The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-18


tered. 1 came 20 take charge OF one o. ttle tee
largest and most influential congregatons pa tne
land. came when was iuiiy appIls.eG odod sIde
and formidable opposition to the views which
bad cherished, and to the doctrines which had
eVpressed. / found my venrable predecessor
slready, by anticipation my friend. He defended
my views. He indorsed my opinions. He exerted
his great influence in the congregation in my
favor, commencing me, In every way, by his
pen and his counsel, to the confidence and
affection of the people to whom he had so long
ministered. For six months, the time during
which he lived after became the pastor of the
church, he was my friend, my counsellor, my
ADVISER, my example; he did all that could be
done by man to make my ministry here useful
and happy
were opposed TO his peculiar doctrna views
did not end with his successful installation.
While the subject of this sketch has been widely
and iavOrably known as an earnest aud efficient
pastor, and as a clear aud impressive pulpit ora
tor, his fame throughout this and other lands
has been chiefly owing TO his able commentaries
on different portions of the Scriptures In mis-
sermon on Life at Three-score," " he thus refers
TO the origin and composition OF these remarka-
bly, successful works:-
my attention was first directed to the subject
by what seemed to me to be want in Sabbath
Schools, the want of plain and simple COM
mentary on the Gospels, which could be put into
the hands OF teachers, and which would furnish
an easy explanation of the meaning of the
sacred writers. began the work, and prepared
brief notes en- q portion OF the Gospel of
Matthew, when / incidentally learned that the
Rev, James w. Alexander, D. D., was engaged in
preparing similar work. Not deeming it de-
sirable that two books of the same kind should
be prepared, l wrote to him on the sub
ject. He replied that he had been en-
ployed by the American Sunday School Union
to prepare such a work; that he had made
about the same amount of manuscript
preparation which had done; that he regarded
1t as undesirable that two works of the same
character should be issued; that his health was
delicate ha Unuld oil lad
the undertaking. He abandoned 1t, as | have
always felt, with generous spirit. have pro.
secuted the work until result has been reached
which by no means contemplated at the outset.
All my commentaries on the Scriptures have
been written before O'Clock in the morning
At the very beginning, now more than thirty
years ago, adopted resolution to stop writing
on these notes when the clock struck nine. This
resolution have invariably adhered to, not un-
frequently finishing my morning task in the
midst OF paragraph, and sometimes even in
the midst OF a sentence
In consequence of the Rrduous duties thus
voluntarily assumed. in addition to the pressing
lahors OF his pastorate, and the fact that they
were accomplished mainly IN the hours which
are devoted by other men to repose, Mr.. Barnes
entailed great physical suffering upon himself
ana came near losing the use Of his - d.,
he reaped rich and unant'-' eyes. But
nis sen'sH'''n" NO works of similar charac-
- nave attained such widespread popularity
and circulation among all denominations OF
translated into several foreign languages, and
ten years ago his "Notes on the New Testament"
alone had attained circulation In this country
OF nearly half q million volumes, while q. still
larger number had at THAT time been printed
abroad. In the sermon from which we have
already quoted, Mr.. Barnes thus refers to his
responsibility for the success which has attended
his lte airy effOrts:-
"I cannot now recall those books. | can
not control any impression which they may
make. 1t affects me also deeply to reflect that
the sentiments in those books are most likely
TO come in contact with minds through which
they will exert an influence when l am dead
Iee ree mas t6e Of tie eo Apd 9 HeS M gSaa not
ness OF their imperiection, and with my 6rm
expectation that some man will yet prepare a
| commentary on the New Testament far better
fitted to accomplish the end which l have
sought than my own writings are, and
| with The feeling that, at my time OF life, cannot
/ formable to what would desire them to be,
| still believe that they contain the system OF
| eternal truth; that they defend what Is right;
that their influence will be to i'll 1strate, IN some
| measure a great system of doctrines, Tnlch Is
| closely connected with the salvation of men {;
and that, with all their imperec.ions, they give
| utterance to just sentiments on the nature OF
tue piety and the duties of practical religion"
| The work of preparing these commentaries
was commenced by Mr.. Barnes soon after his
settlement in this city. The Notes on the
Gospel of Matthew" were issued in 1882, and IN
1885 the volume on the Epistles TO the Romans
was completed and published. Some OF the
doctrinal views expressed In the latter were re.
garded as especially Objectionable by those who
| had previously been alarmed at the spread OF
innovations in the Church. The venerable Or
Junkin at that time President of Lafayette Col
lege, and now an emeritus professor in the same
institution, became the accuser OF Mr.. Barnes
although he was at the time a member o.
another Presbytery, and not even conlected
with the same Synod. DIR. Junkin made forma
charges against Mr.. Barnes, in which he
studiously avoided the use of the Objectionable
word heTesy, as ambiguous and calculated &c
prejudice him in public opinion. In these accu
sations Mr., Barnes was charged with holding
that sin consists in voluntary action; that Adam
both before and after the ta.l, was ignorant o
the fact that the consequences oil his sin would
| extend beyond a natural death; that unregene
rate men are enabled to keep the command
ments and convert themselves to God; and tina
faith is an act of the mind, and not principle
and is itself imputed for righteousness. Tht
charges of DIR. Junkln also maintained that the
author had denied the covenant with Adam
and the mputatiOn of Adams stu to his pos
terity; that mankind are liable TO punish men
by reason of Adams tansgTesslon: that Chris
| suffered the proper penalty of the law as tht
vicarIOus substitute of His people, and thu
| legally took away their sins and purchased
pardon; the imputation of Christ's active right
eousness; and that justification was Other
than simple pardon.
The Presbytery gave a patient hearing to tn
case, which resulted in the justification OF MI
Barnes. The Presbytery pronounced the evl
dence submitted in support of the charges to b
mere 'lnielences drawn from Mr.. Barnes Ian
guage" which we've not legitimate, and which
even If they were legitimate, could not be use
TO convict OF heresy or dangerous error, accord
ing 10 a decision OF the Assembly of 1924. MI
Barnes was therefore triumphantly acquitted Q
having promulgated ''any dangerous errors o