The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-10-01

DAnisl WobstAr's Oea1bas,oa of Fait
/. DR.. Smith Of this city, Concord, N. II
has put into our hands the following letter
Daniel Webster % Rev Thomae Worceste
formerly pastor oftho Congregational Churt
n Salisbury, Which j. accompanied with
confession 81 his reliE fcus faith, both OF whis
are 10 his own hand waiting. We have zee
Mr. WobstofAs name in the records Of til
church in Salisbury, enrolled among its men
bers, If We mistake not, about the time I'll
letter below beafs date He remained
member Of that church till his death. III
letter and confession were never before pull
lished. They are - follows:
BoscAwRN, Aug. 8, 1907.
DEAR Sin The other day We were con
versing respecting confession Of faith. Som
time aga | wrete down, for my own use.
few propositions ID the shape Of articles, in,
tending 70 exhihita very short summary o
tho doctrines Of the Christian religion, al
they impress my mind. l have taken th.
liberty 70 inclose = copy for your perusal.
am, Dir, with respect, Yours, 10,
D. WEBSTER
| believe in the existence Of Almighty God
who created and governs the whole world
am taught this by the works Of nature, and
the word Of revelation
believe that God exists Ii three persons;
this ] learn from revelation alone Nor is il
any objection to this belief, that cannot
comprehend how one can Be three or three
one. hold Tiny duty to believe, not what
can comprehend or account for, but wha.
my Maker teaches me
1 believe the Scriptures Of the Old and
New Testament 70 be the will and word Of
God.
Ibelieve Jesus. Christ to be the Son Of God
The miracles which he wrought, establish, in
my mind, his personal authority, and render
it proper for mo to believe whatever he as
sefts; believe, therefore, all his declarations,
as well when he declares himself 10 be the
Son Of God, as when he declares any other
And believe there is no other
way ofsalvation, than through the merits Of
his atonement
! believe that things past, present and to
come, are eli equally present in the mind OF
the Deity; that with him there il no sue
cession Of time, nor Of ideas that, therefore,
the relative terms past present, and future,
% used among men, cannot, with strict pro-
priety, be applied to Deity. believe in the
doctrines Of foreknowledge and predestina-
ton, as thus expoundsd do not believe in
those doctrines, as imposing any fatality or
necessity on mems actions, or any way in
ringing free agency.
believe in the utter inability Of any hu.
man being to work out his own salvation,
without the constant aids of the Spirit Of ali
grace.
believe in these great peculiarities Of the
Christian religion Resurrection from the
lead, and a day Of Judgment
believe in tho universal Providence Of
God; and leave to Epicurus, and his more
unreasonable followers in modern times, the
of believing that God made
world which he does not take the trouble Of
governing
Although have great respect for some
,ther forms Of worship, believe the Con-
mode, on the whole to be prefer
bile to any other.
believe religion to be matter not Of
Demonstration, but Of faith, God requires
10 to give credit to the truths which he re-
'eals, not because He declares them. When
he mind is reasonably convinced that the
Bible is the word Of God, the only remaining
lnty is to receive its doctrines, with full con.
idence of their truth, and practice them with
pure heart
I believe that the Bible Is to be understood
md received in the plain and obvious mean.
NJ OF its passages; since cannot persuade |
nyself that book intended for the instruc.
ION and conversion Of the whole world. |
hould cover its true meaning in such mys.
cry and doubt, that none but critics and |
can discover it.
! believe that the experiments and sub. |
leties Of human wisdom are more likely to |
bscure; than to enlighten the revealed will |
{ God, and that he is the most accomplished |
,hristian scholar who hath been educated at |
ne feet Of Jesus, ard in the College Of Fish
rmen.
| believe that all true religion consists in
ne hears and the affections, and that, there
ore, that all creeds and confessions are falli.
le and uncertain evidences of evangelical
iety
Finally, | believe that Christ has imposed |
n all his disciples life ofactive benevoience;
lat he who rofrains only from what he
links to be sin has performed but part,
nd small part Of his duty; that he is bound
% good and communicate; to love his
eighbor. TO give food and drink to his enemy,
nd to endeavor, as far as in him lies, to pro-
tote peace, truth piety, and happiness in a
licked and forlorn world, believing that in
re great day which is to come, there will
Q no other standard ofmerit, no other crite-
on of character, than that which is already |
"By their fruits ye shall know
lem. - Cong, journal.