New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-09

authority over the substance Of the truth and Its vaue
TO the ruth itself They stndy merely tho preservation
Of unity and conformity Indifferent 10 what the bond
have seen that the background OF this formal Inallib
lam Is skepticsm which doubts whether the truth itself
manifest likewise In the nominal Protestant
lam so soon II forms associates seeks communion
s A. mas recently endeavored to accomplish various
ways IL they talk OF aud KNOWLEDGE
hut inasmuch rs they confer upon ali the princ
ple OF unlimited autonomy, 1t cannot but bo that the
nst conrasted elements come together these associ
ations aud that union through the same principles
md their authority becomes impossible. How per-
aims Of src opposite views bind Themselves together in
unity Tuere is but one way, tnat one should value
MS view true aHd certain Shond any one earnestly
claim his 20 be the trne one the union would be at
once oosened and dissolved Hence the continuance OF
such union possible merely ~ SCHOOL Whlch SOCK
ing the TRUTH but is not IN possession OF IT, but not "a
religions communion rejoicing and living in It's faith
And yet this Is the more favorable aspect F0rt we are
ever TO seeking an never attaining the knowledge
nj the truth II refuse the truth when present to
and oblgng US to accept and advocate We fall into
skeptcsm which despIrs OF the possibility OF knowing
the truth objective and universal entity, else i5
ndlnarent whother wo are In possession OF Tue
truth or not. | know that these are severe words
There are II IL true, IN such associations men who are
In possession OF tho Christian truth, but who by their
membership hope to regain Others who have been es'
tranged the Church. thinking OF that comprehensive
word OF Christ lie that Is against us Is for u.s."
But they would remln sound on faith and love, they
ghoud think liKewIse OF that other word that reminds
Us OF the DECISION wIneh every one must make, He
that not with me Is ag lns me- and no that gatheren
not with me scattereth aOrOad." .
s, long as tho bond OF unity such association is
not found In definite positive Christian fath nothing
",
pocmcs against others paiIy In certain external forms
and organizations. Tails Is the Of the great con.
tro'ct tno CathoIe Church as of this socaed
Liberal Professionalism. The organization sought from
tssandpont involves the idea OF binding form OF com
uunion, In which every ono may continue IN aDaOlute
certainty and RELIGIOUS sovereignty, and at mo same
time not deprived vi the blessings ana enjoy ments o
com munOn, and the permanent right OF the same But
what are they 10 love and cherish IN oommonf That
which excludes nothing, lGiuues hotnns' Du. doS,
hollow aud empty. 80 far, then, as acting IN company
concerned they lay great stress upon tree eteoloh,
The members ascrb0 10 themselves tho power 10 vote
by the majority respecting gu thhgs even rGspeotng
the doctrines that 70 be held In common Thns they
fall into the same error Wmch s9u1u Jnagmhens
bames IN the council. that they estaDsneo ecnan,
zeal method OF deciding respecting what Is true wen
pleasing 20 Cod which method j. however inaGequaeo
10 the truth and s law Ol me- NOmlnai IroIesan'ls
and the ROmlsh Church both alike are destitute OF any
clear form norm Of decisiOn the former because they
would build upon the Toriously cohslltuleu tea3on y,
the au.on0mic Subjects aud by the various motpOdsan
results OF their historical yes, even dOgmatca
OF the sacred scripture rchuer every prOgosou Hil
iusOry the latter because hey uncOnsciOusy establish
through historical or consliutlyo tradition Gnahgeapo
human ideas, IN place OF the rocks OF eyanSeca 'In,
watch ideas, when In contradiction with the hoy
Scriptures, are, as the ReOrmeF5 justly sai9' merely
products OF the ndhTats tdi1o hRmdnd botn con
Scousy uncOnscOusly must arrive at the same end
and accept an objective perieenDity OF Ghrsth t
Both finally labor Tor the unnatural separation OF te
int lcctuh side OF man from the moral re-
ligous. The Romish Church claims for s, me
Pope onlightenment through tho Holy spTlt
independent OF his moral religious condition.
But the work OF the Holy Spirit Of one piece light ana
life alto-he The modern sO-caed Liberal Protestant
ism again. IN spite OF schermdcher, is mtellectualisc
and rtionastic. They would base religion upon knowl-
edge less now Of philosophical than OF histOrlc0-
critical character But they the very fact of
their undertaking that they do not understand religion
and Its true independent character which Schleler
macher 80 elasticity YIN Indicated They put their own
opinions respecting God In place OF RELIGION wne they
do not regard the views opposite 60 heir own az npos
sble ana they teach morality which has to do almost
exclusively with men. but not VITA God.
