Year: 1878

In the current number of the Atlantic
Monthly, the first article has caught pub
lie notice more than any other paper of
the October monthlies. 1t is not perfect
by any means. 1t has grave errors of
fact in it, and some very unsound reason
ing. But there is, nevertheless, so much
truth and candor in it, and suggestions
of such great value that, on the whole, we
believe it useful


1t proposes to mention certain danger
Gus tendencies in American life" and
much of the strength and length of the
paper is spent in showing the decadence
of the Church, which is represented as
being largely destitute of the life and
POKER of Christianity so conformed to
the world as to be distin guished from it,
and in general not much better than no
Church at all.


One little remnant remains And as
there were 1000 in Israel who had not
bowed the knee to Baal, SO this writer
believes small portion of the Church is
true to the Master in the midst Of mod
ern degeneracy. He writes:


The church is now, for the most part,
a depository of social rather than of re-
ligious influences. Its chief force or vi
tality is no longer religious. There are
still, of course. many truly religious peo-
pie in the churches, who sincerely believe
the old doctrines embodied in all the
creeds. But these are everywhere a small
minority and they are mournfully con-
scious that the old religious life and pow
er have departed from the Church. They
distrust the methods Of the modern revi
valism, and do not feel at home among
the younger members Of the Church,
with their advanced views and fashiona-
ole, thorough going worldliness They
are alarmed to find the atmosphere and
tone of the Church becoming more and
more secular and business-like. These
people, who thus represent the better
elements of a former state of things, are
the real strength Of the evangelical Pro
testant churches so far as religion is
concerned, and their character is one oi
the most wholesome and truly conserva
tive forces of our national life They are
not liberal in their views, but they are
sincere. They live pure and good lives
They speak the truth, a rare virtue now
and they can be trusted with anybody &
money. They will do what they believe
to be right, though all men deride or op
pose, and at any cost to themselves in
business or worldly interests. But they
are too few to regener.te the American
| Church. though their influence is highly
valuable ID resisting some of the evil ten
| denotes Of the age. Most of them are old
! and they have few successors among the
younger people. They have already done
most of their work, and their number and
strength diminish from year to year"


AS the aainlus of the whole paper may
be regarded US unfriendly to the Church
and as it certainly eXaggerates its short
comings, and is disposed to make th,
most OF its failures, we may justly accep
the qualification we have cited, as th
reluctant testimony Of an adverse witnes
to the consistency and purity of the littl
handful OF church people not already Civ
en- up 10 the worship of mammon. The,
are the real strength of the Evan gelica
Protestant Churches" We think the
are, be their numbers few or many
They are not liberal in their views ::
that depends on what is meant by E6era
AS the word is used by men who cal
themselves liberal, they are not entitle
to the term. They are just and that
q thousand times more and better thai
to be liberal. A man may be liberal, an
very bad man also. A just man is a
ways good. A liberal man may do yer
unwise and injurious things. A just ma
does only what is right. The name c
being liberal is therefore no honorable G
enviable distinction unless, at the sam
time, it belongs to a wise and good mar
But this writer, himself literal doubtless
has studied we'll the character of the me
in the Church of today who are evange
zeal and conservative, but who are not i
his view LIBERAL


He gives his opinion of the other elias
whom he knows intimately, and in thes
words:


For this class all the barriers and di


tinctions between the Church and tn
: world have been removed. Church wor
is for them, in all its forms, kind
sacred amusement. Public worship, wit
its nulpit oratorY and modern churc