The record-union., 1895-12-28
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

Ministers and Laymen.
'sIt has been often said that paro-
chial system such as that which is
adopted in England cannot possibly be
introduced into this country. This opln-
ion, however" observes the New YORK
''Churchman'' Up. ED, ''is formed upon
what appears to be a misconceptlon.
Taking London, Manchester, Liverpool,
or any other large city as an example,
the whole area is divided into parishes,
for which the incumbent of the respect
i've churches is responsible. But Whlle
the ministrations of the rector can be
claimed by the people residing in his
district this parochial arrangement
does not not interfere with the liberty
of the people to enroll themselves as
pewholderS and communicates in
church in some other part OF the city.
Nevertheless, it does circumscribe the
obligations of the pastor, and each rec
tor and vicar knows exactly where his
responsibilities begin and end, as far as
his district is concerned. AS matters
now stand in New York City, it is diff
cult for the rector of a church to define
the precise territory for which he is
spiritually responsible, and it would
seem that the time has now come when
ecclesiastical authority should define
such parochial limits. Such an arrange
ment would in no way interfere with
the liberty of pastor in visiting MEM
bers of his flock residing in the parish of
another, but it would tend to create a
feeling of etiquette among the clergy
with respect to their pastoral ministra-
tions Professional etiquette exists
among physicians of the body, and it is
surely only right that something of the
kind should exist among physicians of
the soul"
THE fact is,'' says the New York COB
server" CPres.), that, as human nature
is constituted, united Christendom is
a hope rather than a probability, and
that the most strenuous efforts made to
attain it-those of the Jews and Roman
Catholics-have resulted in the estab-
lishment, not of a united and all-em
bracing organization, butin particularly
excIusiveones. No church possessed Of
visible organization has ever attained
to the universal IDEAL and the only
union of Christendom is spiritual, not
formal. Such realization as the ideal
can be said to have had has been due
rather to coercion than to any spiritual
affinity. It is improbable, moreover,
that conditions will greatly change; and
it may be seriously questioned whether
change is desirable, and whether the
obliteration of existing divisions would
not involve reversion to a lower, in
stead of the attainment of a higher,
form of religion. A writer in a recent
number of the Westminster Review in
discussing this subject, clearly shows
that the theory of evolution, by which
everything is sought to be explained
nowadays as applied to the develop
ment of the church, justifies the mainte-
nance and extension Of present distinc-
tions. The forms of religion antedating
the Christian era were. he argues, based
on the corporate idea, individualism
coming into play only with the advent
of Christianity. Thus the New Testa-
ment mentions many churches, but only
as separate and distinct organizations.
True they were united by a common
faith and common aims, but the bond
was one Of affinity and not of unity.
Nowhere was there the idea of a uni
versal church, with a single organiza-
tion and guided by single visible head.
Against the imposition of such an ideal
upon the early Christians Paul en-
phatically protested in his letter to the
Galatians: With freedom did Christ
set us free; stand fast, therefore, and be
not entangled again in a yoke Of bond
age
1T is not little curious" says the
''Watchman' (Bapt) Of Boston. that
while Episcopalians, Presbyterians and
Methodists zealously maintain the de-
nominational character of their insti-
tUtions, and are not criticised for doing
so, there are some Baptists who feel
that it is an Illustration of our 'oigotry'
If we insist upon having our colleges
retain their UNCONVENTIONAL chara cter.
and the daily press is wont to cha~ac-
terize those who criticise this policy
as religious 'mossbacks. What in
Presbyterian or Episcopalian is de-
nominated fealty, in Baptists is Plg-
oted sectarianism. We are inclined to
believe that the movement for making
some Of our colleges undenominatio i;tl
has its roots in sensitiveness 10 these
sneers. 1t has seemed to some brethren
that the way to disprove the charge
Of narrowness or sectarianism is 10 sur
render everything that is distinctive of
our faith. to assail even the mild
UNCONVENTIONAL control and affiliations
of our colleges, to put instructors cf
other denominations in our theological
seminaries. and meekly to concede
every position that may be assailed
Now this weak and timid policy Is -ot
serving the end Of removing the re-
proach of sectarianism from the Bap-
lists. On the contrary ii is giving color
to it. When men see US so fearful Of
being lampooned or misunderstood
they reason that we are conscious that
their criticism is just. For our art
while we would disapprove of any at
tempt TO make our colleges instruments
of sectarian feeling. which they have
never been, we see no reason why they
should not be as unequivocally loyal to
the denomination as Columbia or Ra-
cine is to the Episcopalians, or Harvard
to the Unitarians. or Princeton to the
Presbyterians. Let US get rid of the
notion that the fact that Rochester or
Brown or Colgate or Colby is a Baptist
College is to be defended, or apologized
for, or explained away. Episcopalians,
or Unitarians or Presbyterians do not
do it. Why should we?"
"A word as to the relations of nucleus
and nebula" says the Christian Reg
ister' (Unit.) of Boston. THE nucleus
in every club, church, conference and
other organization of benevolence and
religion viii consist, first of all. of the
principles which give the institution a
right to be. Secondly. and Of next i'm
portance, il is made up of the persons
who are loyal to those principles, who