The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-09
MONDAY, NOVEMBER o, 1874.
PTedestinaIIon.

west NHRlnlh SOuIS4SHSS vs. '"S
Church, has laid upon our table copy oil
pamphlet recently published for him at
this establishment, entitled "Pfedestina'
ton not Salvation; on ExegesIs on Romans
8, Goth and 3Oth." Some time since we
noticed the pamphlet Of our esteemed
friend, General HARRIS, entitled "CAlyin.
ism indicated" The General and Mr.
MCCARTNEY evidently do not agree on
this very abstruse and intricate theolOgi'
cal subject. In fact, their views arc dia-
me,rically opposed. Nor Is this diver
gence greatly 10 be wondered at, when
it Is remembered that some Of the great.
tst iheologians Of the Church have reso-
lutely maintained the most lrrecorcllable
opinions In regard to the DEGREES Of God.
Neither is It OF all likely that these later
ditquIsitions will wholly relieve the sub
ject Of its acknowledged and insuperable
difficulties. The moderate Calvinist holds
that Gods foTeknowledge necessarily in
wolves an absolute and eternal predestina.
ton OF man 10 eternal life or death. The
high CAlvinist earnestly insists that this
prcdcslination Is wholly irrespective o!
mans will, while those OF milder stamp
teach that 1t results from Gods Ioreknow.
Ing Hhat man will choose. The Armenians
deny that God lOreordains the election and
edeclusl calling Of portion Of the race
10 eternal felicity, while the remaining
portion is inevitably doomed TO ever
lasting misery. They assert that the Di-
vine fore knowledge does not necessarily
include predes,iDation, and that God fore
knowing thing as done is csreiully 10 be
distinguished from His decreeing that
il shall be done. To affirm that the
ioreknowledge OF God logically includes
in it the irrevepible DEGREES Of HIS gov.
ernmCnt is in their judgment, little short Of
blasphemy, as it makes God the author
of sin. The reasonable men Of both psr-
ties readily grant the sovereignty Of God,
and the Tree moral agency oil man but
how to reconcile the two apparently con-
Trajectory propositions has been the
problem Of the ages II God be absolute.
~ sovereign, how can man be perfectly
lru? lfmsn be perfectly free, how can
God be absolutely sovereign? To en-
deaver TO answer these questions salts
factorily, host Of able theolOgisns and
Biblical interpreters have devoted the
most OF their time and the best Of their
energies. Such men as LUTHER, CAL
WIN, ARMINIUs, WESLEY, EDWARDS and
CHALMERS have brought 10 this task the
greatest moral earnestness and the keen
est intellectual research. To say that
they have failed is but TO say that there
are boundaries 10 human knowledge, and
that no man by searching can find out the
Almighty to perfection. The problem is
still unsolved, and is likely to remain &c
for centuries to come, perhaps forever.
Not at all sbsshed by the proiundity o.
his theme or the apparent failure Of grca'
men to relieve it Of its mysteries and dill
ticulties, Mr.. MCCARTNEY boldly arrays
hlmselfin his theological armor and Wig
orously attacks his subject He seeks il
a rather ingenious manner 10 show tina
predestination, as commonly understood
is not taught in the Bible. In his owr
judgment, he has evidently succeeded
What effect ii will have upor
other minds is an open question. Il
Is our private opinion that he has not sc
clearly calculated the subject as to rele
gate it forever from the stormy field o
theological discussion. We admire hi
purpose TO include all men in the love
and thought Of the universal Father, bu
We may be permitted to question thu
soundnGss Of bis principles Of Biblical ex
cgesis. For example, he makes the image
OF Christ (see Rom. S. 90, 90) TO consist il
Jewish ordinances, rites and ceremonies
Now as God has urquestionsbly predes'
tlnatcd Christian believers 10 be con
formed TO the image Of his Son, theymust
according to Mr.. MCCARTNEY, be pre-.
destined 10 be conformed 10 the Jewish
ordinances, rites and ceremonies. While
not protesting to be very accurate or pro
found in our knowledge Of theology, VT
always supposed. it TO be clear, une-
quivocal doctrine oil the New Testamen
that Christ had liberated men from TIL
tedious and burdensome ceremonial law
ofMosRs. Whatever may be the ultimate
fate Of the doctrine Of Predestination, i
must be evident to all impartial students
Of Chrisrs teachings that Christianity il
= more than ordinances, rites and ceremo
MES. 1t is generally held to be Lille,
Spirit, aPower.
Mr.. McCARTNEY's sermon is readable
He evidently believes what he ssys
whether other people do or not, Doubtless
1t is an honest effort Of an honest man t
throw light on a dark and mysterious
subject. how nearly he has succeeded
Is not Tor US to determine. Reading TIT
sermon over, however, the inquiry invol-
unfairly arises, How much will 1t conduct
to practical righteousness? When first
preached to his congregation, how many
Of them went away determined to live
better livesH To outside sinners, the chic
mission Of the preacher appears TO be tc
influence men to right living, Il is a