The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-11
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From Various Religious
Newspapers.
The Religious Thought of the Day
as Expressed in the Sec
tartan Press.

| Referring to the reply of the Arch
bishops of Canterbury and York to the
Pope's E.ncyclical with reference to
| Anglican Orders the New York
"Churchn.an'' P. Ed says: The pri-
mates face squarely every argument of
the Papal Bull, nor is there any uncer-
tain sound in their answer. There is
good deal of the Eft tn quoque in their
method Of rebuttal. But it is used
withs great effectiveness. The Ency-
clical points out once and again that
the Pope has been welding that dam
gerous weapon, two-edged sword. He
does it to his own confusion, infiicting
upon the Roman communion wound
for wound with those wherewith he
would fain hurt unto death the Angli-
can Church. Logic is pitiless, and, ac
cording to his arguments, it follows
that Roman orders stand or fall with
Anglican orders. To Caesar he has
appealed and to Caesar he must 60
If the Pope appeals to the council of
Trent, he must submit to be judged by
it, or, if by a new decree he declares
our fathers of $50 years ago wrongly
ordained there is nothing to hinder the
inevitable sentence that by the same
law all no have been similarly or
dained have received no ORDERS as,
for example, those ordained under the
early Roman Sacramentaries, which
would make the early Roman Church
without { valid priesthood, together
with all the fatal consequences to the
present that this would involve
I'VE are happy" says the Church
Standard Up. Ed of Philadelphia, Ito
have heard of the organization in the
Presbyterian Church of a society to be
known as The Church Service Society
This movement has made considerable
progress in Scotland, and there was
good need that it should. Within the
past fifty years, it is simply fact that
the doctrinal confession of the West
minister Assembly has lost its former
hold upon the heart and mind of Pres
byterians everywhere. We are
glad to see that they are doing so dis
tinctly 'u.;on the basis of that doctrine
of the church, the ministry, and the
sacramenls, which is set forth in the
Westminster standards If they We're
actuated by spirit of schismatic dis
content they would fail, and they would
deserve to fail. Being loyal men, as
they are, they deserve to succeed, and
We believe they viii succeed; but if
they do, they will build more largely
than they now know or perhaps intend.
The growth of the idea of worship
among them will make other things
appear less important than they have
done in TIE past. OF all imaginable
things worship is the least favorable
to controversial scholasticism. 1t ex-
presses cEly that which is spiritual,
and whatever is truly spiritual is truly
Catholic Thus, as the years go on,
faith will grow larger and opinion less
large in their relative Importance; the
sense of unity with those who hold
the same faith will grow stronger than
the sense of division from those who
differ from them in opinion; and at last,
it may be hoped, they will contribute
largely to that catholic unity of the
spirit which is so painfully marred by
our modern system of UNCONVENTIONAL
sectarianism.'
eve do not believe" says the I'm
terror (Pres) of Chicago lin a relig-
ion which is always upon the defensive.
1t is the preachers duty and the Chris
tian's right to turn the tide of battle
and change the method of the fight,
and put unbelief and disobedience upon
the defensive while Christianity makes
the attack. That is what the Almighty
demands by the voice of the prophet.
If you do not believe, you need to have
strongest possible reasons to urge for
skepticism, since the presuppositions
are upon the side of faith. 1t is to be
supposed not that the world is self
existent, but that it stands by reason of
One able to create and potent to con-