The record-union., 1896-02-29


turies of Christianity, whyit should not
either go back to the Gospels them
selves, or recognize the possibility of
growth for the nineteen centuries, we
fail to see: but it is tolerably clear from
this reply that the union of the Greek
and Roman Churches is not much
nearer than it was a century after the
schism took place; nor can we think
this reply. though not directed to the
| Anglican Church, can have the effect
to encourage Anglicans to hope for
| the union of the Greek Church with
themselves on any common basis of
either doctrine or ritual"
''In all other departments of instruc-
ton" says the New York Evangelist
Rres.), "our children begin with simple
elementary truths and facts, and pro-
! ceed to those which are higher. A
proposition to have the same lesson in
literature. or mathematics. or any other
branch studied in all grades of our pub
lie schools from the primary to the high
school, would be preposterous No one
would think of it for moment. Why,
then, should it prevail in the Sunday
school? Why should our children on
Sunday be taught under a wholly differ
ent set of educationa principles from
those to which they are accustomed
during the week? How can we expect
that they will respect and love the Bible
when they find it treated as if unworthy
of the careful study which is given to
ether things? Is tlle Bible SO small
book and so similar in all its parts that
il cannot be divided into portions suit
01o nf L
the Bible is so varied in it's contents
that it has something for the youngest,
more for the youth, and still more for
adults, If its contents are really OF su-
preme importance and worthy Of such
kind Of study as will bring out their
! true value, why should not Sunday
school lessons be arranged with these
in mind? Is convenience-family, So
cial and financial convenience-a Justi-
fication for the failure so to apportion
the glorious truths of the Bible as to
meet the needs of all classes of pupils
in the best possible way?"
sIt is amazing" says the New York
Christian Intelligencer (Ref.), what
a perfect misconception some people
have of the nature of the church and her
true position as related to her own in
stitutions. On this subject they need
instruction. They become intensely in
terested in some particular department
Of the church's organized work, such,
for instance, as the Sunday-school, the
Christian Epdeavor Society, or the Mis-
sionary Society, and one or the other of
them, as the case may be, obscures
their vision and belittles their estima-
ton of everything else. In their mar
rowness, they so exalt and magnify
their own institution and work that they
hold subordinate all else, not even ex-
cepting the church. by whose sanction
they were organized and under whose
supervision they are supposed to be
operated. It is an evil day in the history
of a congregation when it is called upon
| to seriously consider the question
whether, in its case, the church is the
tail, and some society is the kite.
1--WE note in the Boston Investiga-
tor an extract from Thomas Paine's
Age of Reason in regard to the books
ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John to the effect that all is uncer
tainty and guesswork The originals
says Paine, are not in the possession of
than the two tables of stone written on,
they pretend, by the finger of God. upon
Mount Sinai, and given to Moses, are
| in the possession of the Jews. And even
| if they were, there is no possibility of
proving the handwriting in either case.
! This objection" says the Christian
Leader (Univ) of Boston, proves too
much Biblical manuscripts, copies of
/ 1o+ far ho oh q hn
century. But the oldest extant classic
manuscript dates no further back than
the tenth century Did Paine mean to
commit himself to the notion that Soc
rates, Plato, Demosthenes, Aristotle,
Cicero and Seneca are myths, in regard
to whom, and in regard to whose al
legged writings, nothing is certain?"
THE tendency of the Liberal or Re-
| formed Jews to swing further away
from orthodox Judaism is shown in the
many propositions made in recent years
fer the union of Jews and Christian
thefsts." remarks the New York "Ob-
server Pres). "Just now the question
/ is brought into prominence by the dis
cLssion in the Jewish press of Jose
phine Lazarus book on the Spirit Of
/ Judaism. and by the new scheme OF
union proposed by DIR. Krauskopff of
] Philadelphia There is no
reason to believe that Judaism can dis
ca rd It's exclusiveness and yet stop short
OF acceptance of the Christianity of the
afostles The separateness of Judaism
was due TO the belief in distinct and
| glorious future as the fulfllment of the
covenant made between God and Israel
| With such a basis of belief, the Jews
cannot help turning to that covenant
| until by its fulfllment they are re-
| leased from the exclusiveness which its
q. p.omises induced them to adopt. Chris
| tia1-ity asserted that this covenant had
| been fulfilled in Christ; that Judaism
had entered into the distinct and glori-
fed future promised to Abraham, and
that to continue to deny this fulfillment
| vas an anachronism. Yet Judaism is
/ still looking back to an unfulfilled COW
enant. and TO the orthodox, who refuse
to believe that it has attained its prom
ised glory. it must continue to be either
| q pledge of something yet to come or a
failure. To accept Christianity now
would be for them, as DR.. Silverman
| saws in commenting on Rabbi kraus-
kapff's scheme, a silent admission
that the Judaism for which our ancest-
ors have stood for over 5000 years, was
~ na> Hu>> szN r> N