The record-union., 1898-12-04
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
EXPRESSIONS FROM VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.
The Religious Thought Of the Day
as Expressed in the Sec
tartan Press.

''The pastoral letter is supposed to
express the unanimous sentiments of
the Bishops says "The Living
Church" P. E.) of Chicago. 1.-The one
before US at present shows peculiar
satisfaction is a measure which We
should rather have expected the House
of Bishops would have received with
some misgiving. We refer to the pro-
vision which has obtained a lodgment
in the proposed constitution, for the
non-use of the prayer book in certain
cases. It is to meet the wants of those
curious congregations of which we have
heard so much but which no one seems
to have met with, which are supposed
to have strong hankering after Epls-
copal supervision, but, at the same
time, do not like the prayer-book. 1t
is supposed that if they are allowed to
go on with extemporary devotions, or to
use some variety of directory Of their
own invention, it will somehow be a
preparation for the use of the prayer
book, which by this means they will
learn to love. 1t was not explained in
any one of the speeches on the sub
is to be brought about by using some
thing else. One thing gives us comfort;
the pastoral indicates in very clear lam
guage that it is the intention of the
Bishops, if this experiment is carried
out, to maintain intact the sacramental
services and the offices which conserve
the policy of the church, If such a
policy is firmly adhered to, little harm
can be DONE"
Calvin says THE Interior" (Pres.)
of Chicago, saw clearly that the union
of the reformed churches would have to
be upon creed of extreme simplicity
while allowing large latitude on polity,
order of worship. doctrine. ETC. There
fore he made the test of church of
Christ to consist of only three things,
the preaching of the word. and the
observance Of the two sacraments along
with the whole moss of their hierar-
chies, rites, and superstitions. But the
faithful preaching of the Word, what
was that to be? He enumerates the
essential doctrines The church must
teach God the Creator, Ruler and
Judge. 1t must teach Christ, of and
equal with God, the Redeemer of men.
1t must teach the Holy Spirit, the
Sanctifier. 1t must teach repentance
and the remission of SINS Any society
of men and women with their children
who were organized upon this plat
form was a church of Christ and en-
titled to recognition as such Aside
from these essential doctrines the Word
was to be honestly and faithfully ap-
piled according to the measure Of the
knowledge of the minister. This prin-
ciple of the organic unity of the Body
OF Christ was SO strong that schisrn
was, by the reformers, regarded as a
mortal sin. They would have had no
hesitation in condemning any of our
modern denominations who are build
ing up around themselves exclusive
hedges Of distinctive doctrines and
tests, as schismatics'
1T is favorite illustration" says the
Interior" Pres) of Chicago, ito COM
pare dogmatic theology to a skeleton,
a necessary but not an esthetic part of
the animal frame. 1t should be remem-
bered, though, that not all skeletons are
genuine. Cuvier, the father of the
science of comparative anatomy, could
take a femur or any other complete
bone, and reconstruct the entire animal
Give the same femur to another natur-
alist and he too would proceed to re-
store the form to which it belonged
and so would a third. But should one
bring the three productions together,
it would Immediately appear that three
animals, each widely differing from
either of the other two, instead of one
species of animal had been evolved.
And now, if an entire genuine skeleton
of an animal of that species could be
found, it would be seen that none of
the three made a very near approach
to the truth-so that skeletons besides
being ungraceful may also be grimly
fanciful"
I'VE cannot help being impressed
with the fact" says the New York
observer" Pres.), that Professor
James conclusions lin his book on
Human Immortality lack the posi-
tive note of authority. They interro-
gate rather than affirm, and we are
forced in consequence to ask: Is there
no better word that anywhere is said
regarding mans future destiny?' There
is; and that word is said in the Bible.
said by the Lord Almighty Himself,
who made all brains and functions and
possibilities of feeling. The note of
authority is found in the Gospel of His
Son, who hath brought life and immor-
tality to light through the evangel.
That is what We want. The Bible is
light; the labored reasonings OF the
keenest of secular philosophers are but
twilight. The cultured Harvard pro-
fessor remarks as the climax of his
argument: In strict logic then, the
fangs of cerebralistic materialism are
drawn. My words ought consequently
already to exert releasing function on
your hopes. You may believe hence
forward, whether you care to profit by
the permission or not This is a word
out of the cleaning. Far clearer, inf
nitely better is that glory beam from
out of the good old Bible, which radi-
antly focuses itself upon this conf
dent declaration: We know that if
our earthly house of this tabernacle
with it's cerebrum, it's nerve tissues
and its ganglionic centers) were dis
solved, we have a building of God. a
house not made with hands. eternal in
the heavens
Not to believe in the power of
prayer" says the New York "Exami-
ner" Bapt), would be irrational, in
view of the evidences of its efficacy
that have been continuous all through
the centuries. Much of history, indeed
is prayer realized. But its realizations
have always followed upon the adop-
tion of means whereby the r,,rnoso of