The record-union., 1896-06-21
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian
Press.

1.-The Papal Commission charged with
investigating at Rome the validity of
Anglican orders are drawing near the
close of their labors," remarks the New
York "Churchman" P. Ed. THE evil
dence they collect will be submitted to
the Pope, who has declared his inten-
ton of swing personal verdict What
the result will be if the opinion of the
Supreme Pontiff is adverse to that of
bis conciave, it would be hard to tell
Probably he Will make an utterance ex-
catheGra, and the faculty of infallibility
viii be brought into employment. This
would exclude contradiction We can
fancy the CONSERVATION which will be
created in the Roman mission in Eng
land should the Pope decide for valid
ity. The raison d'etre of that mission
will then be gone and Cardinal Waugh
an somewhat nonplussed. The decis-
ion, however, will have no effect what
ever beyond the area of the Roman
communion, for only Romanists go to
Roman theologians for decision upon
points concerning which real historical
scholars have long since made up their
minds
"A writer in the Episcopal Recorder
enumerates the differences between the
Protestant Episcopal and the Reformed
Episcopal Churches as follows: Baptis-
mai regeneration, priestly absolution,
the nature of the Lords Supper. and
Apostolic Succession. He then in
qulres, says the Living Church" P.
~ OF Chicago, what points our Prot
estant Episcopal friends feel like con-
ceding.' He affirms that the truth is
that there is only one point in this oues-
tion of reunion which they are willing
to concede, and that is that we have
Tie rlSht 10 come back into the old
church. 1 can assure all our members
ne says, that the old church will be
willing to swallow the new one when
ever the new one feels like being swal-
lowed. This may not be exactly a
gracious way of putting it, but does
not the Willingness to receive back on
the original terms those who have gone
from us imply a great deal? At any
rate, 1t implies an absence of acrimony
and bitterness in the old church, and
readiness to forget the past, which ought
10 De acknowledged as auguring well
Tor peace and brOtherly kindness. In
the points or difference above enumer-
ated IL is to be observed that the DO
sltlon OF the old church is positive. as
most people interpret her formularies.
while that of the Reformed EpiscopaI
Church is simply negative. 1t is surely
asking much more of us to give up what
we affirm than we require when we
fhnca yxrb
they cannot, after careful and unpreju-
olced examination, put themselves in
the position of admitting that the
things which they reject have sufficient
reason on their side to make it possible
TO tolerate, as brethren in the same
tody, those who hold them to be true"
I'VE should like to discuss at length
the doings of the Presbyterian Cen
eral Assembly" says the New York
Independent" 'but it is enough to say
that the meeting at Saratoga indicates
the inevitable turning of the tide. 1t
is hard work for Christian men to keep
UP the tension of suspicious watchful-
ness against the heresy of their
brethren more than five or six years at
a time; after that they want peace.
The church was utterly tired of bel
ligerent orthodoxy, and was ready TO
experiment a while with placable ortho-
ocxy. 80 the committee which has for
these years been hetcheling the theo-
ioglcal semlnaries was discharged with
THANKS, ana can do no more mischief.
Ihe seminaries which refused to submit
to its recommendations were again
recommended but not ordered-for
they could not be ordered-to do some
thing or other which they will not. A
committee that was getting ready TO
lead the young peoples societies ont
of the Christian Endeavor pastures into
a tight Presbyterian paddock was
thanked and hidden to go into better
business. Some stout words were said
to the New York Presbytery. which
will take Union Seminary students
under its care, but nothing more than
words, until the relative rights of
Presbytery and Assembly shall have
been formulated. The Cincinnati Sam.
son, who was about to pull down tbe
presbyterian House in New York. WAS
tod to go slow until a wise committee
or ten laymen should consider the mat
ter; and committee was appointed to
ADVISE with the Board of Home Mis-
slons, whose expenses have cot ouite
too far ahead of its income. 1t was
good, wise, conservative Assembly
which recognized that it's predecessors
had stirred up strife; and ex-Moderator
Withrow were the leaders of a WILLING
majority, who were glad at last RI baar
soft words.''
There is observable in certain omar
ters tendency to set doctrine at war
with HE, and to endeavor to widen
that preach which is arbitrarily as
sumed TO already exist between the
two, says the New York "Observer''
(Pres.). by some it is contended or
insinuated that the more of sound doc
trine there is in the mind, the less of
vital spiritual life prevails in the soul
According to this view the more Ioei
cal and systematic a man is in his re-
ligious opiniors the deader he be-
comes as spiritual fact. But truth
should not be disparaged in the srn-
posed interest of life. Doctrine is not
or need not be THE foe or antithesis of
life, although some by their cold nm
feeling orthodoxy may at times have
made it appear to be so. Rather. doc
trine may be the positive helper of life
the assistant of life's approach and
exercise. For just as guide-post tells
the way to city of refuge; Just as a
lighthouse upon the shore guides storm
tossed sailors to the haven; just as a
few plain, well-chosen words of eypla-
nation may assist pilgrim parched
with thirst to fountain of living wafer