The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-21
affecting Gealster.
ru.r nrL,eIoUs CONTROVERSY.
.Hone, w.. "Common Sense'-The
Bsrk.aciion Mode OF D1seussion-
interesting and ihsfi uctite Ar

ra.E..c,ion Mode OF Discussion
ApIpteresting and Insfs uctite Ar
ticie.
correspondence of the Register.
PARKERsBURG, February 10.
AS matter Of accommodation to the
peculiar methods of gymnastical argu-
mentation INDUCED in in the late novel
exhibition OF Common, Sense" as ma
teri4hzed in the ROOSTER, | deem 1t
hest TO handle his last article backwards,
taking it up at the last and going back
over it TO the beginning. This course
seems to me proper and wise, as caicu-
lated 20 help the writer cut of his
Troublesome misfortune Of subverting
and reversing everything he handles,
whether it be logic, common sense or the
plan OF salvation. In Insisting on works
before Acknowledgment before birth
he gets the cart before the horse ian old
figure, but q good one); the effect before
the cause; the fruit before the tree.
He ssys: "To be bern again we must
first learn the truths of faith aud do
them" Isn't it shame for Common
Sense" thus TO reverse himself and stand
on his own head in public? Pray, how
learn anything of faith before
there is faith? How walk IN the
Jew life before there is q
new life? How can there be fruits OF the
new birth before there is any new BIRTH
ne seed is first planted, then the plant
springs up and grows. A branch IS
1ingrafted'' into the vine and fruit fol-
lows and surely Hope" is as ready as
Common Sense" to pray for and rejoice
III BIZ crop. "Hcpe" never yet said 3
word against good lcorks and plenty oil
them-the more the better-and never
will, snd is always glad to encourage
any to "cesse TO do evil ana
learn to Go good" which every one
ths, is "born again" will seek to do, but
which, without, the new birth, never yet
avsi!ed any man for salvation.
But to my plan as proposed, if per-
chance Common Sense" may, in like
manner, be turned about-converted-
tor | would be glad to have him preach
ing the gospel OF Christ, as held out TO
sinners in lis infinite simplicity, to-Wit:
"Believe-and be saved" "Come' and
ind crest" Look" and olive" aye
must De born agaln"-snd the new lie
of faith follows.
So. then, first, he says: al Hope ex-
poets to be saved by Divine grace alone,
ne is Il forlorn Hope, and in the great
day will regret he had no. exercised a
| little more common sense" That's
"Hcpe's" position precisely-snd shall he
not be wiling TO rest with the busy
worker Paul-"By grace ye are saved,
through grace not of works,
lest any man" Claiming common sense)
should boast" Ard grsnied, too, 1t Is
q Jorio1m hope yet, blessed be God, it is
cure and steadfsst" Webster defines
"lorlora hope" desperate case and
surely the sinners is desperate
case. Nothing but the blood of
Christ could avail; but, thanks
be to God which givcth us the victory
through our Lord, Jesus Christ" If IN
tho great day / am happily found to be
subject of Divine grace, l aPprehend l
will have abundant occasion to thank
God that | exercised the Common
Sense" to accept the "Unspeakable Gift"
Infinite Mercy offered; and to rejoice
that | committed not the folly of resting
on the impossible expedient oil purchasing
salvation by an equivalent OF good deeds.
Tbe good deeds of the best Christ
AN OF Us all, can at farthei.,
20 bu. little way in expression
o. love and gratitude toward Him who
loved us and gave Himself tor US. The
Savior saws, ali we love Inc keep my
words" Tie nowhere says, 'keep my
words that We may be saved. Service
is required of the saved. Salvation is
never promised for service.
Further back our exhibitor OF jump
Ing-iack logic, says, THE only way to
escape punishment is to cease to do evil
and learn to do good" and, quoting the
Savior's words, go ard sin no more
adds. "While you are doing the works
of innocence and truth, you are
putting away your evils and are being
norm spaln," and then with ride
ulous presumption inquiries, "lt the above
il the doctrine of morality, why did
Christ preach such doctrlme2 say
ridiculous because, first, Christ never
preached any such doctrine; and second,
because TO humble believer IN Christ ever
We. so outraged his own experience as to
assert any such moral and mental con-
traction. Even the babe knows IL IS born,
and isnot Long born; and so the spiritual
.hsbe in Christ" knows he has been born
sgsin. and that growth in grace, is devel-
opRent-not being born. Further back
still, Common SeLse" grows very
self assuring, as common sense
frequently does, and moreover essays sar.
casm by quoting back to mo the SCRIP
Lure | gave him, iondIy hoping, for his
snlrltusl benefit. That it is al unsafe
thing to put sharp weapon into the
hand OF an unreasonable man Is here
most forcibly cylnced. The WORD Is
1.-TWO dyed sword" and for his own veal
and good, l kindly handed Common
Sense" n text, which hoped he would
use in common sense way; but IN his
wild, errstic, patent reversible logic
irving to prove that "doing good
is "being born" he bolsterously
turns upon me, wrecklessly swing
ing that self-same text, shouting
ooh Hopel don't you k"o1o that which
is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the spirit is spirit" l
say in pity: "OhI that Common Sense
should thus commit suicide, by so smiling
himself fatally as he does, with this two
edged sword. Uf course | know flesh
is flesh" and esprit Is spirit" and why
can't he as well know, as declared in
either case, thst "tbst which Is born IS
born, and that's the whole OF it, so far
As both is concerned But, really this
seems child's play, to stand thus psrrylng
against observation-disclosures and, but thst