The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-07
THE NE " CHURCH.
Rev. b. N. stones Reasons for Believing
in 1t.

Quite large audience assembled at the New
Jerusalem church yesterday morning to greet
the Rev. Mr. Stone of Fryeburg, who has just
been cut off from the Congregational church.
dis text was from Psalms, cxiX; 80. 81 have
CHOSEN the way of truth; thy judgments have
laid before me-" He commenced by saying
that it gave him much satisfaction to be able
to acknowledge publicly what he had done.
While he did not say that the faith he had
left was corrupt, he felt that he had come
from faith that was imperfect to one that
was perfect and clear. Some who had left the
Orthodox church speak of it unjustly. He
wished to be just and true to every religious
faith which exists, and he asked Gods help to
assist him to speak kindly Of the denomination,
which had cast him out of the synagogue.
They had many noble men aud women amorg
them, and enough of truth in their dcctriGes
10 raise them to high plane, but truth COM
PEELED him to say that he believed this
spiritual mother who bore him is teaching
grave errors, and keeping her children from
truths for which they hunger and thirst aud to
bear this testimony he has been willing to be
separated from their fold. He had. Eot taken
any step thoughtlessIy, but he had carefully
considered every step, and felt that to day LIE
knew whereof he confessed. He would not
dare to acknowledge this new faith unless he
felt that it was founded upon the Holy Word.
If it simply rested upon the testimony of a
man (Swedenborg) he should not dare to pro-
claim it, but it is founded upon the rock of
ages and the gates of Hades canuot prevail
against it. His discourse would try to slow
how the great fundamental doctrines of the
new church excelled those in the old church.
First, that there is but one God, in whom the
Trinity, not of person, but of divine essence,
the Father, the supreme, the Son is the form
or manifestation, and the Spirit is the divine
intelligence thence proceeding. There never
can be but ore God, and he is the Saviour,
therefore these doctrines teach the absolute
divinity of Jesus Christ. This is peculiar to
this church. True no church teaches that
there is more than one, but still they teach
trinity of persons which destroys the truth of
the unity of God, because the mind cannot
hold to three persons, and at the same time
believe in the great principle of the unity of
God. To be sure it is claimed that they use
the word "person" in a theological sense, yet if
you ask what it does mean, you get no clear
answer. He heard it explained in council the
other day that the word "person" was used on
account of the poverty of language; but if you
ask if person does not mean distinct individual
what does it mean, the masters of Israel are
silent And whatever they think they have
not told the common people often enough that
''person" is used in theological sense, and he
had found that the people commonly have the ?
idea that thu Father and Son are distinct
persons, but that the Holy Spirit is impersonal.
Though the evangelical church teaches but one
God, yet they teach it ia such a way that did
they teach three the effect would scarcely differ
If the new church does nothing more than to
teach the true doctrine of the Lord, it will be
blessing to mankind. He then proceeded to
the doctrine of salvation. Any man can be
saved who will believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and love and obey him. We must
acknowledge that all blessings come from Goo,
and give up self and sin; then we are sure
of eternal life and heaven is our home. The
Bible is full of this doctrine-"If ye love me
keep my commandments" But the evangelical
church have corrupted the whole scheme of
salvation, and tau ght most pernicious doctrines,
which but for the providence of God, woald
have led them down to hell. This creed is
simple-"His name shall be called Jesus, for
he has saved this people from their SINS" He
came into human form that he might enter
thereby into divine body, which he could not
do except through the flesh. The flesh was
but the outer covering to the Divinity. The
evangelical church taught in addition that he
came to bear a punishment which they could
not bear and to give them an imputed righteous
ness, and these false doctrines have been most
pernicious; and it is a wonder that the blind
have not led the blind into ditch. He
believed the old church was still doing good
work spite of their errors, and he thanked
God for athe good work which Brother Moody
had been doing in Boston. But what good can
imputed Righteousness do you? How can your
honest neighbours goodness be yours if you are
wicked? few passages may seem to teach
so, but examine carefully and you will find the
whole Bible against it, Will the law allow the
innocent to suffer for the guilty? All law
human and divine asserts that the wickedness
of the wicked shall be upon him. May the
Lord soon enlighten these blind teachers, and
bless this true faith.
He spoke without notes, and was listened to
with great attention.