American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-02-17
HENRY WARD BEECIER.
On lnhdel Greetings and hristiah Re


At q recent meeting in Cincinnati 10
celebr tie the birth day Of Tom Payne, the
following toast was offered. which We had
not seen unnl 1t appeared in the columns
of the N Y. Times.
"At a recent celebration OF Tom Pay
birth day at Cincinnati. the infdels pres
ent toasted The Heretic Clergy, Parker.
Emerson. Conway. Chaplin. Beecher, and
all who love men above all crGeds and seols
and rituals and observance, who regard
men ms the highest and ho!iest and most
sacred Of all 10 the universe their
motto be ever onward, greater freedom
aud clearer hight.
We have felt some hesitation in appro-
priating the family designation to our.
selves. There is venerable man, DR..
Lyman Beecher, who always "lcyed man
above creed and sects and rituals and OBJ
servanccs," and who endeayored for more
than half century to employ creeds
and sects, rituals and observaness for the
promotion of the good Of all men. 1t
may be bin that is meant. Or, these gen
temen might Of had in mind another one
of the same name, who has for the sake of
mankind, put Sampson quite into the
back ground. For this sacred Hercules
carried of the gates of Giza. and escaped
from his enemies. But Dr. L iward Beech
er has gone far back OF GAIA, TO the gates
ef Tins, and Unmatched, unhinged. and
walked off with the doors of the world on
his shoulders. SO shat men csg walk back
and forward between pre-existent world
and this one. as one would walk from
chamber TO parlor, or from parlor 10 bou-
doir! lie too is just the man described,
as one who prefers meu 10 creeds, sects,
etc.. and has long endeavored to serve men
by means Of them
Then there are several others Of this
family name Of precisely the same disposi-
ton. We have called no family synod,
and yetwe venture to say that every one
Of that name not only, but OF every name
that calls UPON our Lord and Saviour, Je.
sns Christ, love man above creeds. scots.
etc., when they are in their most truly
Christian dispositions.
Nor do we except to tile expression
which makes man to be the chi chest holi-
est, and most sacred OF all in the universe;
if our iDfIel friends meant man as now
represented by Christ, who became aman
that he might lit men up to God. For il
Is written, God also hath highly e.alted d
him, and given him a name which is above
every name, that at the name Of Jesus ev-
cry knee should bow, OF things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the
earth; and that every tongue should con-
fess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory
Of God the Father"
We trust that it was with this passage
in their eye that our well.wishers in Gin
cinuaIi only 6yuratively put man the high
es aud holiest OF all things. We accept
also their motto: Ever, onward, greater
freedom and clearer light" NothiIg can
be more eminenIly and thoroughly Scrip
tural.
"Ever onward" "Ths one thing |
do, forgetting lh. Sc things which are be-
hind, and reaching forth unto, those things
which are before, press toward the mark
for the prize OF the high calling Of God in
Christ Jesus" Phil, iii. 10, ID.
"Greater Freedom" II the Soa there
fore shall make you free, ye shall be free
indeed. John viii sc. "But Jerusalem
which is abov is Free, which is the auth
or fus all. Stand fast, therefore in the
Liberty wllerewith Christ hath made u
Free" Gal. iv. 26;y. /.
"CIearer Light" "For Col who OF m
manded the light 10 shine out Of darkness
hath shned in our hearts, to give the ligh
of the glory Of God in the face of jesus
Christ" ] Cor. iv. 6. "Now we SCI
through glass dn,kly, but then face Il
face" Cor. xiii. 1. For we are trav
ELI g toward city from which dmnes
and darkness have fled away forever
t'And there shall be no night there, ans
they need no candle, neither light Of tht
sun; for the Lord God giveth the light
and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev. xxi. 5.
Let no man think that we despise ,th
sympathy and well wishing of couven
ton ofInfdels. We thank them for thei
kind feelings. Like our Master, we ha
rather discourse with publicans and sin
ners than dine with the most select an
eminent Pharisee. But we iOee tru
Christian better than either. But Iu6dt
or Pharsee all ueed the grace Of God, an
oil by repentance fsin and faith in Chris
the Saviour OF sinners, may yet meet /
heaven.
Gentlemen Of the Cincinnati Conventio
of Infides! we should be ashamed to b
less kind and corteous than you have
been, and in concluding, we take leave G
you kindly, saying in the words of lnspi
red Writ:
"Now may the God of peace tht
brought again from the dead our Lord Je
sus, that great Shepherd of the sheeE
through the blood of the Everlasting Gov
enant. make you perfect in every goo
wsrk to do his viii. working in you thu
which is we'll pleasing in his ht,throug
Jesus Oh rist. To whom be glory for evt
7 and ever" Heb. xiii. 90. 81.
Opposition STATE CONVENTION
RICHMOND, Virginia, February ll.-Tt
o Convention to-day nominated Hartman
. Wiley, OF Monongahalia County, for Lisl
tenant Governor, and Walter Preston.
Washington County, for Attorney Ge'
: cra(.
: Hon. John M. Bolts made long spoocl
: iu which ho foreshadowed the ground
=. ,u IN .al-a l., Lilo aIl.aa. "a tha Naw Va,