The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-27

happy
But Mr. Barnes difficulties with those who
were opposed to his peculiar doctrnal views
did not end with his successful installation
While he has been widely and favorably known
as an earnest and efficient pastor, and as a clear
and impressive pulpit orator. his fame through
out this and other lands has been chiefly owing
to his atle commentaries on different portions
of the Scriptures. 10 his sermon on Life at
Three-score," he thus refers to the origin and
composition of these remarkably 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 commentary on the
gospels, which could be put into the hands OF
teachers, and which would furnish an easy explana-
ton of the meaning of the sacred writer's began
the WORK, and prepared brief notes on portion of
the Gospel of Matthew, when incidentally learned
that the Rev. James w. Alexander, y. D., was en-
gagedln preparing similar work. Not deeming It
desirable that two books of the same kind should
be prepared, I wrote to him on the sub
iect. He replied that he had been en-
poyed by the American Sunday school Union
to prepare such work; that he had
preparation which had done; that he regarded it
undesirable that two works Of the same character
should be issued; that his health was delicate, and
that he would gladly reinquish the undertaking. lie
abandonedit as have always felt, with generous
spirit have prosecuted 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.
ago. adopted resolution to stop writing on these
notes when the clock struck nine. THIS resolution
have invariably adhered to- not unfrequently finish
ing my morning task in the midst OF a paragraph,
and sometimes even in the midst of a sentence"
In consequence of the arduous duties thus
voluntarily assumed, in addition to the pressing
labors 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, and came near losing the use of his
eyes. But he reaped rich and unanticipated
reward for his self-sacrifce. No works of
similar character have attained such a wide
spread popularity and circulation among all
denominations of Christians audin all countries.
They have been translated into several foreign
languages, and in 1856 his ''Notes on the New
Testament alone had attained a circulation in
this country of nearly half a million volumes,
while still larger number had at that time
been printed abroad. n the sermon from
which,we have already quoted Mr. Barnes thus
referred to his responsibility for the success
which attended his literary efforts:-
81 cannot now recall those books. cannot con-
troll 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 am dead-the minds of the young. And yet
/ would not recall them If | could. With all my
consciousness Of their imperfection, and with my
firm expectation that some man will yet prepare
commentary on tue New Testament far better
fitted to accomplish the end which I have
sought than my own writings are, aud with
the feeling &c t1a S at an my y time Of life cannot
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 illustrate in some measure a great system OF
doctrines WI ich is closely connected with the saliva
ton Of men; and that, with all their mperfections,
they give utterance to just sentiments of the nature
of true pety 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 st. Matthew" were issued in 1892 and
in 1885 the volume of the Epistle to the Romans
was completed and published. Some of the
doctrinal views expressed in the latter were
regarded as especially Objectionable by those
who had previously been alarmed at the spread
of Innovations in the Church The late Dr.
Junkin, at that time President of Lafayette Col
lege, became the accuser of Mr.. Barnes, although
he was at that time member of another pree
bvtery, and not even connected with the s26e
synod. DR.. Junkin made formal charges
against Mr.. Barnes, in which he studiously
avoided the use of the objectionablo word
''heresy," as ambiguous and calculated to
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 fall, was ignorant of
the fact that the consequences of his sin would
extend beyond natural death; that unregene-
rate men are enabled to keep the command
| ments and convert themselves to God; and that
faith is an act of the mind, and not principle,
and is itself imputed for righteousness. The
| charges of DIR. Junkin also maintained that the
author had denied the covenant with Adam, and
/ the imputation of Adams sin to his posterity
| that mankind are liable to punishment by reason
of Adams transgression, that Christ suffered the
| proper penalty of the law as the vicarious sub
stitute of His people, and thus legally took
away their sins and purchased pardon; the i'm
putation of Christ's active righteousness; ant
that justification was other than simple pardon
The presbytery gave patient hearing to the
case, which resulted in the justification of Mr.
Barnes The presbytery pronounced the evi
dence saomtted in support of the charges to bt
mere differences drawn from Mr.. Barnes Ian
guage," which were not legitimate, and which
even if they were legitimate, could not be uset
to convict of heresy or dangerous error, accord
ing to a decision of the assembly OF 1924. Mr.
Barnes was therefore triumphantly acquitted o
having promulgated "any dangerous errors o
heresies, contrary to the word of God and tn
standards" of the Church
This decision was unsatisfactory to DR.. Jun
kin, and the latter appealed from the presby
terry to the synod. The presbytery refused t
give up to the synod its record of the trial, an
Mr.. Barnes put in plea to the Jurisdiction c
the latter body, declining to stand his tria
before it, The synod thereupon decided ths
the presbytery had acted disorderly in this rC
fusal, and merited censure. DR.. Junkin wa
] r..llls E,f, Al