The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-27


am, for tie reason that the Council had
refused. Seven believe substantially as
he does, and others are more moderate in
their views. Mr.. Merriam holds that the
Bible contains revelation from God, but
that IA book Il Is not necessarily in
Bpired; that the doctrine Of eternal pun
iShmsnt 10 neither asserted nor denied In
The Scriptures, and therefore he would
not teach il, but was willing 10 leave II
where the Bible leaves tito the indi-
yidual conscience and judgment. Mr..
Beecher has warmly sustained his former
through his paper, and unable
to restrain himself longer gave vent 10
his views last Sunday.
A Herald representative called on sew.
eral Clergymen Of different denominations
in New York and Brooklyn to obtain
their views Of the disputed doctrines, and
the following is substantially the result
AN OLD SCHOOL MErHoDIsr's VIEWS.
The Rev. ]. L. Glider, Of York Street
Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn
who Is a.neighbor OF the Plymouth pas
tor reGdE6e sermon in Mondays HerGiO
and was little startled with II, but liz
did not think It was a Wholesale denial Of
the three doctrines nGmed. It seemed tc
him rather q contrAvention Of the Cal
vini,tic doctrine Of partial salvation BY
election or the damning Of the uncountec
millions who are consigned to the uncoy'
enanted mercies Of God than an indorse'
ment Of the doctrine OF universal sal
walton. At heart Mr.. Glider be-
lieves that Mr.. Beecher is evangel-
ical and sound, but as q theologiar
he is a very poor type for any one to fol
low. He Is too impulsive in his utter
aDces, and it is not safe 10 abstract his
theological utterances from their connec
ton and then charge him with hereSy and
heterodOxy. Mr.. Beecher is very inju
dicious 10 many Of his utterances, and
lays himself open TO severe criticism
For himself, Mr.. Glider said he believed
in literal hell or place and condition o.
punishment for the wicked after death
But he did not believe in fire and brim
stone hell. He thinks those references L
such a hell in the Scriptures are fgurel
OF speech, and are to be classed with those
other references to streets OF gold and
gates Of pearl Of the place Of the redeem
ed. But Mr.. Glider remarked that he
had not given attention to speculative
theology. He accepts the old Methodist
theology. and gives himself no anxiety
about modern speculations.
PRESBYTERIAN FREE GRACE AND FRET
SALVATION.
The Rev. DR.. arthur Crosby, pastor Of
the Presbyterian Church on Clinton near
Fulton ptreel, another neighbor Of the
Plymouth pastor, had not read'the lat
ter's sermon and hence could not give an
opinion on that; but he very cheerfully
gave his own views on the doctrine oi
hell. believes, he said, in place and
in condition OF punishment Tor inCor'
rigible sinners in the future life; but he
cannot conceive OF eternal punishment
except on the basis Of eternal SHINING. II
a soul does not sin eternalIy it should not
aud he believed would not be punished
eternally. In answer to a query started
by the Herald reporter from this state
ment Dr.. Crosby added that he believed
there are opportunities for SHINING and
repenting in the future lie ~ there are
in this. Unless this be 30 he could
not see the necessity for continuous
or eternal punishment At all. In an,
aver to another inquiry the Doctor re-
marked that he believed the salvation oil
Christ is offered freely TO every man wo-
man and child descended from Adam
The opportunity is given them to accept
or rejeCtit. What the mode OF punish
ment is TO be, or how God will effect o
reconciliation with SHINING souls in the
hereafter, he was not prepared to say
His mind was not quite clear on thai
point. But every man who sins has In
hiS own conscience gnawing worm great
er than any physical punishment that
could be endured. He had known mer
during his pastoral life whose crimes
were known only to themselves, their pas.
tor and their God, and who, nevertheless
suffered punishment a thousand.iold
greater than the law oil the land would
have inflicted upon them. PutsuCh man
said the Doctor, right under the throne
Of God and he could not be happy,
HALTTNG BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS.
The Rev. W. F. Hatfield, pastor Of
Eighteenth Street Methodist Episcopal
Church, New York, took a view OF Mr.
Beecher's utteranCes similar to those held
by Mr.. Glider, Of Brooklyn. He believed
Mr.. ,BeeCher TO be an intense hater OF the
Calvinistic idea OF redemption, suffering
and punishment for sin; and that In com,
batting that idea he permitted himself to
be carried away further than he would be
willing 10 go in cooler and caImer mo,
ments, For himself Mr.. Hatfield said he
was not an extremist. He could not go
with the Universalists on the one hand
nor with the Calvinists on the other. He
believes in place and in condition Of
blessedness and Of woe, Of reward and Of
punishment 10 the future life. He can
not accept the doctrine Of u material hell
FIRE for the wicked, and yet there are
many passages Of Scripture that seem to
teach that. But, on the other hand, there
are many passages also that seem to teach
II sort OF limited UniVersalism, wherein
SHINING men will make peace with mn Of.
Tended God. He believes that the time Ia
coming when the creeds OF Christendom
must be revised on these doctrines.
The Rev, W: T. Dixon, pastor Of the
Concord Baptist Church, Brooklyn, be.
Iieves In the fundamental doctrines Of the
Bible a. held by the Evangelical Chris.
IiAnS. lie had glanced through MIR,
Beecher's sermon in the Herald on Mon.
lay, and read a little Of ii in the presence
II the Herald man yesterday, and was
Knocked especially at the sentence which
ikens God TO Satan, damning souls for
he mere pleasure Of il. Mr.. Dixon said
hat for himself he believed in partfcu.
ar judgment Of every individual at death
md a general judgment OF all at a later
period Of existence. He believes in a
Of the body preceding that
general judgment; in a material hell for
he wicked as we'll as in a mental condt.
ion Of punishment; and in place for
he redeemed as we'll az a condition Of
hereafter. Mr.. Dixon ex-
blamed his particular and general iudg.
nentsas corresponding to the arrest Of
here 10 our streets and his in.
iarceraiion, ii may be, for weeks betore.his
rial and actual punishment comes OF,
which may be imprisonment for life or
or a brief term, or may be death on the
allows. He believes, however, that g ID
NIL give every man an opportunity to &C.
ant ~ yn;aot he saIvattan oi1La.st,, All,