Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-11-03
RADICAL RELIGION.

| Our readers, of course. have all heard
of the Rev. Mr.. o, b. Frcthingham-all
Of them. at leass, who have read the trial
Of Mcfarland for the murder of Richard
son. Well. Mr. Frothingham has been
preaching sermon on !" Radical Reli-
gion,' and. as he is . shining light. and
thigh up in the school Of advanced I" re-
formers" we have thought ear readers
might be interested to hear what 50 learn
ell pandit had to say upon q subject 50
queer and unique, The Dr.'s text was
from Cerinthians iy.-I3.
.t We hare the same spirit of faith ac-
cordias as is Is erittea Ibeliere, and
sheretor. hare 1 spoken 9e also beliere,
aad therefore speak."
speaker said. continue to intensely inter-
est mankind more so than any qucs-
ton of practice The chief event Of inter-
est in their small circle during the past
week was the conference Of the Unitari-
ans and the most attractive feature Of the
conference was the discussions between
the conservative and radical parties touch
ing a common ground of Christian belief
This, rather than questions in reference to
the various practical fields of labor, was
generally felt to be momentous issue
Deeper than curiosity to hear spasmodic
vents of cloquence in this matter, he
doubted not, was the persuasion that be-
meath all practice lay belief; that belief
was the basis Of all noble action of what
ever kind; that only as men believed would
they speak and work; that the question ofbe
liefbeing unanswered. other questions must
wait; the question of belief being answer.
ed. other questions would speedily answer
themselves. Whatever the feelings of va
rious Christian denominations, it was
universal persuasion that life was ground
ed in faith, and that the positive faith
must declare itself in words and deeds.
Each person in turn. while discrediting
the moral bearing Of his neighbor's op:n-
ion. is convinced that the best results will
flow from his own OF the proceedings
of the conference il was not his purpose
to speak. He hal declined to be official
ly present, because he knew that the two
parties were not, could not, and would not
be in sympGhy: and because, with that
| knowledge, it seemed better that the par
/ ty which seemed TO be in the minority
4 should withdraw. He could not thrust
himself where he was certain he was not
wanted. and he did not wish to embarrass
those ~ao had work of their own to do
IN which it ives not possible for him to
join. 1t was certainfy n pity that such
men could not agree on prinoiple and idea
There were vital principles enough to
serve As basis for cordial union in faith
and work of intelligent men and women,
who know. respect, honor, and confde in
one another-who agree in all their moral
and spiritual ideas who know that char
acter. not opinion, insures felicity in this
world and the next; who are Of one mind
rs regards the elements of character and
the means of obtaining them; who cher
ish the same moral and spiritual ideas of
God and conceptions of Jesus, the same
confidence in the grand destiny of man,
the same trust in Providence the same
visions of eternity. the same assurances of
the divine fathcrhood, and the same yearn-
ing for brotherhood and love these GER
tainlv ought tn be able to meet together
peacefully and work together harmonious
! ly, leaving theological questions in entire
abeyance. But they will not do it they
insist upon making speculative opinions
the ground of fellowship Then specula-
tive opinions are assailed and attempted
to be defined in order to be as general as
possible. until all opinions run into an in
/ discriminate mass of words. If there
needs be parting, let it be so certainly
such parting is better than fair spoken
but ungcnuine meeting. As one of the
radicals. he was there to speak-not by
any statement of details. for that would be
interminable-of the general principles of
their faith. For it must be taken for
granted after what had been said that
they had faith. Men were not such fools
as to study. think, and preach. devote
themselves 10 toll. and bear abuse and hu-
initiation for nothing. If they think it
worth while to speak, it is because they
have belief of their own. That this faith
Of theirs was to great extent undefina-
BILE. and as vet to a still greater extent
underlined, was no objection to its positive
ness. The creed Of Christcndom had been
undergoing definition for Z, 900 years. aud
the final statement Of it was not made to-
day. The first attempt at defining it was
made in the fourth century. and now in
the ninetecuth. the last word is not spoken.
IL was but short time since the Pope of
Rome added new article, that of the
Virgins immaculate conception and the
faith Of the Roman Church and that of
the various branches Of protestanism were
constantly being modified and restated-
they were giving new interpretations even
to the essentials Of their belief. Dissat-
is6ed with these, the Unitarians, once for
all, undertook TO decide precisely what
Christianity is. and what it is not. Yc:
there was no unanimity of opinion respect
ing the Christ. his nature, mission. or rule:
no accord cf mind in Christendom in re-
CARL 10 the Go,lhead. its essence. its rela-
ton To humanity, its connection with the
material world. Was it fair. then. to de-
mand Of a new faith that it should state
itself fully in it's first cradle cry! Would
not generation be given them when
Christendom had had 2,0eo years /? The
new faith would get articulated by and
by. At present they would give such
hints IT il as they could. In the frxs