The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-22
FURTHER FROM PROTESTANT IAYMAN.

FURTHER FROM PROTESTANT LAYMAN. F"
Editors IntellIEcucer:
am sorry that Mr.. MoliIt declines TO
notice my communication because it is
Anonymous" In discussing questions
Of opinion, II personal matters are not
involved, the publication Of real names is
not necessary. Ever since the days OF
Junius, 1859, public questions have been
discussed under nom de p ume.
The reverend gentleman makes the
broad assertion that "all Protestant
Churches agree in teaching that infants
dying in infancy are saved through the
merits of the Savior" have shown
that the Westminster confession OF faith,
the acknowledged creed OF the Presby-
terrain Church, COnsigns non. eleCt-that
ia reprobate infants, to the torments Of
the damned in hell; that in fact none but
elect infants are saved. There are two
classes of infants mentioned unmistaka-
bly, in the Confessions: first, the "Elec;,"
and second, the "others not elected" II
the elected only are saved, the "others
not elected" are Of course damned. No
other conclusion can he drawn from the
Confession Of Faith.
Chap. VI. states:-" They four frat
parentsl being the root Of all mankind,
the guilt ofthS sin was imputed 10 all
their posterity." This guilt also entails
"alI miseries, spiritual, temporal and
erernal;' or "a the Shorter CateChism
states, call mankind fell with him,
[ ADAM in his FIRST transgression, and all
are partakerS in the guilt OF Adams
first sim" lfnOne are" saved but the ell.
eCt only" what becomes OF the repro.
bate?
Mr.. MotIat undertakes TO defend other
" Protestant theologians." This he
ought MOTTO do, for he cannot be held &C.
countable for the opinions Of other men.
l cannot, nor do hold him 10 account
able. Ii he were asked the simple Ques.
tions:-Are all infants, who die in infan.
cy saved in Christ? Do their souIsgo to hea.
ven? He would at once answer both Ques.
tons in the affirmative. The phrase about
there being infants in hell mot span
long" was used before the reverend gen.
tleman wa'bOrn, 50, at all events, he can.
not be its author. There are, however,
persons still living who have heard these
words from the lips OF a minister ofthis
city, long deceased, and can remember
that while he used the expression, he ex.
tended his left arm in a horizontal posi-.
ton, and illustrated spans length BY
the action Of drawing his open right hand
hIl loft ~ hn To.
gotten by many Of your readers that not
more than two or three years ago, u min.
lister Of this city stated in sermon in his
own church that some persons are con.
vCrted in infancy, and some are converted
JJJre they are born" If opIy "some" in.
tamts are thus converted, where shall the
others who die in infancy appear?
But the doctrine OF infant damnation
has been ever defended in pulpits OF this
city. Many OF our citizens can recall the
arguments made use Of on these occasions.
One OF these dvines discOursed pomewhal
as follows: "Every one is daily witness
to the fact, that innocent babes often
pass through severe suHering' and in
tense agonies; and if these things came to
pass by an net Of divine Justice, because
Of the sins Of our first parents imputed to
those babes, and not for any act Of per-
sOnal transgression, Of which they were
wholly innocent, who can impugn the
justice Of God in inAicting eternal pun.
Ishment in hell as the penalty Of imputed
guilt"
As | stated before DO not hold Mr.,
Moilat responsible for these sentiments.
A PROTESTANT LAYHAN.