The record-union., 1895-08-03
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
liglous Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed In the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Minister'S and Laymen.


Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.
Discussing the League of Catholic
Unity and its proposals the Lining Church
(P. E.) Of Chicago remarks: Sin the first
place. all the differences Of all the denom-
nations included in this scheme of union,
as to the ms piration and OF the Holy
Scriptures, are to be allowed. Thus the
character and meaning of the Scriptures
become matter OF pure private judg-
ment. Next, while the authority of the
Apostles, and Nicene Creeds is asserted
in terms, it is Immediately added that
this does not preclude the more particu-
lar confessions OF each denomination.
The Augsburg Confession, the Heidel-
berg Caleohism, the Thirty nine Articles
and the Westminster Catechism are cited
as examples. The churchman desires to
know whether the Church Catechism
and the doctrinal expressions of the
Prayer Book throughout are included in
this category. There can be but one an
swer to this question consistent with the
general position. The Church Catechlsm
and Prayer Book doctrine must be in
Guided. What then is the result? All
who enter into this alliance are bound
to tolerate the special doctrines of each
others fOrmularles as all alike matters OF
pious opinion. The Catholic Christian
who sees in the Prayer Book compen-
dunn of the Catholic heritage OF the
church, the Catholic Interpretation, and,
therefore, the only true Interpretation OF
the Scriptures and creeds, is asked to
hold these things in future, not as essen
tial truth. exclusive OF anything else. but
as only the special interpretations OF his
own particular body. SO long as the
creeds are accepted in words, no 'hxity
of interpretation can be demanded.
Catholic theology, or theology claiming
positive authority, would thus reach the
vanishing point. For Catholic truth
ceases to be Catholic when it is no longer
held as authoritative, but simply as a
matter Of preference or OF private Judg-
ment."
Speaking of Bishop Potter's assump-
ton Of the duties of the Catholic Mission
in New York, the Ctarchnean of that
city (P. E. observes: Under such cir
cumstances it would not seem to be a
matter worthy of any special notice. that
any clergyman. priest or Bishop, should
undertake them. They would seem to be
along the line of his calling and his SYM
pathies; and if his undertaking them for
u few weeks excltes special remark, such
q fact would seem rather unpleasantly
to suggest that they were somehow incon-
gruous with his tastes or character. 10
one who has been at work in New York
as priest in the church for considera-
BILE part of his ministry, this must be q
somewhat notifying reflection, and il
more charitable Judgment should sug-
gest that the surprise excited by Bish-
10 6arf lii n c.{n
for month in great city was to be eX-
planned by the fact that it was Bishop
who did so, then the obvious reflection
would apt TO be that the modern Bishop
must have gotten long away off from
his apostolic predecessors. Indeed, 1t is
not to be wondered at that other Chris
tan bodies have no use for the historic
episcopate, if it is understood to be his
toric only in its claims. and not in its
spirit. Such surprise as has recently
been expressed in many column OF the
secular journals of very ordinary and
commonplace actor what ought to be,
If it is not. ordinary and commonplace
may we'll set those whom it most nearly
concerns to thinkingo
1T would be greatly unjust to Bishop
Potter" says the New York EUouqeLtst
(Pres.), ''1f the cOnspiCuity given by the
daily press to his temporary residence in
| SLdutOn SlI66t SuOuIQ convey the I'M
preston either that it was q vast conde-
scension on his part to work there for a
season, or that this was his first service
in such field. That the Bishop denies
himself period of rest that one of his
clergy may have vacation, is not strange
to his character or spirit, however unu-
sual the exigency requiring this act of
kindly consideration for an overworked
missionary. That the Bishop should go
III person rather than by substitute, is
something within his discretion and
doubtless was we'll considered. Few Of
those who are pralslng the Bishops act
have any right conception OF his inn
mense labors and ceaseless intimate watch
over the work of his great diocese, nor
do many know why his action is to be
praised. The current notions of mission
work are much astray. Any true minis
ter of Jesus who can find access to the
haunts and homes of the needy is glad to
go to them with the gospel Of healing
love and helping mercy. 1t is rare gift
to be able to minister with success to the
populations OF the east side, gift which
the culture requisite to fill the post of
Bishop of New York might supplement
indeed, but not supplant."
"Huxley's encouragement to shape
ones words as absolutely as possible
upon ones thought and to see things as
haps. his most important contribution to
contemporary morality" observes the
Christian Register (Unit.) of Boston. sit
is plain that the main region of his life
was not intellectual or scientific, but
ethical. 'Veracity of thought and action
was the mark Of his high calling, and to
that he entreated others to lift up their
hearts. But in his 'resolute facing of the
world as 1t is when the garment of make
believe by which pious hands have hid |
den its uglier features is stripped Off may
it not be there was a prediction for
those 'ugier features a tendency to ex-
aggerate their ugliness? Theology can |
hardly be accused of q disposition to
make life more attractive than it is in
view of the Westminster Confession and
that sort OF thing. 1t is to be hoped tha
science has nothing more horrible to lay
bare than the doctrines of election and
eternal hell. 1t is to be hoped that her
ultimate message will be something more |
cheerful than the expression to which 1t
attained in Huxley's later writings, and |
especially in the celebrated Romance
Lecture where the doctrine was thor
oughly dualistic, man on the one side and |