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    ITiftratm

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    Itiftratm

    ITiftratm

    Untitled Article

    The New York Daily Tribune of the 3 rd instant brings us cheering news , in the shape of a report of the Religious Conference in *« J" £ ™ £ red to Church of the Future-a Church such as we have repeatedly Vetoed to be the necessity of this age-seems likely to arise from ?» *™» ^™ leading our American brethren . It maybe proper to state , that the feociety of Friends has of late years been troubled by a schism which has split the body into two sections—an orthodox conservative and a liberal progressive section . Moral reforms , such as Anti-slavery , Peace , Temperance , Equalization of Women and Men , have been the subjects of contention Conservative Quakerism holding aloof from reformatory societies , and denouncing all who endeavoured to bring religion into politics ; " Young Quakerism holding to the principle of making all life animated by religion .

    " The contest between the two parties led at length to divisions m the Genesec Indiana and Ohio Yearly Meetings , within whose limits new Societies have been organized , repudiating the old disciplinary arrangements , and inviting to membership , not Quakers alone , but all those , without reference to sect , party or theological belief , who regard the Human Family as one Brotherhood , and who acknowledge their obligation to obey the Golden Rule . The Societies , consequently , embrace many who have never been Friends , but who , having been repelled from other sects by the prevailing Sectarianism , yet feel the want of some form of religious association .

    „ , , , " Within the last two years , the contest between the parties above alluded to , within the limits of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting , has been brought to a more direct issue , and the result is , in Chester County , an open division , and in other parts of the body a state of feeling that seems likely ere long to draw off many of the younger portion of the body to the new movement . The Call for the Conference , of whose proceedings I am about to speak , originated in Chester County , but was addressed to all , without regard to residence , who felt the need of an

    association which should divorce practical Christianity from speculative theology . " In accordance with this call , a large assembly convened in Friends' meetinghouse in Old Kennett , on Sunday , May 22 . Every seat was occupied , many stood in the doors and passages , and others went away because they could not find room even to stand . The meeting presented an imposing appearance . There were a goodly number of aged Friends present of both sexes , dressed in the usual Quaker garb , but the bulk of the audience consisted of intelligent persons of middle age , and as fine a company of youths as I ever saw convened . "

    The " exposition of the sentiments" of the new society , calling itself the Society of Progressive Friends , ( or , in plainer language , " Christians without a Church , " ) is a very remarkable document . It opens with stating why the new sect was forced into dissent : — l " In our efforts to apply the principles of Christianity to daily life , and to socia 1 customs and institutions which we deemed subversive of individual and national morality , as well as in conflict with the laws of God , we encountered the hostility of the popular sects , to one or another of which most of us belonged , and to which we were bound by ties that grew with our growth and strengthened with our strength . Mingling with the chime of church bells and with the tones of the preacher ' s voice , or breaking upon the stillness of our religious assemblies , we heard the clank of the slave ' s chain , the groans of the wounded and dy ing on the field of bloody strife , the noise of drunken revelry , the sad cry of the widow and the fatherless , and the wail of homeless , despairing poverty , driven

    ' By foul Oppression ' s ruffian gluttony Forth from life ' s plenteous feast ;' and when , in obedience to the voice of Goil , speaking through the holiest sympathies and purest impulses of our Godlike humanity , we sought to arouse our countrymen to united efforts for the relief of human suffering , the removal of giant wrongs , the suppression of foul iniquities , wo found the Church , in spite of her solemn professions , arrayed against us , blocking up the path of reform with her

    serried rankd , prostituting her mighty influence to the support of wickedness in high places , smiling complacently upon the haughty oppressor , 'justifying the wicked for a reward , ' maligning the faithful Alxliels who dared to stand up for the truth nnd to testify against popular crimes—thus traitorously upsetting tho very foundations of the religion she wi \ h sacredly bound to support and exemplify , and doing in the name of Christ deeds at which humanity shuddered , obliteratir g her indignant blushen only with the tears that welled up from tho deeps of her great , loving heart . "

    When they found themselves excommunicated , because they associated with noble men and women , not of their own sect , for the purpose of abolishing Slavery , War , Intemperance , kc , —when they found the meaning of Christianity subordinated to sectarian shibboleths , its teaching subordinated to a church , " and the sum of every virtue in man narrowed down to the dimensions of a particular creed , or smothered under the petty limitations of speculative theology , " they began seriously to inquire , What is this Church which thus enthrals us ? The result of their inquiry was that Churches are human Institutions , fallible , perfectible , like all other

    institutions : — " Wo have dwelt lit sonic length on thin point , because we deem it of fundamental importance . Tliw claim of organic communion with ( lod lies at tho root of many evils in the Churches around uh , and hence we desire- to make our denial of its validity t \ s emphatic uh possible . We would impress upon the minds of all whom our voice may reach , the truth , that there is no mysterious alchemy whereby a compnny of men , mean and selfish ns individuals , are transmuted into a holy body ; no Divine afflatus vouchsafed to them in the man * , superseding the necessity of pcmonul conformity to tho will of ( lod . Such a claim in the acme of superstition nnd hnnoHturo . It ' lunu / . iiig that it should for so long u jwriod huvo deceived and befooled the nations ! When will tho people learn that therein nothing Divine , nothing too wtcrcd for invedtiprntion , in the artificial arrangement * and prescribed

    formalities of sects ? Alas ! what multitudes join the popular Churches , submitting to their rites and paying the expenses of their administration , deluding themselves meanwhile with the idea that they are thus ensuring their eternal salvation , even though their daily lives are defiled by sordid and debasing acts , and they scarcely lift a finger or breathe one honest aspiration for their own or the world s moral improvement I " Our inquiries into the nature and uses of Keligious Organization have also brought us to the conclusion that the Churches around us have made a vital mistake in demanding uniformity of belief in respect to scholastic theology , ordinances , rites , and forms , as a condition of religious fellowship and the basis of associated effort . " Their new Church is based upon absolute freedom .

