The record-union., 1896-09-13
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
Ine Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian
Prnec

Press.
Lord Russell's address before the
american Bar Association occupies the
attention of almost all the religious
press. The New York observer"
Fres) in it's comments says: There
can hardly appear to be two sides to
tue question of arbitration when the
eiear-headed, thinking men of America
anu england come together to discuss
il. 10 be sure, opinions may differ as
20 the best method to be pursued for the
attainment of this high moral end. Lord
russell himself does not regard with
confidence the proposal to establish
permanent tribunal of arbitration, since
ne fears that where the interests in
vowed are so numerous, and the forces
OF national pride and prejudice are so
searching and subtle, such tribunal
would not long retain general conf
dence, and might, indeed, gradually as
sumo intolerable pretensions.
The cry for peace is an ancient cry; and
long ago beatitude was pronounced on
the peacemakers. May we not hope that
the age of war is passing? The arbitra-
ton sentiment is surely gaining
Throat-cutting of man by man may Well
become an anachrOnism. There is still
need, however, of outspoken advocacy
of arbitration ideas, since all Govern
mentS have not learned the lesson that
wisdom and justice in policy are a
stronger security than weight of arma-
ment,' and no man, whether jurist or
journeyman, can prophesy how soon
will eventuate that golden age,
when shall all mems good
Lie, like shaft of light, across the land.
Replying to Mr.. Gompers, the Presi-
dent of the Federation of Labor, who
charges the non-attendance of working
people as a class in the churches to the
TACT that the spirit that is now con-
trolling the churches is not in sympathy
with the tolls and hardships of working
men and women, that 1t looks with in
difference upon the burdens and miser-
les Wage-earners are compelled to bear
and that it does not properly interpret
the teachings of the Lord with respect
to the poor, the Presbyterian Banner"
says: There may, possibly, be individ-
ual churches of which this true, but it is
not true of the great body of the Christ
ian churches of the present day. Never
since the world began has so much been
done to aid the wage Garner and to care
for the poor as at present day, and this
is almost entirely the work of the
churches or of organizations controlled
by Christian men and women. Will
some one tell US how many societies
composed of infdels are busying them
selves in helping the wage-earners and
in caring for the poor? Are those who
visit the prisons and hospitals, and go
into narrow, filthy alleys and the mis-
cradle abodes of poverty and wretched-
ness, supplying the hungry with food
and the naked with clothing, and send
ing physicians and medicines to the
sick, infidels or Christian men and
women? The Christian churches have
not yet attained to the full measure of
duty Of the wage-earner and the poor
but they are rapidly moving in that di
lection.''
1T is a difficult question to answer
how the moral education of children
can be carried on without religion says
the "Churchman" P. Ed. Certainly a
school where religion is made the rule
of life has always been most successful
in producing the best types of human
character The first schools of the
modern world were Christian schools
To these Christian schools and colleges
the present day owes its best achieve
ments, it's highest advantages, the ac-
tivities of it's incessant progress A
school without religion is next door to
school of crime. And where the litera
ture of history and of human life are
studied as necessary parts of the course
by what argument can the literature Of
religion be excluded from the studies of
children and youth? Morals are best
based on religion, and the complete
document Of religion is found in the
Bible"
eff moral fiber in the church has been
modified within the past two decades,
we explicitly say that one reason is in
the substitution of flimsy alleged 'reli-
gious songs for the grand holy lyrics
which ought to respond throughout the
church in all ages" the Northwestern
Christian Advocate" on. Ed says. 1--WE
hope the prayer-meeting and the Sun
dav-school have now found the condi-
tions of their emancipation, from the
soft. silly jingIes which please the ear,
but do not get within a furlong of the
einoer's conscience or genuine religious
Seneihilities One may well be ashamed
of the vapid stuff which has been palmed
off upon a suffering church by people
who have song-books to sell. A few
evangelists have made it condition OF
+beir services in some churches that
their own personal publications should
dispIace the church's own hymnal
.,rbere is no denying the fact" says
+ha"Ar,arican Hebrew" that much of
tho dry rot in our synagogues and tenn
Mos is d,je to the fear of persons in or
d;narv circumstances to accept member
erin lest that entail upon them the re-
snoneihiIitv OF heavy financial oblga-
zion that is part and parcel of nearly all
copgrapations The desire to erect
costly houses of worship out OF al Keep
ipp with the financial condition OF the
coneregation or the social position or
tho hulk of it's members-as measured
b. ,vealth-has done much to stifie con-
.,yos,o tional activity. 1t has kept the
eo,,orooation itself as body from TAX
to On active part in the communal life
"a ehovinp a proper public spirit upon
aaoas,op because every dollar had to be
,,oa,5ad for the absolutely unavoidable
avvansas of maintenance, ana IL mas
,.Ae.r,c+ed its possibilities for good by
,.a.,t,a ont of its fold young men and
-.,o,,,a, If moderate means and modest
...so whose sense of duty to the
,r,,, has been blunted by de-
o,,o;d fts financial responsible
ties"
1--WE work at our daily bread winning
IT, '