The record-union., 1899-02-19
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
EXPRESSIONS FROM VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.
The Religious Thought Of the Day
az Expressed in the Sec
tartan Press.

4
tartan Press.
When" says the Living Church
(P. Ed of Chicago, 1T is said that
nothing should be taught to a child on
the subject of religion, because the COM
plete statements of theology are unin-
telligible to him, there is really implied
a disbelief that the teachings of re-
ligion are true, in the same sense that
the teachings of science are true. For
i we do not proceed upon such principles
in other departments of what we recoS-
nize as knowledge. We teach our
children that the world is round, while
as yet we are not able to prove to them
a fact which seems SO contrary to the
testimony of their senses. Likewise,
we do not refrain from assuring them
that the earth turns upon it's own axis,
and, perhaps, that it is the attraction
of gravitation' which prevents us from
falling off, though the whole idea is a
complete paradox to the child's mind,
and the phrase quoted is as unintelli-
gible as the doctrine of the Trinity. We
| tell them that the earth goes around the
sun, and not the sun around the EARTH
whereas every child can see that the
sun rises and sets every day. What
can we say in answer to doubts and
questions, except that people older and
wiser than they have found out that
these astonishing things are true, and
that perhaps when they grow older
they will be able to understand it bet
ter? In fact, thousands of people go
through life believing in these scientific
truths on no other ground than that
they were taught them as facts when
they were children, and that everybody
else believes them, and this, notwith-
standing the fact that they are one and
all contrary to the apparent testimony
of the senses y
"The concrete realization of the
church in the university is the function
Of the university chapel. The very
term university chapel" says the New
York "Churchman" Up. Ed, means that
religions is to be a function of the UNI
versity ITSELF an integral part of the
system of educative influence employed
in the development of the universal ma
ture of the being to be educated. AS in
the scheme of university buildings the
chapel structure has its exact architect
ural place and prominence, so in the
routine of university life the chapel
service has it's organic and living part
1t is admitted that, along with sectar-
ian Christianity, the college chapel-or,
what is practically the same thing,
obligatory general chapel attendance
seems destined to disappear from the
larger and fuller university founda-
tions. We contend that experience is
already beginning to teach that, as the
cure for sectarian religion is not no.
religion, but catholic religion, so the
remedy for the evils of compulsory
chapel is wrongly sought in the aboli-
ton of the chapel, and is to be found
in the substitution of a more practical,
rational and catholic chapel observ-
ance." ~sxS
s'There are some Congregationa1ists,
says the ''Congregationalist' of Boston,
who advocate church unity. We do
nor presume to speak for them. We
only remark that the unity they advo-
cate would destroy Congrega tionafsm.
For it is the genius of Congregational
ism that each-loeal church is sufficinent
in itself. It administers its own gov
eminent, forms and adopts its own
statement of belief, elects its own OIL
GERS. 1t cannot acknowledge the right
OF any person or organization outside OF
itself to dictate it's faith OF its admin
istration. 1t is essentially democracy.
But Congrega tionalists welcome Fellow
ship with all bodies of believers IN
Christ calling themselves churches.
They have presented as a basis or
unity the acceptance Of the Scriptures
as revealing Gods will, discipleshdp OF
Jesus Christ, the divine Savior, mem
be-ship in his church, and liberty Oh
Conscience in interpreting the Scrip
lures and administering the church.
They desire some form of federation
which shall express to the world their
| common purpose and confession OF
| faith in Jesus Christ, which shall have
| for it's object to make visible their fell
| lowship. to remove MISUNDERSTANDING
! ard to aid their consultations in estab-
fishing the kingdom of Cod This is
| the attitude of Congregationalists to-
ward the unity of believers, as ex-
pressed by the National Council Of
! 1895"
."We are quite doubtful if our leaders
| in the earlier generation saw their way
in advance more clearly or hopefully
than we see it presented for us to-day,
says the christian Register" (Un1t)
of Boston. "See for instance, what we
have vet to attain for the world in free
ing religion from arbitrary authority
T! and convention Every one speaks
kindly of Parker; but how many
churches are there in America where
Parker could possibly be given near
ing from the pulpit? Nay, how many
thousands of churches where Jesus
himself, if he appeared with all the au-
thority of born prophet. yet not hav-
ing been economically ordained, would be
refused utterancei In how many
| a bar to membership? We stand to-
| day for a church that welcomes every
true and loving man to help us work FOR
righteousness in the world. Where are
| the churches, out of all the scores OF
! thousands numbered in the census re-
! part. that Abraham Lincoln could have
honestly joined? Could he have joined
| Trinity Church in Boston, or the Old
South Church, or Heber Newtons
Church in New York? Ought there not,
then. to be churches in America that
shall offer free pulpit to every utter
ance of the divine spirit, that shall be
comprehensive in their membership OF
all souls who worship the ideal things