Historical criticism aud investigation arc Ger
family authorized. In this way tue Reformation
began TO go back TO the sources aud never
will Germany, the hearthstone OF the RetorIsa
ton allow herself TO be deprived OF the right OF
free investigation which has made her theology SO rich
and strong But every investigation rewards the
investigator We in Germany that the object Of in
yestigItiOn dSsuyes under the han OF many the
spirit which walls itself from them, 50 that, while they
retain the phlegm the mere external material the soul
has flown away. why IS u tnat THIS ISrln OF
Professionalism can, no more than RomansHl, attain
a Arm position true knowledge OF the G0speli
think there Is one common fault They do not unde-
stand what religion, or harmonious communion with
God is; they do rot know their need of redemption, OF
their sufulness. Pascal says, Unless man knows
that he r longer what he should be- he lacks the first
condition OF self knowledge" The first assurance Is
that VIC sinners laden with quit That IS the tuDda
mental assurance which leads the sincere inquirer fur
Their on Tns Is likewise the beginning Of true fellow
ship true spiritual uY chat we know our race as ono
i'm gait and need OF "a TedeeIlar Where there IL TINS
vital knowledge aud longing Ion ps9cS WIN 1oa ana
with oneself, history Is examined ~ order 10
the Redeemcr. He who thus. with the glance OF
longing for Reieeiner, will remain standing before
the form of Christ susceptible OF all the divine fea
lures radatng influences OF that form. They appear
the alien ana the prOiane contradictory IN their divine
paradOxy; the grOyellng intellect grOpes externally
round about holy object. picks him to pieces like
flower; but the susceptible soul Is met by an uneX-
pected divine harmony shining forth to greet him.
when that scnsOrium for redeemer the true theologi
cal organ, Is lacking the wBOe purpose ana work OF lhe
Goldman falls to pieces, while the time the
ner needing redemption has burning mirror within
him, which gathering the beams III one point eoncoh,
trates them TO iDtamc his heart aud give light ana
warmth and life, 80 that as the believing look upon
Christ the old man Is consumed and the arises
i'm the creative glow OF the love OF God revealed IN
Christ He Is thus assured OF his cause, aud
stands firm rock amid the fluctuations
Of human opinion, assured first OF his salvation Ia
only from DOUBT ana uhcerthty guy loeratou lfO
seductive and changeable human authority Again, III
close connection with true assurance, Is the true pncl
pie OF unity, as love with faith T1ls the doctrine OF
our reformation. stu more, TINS Is inc pure gospel
We have looked az the errors 10 the right aud the eI
superstition based upon nhDeei unDenet INC Irnt W
suDerstItion which defos ITSELF May we thereby learn
TO love and value aresh the evangelical truth which our
forefathers won by their own blood Let us not allow
ourselves ana DO shaken ny tue fluctuations Oh
human opinion. but stand firm upon the rock OF God
May this ioy when Is not Ia seconuary matters os III
the kernel of the Gospel In Christ and His ireo grace
likewise unite all evangelical PrOsteStants more ana
more closely together Indeed, II becomes US 10 cuIt
yate unity more than IN the nrst three cen
tnres OF the Reformation. IL becomes us Tor
orr own saSes, since are going into conflict OF
earuesDess. IL becomes us, Tor Tao SAKE oI
our opponents the right and TO the left to whom we
nave TO recommend by concord ana love that winch
alone make them free ana happy For by TINS shal
the world know that we are His dsciples II we nave
love one 10 another. It becomes for the honor OF
Christ under whose banner we stand Since the Reform
alton We scattered III hundred vessels upon tho
ut deep of the nations 1t time, TO use the Ian
guage OF HOmePs Odyssey that we should thlnk again
uf
Gas amnst become an image OF the dispersion OF the
natins and we have almost and In many ways mis-
one another II Is time that We should agan
- ourselves 10 be the children of Pentacost, which
united the dispersed nations and tongues by the power
-, the spirt who combined innuito variety in
Unity Ne have fed from Romish sameness that
leads to mere mechanical principles and death.
"t differences likewise, when they also prevail, bring
oysriy bitterness of life and restitution OF the holy
shirt Let US labor then, that the differences existing
a,nong MS which are all before the eye OF God, may
iTc6tway become instead OF means OF estrangement,
rater bond OF unity, IN giving and receiving as IL Is
tne will of the Holy Spirit Tns Is furthered IN an
esnecl manner by the idea OF Conference, which
mites the five parts OF the globe together
in an unpreceden Ted manner and thus far become the
nrvaug power on earth May this conference be pro-
nctiye of AN OF the spirit OF peace among u.s.
so aIso of an Increase of the knowledge which Europe
90 America ee pocally the nations represented here,
have received from GODS hand the great tasks In the