The record-union., 1895-11-23

affiliated, prevent waSteful competi-
ton on home and foreign fields, pro-
mote acquaintance and fellowship, and
lead toward unity which, without the
danger of tyranny by any central au-
thority, will witness to the world more
fully than now that Christians love
one another. A conspicuous Illustration
of this tendency is furnished by the
Christian Endeavor Society. It's union
of young people of many denominations
IS practically based on the proposals
made by the National Council. Its
members engage in common work for
their fellow-men in Christ's name and
without want of loyalty to their own
denominations or friction because of
their different views, without strife for
precedence or office, labor together in
love, and generate an enthusiasm as
wonderful as it is new. Were it not for
the efforts of UNCONVENTIONAL leaders to
create divisions in this great body, a
vital union of the young people OF all
evangelical denominations would be
speedily accomplished"
at is to be borne in mind by the Bible
student" says the New York Outlook,
that there is another point of view
than that of literature, and that the last
word has not been said respecting the
origin, authorship and historicity of the
Bible until the archaeologiSt has been
heard. DR.. A. H. Sayce, in an article in
the Contemporary Review, points ont
some objections, furnished by arch
geological discoveries, to these conclu-
siOns of biblical criticism. His article
would be more valuable if it were not
for a certain polemical and, in SO far,
unScientific spirit; but this is a vice
which he shares to a certain extent with
many who have approached the subject
from the literary or critical point of
view. He tells US that the use Of writ
ing for literary purposes is immensely
old, both in Egypt and Babylonia; that
before the Exodus people were reading,
writing and corresponding with one
another from the banks of the Euphrates
to those Of the Nile; that, in fact,
Canaan in the Mosaic age, like the
countries which surrounded it, was
fully as literary as was Europe in the
time Of the Renaissance AS faithful
chroniclers of current discussion, it suf-
fees for us here to point out to the i'm
partial student, who will desire only to
ascertain the truth, that the conclu-
SionS of the new criticism cannot he
taken for granted as demonstrated;
that, before final conclusion is reached
OH the subject, the church has to hear
not only the testimony elucidated by
past explorations in the East, but also
that of explorations yet to be made.
Meantime he may comfort himself
with the reflection that his obedience
to the moral law does not depend upon
the question whether we have the Ten
Commandments in the form in which
Moses wrote them, nor his Christian
grace upon the question whether the
Pentateuch was written by one author
in 400 B. c. or edited out of a great
variety of pre-existing material in $50
3. c."
Speaking of the Curates' Union in
England, the New York Churchman P.
Ed says: mo doubt many of the evils
which the Curates' Union is formed to
meet are in large measure remediable.
Church reform is at present in the air,
and church reform may well begin
where the platform of the Curates'
Union demands it, namely, in the mat
ter of church patronage. We feel that
the much-ag grieved curates are very
moderate in asking that in addition to
reformed system of church patronage,
the dead line for incumbents may be
drawn at 60 or 60. After reaching this
age, rectors and Wears must be retired.
But so long as in any church the ma
jOrity of the clergy are required to be
under 30 if they would be invited to a
curacy, or, as is averred in some quar-
tiers, under 80, if they can maintain
their position as incumbent of parish
in America, we fear that legislative re-
form on either side of the water, to be
Of any good effect, must be preceded
by a change in public opinion. The vi
car is supposed to choose young curates
because he covets the advantage Of age
in ruling them, or makes demands on
their efforts and enthusiasm which only
the young can meet. Mr.. Thackeray
complains that incumbents often i'm
pose conditions on those they seek to
engage as curates which they do not
impose on themselves. There seems no
necessary injustice in this. A young
man may be selected for a particular
work in parish, and must have par
ticular qualifications. The vicar is