The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-01-05
NO. * * XIV

them chiefly for their physical strength or tbei,
ln'eHectua' endowmenls, Although these things
are good, aud much to be desired vet we should
scarcely think vt them in measuring them ws
| should not judge them by their genius even,
| Though they might have the genius of Sh.ke-
! Speore, or Goethe. or Plato; nor BY their learn.
! inS, though they might b. MS learned as Spld,n,
nor Nv any mind power; nor by any application
| o mtnd-power in sittcsmanship or the admins.
| ira ION oi military aif,rs; nor by mere sur Cess:
nor ny taeir agtcableness to us, their soft and
sweet atmosphere ot favor, coming upon our self.
love as the south wind brta,h,s spring upon nor
thtm towcts-ior oltcutimes men seem rood
heca0Se they have the power of making Others
'erl good; and not cu account Of manifest moral
crn'ehls, such us justice, ruth, love, fidelity.
sweetness, aud gentlrnrss.
ms M asurlnent, ii adopted, would likewiso
oe reVu'u'lonafy IN the construction of society,
III the law OF precedence, in the present basis Of
us ranks, and ~ the grounds and degrees of i'm.
Hueuce. II we were To rank IN N according Ia
What they are IN This higher realm, the law of
prccedrnee would find itself wrecked at once
ih' whole structure Of society would be a, once
changed.
Aud again, this measurement. if adopted.
wou'u refoluliuuz' not only mans opinion Of
hl"s u, and MS opinion OF his fellow men, aud
The whole structure OF society, bat the wholo
law OF church influence. We have n tight mo.
thinks, tn look for better fruit from the churcb
than she produces. Now, after she has lain for
two thousand years rlpeuing under the full blaze
| oi the Sun of Righteousness, we might exoect
That there would hc specimen plants at least.
here "nd there. Yet ~ the church. the very
conception thut men, aud mu!utudes, and pub
lie bodies, aud churches themselves are Ia b.
measured, not by their historic regularity not hy
precedence in ecclesiastical frame works and or.
dcrs, not by intellectual methods OF belief but
SIMPLY and absolutely by their moral clements
50 that man who has Christian goodness is A
Christian, no matter how he encreets his philo,.
ophy that that church which ministers ruth.
conunnaIIy is ChiStar, no matter what name
II hrnls--the very conception of such tbinus j.
hy man regarded as hettrduxy That is esteem.
cd to he bad theology which measures man only
by his moral goodness. Many men think good.
ness ~ good, but that II can not constitute nicty
Some rqure more eXCrence--conio.ued 10 in.
trllrctul corwclncSs OF belief aud Others de-
mund more moral character within the Npostnl-
iC hereditary inIpslre. II YOU take q SUBSTANCES
resembling gold lron rocks that have never been
known to contain god the presumption may
he that il is not gold, but il you put il into ths
| cruCible aud test it, aud 6nd that ills gold,
then you are no longer in doubt as to its g-n-
| uineneSS; Tor gold is evidence of gold Whereby
even il may he and wherever you find il You
recognize lis vaue. Aud when YOU find the
grace OF God which eliminates in love- working
itself out in the directions o! ruth, justice hu.
miIity. goodness, long.sufering and Kindness.
for id you 10 go back 10 that or to ask wheth-
or prestly hands were ever laid on him or not;
whether church has known him or not, He
| is IL child OF God and to you, Gods emhassador
! to teach you, Us the ccnturian wns sn embassy
of God TO Peter, 10 teach him, Apostle ihough
he was.
| Churches ore in like manner TO be measured
| by their fruits. 1t Is what they Hre, not " hat
they profess, that constitutes their Christianity.
But it is supposed lhat to measure them thus
would introduce miscellaneous tendency among
men-a tendency TO looseness in religious
views. What | ask, is the church for, except
for purity oi llc? Aud do ou pretend that 10
judge 1t according TO that standard will produces
laxlly in religious vlewS3 What is the hlsk
good for except to hold the kernel while it il
growinSl Churches aud church regulations ara
only relative to the final end: aud you vii reach
the Gnal Gu better by say ug that man is a
Chrlsllan when he is Cnri>tlau; and, ordinances
OF no ordinance, government or no government,
doctrine or no doctrine, that man who maui
! icsts in practical lie, love to Gnd and love 10
man, is Il Chris iau- ana not only ChTistian
! but uu orthodox Christian.
! The Whole question ol theology seems too
| simple 10 have made SO much question. Every
man who thnhs, aud who arrangrs his thoughts
by lhrir logical sympathi"s, will have tleolo-
! gy Not 10 have one is evidence OF The want of
intellectual activity. The u.eS of this inesiia-
! bic slstemaliz,lon is another question. Whls
we disdun and throw oil the dcspotlsm OF trrcds.
used not to INSPIRE and foster religious Thought
! iulucss, but To limit and smother it, we yet re-
coguizr and insist upon the proper Escs OF Ieli-
! giuus statements OF doctrine. They give fixed
ness 10 belief. They form definite basis Tor
| instruction. And as shrubs aud trees are plan
! ted on banks aud along sand wusrcs TO hold tho
SOIL So do dcfdlte staitmenis stnnd along the
! loiryer washing aud wearing edges oi thu feelings
unl lanci,S. aud holi tArm to some permanent
! form. In yet higher use, doctrines or suthCrl-
! rarive facts are employed for lhe production Of
religious lite. Aud though they are not the on
! y Instruments diyinriy blessed, experience
shows thai they have been so powerful Tor good
! that one should not lightly sprak against them.
But wheu theuluGlrS. or doctrines, or any
| Uther instruments aIr, either by SuperSitiOuS
reverence, or hy corersSmess or Journalism, put
above piety, aud praised more than goodness,
! then the s.rvanl hos uSurpcd the place n IN ster.
! The end of The law is iOUe out Of Il pure heart.
! Al. doctrine is itself tn br lrcd by ITS power of
pro ucng IJe, And when in any at those ways
| the fertile Gbd works upon the hunan heart,
! there mani!estly oppt ars the genuine life ui love,
no man is To dispute ii Tor want of dOcirnnl
origin, nor is he with worse folly to srrogais
10 dead doclrinll beliefs, uuaccOmpanicd by hO-
lness AMI virtue of lite, sup Tlurity over good
ness without doctrine. All throOgy is good for
| is lu make prty. Aud IEe cud is always more
! imporiHnt than the m'aus. Plcty is not Ia be
judged by theology. Th,olUgy is. in u large
way, to he judged ny pciy.
! ----------o- -
! SHocglNG. The Chardon DemOcrat of the %,
has re following:
Marsh Smith Jr aged ID years, son of the
! Auditor of (,rauga County while engaged with