The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-31
For thO IatSnigeneet.1 '--'sa''-'---.-
Our Local Religious Topica.

rOE bOLne tlme IN our local newspapers
an unusual amount Of space has been oc'
cupied by the consideration Of religious
matters. l venture 10 offer few sugges'
lions In view Of what has occurred.
Between the agitation Of such questions
and indifference to them, the preference ID
decidedly due to the former. Stagnation
and death 60 together In this realm O.
truly as they do In the world OF nature.
AZ the same time there ID a state which Il
preferable to both. II Is that OF establish.
ment and activity In the cause Of truth.
Better Is the steady, peaceful flow Of the
river than any temporary froth and foam
produced by the violence oil the winds,
It should be the aim oil every person to
attain to this superior condition. In the
meanwhile, as friends Of the cause Of
truth, we may welcome agitation.
In the discussion oil. such problems, ali
lllppancy and levlty are grossly improper
concede that there Is a place here for
satire and ridicule. But TO approach
these subjects 90 we may deal with some
of the triiling concerns Of the preaent life,
Indicates total lack Of appreciation Of
their real nature. To a man who ia In
earnest about religious interests, no matter
whether he Is a Christian or sceptic,
the manner In which the New York
Re'ald, for example, discusses them must
be highly offensive. These, from any
point of view, are serious problems.
They concern our highest welfare for
time and for. eternity. To know the
truth; In regard 10 them and 10 act In &C.
cordance with II Is the greatest blessing
which we can obtain here. To be iguor.
ant OF II, and consequently to fail In our
duty, Is the worst evil which can befall
US.
The discussion in our newspapers has
been concerned with three classes Of sub.
jects. I-wish to say d word In regard 10
each of them. The first has had refer.
cnce to n great question which has arisen
within branch Of the Christian Church.
THERE'S danger that In taking sides in
this matter men shall be governed by old
associations or bypersonal attachments,
rather than by considerations OF truth and
right. The proper course OF those who
are called upon to decide where they
stand is to study the question calmly in
the light of the Scriptures and OF such
other sources Of information as are at their
command, and by prayer to seek light
from Heaven. In that case they will not
be aptto err. And in the public agits.
ton OF the. matter at issue it is to be
hoped that the main point shall not be
obscured by side issues. What Is the
truth should be the inquiry distinctly
kept in view.
The second OF the classes. OF subjects
has had reference to questions raised by
certain ministers in conflict with the
views ordinarily held by Christian people.
We have had sermons published in oppo-
sitiOn to the existence Of q personal devil,
and TO the fall OF man in Eden. There
should be no disposition on the part
OF the friends d the received doc
trine Of the Evangelical churches to
avoid an investigation of these questions,
1t 1t is necessary. l Am sure that there is
no such disposition. Bat there are a
couple o: other things which should be
distinctly stated One Is that there is
nnlhirg new in such ideas as have been
advanced in the ahcve mentioned sermons
ANY tYIO IN ecclesiastical history knows
that the very same opinions were pro-
mulg9ted in the course OF few centuries
after the introduction OF Christianity into
the world. They then caused some dis
cussiOn and were forgotten. These are
old issues resurrecled. 1t is not at all
probable that they now will have more
vitality than they had centuries ago The
other thing to be stated is chat as the pub.
lie well knows there is here and there a
minister whose whole stock in trade con-
sistsin saying something which will make
temporary sensation. If they did not
give Ctterance to some sentiment which
seems strange especially in them, they
would sink out OF sight. l do not pre-
tend to say whether or not this is true OF
the men whose sermons have recently
been published among us, because / do
not know them. But It will not be sur
prising to the public, If such is their char.
acter. However, for the truth In regard
to which they raise difficulties the appeal
should be made to the original sources
from which it is to be obtainca. The
mere tpse diait of men on the one side or
the other is not conclusive.
The third OF these classes of subjects
relates 10 the controversy between the
theories OF certain students Of the natural
sciences andthe friends Of the Bible. I'll
is certain that between any truth revealed
to US in the world Of nature and the
Scriptures, if,they arc the Word of God
there can be no conflict; wherever they
touch they must harmonic. Now, In
the past this has uniformly been verified.
Often, TO be sure, the quarrel has ragged
over alleged dissgreements, but in the
endit has always been discovered that
either the men Of science have misinter-
preted the facts OF nature, or that the
friends of the Scriptures have misunder-
stood the Bible. Rightly interpreted ma.
ture AMI revelation thus far have ever
agreed. In the controversy which now
Is wsged as yet no want oil harmony is
proven. There are by men of science
theories advanced which seem to conflict
with Scripture, but they arc mere theo.
ries which arc not generally accepted by
those who are leaders in that sphere Of
thought, as established |; indeed, BY many
they are strongly controverted. Il any
Of them should be proven 1t will be the
duty Of the friends Of Scripture to re.ex-
anime the teachings ofreyelstion. Doubt.
less, as heretofore, any apparent discrep-
ancy will be found to be the result Of
misunderstanding by one party or the
other. What Christians complain Of Is |
that mere theories should be held up as |
evidence against the truth oil the Bible.
We court comparison Of the established |
conclusions OF science and revelation.
We are confident that the one will con-
firm the other. But we.thlnk it utterly
unfair and unbecoming any real lover Of |
the truth to say that the Bible is false
because 1t does not on its face harmonic
with his opinions. And 1t Is equally IN
lair TO say that ministers and others are
opposed to science because they do not
assent 10 every crude idea which is ad.
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