The record-union., 1896-06-07
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian
Press.

New YORK " l1-), @Aie~e
the church in her canons deals only with
marriage after divorce. She does not
forbid divorce. 1t is an omission Whlch
ought to be remedied at the earliest pos
sible moment. Christ himself 1orpade
divorce, save for the cause of adultery.
Certainly the church should do the
same; should hand down and maintain
and defend this teaching and this law
OF her Master. She should W1thhold
her fellowship and her privileges not
only from those who are married con-
trary to Gods law, but also from those
who are divorced contrary to Gods law.
In other words, the canon now entitled
OF Marriage and Divorce actually
treats only of marriage 1t should con-
tain clause on divorce, prohibiting and
preventing or Furnishing divorce except
for the one cause. As 1t now STANDS,
the Iaity are free to secure divorces
on trivial grounds, though certainly
clergyman should be found guilty of
conduct unbecoming a clergyman of
the church if it were proven on his
trial that he had secured a divorce for
any other cause than the one named by
Christ Himself as the sole cause for di-
vorce He said What God hath Joined
VOSelHeT, let no iIidu put NAL
riage is not to be broken. It's dissolu-
tion is sin, and can only be accom-
plished by a sin-the sin of adultery.
When it has been so broken the civil
law declares it to be a fact"
THE Episcopal Recorder the East
ern organ of the Reformed Episcopal
Church, continues to be much exer-
cised,'' says the Living Church" (P. Ed
of Chicago, ''over the reports of disaffec-
ton in that body and the action of GER
tain persons looking towards reunion
with the church. 1t repeats the some
what odfous expression Of a few weeks
ago, stigmatizing the movement as
emanating from the traitorous and i'm
pudent action of some well-meaning
laymen,' and alludes to 'astute political
management. We would fain trust that
the movement is not altogether confined
to laymen, though we are fully sensible
of the difficulties and embarrassments
which lie in the way of any action look
ing in this direction on the part of the
clergy. If, however, it should prove to
be the fact that there are any in the min
istry of the Reformed Episcopal Church
who have the desire to return to their
old allegiance, if the door could in some
way be openedt the Living Church would
be the last to insist upon any unneces-
sary conditions. Already in 1892 we
suggested that it was a mistake to make
overtures to other denominations
further away from US and to ig-
more our brethren so nearly akin. While
no compromise would be possible involv-
ing the integrity of the Prayer Book or
- f,s- -I.f,,
trations for which it makes provision,
there are other directions in which gen
erous liberality of treatment might be
possible. There ought to be no desire to
infiict unnecessary humiliations upon
men who may desire simply to be re-
ceived back upon the ancient footing"
Speaking on the subject of the meet
ing Of the General Assembly, the New
York Evangelism Pres) remarks:
In the present difference of opinion,
it is not a case of Conservatives against
Progressives, but one in which for the
first time in five years the latter have
the privilege of looking on as interested
spectators. The question before the AS
sembly is as to its own authority On
general principles we should hardly look
upon any body as the best judge of its
own jurisdiction, as It would be greatly
tempted to stretch its authority Con-
gress is not the judge Of it's own pow
ers. If it passes a law that is contrary
tc the Constitution, the Supreme Court
so decides it, and it falls to the ground
So the law of Presbyterianism is not in
the Assembly, but in the constitution
which is above all Assemblies But the
Assembly must define it's own attitude
If on second thought it finds that it has
presumed too far, there is no compro-
mise of dignity in acknowledging it's
error and resembling it's action The
greater shame would be to persist in
course they should take let them look at
the leaders which its own high authori-
ties declare to be wrong. This is a world
of mistakes. Every man makes them, and
every public body makes them and
when we find out that we have blum
dered, the manly thing for us to do is to
withdraw with as good grace as pos
sible from an untenable position. In
the present case, if any of the members
of the Assembly be perplexed as to the
course on both sides, and ask them
selves whether it be safer to cast in
their lot with DIR. Booth, DR.. Birch and
DIR. Sutton, or with DIR. Charles Hodge,
supported by DIR. Marquis, former Mod
orator of the General Assembly and
now professor in Mccormick Seminary;
DR.. Bliss Moderator of the Presbytery
OF New York at the Briggs trial, and Dr.
John Hall. The case is before you,
brethren Judge ye,''
"The suggestion with which the Rev
DR.. Booth closes his eloquent sermon
prepared for the General Assembly at
Saratoga should receive a prompt and
hearty response" says the New York
observer" Pres). There should
be an earnest effort to bring together
in friendly conference brethren who
have long disagreed. Denominational
terianism is worthy of loyalty rising
ever to the point of enthusiasm Dr.
Booth shows plainly that the Presby-
terian Church polity was years old
ere Episcopacy had been dreamed Of;
THAT her system of revealed truth is
Bible-taught; that the church is strong
and logical in the defense of God s
Word, and that under the Presbyterian
system the evangelization of the world
at home and the world abroad pro-
crosses grandly. But denominational
loyalty does not call for the sacrifice
of one iota of loyalty to the personal
Christ, and loyalty to Christ calls for
an earnest effort to fulfill so far as in
us lies, the prayer which He made for
the unity of his church in all ages. In