Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-02-20

: the verge Of the lower deep an
I yet be saved, being Of the elect. Tn
used to be, and we suppose yet Is, th
2 primal doctrine OF the Congregations
: lists, and, We suppose, may be taken
furnish some hope, II not excuse, for til
! wretched forger and the still MOI
wretched "Adulterer, pe1urer and hypc
critic" who has taken to bias
phemy In his defiance to tn
world and God himself to taste
these crimes upon him. Beecher an
Winslow, the direct results OF religion
that believes In words and profession
rather than in spiritual following Of tn
plain and simple teachings Of Christ
stand out to-day types not of that be
neficent system, bat rather OF religion
which puts Jesus forward as trench
behind which Its professors may do as Il
themselves seems best. They are of al
4 increasing class who are under the CON
troll of their own passions, al
the while they are seemingly ain
slant In season I'D out, in prayers anC
HASTINGS and good works." 1t would, al
we have raid, almost convince one o.
the correctness of Tire assumption OF the
natural depravity Of the human heart
AMI lead to a doubt of all men-thiE
story Of Beecher and WinslOw. Re.
enforced by the developments Of crime
In high places in the political world
the conviction OF the Indianapolis, ST.
Louis and Chicago merchants and pub
lie officials, Of thefts and frauds,
the proposed trial of Others in
New Orleans on similar charges,
and the trial of the private
secretary of the President Of the United
States for the same crimes-it would
seem as IL we had reached time when
men might doubt themselves and refuse
to confide or trust their neighbors, even
though those neishbors come with Christ
upon their lips. The bonds Ofconfidence
In public and private credit loosened,
social compacts giving way before sus-
picion, a great cry from the people be-
cause of their overburdeninS taxas,
and two trusted moral teachers
srrsigned as criminals-tbe one
charged with the cara Of the
young and the other an acknowledged
Leading light Of the church-our readers
may well pause and ask, Where are
we to look for guidance" Political
preachers, like Gilbert Haven, who per-
pstuate sectional hate; the Newmans,
who play official, and all that stripe of
cleric who live in the world and yet
claim they are not of it; who would
control the people not by precept and
example, but by dogmatism, assertion,
and daily demands for blind, unQues.
toned faith; nsrrow-mindsd bigots who
would, had they the power, relight the
fires Of persecution-between these on
the one hand, and the Beechers and
Winslows on the other, is it any won
der the people are prepared to fol-
low any reformer and &C.
cept any reformation. Pondering
These things and the divisions among
the churches, is it any wonder that plain
people are stumbling and cropping about
without light, sailing In sea of doubt,
without rudder, sail or compass? The
Jew with his three thousand or more
years Of culture and education, still
despised and condemned, the Roman
hated and abhorred as Pagan
and idolster, the EpiscOpalisn regarded
as Of the world worldIy-of the fashion
able church Of the period-the Presbyte-
riau family Of churches denounced for |
stiff. and dogmatism; the
Unitarian treated ss an outcast, the |
Methodist and Baptist too near the peo- |
pie for tbs heightened ones Of earth to |
touch, aud the Csmpbsllite ss still lower
because he is the last expression of that
glorious freedom to preserve which |
Roger Williams went out alone into the
wilderness. Ssnkey and Moody, and
White and Bliss have only half hear
Ing because of these jsslousies and bick-
erings among the regularly ordained"
and because contention for the things |
Of earth" continually obtrude them
selves, personal eclat-Beecher's bsset.
ting sin--always asserting itself as of
more importance than the enforcement |
Of the beautiful doctrines which have |
never been matched by man. The peo-
lerealiss this want Of self-sbRegation In |
leading clergymen, they tire OF seltlsud-
alton and the christianity which is put
On as a disguise to conceal the selfish
nesJ, bigotry, vindictiveness and intoI-
erance which will occasionally crop out,
and they hail with delight that carries
\ wholesome lesson to the clergy at
arge, the labors Of those lsymen who,
coming fall armed from their ranks,
nave syInpsthies akin to theirs, know
heir shortcomings IS well as their trials
md troubles, and, chsstisiDg them for
he one, can condole with them for the
,ther. In the good work Of these simple
men, they fiud q refuge from the doubts
LUG DceNncAd duO VIC
md the brutal, bullying Talmages,
Who condemn all art as of the devil.
n Moody and Sahkey, and White and
Bliss, they see earnestness, honesty and
implicitly combined, the whole leSvened
y q lively faith, and they flock to hear
hem and confer with them as those
Vho are tired OF the gilded pinnacles Of
peech to which Beecher resches, and
Yhere he revels during his hours OF
eparstion from daliiRnce with sin.
hey see In these evangelist, travelling
terally upon the precept Of Christ, {
Without script or purse, living evidences
{ the qucksning effects Of his words 4,
Tithout the obtrusion Of the bigotry |
hat distracts rordsined christianity" {
nd they are increased In goodly dis {
ositlon and are benefited by being
rawn near to him who was the friend !
'P0Slic&ns and sinners" and who
Aooked the prurient purists of his day
= allowing the converted harlot to h
'HSh hin fest. Thus we have the baae F