The record-union., 1894-03-03
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.

"Last year in this place we felt bound
20 notice a threatening or even present
danger resulting from the popular favor
that of late has beset the season of Lent, q
season that now the world has taken up
in one Of its capricious moods" says the
Trinity Record (P. e. Of New York.
"And, as always, the world will work its
own will with the subject of its adoption,
and, following its unfailiug selfish rule
of not giving something for nothing, VIII
modify Lent to suit its own purposes.
The worlds Lent is only an excuse for
novelty in diversion and indulgence, d
time for new sports. costumes and cook
cries; in short, the world adopts and
patroniZes Lent, and in the process
changes it, with its own callous selfish
ness and perverse ingenuity, making
q mock of mourning and of penltence a
show"
Under the old arrangement the Ro-
man Catholic mission in this country was
under the direction OF the Propaganda,
and enjoyed an unusual amount OF peace
and prosperity" remarks the New York
CbUlcbnaGn (P. E.). But with large
increase in the actual number of Roman
Catholics and the multiplication of do
eeses and bishops, there has been a
change. Evidence of inSu bOrdinatiOn on
the part of priests have become common,
and quasi Pope has made his appear
ance, who overrides the authority and in
trudes into the jurisdiction of the most
distinguished prelateS. Now, the Ro-
man Church has constantly reiterated
the charge that churches outside of the
Roman obedience are in a state of an
archy and confusion, and claims that in
the Roman body all is orderly and har-
monious. Until Mgr Satolli was sent
over, and all quarrels could be settled,
one way or the other, in almost absolute
secrecy, that claim was plausible; now it
is absurd. Surely those restless and dis
contented spirits who are looking to
Rome as a haven of rest and center OF
unity may well pause and seriously con-
slider whether they are not in danger of
becoming the unhappy subjects of a
grlevous delusiOn."
sit is true enough and sad enough to
reflect upon that Christianity has not yet
accomplished all that might be wished or
hoped for in The regions where it has long
held sway" says the L{Uing Church =.
E. of Chicago. 'But sad as it is, it is not
unnatural. Christianity appeals to the
individual, not primarily to society. 1t
is obliged to take men one by one. The
effect of Christianity upon society is sec
ondary and indirect. 1t may be true
that Christendom, society and the nations
are not so thoroughly nodded by the
Christian religion as India. for instance,
is nodded by Hinduism, tor III the latter
case the appeal to society in the mass is
the primary one, while that to the indi-
Yidual is secondary. But all this only
brings out more clearly the vast moral
superiority of Christianity. The heathen
religion with absolute control over So
ciety produces, at the best, only very
low level of morality; Christianity. with
only a partial and indirect influence
upon society. produces effects, varying
and, indeed, in different countries, and
under different circumstances, yet every
where incalculably superior to those
which are seen in other parts of the
world"
I'VE believe,n says the ConqreaatioasaL-