Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-10-21
A SINGULAR CONFESSION.
An EX-PREAcHER PRocLAIMs HIMSELF
AN INFIpEL AND WANTS TO BE
PRAYED For.

In view of the approaching religious
revival in connection with Mr.. Moody 5
meetings, | wish to make request of
the Christian people who may attend
them. 1t is that they will pray for me-
For several years | was the pastor of
one of the largest churches in the city,
and professed and preached the Chris
tian religion. To all appearances, com
forted and confirmed multitudes Of
Christians, and brought hundreds of un-
believers into the fold of Christ. But,
about six months ago, not from impulse,
but after mature and painful delibera-
ton, l abandoned the pulpit and public
ly renounced my belief in the Christian
religion. Even to me, who no longer
believed in hereafter, this seemed to
be a very solemn step. And to the
church over which so long presided as
pastor, 20 many of whom had led
down into the waters of baptism, and
to whom | had so often administered
the sacrament, it seems to me that this
event should have appeared nothing
less than shocking and awful. And yet
it is singular fact that there has never
been a prayer offered in the Union Park
(now the Fonrth) Baptist, nay in any
other church in this city, for my recove-
ry from intideity. On the other hand,
the Boston Baptist paper, the Watch
man, expressed the liveliest satisfaction
that l mad abjnrrd the Christian faith
and was going to hell. have no idea.
therefore, that | can secure an interest
in the prayers of the Baptists; but | ask
to be remembered in the prayers Of the
Christians at large who may attend MIR.
Moody meetings.
| make this request because for sever
al months past l have felt that there
was, after all, great truth somewhere
in the orthodox Christian religion,
though, as yet, | cannot define nor COM
prehend it. But my present view OF
Christianity exrrts no influence over my
heart or lite, and if | should die in my
present state of mind, | should, if the
New Testament is true, sink into an
endless hell l have also, as an Incl,
dental motive, the desire to receive a
demonstration of the truth of religion
by experiencing this highly improbable
change in answer to prayer. l make
this request in this public manner be-
cause am public character, aud my
case is of special Importance to the cause
of religion My detection has shaken
the faith of many, to my knowledge,
and multitude all over the country,
whom | have never seen or received let
tcrs from, must have been more or less
affected by it.
If might suggest more particularly
what / wish prayed for, | would request
that prayers be offered that | might re-
cover my faith in the Christian charac-
ter; that is, that might become con
WINGED that the belief and subjective ex-
perience of the Christian religion make
men, in the long run, more truthful,
more honest, more just, more merclful,
more loving, more torgiving than other
people. For | must confess that an eX.
perience of sixteen years in the Chris
tian pastorate has well nigh convinced
me that Christianity simply intensties
human nature; 50 that while Christians
love their friends more than other peo-
pie do, they also hate those who offend
them more than other people do, and
when once displeased are the most cruel
and unscrupulous class of the commnni-
ty. FLORENCE MCCARTHY.
Chicago, September %.