The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-06
THE FIELD OF RELIGION.

cnufcn recently that the heN. LIT. Newman Snnyth virtually predicted new Catholicism as a consequence of the passing Of the traditional spirit of Protestantism, which he declared had won it's victories, and the infusion of the spirit of modernism among the priests of the Roman Catholic church. Aside from the interest 1t has provull- ed in every part of the country, it appears to have been accompanied by a series of events and incidents, which, if they do not wholly bear out the prophecy of our distinguished fel- low citizen that a new religion is in the making, they do carry conviction to the extent that the prevailing re- ligious state is unsatisfactory and c.ln be improved upon. The trend is t.,
 wards the enlivening and extension cf the field of religion.
 The Chapman meetings, which were begun auspiciously in this city yester- day, bear out this impression. It is true that they have not appealed with the same force to all people who are nevertheless interested in the new movement. but that perhaps is of lit- tie consequence as compared with the probability of their awakening the people of the city of New Haven to fuller realization of their religious du- ty towards each other. They cannot mean. and we take 1t that they are not intended to mean, that the meth ods essential to the awakening must be permanently employed. They are rather designed to arouse men who for many reasons have permitted their interest in religious matters to sag. There is an old belief in commercial circles that about once in so often the tnparticular industry under considera- ton needs shaking up by the intro duction of new blood, in order to con- tinue its effective service. The philoso- pher tells us that occasional interrup- tions of national prosperity are neces- sary to teach us how better tu care for try is to-day looking forward to the return of prosperity with an increas- ed confidence in it's ability to take care of it on account of the lesson so rough ly taught during the past five months. It is the belief of those who have planned the Chapman meetings that at their close the religious atmosphere of the city will be keener with the de- termination to raise the standards of social and business life. Whether this turns out to be so or not, the effort of itself will doubtless lead ultimately to some sort of useful achievement. One thing we may be sure of, and that Is that the time and thought being given these meetings, and the ;ampeign back of them, testify to an enlarge rnent of the religious aspirations ot this community, and with the Chap man meetings as an influence Il this direction must go the mission being conducted by the Episcopal churches
 We notice that many members oi the Episcopal diocese of New York are protesting against the open pulpit policy which is now in full force there. They fear that the opening of the Episcopal pulpit to clergymen of oth- CT denominations will wreck the or sanization and produce chaos. The an swer to that is that if the Episcopal church cannot stand that test of its efficiency it's rupture and destruction are but matter of time anyway, and it is of little consequence what par ticular blow levels 1t to the earth. On the other hand, those who approve of the open pulpit policy point to Its adoption as proof positive of the wid- ening usefulness and power of it's re- lisious machinery. It has long bee. the practice of certain churches of va rious denominati ons to invite al. strangers present to participate in the holy communion, whether members oi that church or not. That was dis .inct and definite realization of the fact that narrowness of vision wa more powerful in the contro! of those churches than it should be. The oper pulpit is but another step in advance and iustifably provokes the confidence of it's supporters in its final influence We must admit that if the rule Q consistency Is to be followed the antis have ihe best of it. There is something absurd about the expulsion of pr rrsnsev from his church on account of the Tberality of his views and the invitation extended to the Rev. pr William R. Richards of the New York Brick church to preach in Christ church of that city. But this onwar' and upward movement cannot con- ger, itself with such inconsistencies unless it is to be downward and back ward The expulsion of Dr. Crapsel Yas q fearful error of judgment, g much so in fact that it is now tac1tl' agreed that no other priest of tha nharch will be tried tor a similar of.