The record-union., 1897-11-07
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
EXPRESSIONS FROM VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.
The Religious Thought Of the Day
as Expressed in the Sec.
tartan Press.

1T is difficult to see how those who
/ highly esteem religious truth can call
| that a gospel which calls men to set
! lightly aside what they have believed
and to unite in search for truth which
no one has yet found" remarks the
/ "Congregationalist' of Boston Why
do those who proclaim that they have
! new gospel SO constantly affirm that
! the refusal to do this is narrow mind
| edness? 1t must be because positive
/ beliefs seem to them of little account.
! They do not understand how faith in
| God revealed through Jesus Christ is
the most precious of all possessions.
| how the belief in Him, in His words
and work enters into experience and
sways motive and becomes the sus-
tanning breath of life, which not only
makes existence enjoyable, but without
which it is impossible TO live honor
ably. Men may disagree with us in re-
| ligion, and we no more desire to re-
| strict their liberty than to have them
! restrict ours. But for their sake and
ours also we would not have them de-
| preciate the value of strong convictions.
That is often called bigotry which
tuoukHiiul men ptlZe IilOSl III society
the power to live and die for belief.
I Those who exercise that power may be
4 narrow, but their word can be trusted
! they know how to deny themselves for
| truths sake, they have the high ambi-
tion to reproduce among men the Christ
whom they know by experience. With
out them society would fall to pieces
/
1T is often asserted" says the
Church Standard" (P E.) of Philadel-
phia, that if religion could be happily
banfshed from the thoughts of men,
| morals would remain unchanged. or
that they might possibly be improved
On the face of it, this proposition is
! absurd. Motives determine conduct
and if the most cogent of motives to
! morality should be removed, it is in
/ conceivable that the conduct of men
| as individuals, and of man in his so :
cial organizations, should not be less
| moral than it is. To say nothing of
atheism, which leaves the universe a
senseless muddle, if we should accept
| the theory of Schopenhauer or Hart
man, which reduces Deity to an uncon-
/; scious force, essentially immoral in It's
| nature, we must thereupon conclude
| as they do, that there is no real dis
tinction between the moral and the i'm
/ moral; that what we cali immortality
, Is necessary accompaniment of the
existing condition OF things; and that
there can be no responsibility for evil
conduct, nor any use in striving after
| an imaginary Righteousness. If man
| lmaSlneS that he is a mere automaton
IN an immoral cosmos, and that virtue
and vice are mere illusions of the mind
! we ask what motive. he can have to
struggle against evil or to promote vir-
tue in himself or others?"
1t is only too true says the In
terror Pres) of Chicago, that multi
tudes OF people, men and women. young
ana old, do fail TO respond to the at
I fractions OF the church. Sunday con-
gfegations grow slim, especially on
sunday evenings. The church as an in
sututlon is not looked upon with quite
SO much awe as formerly 1t cannot
rule with just the same kind of au-
thorlty 1t does not seem so nearly
ike sacrilege to stay away from
cnurch. There is less of reverence for
noly orders The binding force Of
church membership has been weak
ened. A laxness in regard to Sunday
| observance has been gaining a danger
Gus prevalence both in the cities and
IN the country. This new age of tne
Wheel is beyond question having a tre-
mendous influence, and not all of it for
good. He is either ignorant or NOR
| ally obtuse who does not look unon II
with serious apprehension. and see in
/ IL 70
/ put forth its power, in new ways If
heeo be- SO as to give a transcendencv
OF winsome force to it's own Influence
| during this period of transition AMI
| special temptation 1t is. moreover
plain that knowledge is in these davs
swiftly enough running to and fro inst
enough OF knowledge to fill the air
with a great many more questions that
nardly anybody stops TO answer leav-
ing innumerable minds in suspense of
falth and deep uncertainty"
When DR.. Parker of the Temple
Church London, speaking before a
CONGREGATIONAL assembly in Boston.
said that the doctrine of endless MN
ishment was practically notion of the
past with the Congrega tionalfsts of
hearers took in his unwelcome state
ment was literally painful" remarks
1 the Christian Leader" Univ) of Ros
| ton. Not long ago the Outlook said:
| Christ did not come to appease Gods
wrath, but to reveal His love: not to
remove an obstacle to forgiveness
/ which before existed in the heart Of
God. but TO show that no such obsta-
Gle existed. Bishop Phillips Brooks
/ committed himself to this declaration.
! The Gospel has nothing to do with sin
/ except TO forgive it and to find in IFS
| luxuriance the promise of what luxu
RANT growth goodness might come to
in that same human nature. The farm
er has nothing to do with the weeds
/ except to pluck them out, and to be-
lieve that his wheat will grow more
richly in ground that could make the
weeds so rich We do not make the
claim that for this revolution in the
ology-it is nothing less than a revoiu
tion-the Universalist movement is the
only agency. Who will deny that it
has been the chief Of agencies?"
THE doubt whether Indulgence in in
nocent pleasures is consistent with
true spiritual life is still strong with
many Christian people, says the New
! York observer Pres.). And a feel
ing SO deeply rooted. and which has
lasted so long and has been that of so
large a portion of mankind, must have
some foundation What is it? 1t may
| be found, we ina agine, in the belief. di-
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