Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-10-21
paniel Rebsterss ConEessIon Of FaIth.

But-you thought was an elder SON
You utter lirt you know you did
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Daniel Websterss Confession OF Faith.
DR.. Smith, of Concord, N. H., has put
into our hand the following letter Of Daniel
Webster to Rev. Thomas Worcester, form
erly pastor of the Congregational Church
in Salisbury, N. H., which is accompanied
with confession of his religious faith, both
Of which are in his own hand writing. We
have seen Mr.. Webster's name in the roc
ords of the church in Salisbury, enrolled
among its members, if we mistake not,
about tho time the letter below bears date,
He remained a member of that church till
his DEATH The letter and confession were
never before published. They are as fol-
lows
BoscAwEN, August 8, 1907.
Dear Sir:-The other day we were con-
versing respecting confessions of faith
Some time ago wrote down for my own
use few propositions in the shape Of ar
tcles, intending to exhibit very short
summary of the doctrines of the Christian
religion as they impress my mind. have
taken the liberty to enclose a copy for your
perusal. l am, sir, with respect, yours &c.
D. WEBSTER.
believe in the existence of Almighty
God, who created and governs the whole
world. l am taught this by the works of
nature and the word of revelation.
l believe that God exists in three per-
sons; this learn from revelation alone
Nor is it any objection to this belief that l
cannot comprehend how one can beMree or
three one. hold it my duty to believe,
not what can comprehend or account for,
but what my Maker teaches me.
l believe the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testament to be the will and word of
God.
believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of
God. The miracles which he wrought es-
tablsh, in my mind his personal authority,
and render for me to believe whatever he
asserts; believe, therefore, all his declara-
tions, as well when he declares himself the
Son of God, as when he declares any 9TH
er proposition. And l believe there is no
other way Of salvation than through the
merits Of his atonement.
l believe that things past, present and to
come, are all equally present in the mind
of the Deity; that with him there is no sue
cession of time, nor of ideas; that there
fore, the relative terms past, present and fu-
ture, as used among men, cannot, with strict
propriety, be applied to the Deity. be-
lieve in the doctrines of foreknowledge and
predestination, as thus cxpounded. [ do
not believe in those doctrines as imposing
any fatality or necessity on mems actions, or
any way infringing free agency.
believe in the utter inability of any
human being to work out his own salvation
without the constant aid of the Spirit ofal
grace.
believe in those great peculiarities of
the Christian rehgion-a resurrection from
the dead and day of judgment.
believe in the universal Providence Of
God; and leave to Epicurus, and his more
unreasonable followers in modern times the
Inconsistency of believing that God made a
world which he does not take the trouble
of governing.*
Although have great respect for some
Other forms Of worship, l believe the Con-
gregational mode on the whole, to be pre-
ferable to any other.
| believe religion to be a matter not OF
demonstration. but of faith. God requires
US to give credit to the truths which he re-
veals, not because we can prove them but
because He declares them. When the
mind is reasonably convinced that the BIZ
bic is the word of God, the only remain
ing duty is to receive its doctrines, with full
confidence Of their truth, and practice them
with pure heart.
l believe that the Bible is to be under
stood and received in the plain and obvious
meaning of its passages; since cannot per-
suade myself that book intended for the
instruction and conversion of the whole
world, should cover its true meaning in
such mystery and doubt, that none but crit
les and philosophers can discover it.
believe that the experiments and sub
tleties of human wisdom are moro likely
to obscure than to enlighten the revealed
will of God, and that he is the most accom-
plished Christian scholar who hath beer
educated at the feet of Jesus, and in the
College of Fishermen.
/ believe that all true religion consists in
the heart and the affections, and that, there
fore, all ereeds and confessions are falliblC
and uncertain evidences of evangelical piety
Finally, believe that Christ has i'm
posed on all his disciples life of active
benevolence; that he who refrains only from
what he thinks to be sinful, has performed
but part and small part, Of his duty
that he is bound to do good and eommuni
cate, to love bis neighbor, to give food auC
drink 10 his enemy, and to endesvor, 50 fa
as in BIN lies, TO promote peace, truth, pie
ty, and happiness in q wicked and forlorr
world, believing that in the great day
which is to come, there will be no othel
standard Of merit, no other criterion O
character, than that which is already estab
lished, "By their fruits yeshall know them
DR.. Sherlock.
A v.,au o,rv,o int a ,,rtoffoT. cff3oo IL IL,