The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-27
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
Iiglous Newspapers.

EXPLOSIONS from Tue various NE
Iiglous Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the SecEarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.
''Ihe constitution of the American
Church as American, as a special and Pc
culiar thing, has nothing to do with the
primary faith and essential order Of the
Catholic Church." remarks the Lining
Church Up. E.) of Chicago. THAT in
strument is not the place for definitions
of this kind. To introduce such features
is an abnormal and dangerous thing. 1t
implies power which no distinct part of
the church possesses. 1t Is the introduce
ton OF the sectarian principle OF picking
and choosing. Furthermore, that which
is simply part of the constitution may
be changed in accordance with the pro-
visions of the constitution. This is, in
effect, to concede the principle against
which we are contending aud to give
substantial advantage to those who re-
gard the creed itself as alterable. There
can be no question in any thoughtful
mind that the proposal to insert any
thing like definition of essential princi-
pies touching the fundamentals Of the
church in such document as the con-
stitutfon is, at least, an unnecessary in
novation, and what Is unnecessary IS
rarely harmless. But to those who more
broadly consider the matter it will ap-
pear that this proposal is not simply I'M
necessary, but fraught with evident
danger"
Dogma" says the New York Chris
ti0n I1ltetLlgence2' (Ref), lis word repu-
dated and scoffed at by many. What
does il mean? Its most common signitl-
cation is definite article OF faith. 1t is
not speculation. metaphysics or theology
Cal speculation. 1t does not explain or
argue; it only asserts. 1t states facts veri-
fed by collective experience. 1t asserts
what already is believed. 1t declares
what the church means by It's faith. 1t
is the simple assertion by Christian be-
levers OF what they in common do, as
fact, hold and believe. The contents of
the Scripture have been analyZed and
discussed freely and keenly down
through the centuries and the dogmatic
creeds simply report the conclusions
to which the church has come. Doubt
full terms and hay expressions have
been repealed, and clear, definite state
ment OF the truth has been given. This is
dogma. And to make little of it is to
deny The churCh's power to say what 1t IS
she believes. 1t is easy to say that faith
~ al a
below the Lowell of natural things. If this
be so. the existence of Christianity as an
organic society is at an end. Ii it cannot say
even to Itself what It means by Its Dellef
then it has no capacity for combination,
it's mem berS cannot associate IN united
action, its corporate construction falls
into ruin. No dogma, no church"
'Scientic theology is theology stated
with system and within the limitations
of exact knowledge" says the Boston
C0nqreqationatiSt. "Creeds are clear
statements of ordered belief That men
should object to particular system. or
discard a special creed, on the ground
that it is false illogical or misleading, or
even that il is incomplete, we can under
stand; but the hatred of clear thinking,
logical statement and exact knowledge
seems to US unworthy OF body one OF
whose foremost thinkers urged upon It's
mem bers Prove all things; hold last that
which is good and warned his tavorite
pupil to avoid foolish and unlearned
questions In fact, discussions of the
substance of faith either must be logical
and founded upon exact knowledge OF
the facts, and therefore scientific. or they
are sure to be illogical, unlearned and
therefore, by implication, foolish. The
only alternatives Tor the church are those
of scientific study of Christs teachings
in their relations and implications. or
an abdication of the intellect III consider
alton Of the thoughts of Christ"
On the subject of Professor Huxley the
New York Christian -AdUOcdte (Meth.)
remarks: Concerning his doctrines it
may be said that his position was logical
and consistent with ITSELF The atheist,
learned or ignorant, who donies the being
of God is unworthy of respect, and has
never to any extent commanded IL. he
who declares miracle to be impossible
must practically take atheistic ground.
Huxley did neither, but affirmed that
God cannot be known by physical sci
ence and that future personal life cam
not be demonstrated on the principles of
that science. This, in our judgment, is
the only position that is alike in harmony
with reason and the word of God. Moth
ing but genuine religious experience
can preserve thinker from practical ag-
Mysticism. AS there are more practical
than theoretical atheists, so there are
many more practical than theoretical ag
nostics. He who lives as though there
were no God is a practical atheist, pro-
vided he never thinks about the su blect,
He who never thinks about the subject,
and Is appalled, before the mystery, but
does not give his whole being to the test
ing of the kind of evidence which Christ
ntin fnr
mer is without God and without hope n
the world the latter admits that there
may be COD, and If God, then hope
of future personal ana happy existence.
but is not interested enough to ascertain
the one or secure the other"
Huxley was the fearless controversial
ist, the swOrdsnan. sometimes even the
bravo of his party" says the New York
ChltrchDldn (P. Ed. In Huxley's essay
on MOnism he assails the doctrine OF the
Trinity, for instance, with an unscrupu-
lous animosity, which he plainly show 9
was founded on almost utter ignorance
OF theology. This is why, in face OF his
complaints that science was
controverted by the unscien-
tific. that we call him bravo, who in his
ignorance of theology assailed to the death
a system the justice of whose claims he !
had not first taken the pains to investi- |
gate. Get it would be impossible to deny
that the very hostility towards religion,
and especially towards Christianity, |
which this genuine student of nature |
has not been without good re- |
suits. His lucid and mastery exposi- |
tons of biological phenomena, his rare
OF personal character, his keen |
for truth, are, however, no
excuse for his unfounded assumption |
that man was an aut0maton, and the SUI
preme analysis of phenomena by the hui
man mind would result in the discovery
of matter as the ultimate basis of ali
things. By what be calls an act of phil