The record-union., 1897-07-04

and third as experienced in the Holy
Spirit. Like other of his deliverance:
regarding the doctrines of the Bible
this is fanciful rather than critical. i
is an attempt TO define, offhand, one Of
the profoundest and most inscrutabls
truths of revelation"
THE old question of the Bible ir
the schools is coming to the surface
once again. says the New York
Christian Intelligencer," because Of
thedecision of Judge in Michigan thai
it is opposed to the Constitution o1
that State. The soundness of his con-
struction of the clause of the Constitu-
ton on which he bases his decision
is called In question, but whether il
be sound law or not, it cannot be
doubted that in thus debarring from
youth of our land are cut off in theil
school days from the best source, no,
only of ethical instruction. but from
the purest we'll of English undefiled. II
certainly would seem possible for selec-
tions to be made from the Bible which
would be unexceptionable to Jews OF
Roman Catholics, if not to infidelS
When it is remembered that fully nine
tenths of our people hold to the Bible
as the Word of God, it seems strange
that their children must be shut of
from hearing or reading it in school
hours because one or more in a hun
dred holds it to be a sectarian book"
Il
What amount and what kind of ad-
vertising of it's services may a church
legitimately employ?" asks the Chris
tian Register" Onit) of Boston. "Or
scarcely any practical question dc
opinions differ more widely. At one
extreme stands the sensationalism
which makes use of almost all the arts
known to the proprietor of a side show
at a circus, in order to attract public
notice. At the other extreme stands
the conservatism which will not sc
SO much as post notice in a railway
station or hotel, lest it injure the dig
nifty of public worship. Both alike
seem foolish. So much advertising Oh
a service to which the public is in
vited as will suffice to carry the invi-
tation to those who may be glad tc
receive it should be employed as mat
ter of course. Generally speaking, the
simple notice is an invitation; and, il
it be given due publicity, that should
be enough. Anything much beyond
this tends to cheaper the church in
the eyes of right minded people, Any
thing much short of this is to hide un-
der bushel the candle that was meant
to shed it's beams abroad"
THE supply of ministers is increas-
ing faster than the number OF
churches" says the congregational
ist" of Boston. During the five years
preceding 1896 the net gain in churches
was 665 and the net gain in ministers
was 72S. The number Is also increas-
ing of ministers in other denomina-
tions pressing to secure Congrega tional
pulpitS. FROM these ranks it is eSti-
mated that about One-third of our an
nual increase comes and as many more
ministers stand ready to respond te
calls. From these facts and figures il
seems evident that while there is abun-
dant opportunity for ministers tC
preach the Gospel, as Paul did, at theil
own charges, there are already ordained
men enough to occupy all congrega ton
al pulpitS which can afford to give
them reasonable support, while more
new ministers than churches are being
added every year. No doubt there are
imperative calls to selected young mer
to enter the ministry. But so far as
Congregationalists are concerned, nc
general call needs to be issued to fill uI
depleted ranks