The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-27
How They View the Confession Of
Faith In NIeubenYille.

EottA IA OSeuoeuVIlAes
The following we find in the stouben-
vile Daily Gazette:
Tho Presbyterian Banner in an article
nearly two columns long, endsAvors to do
away with the effect OF the charge which
minister in the Allegheny presbytery
recently made, in which he stated "there
is not a minister in this presbytery or
this church that will accept the Comics.
sion of Faith from beginning to end and
in the language Of Mr., Hodge, the minis.
ter who says he car, must DO either an angel
or fool" but the defense seems to be
very weak. In fact, after reading It over,
We are not sure that the Banner itself
does not believe with the minister quot.
ed above, although tho ostensible object
OF the article Is to combat such doc.
trine. II would be hard TO make the
average Presbyterian in this region Of
country believe that the editor OF the
Banner himself subscribes to the Confess
sion Of Faith In It's entirety, notwithstand.
ing how much he may seemingly take up
the cudgel in It's defense. OF one thing
we are satisfied: We have never yet
known Presbyterian who did not dodge
some portion OF that same confession, and
we have been intimately acquainted with
hundreds Of that denomination, among
whom are quite number Of preachers. II
il patent to all who have conversed much
with Presbyterians that II q confession Of
faith were to DO promulgated tomorrow
II would materially differ from the one
now in vogue, yet the Bdnner, by reason
OF It's position as church organ, at
tempts to deny the charges Of this minis.
ter, although II does 40 In such an inlective
manner that no one can DO persuaded II
really believes In its own weak argu-
ments.
Presbyterians generally differ with the
creed to which they subscribe, but In
stead Of doing so boldly, as they should,
they twist It 50 that the meaning in some
places Is entirely changed, there being
passages in the Confession OF Faith which
are now Interpreted one way, while they
express an entirely different idea, as
clearly as printed words can be made 10
do 80. This shonld not be the case, and
when majority Of the members of u
church cannot honestly subscribe to the
doctrines Of that church, those doctrines
should be amended In such manner that
they can do 80. When the Constitution
Of the United States has been found to be
imperfect, changes have been made in II,
and II has therefore been kept up to the
standard Of public sentiment Because
parcel Of divines many years since inter.
preted the scriptures In certain man.
ner, Ia no reason that In these enlightened
times their views should be dogmatlcally
imposed upon people far better educated
and more intelligent, whose Utmost ma
lures rebel against the acceptance OF their
dogmaE. The words Of tho Master him
self as far rs the main points OF his teach
ing are concerned, are easily understood,
and II It's directions we're universally FOL.
lowed, each mans life would he good and
pure, and wrangling and quarreling
would be no more, for then he would
Glove his neighbOr "a himself" Why
then should we have these dogmatic
views Of people Of q past generation sad
died upon us1 We have used the Pres
byterian church "a basis for this writ
inH, but all churches are welded 10 this
fault spoken Of to a greater or less extent.
Let ,ls then have revision oil the doc.
trines Of the churches; 80 that Method.
lat, Presbyterian or Catholic need not
charge his soul with lie In subscribing
A.. Nknk,A