his
own peaceful dovecote? But. IN truth,
the odium theologicum which used to
play so large part III the religious life
OF the people has almost wholly died out,
except in remote communities where ed
ucation has been neglected, and churches