The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-20
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
FROM VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.
The Religious Thought OF the Day
as Expressed in the Sec
tartan Press.

I
as Expressed in the Sec
/ tartan Press.
Part of the difference in form be-
tween the teaching of Christ and that
Of the Apostle comes from the fact that
lSt. Paul preached the Gospel along the
| lines Of his own experience" says the
| Living Church (P. Ed of Chicago.
Certain critics talk disdainfully about
his metaphysical rendering Of the
grandly simple truths CT Jesus, but st.
| Paul had 10 defend the truth against
| philosophical attacks and he was wise
to meet such attacks in the most eff
| fective way Christ was to him
/ philosophy as we'll as salvation. for
He was the fullness that filleth all
| things. To him God III Christ settled
| every question. both in the heavens ard
on the earth, and he was ever ready to
give to Jew or Gentle a Mason for the
faith that was in him. This contro-
ve~sy, like all other theological con-
troversies, is being ovelTuled by the
| great Head of the church for the in
lectual and spiritual profit of His peo-
| pie. Incidental harm may be done in
confusing of mind and shaking of
| faith for a few tinl:d believers. but the
| good will be permanent and valuable.
Already it is sending our greatest inter-
Ipreters of Scripture back to an earnest
and impartial study OF the Epistles.
with the object CT seeing things with
Pauis own eyes, rethinkng his
thoughts, and stating them with fidel-
ity and responsiveness. The result
will be larger apprehension of the
value of the Epistles to the church in
our day, and clearer understanding
of the necessity of completing the pic
ture of Christ in the Gospels by the
teaching of the apostles
! =
Not the least of the perils of the
church of America to-day" says the
New York Outlook" is that threat
ened by the possible separation of lib
eralism and conservatism into separate
camps. If they are separate, they will
be hostile; and, instead of uniting their
| forces in a common war against vice
and Ignorance, will employ them in war
against each other Sectarian strife is
civil war in the church of Christ. The
church must be al peace with itself if
it is to conquer the world We advise,
then, the liberal Episcopalian not to
leave the church of his fathers and
| his love because sacerdotalism appears
4 to be dominating in it; we advise him
| to stay III, unless he is put out, and
| preach a theology as broad and a lib
| erty as large as that of Robertson and
Maurice and Stanley and Brooks. We
advise the Presbyterian to remain III
| the church in which he has been
brought up, and preach the freedom of
faith for which his Puritan ancestry
were willing to lay down their lives.
| Let every man, in the church wherein
he was called, therein abide with God.
Not abide to promote strife and debate;
not abide to assault the opinions of
others either within or without the
church; but to build up men. remem-
bering that knowledge puffeth up. but
love Duildeth up
| The religious condition as it presents
| itself to US is threatening, rather than
in a desperate or dscouraging condi-
| ton" says the New York Christian
! Intelligencer' tRef). The serious
question is, What of the next genera
ton? If men hold to religion and vet
forsake the church; if they try to serve
| God, do justly, and practice mercy, and
| yet use not the appointed means Of
grace, and by example, if not precept
teach their children to value lightly the
Sabbath, the sanctuary, and the insti-
tutions of religion, will not the next gem
GRAFTON depart still further from the
service of God and of duty toward fell
low-man? These are questions which
awaken solicitude. The religious situa-
ton to-day demands thought and study
| from many points OF view. 1t calls very
| possibly for the readjusting of many
ideas and methods. 1t needs in the min
| istry the best the church can give of
native ability, thorough training. and in
telligent, consecrated piety. 1t needs
on the part of church members consis-
tent living, cody lives, which alone will
convince the world of the worth of the
church and the religion it represents
ard promotes. Observation and exper-
| ieilce combine with statistics to prove
there is no reason for Christian workers
| to become discoura ged. though there are
enough symptoms of religious decline to
demand earnest efforts and fervent
prayers that it may not become general
or fatal"
The ministry as a divine calling in
recent years has been declining in pub
lie esteem. says the congregational
ist' of Boston. For this decline minis
tiers and churches are mainly response
bic. They have determined the STAN
dard Of value, have decided what quail
ties they want in minister, and what
preparation is necessary to fit him for
his position. People generally have ac-
cepted their standard. A generation ago
the ministry stood highest among the
learned professions. To-day it stands
lowest. The Massachusetts Bar Asso-
citation would treat as ridiculous an APP
plcation for membership with degree
of preparation in law which in theology
would satisfy Il Massachusetts Minis
rial Association. Medical or dental as
sociations would prosecute men who as
sumed TO practise medicine or dentistry
with no more knowledge Of their bust
ness than the knowledge Of theology
which would make a. candidate accept
able 10 ministerial associations
There are not a few Baptists nova
days, it is to be feared says the New
York Examiner" 0Sapt). who are
members of our churches not so much
because OF an inteilioeat comprehen-