The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-26


do they establish general rule? II one
found people subscribing palpably
false creed would he not inevitably
argue that their lives must be radically
wrong? What means the indignant de-
nunciation OF unreasonable or cruel
creeds, but that they are believed to
have wrought distortion and evil in the
opinions and lives of men? Why has it
been SO many times said and uniformly
by those who deny the utility of creeds
that the history Of Christianity and
the world would have been incalculably
brighter and nobler il the Athanasian
and Nicene creeds and the Westminster
profession had been replaced by simple
formulary drawn from the Sermon on
the Mount? Undoubtedly great step
toward making mankind do the truth is
to subscribe the truth.
The editor of the Christian Regis
ter, the Rev. S. j. Barrows, spent his
vacation in Germany and in studying
the Prussian prison system. The study
of the prison system is an employment
in which many inquisitive people be-
sides Mr.. Barrows pass considerable
part of their lives. There is no course
of study in which the pupils are more
regular or to which they become more
firmly attached. Some of them protract
kHo, 40 ~, sxo Of
their period of youthful enthusiasm has
been passed. 1t is curious. however,
that the literature to which these stud
les have given rise has been 80 little
concerned with the prison system.
Bunyan's is typical case. He took the
course but wrote on different and dis
tant theme. The neglect of their oppor
tunities by students of the prison sys-
tenn is, we trust. about to be repaired by
Mr.. Barrows, who should tell in his
column of amusings in the Register,
What / Know of Prisons"
DIR. John A. Shaw discusses in
the Homiletic Review the unpopularity
of the church with men. Compare, he
says, a theater with church congrega-
ton. See how much larger is the pro-
portion of men in the former. Look at
the assemblies for social and religious
purposes auxiliary to the churches: how
uniformly women preponderate. One
effect which DIR. Shaw notes, or antici-
pates, of the "unpopularity of the
church with men" is reflex on the pul.
pit. Ministers are insensibly swerved
from a masculine treatment of their
themes by the knowledge of the fact
that there are preaching mostly to
women. There is some truth and force
in what DR.. Shaw says. and he rings the
alarm bell in season. But the advocates
fault of overstatement and undersight
is very characteristic of the essay.
So often as we met or communed
with the late DIR. Lucius r. Paige the
impression left on our mind was. that he
was a man to be envied. Not on &C
count of his position, attainments, pos
sessions or friends; though he was
favored in all these respects. But es-
pecially on account OF his "well estab-
lished mind" The promise. Thou shalt
keep him in perfect peace whose heart
is stayed on Thee" was realized in him
as completely as in any man we ever
knew. Such repose of spirit. such un-
shaken trust, such deliverance from iu-
ward tumults, is, it seems to us, the
ideal condition for pilgrim and So
iourner here. His long life was not
without it's painful and stormy vicissi-
tudes; but the inner calm preserved
him from all shock.
Popular discomfort. it is said, is
sign that things are wrong and need
righting. Yes, but wrong with whom?
1t is an unwarrantable assumption
surely. that the wrong lies wholly at the
door of those who are not discontented.
The more probable fact is, that no small
part of the discord is in the ideas, the
purpose and endeavors of those who
make the uproar. At least let US not go
straight away from these to study else
where the cause of the commotion; let US
begin to look for the fire where we see
the smoke. One has only to read little
way into the program of any of the more
noisy malcontents of the day, to discover
that the possessors of such ideas and
ambitions would make mighty uncom-
Portable bed. fellows, even in elysium.