    " It has been our honest endeavour to avoid , if possible , the mistakes into which previous organizations have so generally iallen , and especially those radical errors which are pointed out in this address . To this end we have made our association as simple as possible , having done little more than to provide for an annual assembly . We claim for this organization no other powers than such as we ourselves have conferred upon , it in consistency with our own and others' individual freedom . We make no draft upon the veneration of our fellow-men for any arrangement that we have adopted , or may adopt hereafter . Veneration is due only to God and to those eternal principles of Kectitude , Justice , and Love , of which He is the

    embodiment . " We have set forth no forms nor ceremonies ; nor have we sought to impose upon ourselves or *> thers a system of doctrinal belief . Such matters we have left where Jesus left them , with the conscience and common sense of the individual . It has been our cherished purpose to restore the union between Religion and Life , and to place works of goodness and mercy far above theological speculations and scholastic subtleties of doctrine . Creed-making is not among the objects of our association . Christianity , as it presents itself to our minds , is too deep , too broad , and too high , to be brought within the cold propositions of the theologian . We

    should as soon think of bottling up the sunshine for the use of posterity , as of attempting to adjust the free and universal principles taught and exemplified by Jesus of Nazareth to the angles of a man-made creed . Churches which undertake this impious and impracticable work doom themselves thereby to barrenness and death . Instead of being warmed and animated by that living faith which ' works by love , ' and overcomes the world , they lapse into bigotry and intolerance , and their formularies , having no life in themselves , become at length mere petrifactions , fossil remains of ideas , which , however significant once , have no longer any adaptation to the condition of the race . It is sad to behold a Church , with Christ's

    name upon its brow , turning away from the wells of immortal truth , and clinging with superstitious pertinacity and veneration to the shell of an ancient creed , or the letter of an ancient Discipline , from which the original soul long since took its flight ; swift to frown upon the slightest departure from its forms and theories , but slow to utter a testimony against a popular sin ; ever zealous in tithing ' mint , anise , and cummin , ' but heavy of step and slow of speech when the great interests of Humanity are at stake . " Our terms of membership are at once simple , practical , and catholic . If we may be said to have a test , it is one which applies to the heart and the life , not to the head nor to any of its speculations . Our platform is broad as Humanity , and comprehensive as Truth . We interrogate no man as to his theological belief j we send no Committees to pry into the motives of those who may desire to share the benefits of our Association ; but open the door to all who recognise the Equal Brotherhood of the Human Family , without regard to sex , colour , or condition ,

    and who acknowledge the duty of defining nnd illustrating their faith in God , not by assent to a creed , but by lives of personal purity and works of beneficence and charity to mankind . If , by any possibility , there should be found here and there n sincere inquirer after truth , who may not feel himself included in this invitation to membership , we shall still bid him welcome to our assemblies , and listen with patience to whatever hia highest convictions may prompt him to offer . We do not seek to bind our Association together by external bands , nor by agreement in theological opinions . Identity of object , oneness of spirit in respect to the practical duties of life , the communion of soul with soul in a common lovo of the beautiful and true , and a common aspiration after moral excellence , —these are our bond of union : and when these shall die out in our hearts , nothing will remain to hold us together ; and those who shall come after us will not be subjected to the trouble of tearing down a great ecclesiastical edifice , constructed b y our hands , before they can make provision for tho supply of their own religious wants . "

    Our extracts have been long ; but so few readers receive American papers that it seemed desirable to reproduce as much of this exposition as space would admit .

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    Among the sensible things " talked of" just now in various circles , is one which every reader will thank us for directing his attention to , if he have not anticipated us—viz ., the Marine Vivarium in the Zoological Gardens . The active , ingenious , and inventive secretary , D . W . Mitchell , who has a true passion for Natural History , and whose passionate zeal carries him successfully through all tasks , has this year rendered the Gardens infinitely more attractive than they were before . His Fish House is a palace of wonder and delight . One could spend weeks in it with interest and fresh instruction . How many of us , book-naturalists , alas ! for the most part , " cabined , cribbed , confined" within the smoky necessities of metropolitan life , have never seen a third of the sea anemonies and

    cchinodcrms gathered together in this Fish House ! We know the polyps , perhaps , from seeing one occasionall y on our coasts , during a " fortnight ' s residence with the children ; " we know the other forms in engravings but how different they are when seen here in these miniature seas , living among the marine plants and fishes , expanding their delicate arms in slow rhythmic movements , betraying their secrets to spectators crowding round the glass tanks ! Polyps , molluscs , echinodenns , barnacles , lobsters , saltwater-fish , are here to be seen as they are to be seen at the bottom of the ocean . You have only to multi ply them b y million ,,, and exaggerate the small piece of rock into a reef of some miles , and the wonders of ocean-life ore before you J

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    Critics are not the legislators , but the judges ^ P ^ ^ L ^ t eS ? JBrt £ 2 " make laws—they interpret and try to enforcetnem . »<

    Untitled Article

    594 T H E LEADER . [ Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 18, 1853, page 594, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1991/page/18/