The New York herald., 1877-10-29
Views, Religious and Otherwise, OF
the Pulpit Preachers.
Is RELIGION A HUMBUG /?
The Gospel Of Hatred ana tne
Tidal Wave Of EVIL.
THE USES OF CREEDS.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES
v.rrpv Avn vuscrroNs OF cREEDs-sERMoN

NATURE AND FUNCTIONS OF cREEDs-sERxoN
BY REV. GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH.
The second OF his series OF sermons upon the SUD-
yect Of creeds was preached by Rev. George d. nsp
worth yesterday. "And Simon Peter answered anu
said Thou art the Christ, tho son oil the v'ng Co..
from the sixteenth chapter OF Matthew, formed tne
,sxt Of the discourse. These words, Mr.. Hepworsh
said are remarkable not only Tor tneir Intrinsic
worsh. but also Tor tho circumstances which gave
rise 10 them and the locality in which they
were uttered Christ had been preaching In tho
upper regions Of Palestine and had retired 10 the
mountainous district TO hold conference with his
disciples He stood at the very source OF the hiver
Jordan which had always been considered typical OF
the Hebrew race. II started in the mountain last
nesses of tho North, flowed through fertile valley
and at last itself in the mysteries Of tho Dead Sea-
From the iie Of Christ, the preacher pointed out
sherc started another flowing through tho rich
valleys human lie and pouring itself at last into
The ocean eternal love- We surprised, In read
ing the New Teslament, 10 ind tho simplicity OF It's
creeds and thcir brevy and during the first ages OF
the Church. TO the beginning Of tho fourth century,
ihe Apostles creed deem ed sufficient for all prac
teal purposes creed, the reverend gentleman con-
tinued is O statement OF certain doctrinal PROPOSE
Nons which the foundation OF tho organization.
cRgRDs
Their use Is twofold They serve in tho first place,
70 bind together those who enjoy common BELIEF and
In the second place tnev separate the latter from
those whose belief thought " bc dangerous Acreeds
absolutely necessary basis OF any united action
Every organization OF whatever kind has distinct
well-dsfned purpose in Wow in its action. and
that purpose Is It's creed. The various charities
which dot American soil have for their creed thut
love Tor and pity toward the lowly which
the Scriptures enJoin. The American flag contains
the political creed OF our country. II Is the
symbol Of free speech. free institutions and the right
OF every be TO do his best, and to receive
compensation therefor. Even those who believe IN
nothing necessarily have creed The Christians creed
the doctrines which he beeves the atheists
creed consisls simply OF u series OF denals And yet
whether believes disbeleves he Is actuated by
rho spirit IN pushing his views. and ~ moved
by the same intolerance toward those VINO aner WIN
him. The.e IS one problem in tho history OF the
Church which has always seemed dark. II
has engaged the attention. ,I:,,. not only Of
IL the dcspouc intolerance winch characterized the
Church during large period Of It's history. II has
ht TO iss tho bull Of accommodation against
those who differed from it. and in certain cases OF OK
treme pers,sency It has resortcd TO the iaggo The
rack and tho dungeon. The reason Tor THIS course
was not difficult 10 understand. In proportion TO q
mans his desire 10 convert others and
10 keep those differ with him from iniuring the
very closely allied When one Is completely possessed
with feeling that he in the right is impossible for
him 10 tolerate views which conlruvene his own.
Every man who Is thoroughly In earnest 10 more or
man believes that certain have been givcn
from God and that lie has Gods authority to teach
them and II he Is, moreover, liked IN his belief that
all who do not accept them will be eternally damned,
It patural to suppose that he will put barrier 10
hercsy At any cost. II one enters the fold OF his
" those which he s himself trying to enforce he
closes the mans lips, even II he Is compelled III order
rnx PERSECUTION OF uERErrcs
Mr. Hcpworth say that these facts
could S0 ne origin Of nsa
of the necessary stages ia the advancement OF
mankind, but they were not part OF an enlightened
Christianity We IN the nineteenth century, are what
because tho world had passed through the III
seenth century And yet. to-day, If one looked closely
st the relations of rcIgious DENOMINATIONS toward
each other he would ind here and ,herc relics
Of the old barbarian. II, Tor instance, he
rrtires from lhe Episcopal fold and deires 10
the Church OF another denomination viii he re-
eciye from his rector u letter OF kindly introducto
and comincndatonY BY means. One naturally
asked whyY IL It because the Church win which he
desires TO- unite IS less evangelical or IS loose IN It's
doctrinal baaisY Not at ALL tut II is tho result OF
ecclesiastical conceit. They have an impression that
ineir Church Is the only true foundation, and at
the late convention III Boston :hev tried to mako
that the Episcopal Church should thereafter be
called sthe" Churcn. Again, Mr.. Hcpworth said II he
should find himself IN the midst oil congregation OF
Baplis,s on tho Lords Day, would he be invited rs
Christian brother to partSke OF the LORDS
Assuas0 so ahu aSeolosn or So aDY
immortality In his LIE, but simply because he
had used In his form OF baptism as much water US
they deemed sufficient tor the purpose OF regenera-
Non He might be baptized with the Holy SPIRIT, but
unless he had also been baptized with water he would
their equal could he SIT by their
side at tue table OF common Lord. These things
seemed the preacher the relics OF past age aud
entirely unworthy of the civilization under the shelter
of which we living. He remarked that a great
many people talk OF u churcn which has creed at
all He did not wish TO be the mni,tcr Of such
cburcn. Ill we have convIcti0ns,' hc SAID .'et
them, and those convictions will constitute
our creed" Hc would like to 90 back
10 the old apostolic creed and spirit; he would have
the statement Of doctrine which Is deemed necessary
Ms preliminary 10 Church membership as concise
and brief Christ mado 1t when Ho asked HIS DIS
riples, .And whom say ye that amy' That all
the Church needed as u surc aud strong foundation.
You may dress that fact up in the magn iicencc Of
Catholicism, said Mr Hopworth, or you may leave IL
naked as the Quakers do-the fact that man believes
In Christ a. his Saviour IS all that any Church
right 10 require, and that Church Is securely built
which Is founded that rock