The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16
lished and Nonestabnshed churches of

lhaI the scotch are a hard-fsted lot, who
part with money only when they are
obliged to and then in but niggardly sums.
1t transpires, however. that in the average
support OF their clergy they are generous
TO degree which puts TO shame the situa-
ton in the Church of England. Parish min
listers in the Established Church OF Scot
land have average incomes. in addition to
their manses. OF close upon $3.50 a year,
and the average is kept well up to 81 900 in
the Free Church and the United Presby-
terrain. This is because of splendidly main
tanned sustenation funds. and Sir John
Leng. after remarkng. in his letter to the
Bishop of London, that the Presbyterians
Of Scotland have set a noble example TO
the Episcopal Church Of England, goes on
to remind Bishop Ingram that for examples
of this kind his lordship need not go out
side of England itself. Besides the million
guineas the Wesleyans have nearly raised,
there is the 10000 guinea fund Of the Con-
gregationalists and the go, 600 fund of the
Baptists. To these Sir John Leng directs
the bishops attention, and then, with no
hope of a reply. he pertinenely asks
What has your great and wealthy church
recently done equivalent to splendidly lib
eral contributions like these?"
RADICAL CHANGE PROMISED.
In Congregational circles the great move
ment Of the coronation year is one which
proposes nothing less radical than change
in the Congregational form OF church gov
eminent In England, where the Noncon-
formist churches have a state church to
contend with, the old principle of every
little church for itself and the devil take
the hindmost,' doesn't seem to have
Z Id
doubt, has been perfectly satisfied with it.
| But small Congregational churches all over
the country have languished and died for
lack of some vital, sustaining connection
with the stronger churches. There has been
trouble, also, about the ministry, one stand
ard of qualification obtaining in one coun-
ty and a different one in another; city
churches paying princely salaries and in
country districts the poor pastor getting
scarcely enough to keep body and soul to-
gether. Another point of weakness has been
that the independent system does not lend
itself, as the correctional does, to great
money-getting schemes, such as are neces-
sary to carry on colleges and missions, and
that it affords no means of rallying the
Congregational body, as a whole, for ag-
gressive work amongst the masses.
To remedy these defects the bold proposal
now is to gather this divided Israel under
one flag and one central administration
The new name suggested is the United
I Congregational Church, and the father Of
this forward movement is that old-man-elo-
\ quent of the London pulpit, DIR. Joseph
\ Parker. A great change of this kind could
not have had a sponsor more likely to car
/ ry it through, for besides his persuasive
/ mr. brings n 10
ment the weight of great personality and
the peculiar. almost irresistible, influence
which necessarily attaches to one who,
/ after long and masterfuI life, takes UP
some task as his closing job and fights and
| pleads for it as though it were the one
/ thing needful to make his life work COM
/ plete. To see DIR. Parker pleading before
the Congregational Union of England and
Wales for United Congregational Church
was a sight to bring tears, and when he
announced at the close that, owing to a
constitutional ailment. his work from that
time would have to be limited to his own
pulpit. there was scarcely an undimmed
/ eye in all that vast assembly. That this
Moses Of English Congregationalism will
/ live long enough to lead his people into
what he deems the promised land Of their
/ enlarged usefulness, is extremely doubtful.
/ But at any rate he has pointed out the
way to this Canaan. and at this moment,
/ all over England, the individual churches
and county unions of Congregationalism
are discussing the project and preparing to
vote upon it.
PARKER AND BOOTH.
great figure like Joseph Parker. strug
/ Cling in old age for a great cause, makes
one think of that other heroic and aged fig
ure General Booth, whose lot is rendered
peculiarly hard just now by the new defec-
ton that has arisen in his own household.
1t is nothing uncommon for officers of the
Salvation Army to so off after strange gods.
An emotional religion is sure to lead ill
balanced souls into fanaticism, and ordi-
nary instances of this kind are so easily
and quickly disposed of, under the army
! system, that the general public scarcely
hears of them. But sad indeed must it be
for this venerable cheftain to have to cut
off his own flesh and blood for this cause.
One wonders if he might not have stretched
a point and given Booth libborn and his
wife liberty to believe what they pleased
and to preach it, providing they were dis
| Greet and still successfully carried on their
army work.
General Booth, however is a no-compro-
mise man. Like flint his face has been set
from the first against tobacco and rum. No
! man who smokes or drinks can remain a
! soldier in the Salvation Army, and when
! one reflects how common are these prac-
| tees over here, one wonders that, with so
! stringent a rule, so many recruits could
have been enrolled. But this rule General
| Booth has never relaxed in a single in
| stance, and repeatedly has it been shown
that he is equally intOlerant toward strange
| doctrines. Considering, too. the class of
| people he commands, and the tendency of
/ religious extravaganza toward still greater
| extravaganza. this, perhaps, is the only
safe course, for with doctrinal laxity al
I lowed, what might the army not have been
and what might it not stand for at the end
of thirty years? Whereas. under General
! Booths firm and masterful guidance, it re-
mains to-day what il was at the first, doing
the same much-needed work. and. with GER
tain social engagements, preaching exactly
the same gospel.
| But if General Booth is having trouble,
| how much greater than that into which,
at the opening of the coronation year some
! of the dignitaries OF the Church of Eng
| land have been plunged This wear of grace