The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-10-03
The Authority Of Religious Teachers
Called For.

To the Editors OF the Intelligencer.
Please permit me through your columns
to give q short experience In theolog.
ical researches, In which feel sorry 10
say that have been most grlevousIy ais.
appointed in what ! expected would end
most sincerely satisfactory 10 myself and
classmates. As we were having some
very knotty problems solved, freedom Of
speech and also Of proposing questions
were mutual, until at our last meeting on
Sabbath afternoon we were deferred
from discussing one oil lat least to mel the
most Of all important questions, which 10
this age and day could DO named for
Investigation. We will here name IT.;
BY what authority do men preach or
teach at the present day2 Before we had
an opportunity to investigate this ques.
ton, for some reason which We are at q
loss to know, the Pastor Of the Church,
Dir. WestwOod, abruptly dismissed tho
class, positively asserting that no side is
sues could be brought In. Now, will the
gentleman show, II he can, that this
question is side iSsueH Is It wrong for
the party taught 10 ask or enquire by
what authority they are taught, especially
when eternal issues are involvedg We
think not In pondering over our disap-
polntment we are led to some conclusions,
and one Of them Is this, that those who
fear investigation must reckon themselves
as occupying dangerous premises from
which they may be most ingloriously driv.
en-, We both feel and deplore the one.man
power that sits in judgment upon the con.
science Of another and attempts TO settle
question himself that dozen of others
were about to try. What are Bible clasOes
for, il not to discuss questions Of this and
other features? II these are not false
propositions the reverend gentleman need
fear no loss; but tearing this he puts his
iron heel upon the necks OF all the class,
and says this is Methodist Sabbath
school and we do not allow such questions
to be discussed, and he hoped no Metho-
dist would countenance them. He then
passed out and then returned, his face as
white as that Of corpse, through tear or
anger, repeated part Of his first speech
and then said that he did not want
strangers TO come there with questions
to divide his people. But this day hu.
name power is short, for even now the
day Of emancipation for the sonls OF men
and women has dawned, and the star OF
hope looms up to cheer the humble soul
that longs ior the old Gallilean Gospel to
turn up and rescue them from human
tyranny and oppression, the voice of the
Turtle is now heard in the land, and Bah.
lyon may well fear for her doom is seal.
ed, and whether the gentleman in question
will or will not stand investigation, he
is bound to stand or fall when measured
by divine rule. We want truth that
saves, truth that makes and keeps us
free. We don't want to be severe
in denouncing what we deem error,
but as we have souls to save or lose, we
don't think we are wrong in scrupleing the
kind Of teachers that we seem to have i'm
posed upon US. Will some one, if not Mr..
Westwood, be so kind as to give salts
factory evidence that God has sent them
to preach salvation in the name Of Jesus,
for he said, "These signs shall follow them
that believe" Mark 10, chapter from the
18th verse to the close. Now shall I look
Tor these signs, and II not then what signs
shall I look FORT Please answer and
oblige yours respectfully,
B. F. SMALLwooD.