, 1874-03-01
IN3t0ETALTTY.

1NMoErArTY.
To the Editor Of Tie Chicago 11iht"e:
Sin: I dearo to say word III reply to crltl-
cism which appeared in TIE TE1EUSE OF lass
Sunday upon my sermon on " Immortality y
The writer says
Aa exponent CT liberal and advanced Chr5stlsniy
Dr. Thosnas Is public PROPERTY, and, wh-n his Eiewa
On questions pertaining to mora1s and religion ate
question: II need be- and II there any weakness, any
loose In his argumen ho must not take it to
his overthrow, II it: possible to DO done.
Icertalnly hayo no objection to honest and
friendly criticisms and such Is tho spirit OF your
correspondent. Indeed, think the time has
truth should be the supreme and sacred pursuit
OF every SOUL No one can aford to cherish an
error, and surely no one should feel offended
when mistaken opinion or wonk argument ia
pointed out. Least Of all should the pulpit
Bhun tho clesrest light and tho most eeafching
preaching the truth that the pulpit can hope to
noldits high place in the confidence and affections
Of all enlightened people. Nor have any sym
pathy with the dogmatic spirit that assumes
one who ventures toquestion, or dares to doubt
and conveniently gets rid Of argument by crying
"intidcl-" But then it often requires scarcely
less ability to criticise argument than it does
to mako it, and often discourse or propoai-
ton is misunderstood. Such is the fact in
reference to my critic. Tho discourse was not
Published, SO far as know, aud he must have
either heard, or heard Of it,-more likely the
latter,-ior ho fails to wholly grasp the argu-
ment, except in our case, cud complains that no
Bible argument WAS given, when, in fact, the
final argument was based wholly upon the Bible.
4 desire has been exprcsued that tho discourse
be repeated, aud it will AFFORD me p1enaure to
comply with that requeht on next surdoJ
morning. II. ". THOMAS.
INFANT BAPTISM,
To the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
SIR: In these days, when the question Of
infant baptism is OF 60 much importance that
the Circuit Court OF Cook County has been en-
Gagged for two weeks in determining what tho
belief Of the Episcopal Church is upon the sub
ject. it does seem that other Orthodox churches
judicial investigation to determine the exact
status of that doctrine in the Presbyterian aud
Methodist Churches, for example.
The - Orthodox. or right thinking people,
hive latte1ly boen looking to DR.. Patton, Of the
= Interior, for direction in all dogmato theology
But recently, it griares me to state, there Is .
rlmor about the city that DR.. Patton actually
believes that unbaptixod infants may possibly be-
sxyed-if they die before yaarB Of discretion. It
grieves me to think that any one should embrace
such d horrible doctrine; and, above all, that
DR.. Patton, should give room for oven doubt
as to his Orthodoxy upon that question.
think that the ruuor must have been started BY
sone ECLECTIC" Ike Prof. Swing, who desires
70 eLay tne angry wave tnat Is about to enRuH
him, with his hotrid doctrines. do hope that
DR.. Patton has not 80 far departed from Calvin
ism and the early teachings Of the Presbyterian
Church ns to create doubt as to his Orthodoxy
upon this ono point How can he hive the dar-
ing to call others to account, if perchanco be
has only caused doubt as to this one point7
1t ho be truo to his professions, ns VIC think he
is he will at ouco al rest the doubt raised as
to his fright thinking" upon this one beautiful
doctrine Of infant damnatlon.
Il he has the manhood Of Bishop Whitehouae,
he will make himself very Peter IN defense OF
infant regeneration in baptism, and OF infant
dannatlon outside Of it. ORTHODOXY.
EuE sUE-DLL or ,AuAZ.
To the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune: 8.
SIZE: wish to answer the inquiry Of rnem~
ber Of the Presbyterian Church, through yonr
much~roRd and valuable paper, as to tic retro
gression Of the shadow on the sun-tlial OF Ahaz,
In ansver to Hozekiah's prayer the Lord
changed Ills mind. Repentance and prayer al
wny5 make our Father who art in heaven
change His mind in regard to His er1ing chill
dren. Again, he assumes God did it to crafty
the curiosity OF an old man. Did Christ tell the
story of tho Prodigal Son only for thosa who
heard His voice. or did the woman Of samhria
clone receive comfort by hearing Of the we'll OF
water OF which We may drink and never thirst
sgain, OF which fainting Us well as the strong
nay drink and not perish, but hare eternal life !,
prorar ia ffa cun thn maanH bv which Na secur6