Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-03-03
From the Critic.
The Fearless Incubation Of Scripture
Teaching the Great Demand, Of this
I0hRiry at the PfeSentfime.,, =

Teaching the Great Demand OF, this
if0hRlry at The Pfestntfime.,,
The old and cherished maxims Of
the Christian faith are in issue,~ I'M
der forms which seem to take for
granted the utter impossibility of de-
ternining anything whatever rs de-
tiniteFItrue as pertaining to the an
Client fifth of the Apostles and Pros
phets. The; great question OF this
day is how to encounter the distem-
pered action Of the public mind, which
is Issuing Satisfactorily on such i'm
mense public interests \
The answer which I'VE give to this
question, is intimated in zthe caption
oftllis article: the remedy is, to be
founasin bold and stringent utter
ancq ofthe. minAof God as expressed
in the Holy Scriptures. The great
mischief to be reached is in the dis
ordered morahald religious conric-
tions ofthe pcopIet 1t is impossible
TO control these except by going to
the source OF their moral and. relig
ious convictions. Ii they are belicv-
ers in the Word Of God, pianifcstly,
their religions convictions arc to be
controlled bFa plain and conclusive
display of the teachings of that book
Iftltey arc intidels, they are still 10
be met, If wisely met, not by philo2
soplilcal augmentation mainly, bat
by the fearless and pointed statement
OF The truth as it is in jesus. 1t ought
never to be forgotten in all attempts
to- regulate the disordered views OF all
classcs,6t men. that the gospel is not
merely doctrinS but a p0'oer:: it is a
thing not merely 70 be ] believed, but
a power to befstt: ana that cohse-
qnently, tits not dependent for its sue
cess on a previons-candid and volun-
tarv action on the part Of men, bat on
q pOrer, which, exerted Ivy a sover-
seign God, sub fues the pride of man
and makes him willing in the day Of
Co.'s power. The very best way to
meet aiEerror, is to make up, directly
and witlra string ent clearpess of OPP
position which. cannot be mistaken,
an a absolute Issue, plain, bold, and
uususceptibte of compromise, between
it and the Word Of God. There is a
power aboih that word which will in
sure the victory. 1t IS the sword of
thu Spirit, and The more markedly its
edge is brought uponrthe, head Of or
or. the moresBpeedily will the Issue be
determined. 1t appeals toyan exist
ing condition in the moral snscepti-
biiities ofthe soul, which no skepti-
cisrn can resist. Let the voice Of God
be heard in all collision with his en-,
emies. And let the issue be between
them alone. & i r
Let MS take for example the qnes-
ton of slavery. Let US hook to the
past and present posture Of the mind
of Christendom, upon it, Forty years
ago there was scarcely division Of
sentiment in relation to it; all Christ
dom was united in the opinion, that
slavery was relation involving an
essential criminalitys some holding
to one degree oft, and others tc-. an
other, but all agreed IN the opinion
that ifinyolved some degree ofthe ma
ture ofsin. -
The agitation of the question how
ever, began to change the position OF
affairs. Some became more and more
heated against slavery, and began to-
consider it as ofthe same class, with
murder. piracy and the highest crimes
ofthe decalegue. Others still recos:
ming il. as a sin, yet did not regard
it as incompatible with Christian
character, or as involving a breach
Of communion with the church Of
Christ. but still recognizing it a, q
sin. Such was the position Of affairs
some forth years since in this country
when the serious investigation OF the
subject may be said to have coininenc-
ed.
Look at the facts. On one side we
seethe universal and undispdted con-
yietien that slavery was sin per Sc.
On the other, VIC see that the Word OF
God does recognize the existence OF
slavery as a lawful relation. We see
that it does not recognize it on the
same footing with polygamy or other
sins Of the patriarchs. On the con.
trary. it stands in tho category OF
otherand confessedly lawful relations.
God IS Represented as.the originalre-
former ofitbetweep the sons Of Noah,