's genius
and labors to the facts of natural science, and to the proofs of design
abounding in the creation.
* * * * *
The revised version of the Bible (of which the New Testament was issued
in 1881) is now universally in use. The version of King James, so
called, has become antiquated, and is consulted almost alone by scholars
for special inquiries. Editions are now to be had of the later version
in which the reformed spelling of 1925 is carried out.
The Old Catholics, of whom Dollinger and Loyson (Father Hyacinthe) were
leaders during the last century, have carried their reforms much farther
than the High Church section of the Anglican body. They are, it is said,
looking towards junction with the Reformed Episcopal Church, which now
numbers about 600,000 members.
A striking feature in the religious "movement" of our times, is a
general tendency towards the _congregational_ principle of association.
Councils, convocations, synods, conventions, and "yearly meetings" have
more and more an advisory, and less and less of compulsory power, over
independent local congregations. Denominations have so multiplied, that
it looks as if, after awhile, every man may be his own pastor, elder,
bishop, or over-seer,--indeed a whole "church" by himself. Let us hope
that this disintegration only anticipates the final _reunion_ of all
Christians in one flock (perhaps even in one fold), under one shepherd.
The World's Young Men's Christian Association now counts more than two
million members. Its annual conventions meet alternately at
Philadelphia, San Francisco, New Orleans, Washington, London, Rome,
Constantinople, Jerusalem, Calcutta, Melbourne, and Tokio. Women's
Christian Associations number, in the aggregate, almost as many members.
On New Year's day, 1932, a union prayer meeting of all nations is to
convene under the dome of St. Peter's at Rome. It will be continued
daily for two weeks. At least ten languages will be used by those there
assembled for united worship.
* * * * *
At the Pan-Presbyterian Convention, met at San Francisco on the 15th of
last month, a resolution was passed, after protracted debate, in which
it was declared to be the sense of that body that Christian doctrine, in
the progress of modern enlightenment, must not be hereafter fettered by
any prescription, however venerable, of merely human authority; no
minister being bound, therefor
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