The record-union., 1898-06-26

no name but Christian shall be used
especially when Paul wrote thirteen
Epistles and John three to churches
and Individual believers without using
the word once, as If 1t were one they
avoided. for they must have heard 1t
often from their enemies. 1t is an ex-
cellent name, none better; but to say
that it is the only name which the
church has a right to assume is un-
biblical, illiberal, and so far un-Chris-
tan; and it is time that this were
clearly said"
I'm any case says the Church
Standard P. E.) of Philadelphia, I'VE
hold that a proposal to change the cor
porate name of the church ought to be
put forward only in the most direct and
open manner, and that every step con-
nected with it should be of the most
deliberate character. We should stren-
uously object, for example, to its pre-
cipitate proposal in the form of an
amendment of the constitution in one
General Convention, with view to its
ratification in the next, even if a suffi-
cient number of the clerical and lay
deputies might happen to desire it. In
such case-and that case may occur
in the General Convention Of 1S9S-we
should think the proper course would be
to refrain from immediate action, and
formally TO refer the subject 20 the next
General Convention. If that were done.
the whole subject would be brought
fairly and squarely before the church;
the dioceses would have three years in
which to consider it, and they could
elect deputies to represent their wishes
Slccp21.incr To-,
would then be fairly representative Of
the mind of the church. and the pro-
poed amendment. if it should be adopt
ed, would go once more before the
church for final reconsideration before
II should be put upon its final parlia-
mentary passage. If the first step OF
this procedure We're to be taken in the
coming convention, we are not at all
Oh the opinion that the change would
De made in the convention of 1904 but
we are very sure that any attempt to
rush tnls proposition, say by passing
II through the convention of 1898,
would set back the movement by fifteen
or eighteen years, at least. and mean
Whlle We are equally confident that the
shpplng IN OF an ambiguous phrase
INTO the title of our fundamental law
> as repugnant to persons like our
selves as II is to those who are most
earnestly opposed to any change Of
the name of the church."
Accepting as we do the supreme i'm
portance OF the appeal to conscience,
the keener sense of God and hotter
nate OF sin and more strenuous fight
Ior hoilness' that marks the preaching
OF those who are most successful in
winning the allegiance of men to Christ
we believe" says the STANDARD (Bapt)
OF Chicago, that the time has come
when Christians need no longer shun
the AID OF those agencies which help
TO make worship more real to many
nearts. That we do not refer to the
intensely artificial ritual, the elaborate
ceremonial against which true Protest
ants have periodically revolted. should
De evident. But it is still the case in
many OF our Baptist churches that too
ltlie attention is given to the Worship
element in public services. An invari
able order is followed, Just as inyari
able IN many cases as that of a ritual
ana lar less appropriate No attempt
seems to be made to make of the serv-
Ice unit. which will leave upon tbe
minds of the worshpers a lasting i'm
preston and help them nearer the nm
seen realities