The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-12-22
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|. This xaesthe spliest Of ,. sddsse5hy the
Duke m 4vl lfSre 40 4ttals 1ks's
Christian Associationsef 0lasgoy, Oct. 7th.
1fs j6drssL isrspisse wfth pfolbdhd thought,
and glows viii szAsesA seaiments Of Chris
tap charity. Objecting to the terms '.tolera-
IN D s3e.7E = hs j iiofa oyd Bers
IwA A4haaoa Z Ii TO eve&, - be-
cause the other il misapplfed by many co
called ssstiner6ls,y. shes n0ble ;Dske argued
fcfA hithtk sedse Of justice, and fbr candor
saaaatfSs IN ''s matter q
With reference to mans responsibility for
his belief, and the conditions which limit it,
he says:
& No langssge caa be ciearer than the Ian
guage 10 which Christ has declared the self
evidencing power Of the doctrines he pro.
claimed, let in the LIST prayer fhjch he
6ttered upon earth He fonndsds Rh plea for
the forgiveness of those who slew Him, on
the fact that they knew not what. they did.
been used unless He knew it to be one adn;s-
sihle 1t the footstoof OF the Eternal Throne.
No testimony q needed beyond this testimo.
ny. But the apostles, whom our Lord commis-
stoned to preach His Gospel, have been faith
ful in this point also to the teaching of their
Master, How deep, how satisfying to the
reason and the Conscience 10 the doctrine of
St. Paul in respect to sin, when he defines it
TO be sin against Observation-Disclosures
to. the light, whatever that may be, which is
within ps. To him thst esteemefh anything
to be unclean, to him it is unclean." "All
things indeed are pure; but It is evil for that
man who eateth with offense.' "Let every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind"
ST. James is not less exphcit< s'ThSrefore,
to him that knoweth TO do good and doeth it
not, 70 him it is SIM" How has the essential
principle on which this teaching depends
been forgotten, neglected, eontEadicted, in
the language of theologiansl What deep
and wrongful offense has been cast on the
true doctrines Of the Cross In how many
religious books and religions speeches do We
not sec and hear language used in respect to
moral Judgment Of mankind, and which |
believe to be as false in the light of Chris
tiauity as it is unjust in the light of nature
Gel Ameng the many difficulties we have
to solve, and the many more which we have
to bear with and leave ansolved, this is not
one Of them, that impediments to knowledge
and conviction are left out of the reckoning
in the demands which are made on faith
As to the theological differences which Justify
the forming of separate communions, the ad.
dress presents some suggestive remarks that
are worthy the attention Of the American
churches
"Our ideas on this subject are very much
formed on the historical events Of the Refor-
nation, and, perhaps, on lew of latter years.
But those events themselves have generally
been determined by causes with which de-
liberate consideration of principle in this
matter had very little to do. The necessity
which had arisen for an entire revolt from
the Romish system compelled or seemed to
compel, men to review the very foundation of
Christian theology, and to draw. up new and
elaborate definitions Of belief. The relation
in which these stand to modern thought is
one Of the great difficulties of our time There
has been dnft-a slow, gradual and, in its
progress an insensble drift-of opinion, sep
arating more or less the present generation
from the conceptions Of the time when those
confessions and articles were composed; and,
probably, there IS not one of the leading
churches ofthe Reformation whose members
could cordially unite if their common confes.
sion had now to be drawn MP for the Grst
time. Their creeds and a..icies remain un>
changed, not, for the most part, because Of
the general agreement, they secure, but be-
cause Of the greater disagreem ent which any
modification would occasion. They cannot
be touched because different parties would
desire to alter them in Numerically opposite
dlrectiops. Some parts of those creeds-
We may hope, the more essential
parts-are indeed held and held as firmly as
before; but other parts are held, if held at
all, with less of emphasis aud belief; whilst
there are generally some portions over which
we pass, or desire TO pass, in silen1e. Uader
those circumstances, .he question is always
liable to arise-whas divergence Of teaching
and belief is to be held as legitimate and
consistent with loyalty to the DISTINGUISHING
characteristics Of the society to Wick We
may belonge -
As to the common want OF fairness and can
dor in considering the question, and com
mon, alas 10 America, as we'll as to Scot
land, the Duke remarked.
'Nill the training OF the Christian life, and
the high and holy obligations of Christian du-
twill these never train men TO Judge Of
others with the justice and impayl;ality which
are secured in purely secular calling? viii
the bonds Of Christian brotherhood, which
ought to be so strong in the connection they
form, and so pure i'll the affections they in
spre-will these never secure for the form
ing of opinion within our own minds, and for
the discharge Of duty towards other men,
those fine perceptions OF justice and Of truth
which are the glory of mere professional hon |
orr There are dangers attending aud beset
ting us in this matter which beset US II no
other matter in similar 1aegree. The pas,
siens and partial affections which influence
us more or less in all our conduct, hsva in
religious controversy, this apeciai advantage
over US, that .l,eY assume before the bar Of
conscience the aspect and the form of virtues.
Our arrogance and our self-confdenct be-
come our faith: our impatience Of contradic>
ton becomes hatred of evil; our party spirit
becomes zeal in the cause of truth; our dis |
Ike and suspicion of Others become holy
jealousy for the ark of God. | know there
is q belief cherished BY many that special
guidance and protection have been promised |
to ecclesiastical assemblies such as have not
Deen promised to other societies Of men. But |
We must judge this belief by the facts of life |
and nature. by the light of history. by the |
universal experience of the past and of the |
present. Il would indeed be dreadful taiag
10 think that the lamantahla errors Of opins |
ion, and the esilaes OF cruelty and oppression
which so long aad SO often have been the |
srandal of the Cauroh, have not, in the minds |
and conscienees of those who were guilty of
them, had all the excuse which real ignorance
and horrible sincerity coud afford. But we
know from these examples, as matter of
fact, that Churches have fallen into the NOS. |
grierous errors both of opinion and Of cca
duet, epd Va ought 10 Dear ahogt with us |
perpetual remembrance Of our own liability |
10 the sage. In that most eloquent and |
touching review Of his own religious life, /
which has been left ns by Richard Baxter.
author Of The Sais,s' Rest, there is no pas
sagc more eloquent and touching iAgp shat |
IN which he coniesses how, il somahigh' mat |
ers, dithcnlties had rather increased than di. |
. s,nisEed vita tie course of tune; how much I
eas disposed TO be dcgmatic he then was than
se had been in his earlier years; how painful.
y he felt the different degrees Of certsinty !
md of clearness With which different objects
'f faith could be held and seen; aud how
,othing. more inareases his longing for an,
, her life than thinking with how little Of he
of God this world was honored. = |
Fenny Ferns Latest.