The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-01
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
Ine Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian
Press.
Press.

speeding Anglican orders) affect the at
Utude Of the Episcopal Church as
whole toward other churches?" asks
the New York Evangelist" Pres.)
We cannot see that it will. The zeal
Tor Rome on the part of few High
Churchmen may be somewhat moder-
ated. But it must be remembered that
even these have never recognized the
decision of the Pope as authoritative.
They believe in a Catholic Church, but
not In the supremacy of the Bishop of
Rome. 1t is ON this account that they
remain In the English Church. The SUI
premacy, more especially the in
fallibility, of the Roman Pontiff
is the very point at which they
part company with the Roman Catholic
Church. In this they will probably
now take refuge, and console them
selves with the thought that if there
could be a free ecumenical council of
ali prelatic churches, their church
would be recognized as true church
OF Jesus Christ, and they would be
recognized as true priests of the altar,
without the necessity of reordination
being laid upon them"
There is much to show that this atti-
tude of the Pope strengthens, instead of
weakenS the Roman Church in Eng
land" observes the ''Watchman" Bap.)
OF Boston. I'm an age when men are
treating everything as open to debate,
and nothing seems to be established;
In an epoch in which, moreover, men
are craving, as perhaps never before,
Tor verities upon which they can rest,
the Pope speaks with a tone of GER
tainty that scorns compromise. Hun
dredS of Englishmen who read this
Papal bull, instead of being almost re-
PEELED by its definite and imperious as
seruon, Will be attracted by an attitude
which is exactly the one that a man
would take who is convinced that he
has the absolute truth. Though we
nave called attention before TO this
utterance of the Pope, we refer to it
again because it illustrates by contrast
a defect in some Protestant methods.
Too much of our preaching lacks the
note of authority. 1t is a discussion
rather than a proclamation.
The rapid growth and increasing influ-
ence Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in American life is noted by
all recent statisticians. And yet this is
the Protestant denomination which
places the strongest emphasis upon the
principle of authority in religion. The
large gains that Episcopacy has made
during the last twenty years from the
ranks of the New England Unitarians
surely indicates, among other things
that those who have recoiled from
authority in religion are, nevertheless
~ To foy ord oh,
that principle with peculiar emphasis"
Religion and politics have much to
do with each other in countries that
have state church, says the New
York Independent" Let US suppose
that the rapproachement between
Great Britain and Russia reaches a
complete understanding as to their pol
icy in Asia; then mutual ecclesiasti-
cal recognition would be much easier
and it is this recognition and fellowship
to which Rome is now driving these
two churches. 1t was far from the
Pope's purpose, but 1t may be the re-
suit. Such result would bring to an
end the visible pre-eminence of the
Pope of Rome as the Chief Bishop of
Christendom. In that case by the
practical union of the Greek Church
with it's old seat in Constantinople, and
the English Church of Canterbury, the
Roman Church would be put second
and not first The agreement of Christ
erdom would depose it from it's pri-
macy, combining against it the two
great empires of Christendom."
at is instructive to observe in all the
history of religion" says the Chris
tan Register Onit.) of Boston, that
the temptation of each new era has pre-
scented itself In the demand to be COM
bative. According to the Hebrew stories
Joshua tried this policy upon the Ca
naanites. Elijah adopted 1t, in bloody
fashion, with the priests Of Baal. What
else constituted Jesus trial when they
came and wanted to make him king? In
fact, it was the disappointment of
Jesus disciples that He would not let
men fight for Him. Again and again or
ganized Christianity has tried the ex-
pertinent of that which Jesus refused.
1t has gone forth to make conquests, to
compel recalcitrant Moors or Jews or
savage tribes to believe. 1t has sent its
missionaries more peacefully, but with
fconoclastic zeal, to destroy other reli-
gionS The story Of all sects Is largely
the story Of combative religion. AT first
sight, the method Of combativeness may
have seemed to work. If you measure
success by the census, by temples and
assessed valuation, even Mohammedan-
ism will have seemed to do do well by
conquest But let US insist upon meas
uring the success of religion by it's
fruits; namely, love, JOY, peace. and
the rest. It is characteristic of our
modern faith that we must measure re-
hgion in this way. 1t follows that the
method of combative aggression never
really succeeded"
what do we mean" asks the New
York Outlook" ''by the creed which
seems to be simple and Is so profound.
and which slips so glibly from our lips
and enters SO little into our hearts-God
is love? Paul has told us in wonder
fully beautiful passage what love IS,
and If God is love, then what Paul says
of love, theology, If 1t believe in Paul.
ought to say of God. And then what II
would say would be something like this:
God suffereth long and still is kind; God
enyieth not: God seeketh not His own;
God is not easily provoked; God think
eth no evil; God rejoiceth not In IN
iouity. but rejoiceth in truth; God
bearetf all things, trusteth all things
erdureth all things Goa
seeketf not his His own. The declara-
fion of the Shorter Catechfsm that the
DEGREES of God are His eternal purpose,
according to the counsel OF His VIII.
whereby. for His own glory, He hath
foreordained whatsoever comes TO
nass, ts not true IT cannot be recon-