The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-02-14
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"LaYman's'' Critic Criticized.
Editors Of the Intelllgenesf:
Thanking "Relormer" for the compli
mentary and candid character Of his crit
iclsm, and believing that he and man
Others in our community are "open to cor
viction" &on so vital q subject asa u
proper holding and outward exptessio
OF our holy religion, we desire to ID
some remarks that may call the attentio
OF many seekers after truth 10 SO import
ant q matter.
PROPER HOLDING OF THE FAITH.
Our flnt proposition Is that the divinell
appointed outward expression Of the iaitl
Is most sure bulwark TO It's perpetuity
both individually and nationally. F0
who can doubt that the absence Of thi
1.-The NONCOMPLIANCE Of the three order
Of the ministry-vlz: Bishops, PRIEST
and Deacons, and other and lncidenta
essentials OF the true faith outwardly-
was the cause oil the degeneracy OF TIT
rigid and "high sacramentarian" systems
OF Luther and Calvin. by successive steps
through indepsndtney, indi9srentiSm and
p0Siti1e unbelief as illustrated by Presby-
tcrianism in all It's phases, Of Lutheran
Calvanist, Arminian, Zuinglian, indie
pent, Congregational, Methodist, Baptist
Trinitarian, Unitarian, Universalist, q
omneS, down to lower grades Of belief
or positive SOOTHING at all religion.
On the other hand, who that studies the
subject, tails 10 trace, as the result of the
firm holding oil these divine essentials BY
the Anglican Church at the Reformation
the unchanged and stable faith which
she exhibits, not only In and to her own
members, but as a guide and standard
10 other systems which still adhere In q
greater Or less degree to the ancient land
marks.
ALL EvANGELICAIs BELIEVE IN THR
REAL PREaENCR.
We ask "ReIormer": II 1t should seem
surprising that some or many in our own
church were astonished at the outspoken
words Of DR.. De Koven, what will be the
amazement OF many Of our religious
brethren at the following facts? viz:
The Augsburg Confession" from
which all the modern Presbyterian con.
LESSONS have:grown, has It, "Art. X. In
regard to the Lords Supper they teach
that the body and blood Of Christ are
truly present, and are dispensed to the
communicates in the Lords Supper; and
they diSapprove those who teach other.
wise. And this is theHvery book from
which our English Lutherans in this CITY
are being taught to-day; and we have It
from one of their worthiest ministers that
any lowering OF this "truly" to o mere
memorial, or other than the real, spiritual,
(though not carnal or corporeaD presence
Of Christ is wholly disallowed. That in
partaking, they las. of old, in the Passover
eat the foAols Christ.
To say that our Lutheran brothers do
not adore Christ wherever seen by faith,
is to insult not only their belief but their
intelligence.
And, en- PEASANT, we add, that all nom.
inal LutheranS lin Art. X. of same Con.
tession, assert even more strongly than
does the Episcopal Church, the sacra.
mental integrity OF Baptism.
Next in order comes the Presbyterian
faith on the real presence. The book be.
fore US is 1.-THE Constitution OF the Pres.
bytcrian Church in the United States of
America" &C., and is the only one known
to that body, 1--WE belleve,) and Is the one
from which all Of that faith must directly
be governed,-and as such was just now
putt our possession by worthy minister
in that body. cart. 90. Sec. VII. Worthy
receivers, outwardly partaking of the Wis.
ible elements, in this sacrament, do then
also inwardly, by faith, really and indeed,
yet not carnally and corporslly, but Spir.
ttuaRy, recetre and feed upon Christ cru.
Gifted, and all benefits OF his death: the
body and blood OF Christ being then not
coTp0rdlly or cdrnGHy in, with, or under
the bread and wine; yet as Tedlly, but
spiritually, present to the faith of believers
in that ordinance, as the elements them.
selves are, 10 their outward senses.nG q
"Sec. VIII. Although ignorant and wick.
ed men receive the outward elements Of
this sacrament, yet they receive not the
thing signifed thereby; but by their un.
worthy coming thereunto are gully ofMe
body and blood Of the Lord, to their oDn
Gamnatton," DC.
Now to assert that our devout Presby-
terrain brethren do not adore Christ in this
sacrament or wherever the eye Of faith
beholds Him, is to accuse them ofblas-
phNmy. And surely no body of Christians
IN our midst rank higher, as devout, zeal.
Gus, God-iearing people-even the new
"Relormers." We assert they do adore
Christ, else why the solemnity that al.
ways attaches to this act Of worship.
Little need be said Of our Methodist
brethren, for on the subject Of the Lords
Supper, they have copied into their Book
OF Disciplin, Art. XVIII, the very words
OF Article XVIII from the Episcopal
Prayer Book. ~iA ~ u.
And surely no one will accuse our
Methodist brother of profaning SO sacred
an act Of worship. -st n
So we might go on, with all the Chris
tian systems, only to find that all. above
unltarians, etc, do verify believe in the &C.
tttal, real, though spiritual presence Of
Christ in The Lords Supper. And we re-,
peat to assert that any Of these systems do:
not teach the Alteration Of Christ wher-
ever seen with the eye OF faith, isto de-;
grade to blaSphemers great majority Of
land. e
We ask in all earnestneSs and candor,
T T does the Church, or If you please,
VI. ne koven, teach more than this? And
evenll We err, g 1t not safest to err in the
09 mEch alteration rather than Too Itts?
Who ever heard or read Of religion
without mystery-spirit? From The Pa
triarchal, through the Jewish and Chris-
tan systems II Is not found; nor vet
among idolators or heather even of The
lowest type. o, AatsrfalStl what hast
thou not done to the degradation Of our
race?
HAIR SPLITTING.
Most Of this hugh and cry about faiths,
is the splitting Of scholastic hairs, thus
forming spectres 10 alright the weaker
ones, to perpetuatesec tarianism, or pan.
der to the notorietY Of sect makers.
. n. ~ a