The record-union., 1899-03-05

the destiny of those who reject Christ
in this life, except that sin, unless the
sinner repents, must issue in death
eternal But the truths which touch
most closely the present life. the duty
to serve God and acknowledge Christ,
the privileges of the presence of the
Holy Spirit and of prayer, are plainly
taught. Even in treating of the con-
stitution of the church and the ordl-
nances, or 'sacraments,' though mere
some Baptist readers will begin 10
shake their heads, the statements err
chiefly by defect-they are mostly true
so far as they co.
1.-THE catechism,' says the ''Presby-
terrain Banner of Pittsburg, being a
product of Christian unity, Will IN turn
be a unifying cause. Though it is not
an official and binding creed, yet 1t is a
bond of union that will put and Keep
these churches in pleasant mutual re.a-
tions and will ever silently exert
strong attraction to draw them To-
gether. They will hereafter be more
wildly conscious of their common
faith and will grow toward rather tnan
away from one another. 1t may hoe
obliterate their denominational INES
and names but it will tend to blend
them into a higher Unity and make
them one fold. After having devei-
oped elaborate creeds by which tncy
divorced from one another, Protestant
churches now give indications OF re-
turning to shorter and simpler state
ments of faith by which they will con-
verge and meet around the person OF
Christ If this catechis1n should prove
To he the budding of such Christian
unity. the Rev. Hugh Price Hughes
may not be far wrong in regarding II
as one of the most far-reaching facts
of the century,"
.oThe church." says the New YORK
Examiner" Bapt), must be made
joyful place for the young. or course
in saying so, we do not mean that II -
to be turned into a, scene OF social
rout. and by harlequin entertainments
made a. competitor with the thealer'
legitimate entertainments there are
which may be provided. But there are
churches in which even these, Sc lar
from being occasional, appear TO be the
distinctive feature of the young people
work. Indeed, the two aims of some
churches would appear to- be entertain
ment and financial success. What are
the effects on the young people OF such
churches? Paralyzirg doubt. in many
cases. Of the chureh's sincerity us
second rate imitation of the world S
amusements and methods destroys rev.
erence; and, in the spirit of the incred-
ulous roysterer not a few have turned
their backs on churches that have as
sisted them to become such to find more
hilarious pleasures elsewhere. To make
the church joyous it must be made a
spiritual home Let the young people
feel not that they are the church-for
there is danger on that side, too-but
that the church rejoices in them and
cares for them"
'sThe consecrated cemetery, which ex-
cludes from Christian burial all who
are not members of the church, is
perpetuation of the pagan idea that
salvation is limited to the high born,'
says the Northwestern Christian Ad-
vocate" (Meth.) of Chicago. 1T is en-
tirely contrary to the teachings of
Christ himself. The Roman Catholic
Church is not alone in holding this an
christian view The established church
of England inherited the idea from the
Roman Church, and to this day mem
bers of dissenting churches cannot be
buried in consecrated soil, and they are
often subjected to annoyance by cleri-
cal officials in connection with burial
in the part of public cemeteries set
apart for the use of non-members OF
the established church. This custom,
sacred as it is to many, must give way
before the advance of a more enlight-
ened Christian public opinion as other
pagan customs have done. The idea
that a slave is a different order Of be-
ing from the master has not entirely
disappeared even to this day. 1t is,
in some degree, one of the causes Of
trouble between employers and en-
ployes. Christianity has destroyed pa
ganism 1t will yet destroy pagan Gus
toms now practised that are in violation
of the spirit and teaching OF Christ"