Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-11-16
FREE PROTESTANT CHURCH.
Declaration of PRINCIPLES Adopted

We give below the declaration of princi-
pies adopted by the congregation of the
Free Protestant Church which meets at
McClure's Hall, % North Cherry street,
and Of which Rev. w. j. Ellis is pastor,
| to wit:
We believe that the true, the sufficient
| way, to know God, is to love him and to
keep his commandments. That the True
Light lighteth and ever has lighted, every
man that cometh, or ever has come into
the World-giving light enough to guide
the feet Of the pilgrims Of time into the
ways OF everlasting peace, if only they will
be guided by its radiance.
We believe that religion should not per-
pick the intellect and torture the conscience
by attempts to describe the attributes of
God and His dOings towards us--attempts
which are as futile, and as needless in Or
der to enable us truly to love and obey
Him, as would be efforts Of the babe to UNI
derStand the mystery of its mothers being,
and the process by which its life is sustain
ed, and which often narrow the mind, and
iniure the heart, and scar the conscience.
by supposing the Supreme Object of love,
reverence and imitation, qualities which
would be hateful in human being.
We feel the need of a congregation in
which orr religious and moral affections
can be expressed and cultivated, without
giving or implying, or by our action, seem
ing to imply, assent to doctrines, some of
which We have not examined, and some of
which We cannot believe; or without sup
porting the notion that ones assent to
dogaaatic system is a part Of the plan of
salvation.
q n n Qp1sAn 90 fTsTo al
theology, or in any of the questions in sci
ence or philosopy which are discussed in
boOils or around firesides. We but profess
to believe that the Being who is worthy of
our highest admiration. love and gratitude.
must desire the well-being, here and here
after, of all his children; and that every one
who tries to cease to do evil and to learn to
do well, is regarded by the Being with ap-
proving love.
We unite ourselves into a congregation, |
not because we believe the same minutia |
of Christian Doctrine, but because we be- |
lieve that Gods Love, and thathe that dwell |
eth III Love dwelleth in God and God in |
him, and we would associate together to |
provoke unto love and to good works. And |
we hold that it is dangerous both to moral |
ity and religion, not to teach that pure re- |
iiSlOu Is, 70 NlSlJ lne IdJnerleSS ana WIDOWS |
in their affections, and to keep ones self |
from the world;-to practice |
charity towards all beings, and to labor for
the harmonious and perfect development of |
our physical, intellectual and moral at
tributes.
Some of us do, and some of us do not
like the phraseolOgy of the Liturgy which
We use; where we can use it in what we
suppose was the intended use, we do So
where We cannot do this, we use it in our
own sense, or refrain from participating.
Deeming untrue and injurious the be-
lief that Gods love is contingent upon the
accidents Of birth or education, and holding
that il any man will do His will he shall
know Of the dOctrine"-that every one who
is trying to know and do the right is In the
way to salvation, and is being saved just in
so far as he is becoming pure in heart and
Deneficent in cOnduct-wesimply profess to
agree iR rejecting the notion that there is
avOritism in the Adjust, Or revenge inthe
All-Merciful, or that one must needs have
1 correct theory Of the Spiritual Universe |
before his soul can have that peace of God
which pasSeth all understanding.