The record-union., 1894-09-22
In RELIGIONS REALM
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligiOus Newspapers
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed iu the sectarian Press
Ministers and Laymen.

Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.
''Churches, like families" says the
Watchnaa1l (Bapt.) of Boston, "may radi-
ate an atmosphere that is genial, cheer
full and hope-inspiring, or depressing and
gloomy. Very much OF the success of
church in attracting hearers TO its sery-
ices, and in influencing a community,
depends upon Its possessing this spirit.
Anything that contributes to making the
prevailing tone Of church services, of the
Sunday-school and of the prayer meet
ing cheerful and genial is not to be de-
spised. The day for dark, ill-ventilated
and untidy houses of worship has long
since passed. We doubt If it ever existed.
a church building need not be an expen-
sive or elaborate structure, but it should
invariably have the air of brightness and
cleanliness that, in private houses, we
associate with good housekeeping. We
need educated sections as much as trained
men and women in any work which de-
mands skill and good ideal. And no
congregation can have too good music.
1t should be the best within command.
Gospel hymns are excellent in their
place, but the churches need something
richer and truer than they. The great
harmonies born Of the Reformation, and
OF the musical genius OF God-endowed
men are none too good for the village
congregation. No one who has ever at
tended a Protestant church in Germany
can fail to be impressed with the enor-
NOUS losses our American worship in
ours through lack of u high ideal of what
church music should be-"
Much too sanguine expectations, we
fear. have been expressed as to the re-
suits OF Mgr. SatollPs decision against
the admission of saloon keepers into Ro-
man Catholic societies." says the C0ngre-
g0tionGttSt OF Boston. different Blsh-
ops are giving to it quite different inter-
pretations. Bishop McGolrick of Du-
luth says that the whole liquor traffic is
bad, ruinous to our people and subver-
siYe OF law and ORDER Bishop Ludden
of Syracuse on the other hand says that
Catholics may engage legitimately IN
that business but 1T would be highly
improper for one to set up the cross over
his place and call it Catholic saloon
That is, Catholic may sell liquor if he
doesn't insist on giving his saloon re-
Igious character. An excursion of the
New York branches OF the Catholic
Knights of America, a religious organi-
Z6LlOns WIS uldue 1dsb nuEsQdy " CylNdn
Beach, n. j., and the privilege OF keep
ing the bar for the occasion was sold at
auction for $500, with the assurance of the
managers that the purchaser might sell
any liquors he pleased to the excursion
sionists. A bar was kept open on the
steamboat and two barges. We have not
heard of any remonstrance from Arch
bishop Corrigan. Y ct we know that
there are many earnest opponents of the
saloon among Catholic Bishops and
priests, and we are not without hope that
this temperance movement in that church
may have great good results"
On the subject of women and social pu-
rity the Interior (Pres.) of Chicago says:
'Much as we may condemn society's
unjust DETERMINATIONS, society does dis
criminate and punish the woman more
severely than the man-and it is the
women who sit upon this tribunal and
who apply and enforce the penalties.
She may dance joytully at the feast to the
prodigal son, but she would daintily lift
her skirts and pass by on the other side
from house which would make feast
to the return of prodigal daughter. She
says there Is guilt to all who violate the
same moral law, but that while the man
is criminal and an enemy to society, the
woman Is criminal and an enemy TO So
ciety and traitor besides. She betrays
to repose in a human being-a betrayal
which is not merely personal to herself,
and to those Immediately included in her
trust, but betrayal of all women. 8 .
Fallen women do not show trace of
moral character, and ii is the conviction,
which has become fixed in society from
long observation, that they are irrecov-
erable, which causes them to be treated
as hopeless outcasts. But our Lord,
whose sympathy was so tender for sim
nerS who had fallen under the stress of
temptation, and had not of deliberate
choice entered upon life of evil doing,
was at special pains TO place the shield of
His charity over such. Neither do L
condemn thee; go and sin no more.' He
did not inquire whence came the alabas-
ter box which was emptied upon His
feet But he lett her where she threw
herself at the feet of His infinite COM
passion, because that was the safest place
for her. 1t is one of the evidences OF the
development of Christianity into perfec-
ton OF 1ower and truitage, that Christian
women have taken up the shield that
Christ laid down, and which has lain un-
lifted since, and placed it between what
we may call the innocent fallen and the
storm of contumely and scorn which
bursts upon them."
''What shall our public school children
be taught as to their relations to God?'
says the New York Evangelist (Pres.).
1.-The decision of Judge Barker in the
Court of Common Pleas of Cambria
County brings up the old contention be-
tween Catholic and Protestant That
action removed an injunction forbidding
the teachers who were nuns to wear the
distinctive garb of their religious or
ders, while supporting that which re-
strained them from using the catechism
OF the Roman Catholic Church. The mat
ter of costume was probably deemed of
slight Importance; the catechism was
manifestly a manual of sectarian instruc-
tion. Unquestionably no religious in
struction should be given in our public
schools which can in any way be prop
erly called sectarian. But is this TO say
that no religious instruction should be
given? Very far from that. The funda-
mental fact of humanity is its relation to
God. If it is necessary that our children
shall be taught ethics so tar as their rela-
tions to themselves aud their neighbor
are concerned, and patriotism Tor the
sake OF their relation TO the State, Tar
more is il necessary that they shall be
taught the essential facts of religion. But
PrA