The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-15

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following 70 The Chicago Alliance:
The political power, while the world
grows older, changes It's form and passes
from adespot 10 council and from 4
council 10 an assembly elected from the
people; so church power is unstsbled in
its shape, and comes to different genera.
tons In different phenomena. When
Presbyterianism arst unfurled its flag it
was the Gag Of one man, Calvin, just as
much as, Eogland wss once Alfred, or Us
much as RuEsia was once Peter. By very
slow degrees the ons-man empire passed
away, and by very slow degrees the PEG.
pie began 10. look 10 the general assembly.
ftrequired "a much time TO carry the
Cal yinislic people over to the rule OF an
assembly N 1t required 10 carry the
French people over from Louis XIV. TO
their present democracy. ~
Having long since reached faith 10 and
obedience unto the general assembly, II
now seems AZ though the Presbyterian
church were growing weary Of It's annual
convention, and were building up q taste
for a liberty still more independent, and
were about 10 find perfect empire in each
congregation. selfgoyetment 10 the COM
Ing idea Of those congregations which
once waited with solem reverence for the
command OF few distinguished leaders.
The unwillingness Of the modern man to
farm out TO another the thinking which
he can Just as well do for himself, has
absolutely invaded the church in general,
Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, and par
ticularly The Presby terian church. In
the latter holy the growth Of liberty is
more marked than IN other Protestant
bodies because II forms q more striking
contrast, with the former devotion to
man and 10 an assembly which Of old
marked the denomination. u .
[ The session, ,composedo OF d few elders,
was once a mere infant compared with
the annual assembly Of wise doctors but
10 recent years the general assembly has
felt that il could no longer lead the peo-
pie simply by faith, and in this conscious
weakness i has politely invited the
church sessions 10 do in many cases OF
doubtful issue what these sessions in their
modern wisdom may think best. An old
lady once said she could always secure
obedience from her dog II abe should
issue 10 him u double order,-an order
which left the intelligent brute an option,
and hence II the animal were in the
house che would shout out at ii the com.
mand either 10 60 out, or 10 20 under the
bed, and said that the instances were very
rare in which, there was not perfect
obedience, The notorious march Of time,
the revolving Of thespheres, have quietly
Induced the assembly Of the Presbyterian
church to love much government
which gives The people AZ option, and
hence that, body once 80 complete in itself
iswont TO tell its thousands Of little church
sessions that they may use personal dis
cretion as TO relation to the parlor, or
chamber, or kitchen, or all outdoors.
Time was when the Calyins and the as
seinblies cherished no doubt on the
question Us to whether they, knew what
order 10 issue, and when they did not
give the dog an option but now the
CalvinisLc omniscience and sway have
declined, and the people are confessed to
have not only some Judgement but also
some liberty. Dancing was once known
to be moral Gin, but Of late years the
assembly has doubted not only its infal.
libility "a to the truth, but also doubted
lie power over Its people. In this sense
of both fallibility and weakness 1t was
gently said that each session must do
about dancing what seems best in Its
sight. That il to say, ii the church is
located where there Is no dancing it may
forbid II; but If It 10 promulgating the
truth where that fantastic art prevails, II
may say little against the Amusement.
The assembly once knew that Roman
Catholic baptism was no baptism at all,
and that persons coming over from
Romanism 10 Calvinism must be re-bap.
tized but TO this declaration an option
has been affixed, or 10 being prepared for
use, that each session may decide for
Itself this question when o Romanist ap-
plies for admission to q Presbyterian
church.
Former assemblies knew well what
Paul preached regarding the rights Of
women in public assemblies. II was not
TO be doubted that women must be silent
in the churches; but time brought not
only doubt as to the absolute truth and
right, but doubt also as to whether the
assembly could command any obedience
from the people, should II insist upon said
feminine silence, and in this hour Of con.
scious fallbility and powerlessness, 1t
gave the church session the power OF
managing its own domestic aud feminine
affairs. The assembly which once ruled
with sceptre Of iron would be amply
satisfied now II preaching women would
not take the text and would not speak
from the pulpit, but from some table or
ordinary box. Thus the Calvinsim which
could once put men and women TO death,
at will, is satisfied BY an intellectual
distinction between . pulpit and a CANDLE
box.. '.aE no ys9"d IA p '"
Should patient student read those
minutes Of the Presbyterian Assembly
which record its debates and enactments
for the last fifty years, he would find
marks OF constant decline Of confidence
OF the assembly In itself, both as an in.
tellectual faculty and, as governing fac.
ulty. . II does not know the will Of God
as perfectly "a II once did, and does not
feel, as 1t once telt, that its constituents
will blindly follow lie lead. The day Of
uubounded self conceit which once put to
death, temporal and eternal, all differing
minds, has passed away from what is
called civilized map, and hence has passed
away from the Cslyapist because be, too,
Is man. In this day be cannot be pos.
tive that woman may preach, that Ro-
man baptism 10 hateful 10 God, that
dancing Ia a sin, that the confession Is
all true, that there must be subscrip.
ton to exact words, and that his creed Is
much better than his neighbor's, and
hence the General Assembly, composed
only Of men, must reveal the qualities Of
| lis period, and must be expected to AJAX
the church session to try its hand at rid.
dies which II can itself no longer solve.
q THE CHAMPION FsH Story OF THE
SEASON, Living at Clear lake is family
who have little girl who takes daily
rides on the lake In small skiff drawn
by two pickerel. They are regularly
| harnessed, and by means OF lines Sbe Is
enabled to guide them In any direction