The record-union., 1898-03-06
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
EXPRESSIONS FROM VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.

fxPRESSIOES FROM VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.
frhe Religious Thought Of the Day
as Expressed in the Sec
tartan Press.
THE Outlook considers that the de-
nominations are not competitive organ
izations, but rather cooperative. Ii
this is the case. why not belong to
more than one? Indeed, why be-
long to one more than another The
only reason that journal can make out
for belonging to any denomination at
all is that person can in this way
best promote Christian interests. But
why belong TO any denomination al
all2" asks the Living Church tP. Ed
of Chicago. THE answer depends en-
tirely upon what Christian interests
are defined to be. Since il does not
appear that the salvation of ones own
soul has any relation to his member
ship in a particular denomination, and
since he may without it belong to the
misty phantom now called by many OF
these religious teachers the church. II
is quite matter of individual judgment
whether he can best promote ChriStiar-
interests by joining a, religious society
or by going on in his own way. IL
is undeniable that an increasing multi
tude is adopting this latter alternative.
If the old antithesis Of the Holy Script
ures between the church and the world
was a mistake as we are given to un-
derstand in the case, and if the spirit
of the world at it's best is the spirit
Of Christ, then why keep up any long
er the semblance of opposition between
them. In that case will it not be more
simple, in order to keep the spirit of the
world at its best, to mold its activi-
ties through philanthropic societies. So
cial settlements and civic federations,
or reform associations, and direct its
morals through societies for ethical
culture? Is net this the logical end OF
all this fermentation, in which the ten
dency is to throw off as foreign ad-
mixture everything which belongs to
the category or supernatural religion?'
There is not in country like ours
much active opposition to the church
as an institution, says the New York
Independent" There is more war
made upon certain divisions of it by
certain other divisions than by so-called
infidels or atheists. The worst things
said of Professionalism are said by Ro-
man Catholics; the worst attacks made
upon Catholicism are made by Prot
ha q
it is not at all necessary to quote the
ill-natured and prejudiced comments by
which this warfare is characterized.
Our object in alluding to it is to EN-
phasize the fact that those who are
outside of all branches of the church
show less antagonism to it than those
of opposite camps within it's pale. We
do not forget that there is a free
thought movement whose purpose is to
overthrow faith in God and in the Bible,
but it is very small movement, hard
ly more than a fly on the Wheel
WHO would think of expelling Me
buhr or Arnold from a university for
throwing new light on ancient Roman
history?" says the New York Outlook y
Who would think of driving Stephens
from Cornell because he has unearthed
neglected pamphlets which throw light
on the earlier years of the French Revo-
luton? Or of condemning John Fiske
for making the public acquainted with
sCme of the darker phases of partisan
ship and corruption in the early history
OF the American Republic? An attack
on DR.. McGiffert for bringing to light
facts respecting the early history of the
Apostolic Church which either the the
oiogians of the seventeenth century did
not know or did not sufficiently consider.
can have no other effect than that of aG-
ding to his honor and of bringing dis
honor upon those who assail him. If he
is mistaken in his facts, they should be
restated; If in his deductions they should
be answered. To turn him out of the
church for such statements and such
deductions would prove nothing concern
ing the correctness of either; it would
only demonstrate the unwillingness of
a majority in the Presbyterian Church
to have their faiths subjected to schol-
arly scrutiny, and their folly in substi-
tuting therefor a popular agitation
partisan, heated and unscholarly"
strongly" says the New York sob
server" Pres.), against the advice re-
Gently given to liberal minister's who
find themselves of the free-lance order,
and yet in orthodox churches. That al
vice has no uncertain sound, and it
seems to be an echo of what is just now
in the air: We say, therefore. TO every
liberal minister in a conservative church:
Stay where you are and preach the
truth as God gives you to see the truth.
without fear, without favor. without
wrath or bitterness, taking this as your
motto: THE servant of the Lord must
not strive; but be gentle unto all, apt to
teach, patient" Was Paurs teaching
ever before so perverted? Was such
morality ever before incucated under
guise of charity and sweet reasona BILE
ness? Can man who has any genuine
unperverted sense of right and wrong, or
who recognizes the grip of moral obii-
CATION in such sacred relations, for
moment be hesitant about the duty Of
one so situated to withdraw without an
hours delay? Such morality as that
proposed to liberal ministers, would not
be tolerated for day in business firm.
or association composed of worldly men
or even of heather. Against it we aD-
peal to the Christian conscience. to the
heather conscience. to any dawnings or
glmmerings whatsoever of any con-
science that has not stultified itself by