Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-05-19
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.


rREsBTTER1AS (oID scHoOL9 GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Assembly convened yesterday moTningat
the First Presbyterian Church, corner of 9th
Avenue and 18th street About one hundred and
fifty clerical and lay members were present
After the preliminary exercises, the opening
sermon was delivered by Rev. Nathan L. Rice
ID. D., Of ST. Louis, Che Moderator of the last
Assembly, His text was the first and second
verses of the 4th chapter of the Cd EPiste of Paul
to Timothy.
The speaker, after remarkinS that all good
emotions proceeded from the proper apprchen-
sion of Gods work; that the Word is TO- be
preached to all the world; and that preaching IS
a work of greatresp proceeded to speak
of the proper manner OF speaking. 1t should hc
cXigeticaf and eXpOsitory, rather than phlioso-
iphieal: Itisan important question how far min
stcr4s of the gospel should allow their theaclngs
to be effected by protessed discoveries in science
and especially the science of mind. The truth
has suffered much false systems Of science. 1t
is necessary to define the relation between the
gospel of Christ and the teachings of science
There is perfect harmony between the volumes
of revelation and the Volume Of mature. From
any department oftrue science, the minister may
draw proofs nf divine revelation. Both volumes
of nature and revelation arc to he studied from
the same general principles. When the philos-
ophcr Of nature has gathered all his parts he
can go no farther. The same is true of the hi
bic No natural philosopher can doubt a fact
USc'i1Se IL oOss iiOI ~ .''tS ~ .I
views, and because 1t Is at variance VITA some
other fact And so, We have no right to d0nht
a fact asserted. IN the bible, because we cannot
! fully comprehend it Each of the volumes is
superior in its own department Physical parts
which belong exclusively to science, are TO be
settled by science. Buttacts, which are conncct,
ed with the dealings OF TOD Win man. sho"d
be determined by revelation.
Revelation alone can determine the moral ma
t,lre of the mind-thc nature of sin and hoii-
ness. Whenever we ind 1t dIttcuitto harmon
ize our metaphysical theories with the teachings
of the Bible, VIC may conclude that our meta
physics are erroneous It's an instructive TACT
that the metaphysics OF the sacred volume can
be understood independent of all other meta
physics. The Bible has achieved its most Won
dcrful-triumphs, when the world had no system
of metaphysics. The preacher had greater neeo
to study human nature than metaPhyslcs.-7
All history proves the unsPeakaolc importance
of preachers combining themselves to an expose
ton OF Gods word rather than the lncuIcatlon
The speaker did not oppose the general cXcr-
else of reason upon religious truths. That there
was danger that reason could go beyond its pro
! per bounds. We should receive implicitly the
declarations of the Bible, and then use our rea-s
son to interpret them. Our reason should be
| employed to confirm the word Of God and com
bat false reason. Reason finds noble employ
meut hin looking into the pages of the Bible and
gathering its revelations. 1t has wider range
: there than in studying the book of nature. The
minister of Christ should enrich his sermons by
liberal quotations from the word of God. We
have the example of Christ's apostles in favor of
this plan. They were in the constant habit OF