The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-20

These critics assert Ruth, Esther ana
the Book of Jonah are fict1ons. we are
not told what constitutes fiction, only
that these books are fictionS But lhey
have none of the characteristics or nc
ton, and do have those or Verltdple
history. Ruth is the biography OF an
cestors of the Messiah, Esther is an
account of Jewish experience, ana the
chief transaction of the record has been
concentrated by a Jewish feast
through succeeding centuries to this
day. Jonah has all the marks of a his
tory recording a great religious and
moral movement. When the fiction
supposition is objected to, we are told
that Jesus Christ used fiction to con-
vey truth, and when we ask for an il
lustration we are told that the parable
of the Prodigal Son is fiction. 1t GER
tainly is not. 1t is a parable, as is that
of the sower and of the leaven- There
is obvious distinction between fiction
and a parable. Besides, these assail-
ants of the Bible occupy a perilous po-
sition There are thousands of inscrip-
lions already exhumed which have not
been translated and the high probable
ity is that thousands more will be dis
covered On any day it may be an
nounced that an inscription has been
deciphered establishing the truth of
these books"
"The conviction of Commissioner
Booth-Tucker of the Salvation Army is
not to be regarded in the light of a
civil persecution" says the New York
independent Under our Constitu
ton and laws everybody has a right to
worship God according to the dictates
OF his conscience; but this right is not
an exclusive right and gives him no
legal title to interfere with the rights
of others. 1t is the indefeasible right
of persons to enjoy rest at night; and
it was because the noise created by the
peculiar style of worship at the Saliva
ton Army headquarters in this city
prevented those occupying neighboring
houses from sleeping at night that Mr..
Booth-Tucker was indicted. This noise
is not simply the disturbance created
by the use of the human voice in shout
ing hallelujahS, in loud eXhortationS,
and in singing, but it is augmented by
drums, cymbals and tambourines, in
struments which the Salvation army
uses in its worship. If this noise were
kept up for only a part of the evening,
| occupying about the same time as the
ordinary church service, there would
doubtless have been no complaint; but
these services continue for hours, and
occasionally all night. We do not
doubt that the verdict of the jury thai
these meetings constitute a nuisance is
a correct verdict; and we do not believe
that Mr.. Booth fuckers appeal to the
churches to defend the rights which he
| claims for the Salvation Army will
elicit a favorable response. The
churches do not ask for themselves the
right to disturb a neighborhood, and
they will have no fear that this prece-
dent will, as Mr. Booth Tucker pre-
diets, be the signal for a general per-
Secution."
From time to time" says the
Christian Register Onit) of Boston,
there is talk of merging Unitarian
/ ism in something else, or 'ceasing to
maintain separate existence as a de-
nomination. since many of the ideas
for which Unitarians have contended
| are being so rapidly adopted by the
main body of the church. such talk
does not appear to have reckoned very
accurately with existing conditions.
How the churches now banded together
within this fellowship can be merged
in any other communion is not entirely
plain upon the face of things. Certain
ly there is no sign that any other de-
nomination wants these churches or
would take them as a gift, could they
be delivered over to such new affilia-
tions. 'Ceasing to maintain separate
existence means, for the present at
| least, merely ceasing to exist The pro-
| posal to close the doors of this number
| of Christian churches sounds rather
cool when it comes from a source out
| side our ranks. When it comes from
the inside we must suspect that some
kind of hazy ideal has been playing
tricks with well-meaning mind"