THE RELIGIOUS DRIFT

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 17, 1878

THE RELIGIOUS DRIFT.

In the strife and struggle of civil and political interests, the ecclesiastical situation must not be entirely overlooked. It is long since we had a genuine religious war, but there are certain signs and tokens which indicate that such a conflict may not be far distant. When Indian tribes which have been long at variance cease their petty raids upon each other and meet around one council fire to concentrate their forces against a common foe, experience teaches us to be prepared to hear the savage war-cry break forth at any time; and when the assailants and the assailed are nearly equal in numbers and resources, we naturally expect the contest to be a long and bitter one.

Dr. J. P. Thompson, formerly of New York, but now of Berlin, a shrewd and careful student of public affairs, says that there are now in Europe, as with us, some threatening perils, owing to the fact that the current of religious thought there, as here, exhibits everywhere two marked and opposing tendencies, the one strong drift being toward ecclesiastical ritualism and superstition, the other a reaction from it, equally strong, of skeptical rationalism and infidelity. “These two tendencies,” he says, “superstition and skepticism, divide in almost equal proportions the masses of European society.” That the same antagonistic tendencies are plainly observable in this country, no one can doubt; and that, especially within the last quarter of a century, the drift toward rationalism has greatly increased and strengthened, until it is now nearly, if not quite, equal in breadth and force to the counter current, is generally admitted. The relatively small attendance on church services, the largely increased sale of scientific and polemic works of a skeptical tone, and the great popularity of certain rationalistic preachers and lecturers, indicate this in a most unmistakable manner. The fact that Jefferson, Adams, and others of the most eminent and honored names in our national history, were decided freethinkers, and the correlated fact that our national organic law is free from religious favoritism and protects the rationalist and the dogmatist alike, have greatly aided the development of this skeptical tendency. The influence of great names is always potent with the people, and a complete or proximate exemption from civil penalties and disabilities on account of skeptical opinions has ever had the apparent effect of stimulating their growth.

Alarmed at the drift matters have been taking of late, the Protestant Evangelical sects some years ago united in an “Alliance” which has already displayed no small degree of that strength which comes from union and earnestness. There has also been formed within a few years in this country a league, or association, which proposes to amend our national Constitution so as to give a quasi establishment to Christianity; and this association numbers among the members of its many branches in different States, governors, senators and judges, as well as bishops, and embraces influential men of sects called “liberal” as well as those styled “evangelical.”

On the other side, there have been formed in many of our larger cities and towns organizations called “Liberal Leagues,” composed chiefly of rationalists and persons of a skeptical turn, whose avowed object is to resist the Christianizing of the Constitution, and make our civil government and our schools completely secular.

The time will come before long when these forces, thus marshaling, will be drawn up in battle array on some vital, practical issue, and then will come the tug of a fierce conflict. But the most recent and significant fact bearing on this issue is that of a large meeting of the clergy and laity of the Anglican Church, held in Oxford last month, for the purpose of securing the co-operation of Roman Catholic prelates and priests in promoting the unity of Christendom. The Bishop of Bombay presided, and on the platform were several priests of the Catholic Church. The spirit of the meeting may be judged from the passage of the following resolution:—

“Resolved, That the advance of the infidel movement throughout Europe, and the actual or threatened dissolution of the relations of Church and State, constitute a fresh call on all sincere believers to pray and labor earnestly for the reunion of Christians in one faith and one fold.”

Canon Ridgway, in seconding the resolution, maintained that there was “not so great or so vital a difference between the churches”—Catholic and Protestant—“as was once supposed;” and several clergymen expressed the conviction that the accession of Pope Leo XIII was favorable to their designs, and that Cardinal Manning and other leading theologians of that church, realizing the common danger, would be glad to meet and discuss a possible basis of reunion. What this new movement may ultimate in remains to be seen; but nothing can be plainer than that the lines between Christianity and Rationalism, between Ecclesiasticism and Secularism, are being drawn, and that ere long a vigorous and perhaps decisive conflict of the opposing armies may be anticipated. The ultimate result, it may be confidently predicted, will be in favor of the progressive and not the reactionary forces.—San Francisco Sunday Chronicle, June 16, 1878.