The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-02
W'Ae%ii0g 3e9l5tey.
A RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION.
Between Hope" and "COmmou
SENSE
Correspondence OF the Register.

. NOlltS IOuutHtt OF tue FNtBlsltl.
PARKERsBURG, March 28.
Ii the last article from "Commor
Sense is remarkable for anything, !. i
for its nonsense. AS TO his mis-state
mUnts and Misrepresentation OF what
hive said and OF my positions, he differ,
not IRON hls former efforts, while in hi:
reckless use OF language and his utter
failure TO tx or define his own position
if he bias any, he succeeds rs wei! as ever
When one has anything worth sLten
ton in hand, one likes to have some def
mite object or end ia view, with some
chance for reaching it. If it be only tc
cut - chickens head of, l submit that il
is exceedingly sggrsvsliug TO have the
pesky fowl so flop about as that when
one brings down the clssYer one cuts OF
its tell instead.
Common Sense" fist put himself for.
ward as Christian 10 attack religious re.
vivals, and indeed TIE fundamental doc
trines of the Christian riligion. Although
l should have been wise enough TO have
held my peace before such strange
anomaly, yet, taking him on mis- own
professions OF good faith l replied TO his
criticisms; and while | have been hon.
estly aiming TO strike of the gross errors
cropping out from protested believer n
Christ, am now, by the writer's own
confession, brought face to face with the
humlhatIng fact that have all the
while only been tickling the hardened
heels OF an Lnregeuerate sinner. ! long
since suspected this truth and so ex
pressed, in my retussls 10 crafty the
writer, by undertaking, satisfactory to
him, to answer conundrums so often put
to humble Christians by the curiosity OF
the uuconcerted. l simply declined TO
waste words on matter Common
Sense" could not understand, unless the
Spirit OF God should enlighten him, ~
which event my poor efforts were more
than superaaous.
After his oft-repeated complaint that l
refused to tell him what it is to be "boru
again," the writer now says l
refuse TO tell HIM how to get
this new birth. In this he is
Unfair, and dishones. in several respects,
In the first place, he never asked for this
information, rs | recollcct; Gad in the
second place, an sure l have repeated.
y cited him TO the inspired texts direct
ing sinners in the way Of life. believe
in the Lord asus Christ and thou shalt
be saved" Look unto me &c, and DO We
saved" There is none other name &C., "
together with many other passage IN
point. And then after all he has written
presumably at lesst-ln advocacy Of
Christianity, as he claims 20 under
stand it, II opposing the simple
doctrine Of salvation by grace, through
faith in Christ, IS accepted By humble
believers in Jesus everywhere, and In all
ages. l say fer him, through al tas
controversy. to assume the role OF y
Christian, and then, all OF sudden, for
the purpose of making a pOlut, as he
imagine, TO throw oil his cloak and
boldly declare his rejection OF Chris,
with whose words he has been 50 very
| tree and familiar, is by no means fair or
| honest, with himself, with me, or with
| the public; nor, infinitely more than all,
| is it honest with God. Tie writer now
puts himself In this position by chasing
| himself with the 'rCsi OF Us UurCgsuerate
mortals, and by saying 81 have not eE-
| perieDc cd that miraculous, mysterious,
] unexplained change of heart he declines
10 tell US bow TO GET This last mis-
| statement have referred to, and were l
J disposed 20 continue this controversy,
would point out Others still more unfair
and iaexcussbly so. For instance he
saws, Il affirm that the born again
c.nuot sin, because he has not sntu.
hear" whereas l never affirmed nor in
Jimated anything OF the hnd. But l
canDo, SEQ that It is profitable to pursue
this matter. l am certainly not willing
10 contend with one who Is willing to
labor as Common Sense does
10 his last letter to rIdlculo the
idea Of there being any mystery
shout the scheme Of redemption
Paul saws, Great is the mystery OF God
nness." and If Common Sense can un-
derstaud and comprehend the height
and depth, and breadth OF the truth, tnaJ
through the sutierings, death and resur
recti1n of His Son, God can be just and
the iustider OF sinners, be Is much wiser
than Paul and all the inspired men Of
cd combined. So that when he asks
sarcssticallv, if "Hcpe is TO to be under
stood as affirming the proposition that 81
man Is saved, if saved at all, miracu-
ouslv?" l answer promptly and frankly,
YES. No sinner was ever saved, nor
ever will be saved, except by "
miracle Of grace. l can't follow the
writer through all his specu.atIons abou.
the Conversion of murGerers. II IS sUl-
nlert % know that "GOI commands all
men everywhere to repent and that
Christ saws, "Him thst Cometh unto Me
I will in no wise cast OUT II Is not for
any man 10 saw whether this or that one
does repent and como. We have the
gving Savior's words for It tust one
criminal believed and went from his
avacu,ron to Paradise. This establishes
The possr bility of salvation, and the TACT
of Gods willingness TO save IN any eX-
tremitv; while the fact that we have this
one instance only divinely attested, may
also show the exceeding imprvbshIGiy o.
rrpartauca and lai.I in such cXtremI..eS'
and should certainly deter a.. men from
sszsrdiug such fearful risks.
/ beg the public's pardon for had no
thought OF replying so st length but l
mus. notice the writer's declaration,
where in speaking OF the spiritual and
nstursl births, he says that in the former,
clio subject has all to do with IT." IN the
latter nothing. Here again he plant
himself boldly in the face Of the Savior
own words which he is SO free to quote.
and lmpeaches the triune God by
.e,linr a, usught the office OF
tine Holy spirit, so infinitely precious to
the believer. For If the subject has all
to DO with his spiritual birth, then the
HoIv Spirit mas nothing to do with II.
yt'tbe Savior says: "Wnen the spirit
~ ninth Is come he will guide you unto
All truth" and mo man come 10 Me eH-
cent the Father which hath sent Ale
5rsw Hun" etc. Again Common
~.r.p saws Gods laws are immu."o.e,
AID therefore we must obey them IN
order 10 be saved How, then, does be
bone to be saved? "By The deeds OF
tna law shall no flesh be justified"