The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-05

| protection therefore, not so much against the
| sword Of the magistrate and the rack of the
| lnquisitOr, as against the Tyranny OF the
prevailing opinion and feeling; against the
tendency in both church and society to i'm
pose, by other than civil or physical penalties,
its own ideas and practices as rules ofconduct
| on those who dissent from them."* It is gen
orally conceded that the sword has no place in
| the Church. Why Because we have no tight
to force our opinions upon others. Can it
then be right to do that by moral persecu-
ton, which it is wrong to do by physical one?
1t IS not the means used in either case that
constitute the wrong, but the end aimed at
the subjugation of the individual conscience
Hence, all means used which are calculated to
unduly warp the judgment or compel assent,
are opposed to the spirit of Christianity, and
we must beware how we tamper with the
glorious liberty of a soul that Christ has made
free.
There is indeed denominational liberty !; but
why =? There is a Pope in every denomina-
ton, and the Popes compromise in mutual
liberty only because no one of them is strong
enough to subjugate all the rest.
The Church has not yet learned to give lib
erty of conscience to the individual. True, 1
am told :" you may believe as you choose
Yea, I know it. But suppose that in the ex-
ercise OF my freedom l am led to differ from
you? "Differ from us ?' replies the majority,
in wrath F." In that case you cannot come in
to our church, or if already in, we will cast
you out of the synagogue" 1 crave your
charity. most potent majority. 1 do not differ
from you on any point essential to salvation.
l believe in that justification which comes to
the soul in the exercise of repentance towards
God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ 1
believe in that new life, begotten of the Spirit,
through the truth, which consists in love to
God and man. Is not this broad enough
basis of fellowship "No. You must take
our Greed; you must stand unequivocally up
on our Platform. But does your "creed" or
platform" exhaust revealed truth Does it
even contain no error Hear what the pas
tor of the Pilgrims said when he babe them
| farewell :" am verify persuaded, am very
confident the Lord has more truth get to break
forth out of His Holy Word." Vinet says,
Even now, after eighteen centuries of Christi
anity, we may be involved in some enormous
error, of which the Christianity of the future
| will make us ashamed" DR.. Woods says, GAIL
our endeavors to arrive at a more perfect
knowledge of the Scriptures, imply, that hith-
| erto they haze been understood but imperfect
| ly." May not therefore the point on which
we differ be one of the points upon which the
Church is in error !? "No." Well, then, will
| you tell me on what point or points OF doc
| trine the Church is in error? You say, +" You
| do not know ?" In heavens name then let
me examine and judge for myself. Impossi-
| BILE; for how can two walk together except
they be agreed?" But do agree with you in
| all that is essential to true fellowship; 1, in
| common with you, hate sin; in common with
| you love Christ; in common with you, am
seeking to know, and striving to do our Heav-
emily Fathers will. eyes, but you are wrong
on the doctrine of total depravity, or the flu
ture state" But where is your scriptural au-
thority for laying down such a test OF Christi
an fellowship? Christ says, "Whoscever
shall do the aciH of God, the same is my
brother and my sister," and if Christ calls me
brother, ought not you to call me brother? and
if so, can we not kneel together around the
same altar of worship, in spite of our minor
differences? Surely, that which does not sep
arate US from Christ ought not to separate us
from each other.
But do you still insist that am wrong, and
that must first get right? On what author
ity do you tell me 1 am wrong? "On the au-
thority of the Fathers and Councils, the Rab-
bins and Rulers of the Church" But Christ
tells me to call no man master; and bids me
search the Scriptures" for myself; and this
must do, with the Dereans of old, even though
Paul himself or an angel from heaven were
preaching to me. The unanimous testimony
of the Fathers, and the teachings of the Churcf
naturally carry great weight with them; but i
their authority is final and conclusive, why il
it enjOined upon me to search the Scriptures
and if their authority is not final and conclu
sive, why should be bound by itp But dC
you tell me, as did Doctor of Divinity no
long since, that the points of difference be
tween us are fundamental? And when ask
ed him-"Fundamental to what? to saliva
?" he replied, NO. not Exactly that, bu
fundamental to Neao England Theology."-
Well, all have to say is, that if New England
Theology is founded upon doctrines which are
1~,.I
tigation; If to any extent it rests upon, anG
requires an unquestioning assent to dogmas
which confessedlyt have not been thorough,
investigated and securely settled, then New
England Theology had better look to her foun
dations, for men will study the Bible and thinl
for themselves in spite of creeds and councils
Nor need one be over fearful that, in thu
. using his Christian liberty, he will be tosset
! to and fro with every wind of doctrine, TO
our Heavenly Father stands ever ready to en-
tighten and lead all seeking souls. And thi
; is in accordance with the declaration OF Christ
who told his disciples before his death, tina
when he should leave them, he would senC
the Holy Spirit, who would lead them into al
. truth; and this, for the very purpose anon!
other things, of preserving to the Christian
his individuality, and shielding him from &c
cesiastical domination. IF this promise wa
made only to the apostles and preachers of tn,
gospel, there might there be some ground TO
the imposition of creeds by the priesthood
but since the Holy Spirit is ready to enlightel
and lead all believers, the lowliest as well a
the wisest, it is not only perilous, but wicked
and sha neful for us to accept as our own
! without prayerful and thorough investigation
the opinions of others as to what are tn,
teachings of the Inspired Word. If one dit
fers from me, our mutual appeal should b.
to the Bible. I will say to him, give me you
; reasons from Scripture, and if they are bette
than nine, will most gladly give up my con
illusions and take yours; but if you canno
convince me, then go yo1r way: will hold t
! my convictions notwithstanding you ma
have the authority of great names and school
of theology. Besides, prefer, ON the whole
: to learn at first hand from Goa; for He onl
! who inspired the Scriptures can rightly inter
pref them to me. You may possibly mislea
me, even though you may have Princeton O
Andover behind you; but / can safely trus
the Spirit OF Truth. You call yourself an Or
thodox man, and you are with the majorit,
Well; but does Orthodoxy consist in numbers
: If So then Christ and Luther were wrong
Rome and the Sanhedrim right. Nay, all re
= formers are wrong, for they are always in tn
minority. And if no one is to be permitte
to think and speak for himself until the ma
: jority are with him, then Truth itself mus
g ever be silent among men, for 1t never begin
D its triumphant course with maiorities. save a
one man. with great idea and pure hear
d counts more in the estimation of God than
thousand ordinary, selfish souls. Nor viii
do for you to say, as was once said to me by
brother in the ministry, when, pointing to til
q Bible, asked him to show me the truth On
t certain point, Why there it is, plain enough
Il and if you can't see it, Ican't show it to you
? implying, not designedly trust, that l wa
e either fool and could not see, or bigot an
I? would not see; for in doing so you do but la
: yourself open to the charge of ignorance
J. bigotry you bring against me.
t. But if you are determined to exclude n
l. from your fellowship, where must 1 &C
e "Well, you had better 90 over to the Meth
a dists." But l do not believe in falling fro
ic grace. swell, go across the way to the Tn
le yersalists then" But do not believe in re
1T toration. "Wel, try the Baptists then" b
lie 7 do not believe in close communion. Pc
er haps, then, the Episcopalians will take you
r crhcorihn tn the thirty q