The record-union., 1894-09-22

why should we quarrel about it? There
are certain religious doctrines that all
christian people hold in common, and
tnese are the doctrines most important
Ior the purposes of our schools. Why
should not Representatives OF all churches
agree on a system of religious instruc-
tlon that will wrong none of them? 1t
ought not TO be SO difficult matter"
Referring to the appeal of a sister of
the nrst Mrs. Breckinridge to the voters
OF the Ashland (Ky.) District to elect TO
Congress man who shah worthily rep
resent the morals OF the community, and
referring also to the sermon preached by
minister at Ashland urging the re-elec-
ton of Colonel Breckenridge, the Outlook
OF New York says: mo argument is
necessary to make clear which of these
appeals is addressed TO the moral sense
OF the community. 1t hardly seems pos
slpIe that any minister OF the Gospel
could so construe the doctrine of forgive
ness as to urge Colonel Breckinridge's
return to Washington. We believe ii to
be the duty Of his church to keep HIM, if
| he is sincerely penitent, among its MEM
bers, just as it is the duty OF every church
to receive among its members every
criminal protesting repentance. We be-
| lieve also that ii is the duty of his neigh
bors to treat him in the spirit urged by
| Chrlsts words, and not even to stone
him with expressions of contempt. But
should they raise him to the highest
place Of honor in district of nearly two
hundred thousand people, the moral
sense of the people would be wounded
and degraded. No amount OF preaching
OF morality could offset the effect of such
preaching of immortality"
1.-THE unholy spirit that spurns small
~ TNla ic OH in hn
church," says the New York Observer
(Pres.). 1T is difficult to bend one's con-
spicuous talents to the minor missions.
Were there some great thing TO be done,
| the very thing of which would make the
doer conspicuous, or at least enable him
to feel that, like King Saul, who was head
and shoulders above the people, how
much easier it would be to serve ones
day and generationl But King Saul proved
failure at ruling, and his name is
shrouded with shame until this day. His
| successor was the lowly lad who tended
sheep, and did it well. The church needs
workers of mediocre talent; workers who
never see giant when they look into
their mirrors; workers who do not look
/ straight over the woodpile when looking
for some work to do; workers whose re-
gard for themselves is not OF such avoir-
dupols as to prevent their fitting into
small place. The ranks of the church
militant are not yet filled, but the call is
Tor souls who are ready to take the low
est places. The late Professor Phelps has
told us of minister who was settled in a
manufacturing center, and who mourned
that he was compelled to throw himself
away on that shoe town. He would
have had his name linked with some
educated center or metropolitan city.
lie sighed for some great thing to do, un-
conscious that the royal road to great
ness Is by way of the valley Of humility,
and forgetting that he who cheerfully
accepts abasement is already blessedly
exalted"
Labouchere in his Truth keeps up a
running fire on abuses of the established
church, which is not the less CALLING be-
cause he gives names in his illustrations.
Thus: "ln October last / called attention
to The singular fact that Canon Atkinson,
alter preaching three months previously
a farewell sermon at Bolton, and recelv-
ing a testimonial ia view of his depart
ure, apparently found himself unable to
sever his connection with the parish. Ten
months have elapsed, and the canon's de-
parture still seems as distant as ever"
de adds that the living of Walmsley,
which became vacant three months ago
and is in Canon Atkinson's gift. still re-
mains undisposed OF, and in the mean
time Canon Atkinson's son is doing duty
at Walmsley as locum tenens, "by no
means to the satisfaction of the parishion-
ers." the presentation of valuable iiv-
I ing to an outsider, instead of to zone OF
the numerous ciergymen who have been
working hard for many years IN the dio-
cese," leads him to say: ''As further ex-
amples of the present iniquitous state of
affairs, take the following: The Bishop
OF London's stipend is 10000 year, out
of which he surely ought to pay his two
suffrages, but he continues to draw the
whole amount. while the assistants hold
rich city livings, the result being that the
See is really endowed with church funds
to the extent of about 9I4,000 a year.
again, in the diocese of Ripon, the suf-
fragan holds the great rectory of Stan
hope, which is one Of the best livingS in
England, and it is the same thing in the
Diocese OF Manchester, Worcester and
Durham, There ought TO be a law that a
sutfragant Bishop is ipso facto incapable
of holding benefce (he has no time to
attend TO his parochial duties), and that
he must be paid out of the stipend of his
most reverend or right reverend employ
er. The Bishop Norwich has 94,500
year, and as he gets rid of full half
OF his work, so he ought in common hon
esty to pay his assistant at least quarter
OF his stipend, instead of pitchtorking
him into living for which the diocesan
clergy should have the FIRST claim"