THE NEW PURITANISM PAPERS BY LYMAN ABBOTT, AMORY H. BRADFORD DURING THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH, BROOKLYN, N. Y. WITH INTRODUCTION BY ROSSITER W. RAYMOND NEW YORK: FORDS, HOWARD, PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. THE expansion both of knowledge and of wisdom in all departments of life during the Nineteenth Century has nowhere been more manifest than in religious matters. The general mental attitude in nearly all communions has changed, towards God and towards man. The result is an immense increase of vital interest, with a corresponding decline in mere formalism. This is particularly noticeable in two directions. One is that, where formerly the more conscientious professing Christians. would "read a chapter" in the Bible with a comfortable sense of duty done, now thousands, Christians and others, are studying those ancient scriptures with discrimination, yet with genuine delight in their treasures -of allegory, of biography, of history, of し |
