Year: 1871

| fault with the religious press In our view%
religious paper ought not merely to give us
| polemic and political discussion and mik-and-
| water tales and abstracts of sermons, but
| should also furnish the latest and freshest
news in regard to the progress of the churches.
This is exactly what the religious editor never
or ever imperfectly does. We are sure
that there ia a splendid opening for real live
journalist in this as yet untitled, or at any
rate clumsily titled, field. The "Religious
Meas" or some paper of similar title, which
should specially devote itself to the gathering
and publication Of interesting items about the
religious interests of the country-nay, we
might say, Of the wide wOrld-would
prove an immense success. At present the
religious press is only sort of diluted theo-
logical review, profusely padded with pious
clippings setting forth the penalties of Sabbath
breaking and the alarming growth of in-
fidelity.


The Independent this week surpasses even
its usual high standard Of literary excellence.
Its leader Is o somewhat gloomy article on the
'Wild Irish" in which, after an analysis Of
| Pats character, there occurs the following
| plain-speaking passage -


IL IS, however. an important and timely question
what the attitude OF the nation shall be toward this
| war upon his religion ana Know Nothing orders,
that osraclse him because Of his foreign birth, are
excellent way or teaching him his place and help.
ing him to nil 1t with credit himself and to the
country. In the first place. then Patrick the roter
must be put down. This nation gives HIM the
largest liberty and 1t will not suffer him To interfere
cures himself Of his chronic disposition to consder
every expression OF an opinion at variance with his
own as an insult the better for hlun.


The Ecangelist has long but of course parti-
san article on the interesting problem whether
| the Pope will leave Rome. II thinks that to
abandon the city Of the C@sars to it, fate
would be the most dignifed ooless to follow,
but infers that the personal inclination Of the
Pope and the great improbabiity Of his ever
being allowed to return on any conditions, If
he once betook himself to another refuge, will
induce him to remain. 1t gives, however,
fair picture of the danger involved in the
Italian occupation of Rome to the indepen-
dence of the Holy See, and concludes as fol-
lows


The first among the members OF the University to
compliment the King on his arrival at Rome were
|
partisans OF the Pope-Signor Aibrandi having
even visited the Vatican that morning The Jesuts
are very fierce against these deserters and have IN
stituted process against the Canon Audlsio in the
Holy once, which Il Is believed Will result in hts
II the Pope fingers at Rome, where is this to end
II he depart, where Is he TO go9 Echo answers
| wheres


The Observer, as usual, is conspicuously
agricultural. 1t gives an interesting article on
the best way to commence operations on
truck farm, and another on the Colorado
potato beetle. What connection these sub
jects have, however, with the spread of the
Gospel and the edifcaton of the faithful we
fail to perceive. This weekly also contains
thoughtful article on the Dollinger movement
| and the results it may work in the Catholic
Church. 1t says, in effect, that while the
tendency Of the present age is more favorable
to the prospects of q reform agitation in refer
ence to such things as the separation of Church
and State, free press and liberty of public
opinion, than was the case in the age of Luther,
yet still the Church is more perfectly drilled
now than then, and that at present ''the fair
average of pious Roman Catholic people is
more Romish than Catholic, and that their
devotion to Christianity and their attachment
to the Church are bound together almost in
separately with an unreserved submission to
the Holy Father. Consequently it demands
more clearness of thought, greater sensi-
bility of conscience and far higher degree
of spiritual sobriety than ever before from a
faithful Roman Catholic to join at this time
the party Of opposition"


l Wa hav JaJ ~
| Methodist for being faithful In the main to i,s
religious duties as newspaper. As usual,
ii Is this week filed with we'll written and lucid
presentations Of its particular stripe OF the
ology, and We hail these efforts with applause.
| But, says the Apostle, in speaking Of certain
virtues, ''and the greatest of these is charity"
And this week the Free Mett0diss is sadly
wanting in this, the most important feature of
the Christian character. 1t pitches, with
almost indecent fercencss, into the Methodist
| Episcopal Church at Buffalo for having assumed
the cost Of completing Masonic lodge, which
was opened in that city recently, according
to the idolatrouy rites of this Christess assocl-
ation.' The Free M6aodis then savsgely
inquiries -:


why should not the MaS0ns build their own
| churches and support their own preachcrsP Why
should profcssed Christians support Masonry, an
sttutiOn which entirely rejects Christi Why should
| they give their money to Masonic preachers any
more than to Jewish rabies or Buddhist priests.
| The Free Methodist also throws a stone at
some other unfortunate Methodist Episcopal
congregation that apparently has allowed
young ladies to sell cigars and papers of
chewing tobacco at one of lis bazaars Worse
STILL people we're encouraged to buy the
noxious weed by statement that the papers
of tobacco contained here and there ten dol
lar greenbsck. This was of course, species
of gambling, and we dlsapprove as strongly as