, 1874-03-08

unsoundncss Of his pulpit niaistrations, from &
Presbyterian standpoint, am equally well satls-
fed. They seem to me, aB they do to many
others, 'se1ioualy defective"
Should these lines fall under his eye, pre-
sumo he will recognize their source, and should
be sorry to say anything by which should for
feit his friendship. I should greatly regret to
lose him from the Presbyterian Church, but II
he: no longer eubEcnbcs.to the. Westminster
theology, aud by his very silence On the doc
triues OF the Church indicates his doubt OF them,
think with Or. Patton that lie should 60 where
ho belongs. Yours truly, ".
PROF. SWING on THE aR1DrRoS.
10 the Editor of The chicago Tribune:
S1n: In case tho ''In1uisi,ion should TO cs-
tnblished in this city, would suggest new aud
ingenious mode of torture.
Let the foes Of orthodoxy be condemned to
read the editorials of Bigot Patton. No hereto
could long stand such treatmcnt. Half dozen
editorials would finish up any man Of ordinary
endurance.
Patton is the editor of class Of newspapers
that nobody erer reads. The so-callcd "relgious
newspaper is ahont as d1eary an institution as
the nineteenth century has produced. People,
out Of charity, or from motives OF hypocrisy,
sometimes subscribe for papers like that over
which Patton presides, but who ever found any
actually rcading the Interior'
This man Patton has ut last hit npon d
cheap advertising dodge. He has gotten bis
own name and that Of his organ into the
columns Of papers that arc universally read.
This result has been brought about By an attack
upon Prof Swing. man Ill every respect the
opposite of Patton, and one who enjoys the
love and confidence Of this community in m
extraordinary degree.
The Professor being a imam OF mark" it ID
natural that envy, malice and uucharitableness
should seek to transfix him with their poisoned
Shafts. But his strong mind, his warm heart,
lis broad culture, and his modest, uuseltiBh con-
duct, form an armor that will be proof against
any md every assault
Patton and Swing-the accuser and tho nc
cused--what contrast! 4 little, splenetic
mind, moving in an orbit no larger than self
such is Patton. A great intellect aud deep
heart, moving in an orbit as large the uni
verse, such il the gentle Professor.
Surely the combatants arc not well matched,
and yet an insect may disturb giant. II there
be devil, being who takes delight in promot~
especially present in every dogmatic and theo-
logical controversy. Did any real good ever
epring from such strife? Did any result but
positive mischief ever ensue? Did any disput-
ant ever convince his antagonist To such
questions only 4 negative reply can be made.
BILE, as tho fields Of doctrinal discussion.
It may i'll fact be trnly stated that olisputation
upon religious points has created more i'll feeling
and produced more actual damage to the cause
and Darwins md ali tho arGnmcnts Of onen IN
fidelity combiuod-
What ran he more nitiah1a than such erhib;.
tions, What can so-called religion be worth
that produces such fruit, empty and bitter, like
tie apples Of the Dead sea
is as aeoundine~ q hrass and tink]ino cymhal."
Charity does not consist in a1msriyine1 Il con.
sists il a shirt Of loyiue-kindness towards onr
felIovs a generous tolerance Of their opinions,
however different from our own. and 3 desire 70
make 41,a hast of ncn And fhinrs we connot
fully understand.
ii best we cannot understand much. We ara
in the midst of mysteries that no scienca can
explain. The mast is inscruteb}e and the future
battles inquiry, We are constantly asking cues
tons which philosophy cannot answer. The
few facts which we know are Lut an grains of
ennd on vide shore compared With the truth
which is, and perhaps must ever remain. ur-
known. That dogmatism which fastens the
mind down to m unrarying dclnition Of right
t;a,, ~ .,ar:;,, ti,a 49,. ~ Fo,,1,s; @ua ~
ttou, 7nu uoel At,lse .uo ss'y Aouu4@'lons oi
1aish- I:ts Me nave a1uefent minus, and see With
oluerens eyes. onr edueasfon. circumstances,
associations, teopers, and feeliugs arc as wide.
Us the poles. ana 1t IS impossible, under free
system of Thought, that We should understand
al1se, or, Win e4la! zeal tor the Truth, shonld
arrive at prec1seiy similar interpretations.
dence me necessary loI ofoaa Charity IN our
may % right, should De iAe motto OF those WHO
am at the truth. rathe1 tnan triumph Ii argu-
nenf.
eucn renections force themselVes upon the
[nlna in view OF the present attempt on the part
u lew b1ne hghts or t1e sixteenth cen
Jury TO put Prot' swing out OF tue Presbyterian
Church IN TINS nineteenth century, on the
ground OF Aeresv. more stupendon6 farce
sas never played Ihe public look On with
interest ana iaush While the mounteoanks make
ne1r 1nnhg speeches anu perform their little
1tGAs. :. soo; .,,:-..
It remains to pc seen to what extent the spirit
u y .hat grim sinner, Johh CALVIN, IS stu aAve.
I tEhs melancholy splsat Is not yes lald, then IS
9 u1 aooa y! Tue fro1essol forever Pcaiea. A
~ Hsseto VINO IN MS ignorance: ADMITS there
no Low LILIES ~ .ne universe "mGn pass AZ
,,.alt ne sugle ~ no page IN me
r1sss na 1ut .ueo uoa,s Iso ouset
ire - 11u lag, p'ansuee "ne1s nos
,arn11e5 +nn "as.a en4 ~ tetA'eu 60 cooI my
49, N~A10o ~oe' oA1no'-leoo'
TIE COMING OF TIE Au1Ess1uy
MACON cous7r, H.. Feb. u, 1874
. tic Editor Of The ch,eago 1ribune:
SIR: have read an editorial in the weekly |
.R1BUSE OF teb. IL on the declarations OF tho
'atrons Of Husbandry at their National Grange |