The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-23
OUR PARKERsBURG LETTER.
"Hope" Has n Few Friendly WORDS
for our Correspondent "COmmon
Sense.


Sense.
Correspondence OF the Register.
PARKERsBURa, w. VA, Jan. q.
Common Sense seems to invite at
tention by bis article in the REGISTER OF
the 18th. First, 1t is but natural to in.
ouire whether the writer has attended
the revival meetings, and whether
aCommon Sense" can fairly and honestly
criticise that of which he is not PERSONAL
ly cognizant. And if the writer says his
article is based en- my letters, then l SUBJ
nit that "Common Sense" has overdrawn
his deposits and checked largely on
imagination, which "Common Sense"
ought not to do, for in none
of my letters did represent the meet
ings as characterized by excitement.
NV purpose was strictly to state facts as
they transpired, and frequently re-
marked the absence of sensational
preaching and undue o. thusissm or anil
NAL excitement. Wherefore, l ask, II 1t
is uuchsritsble TO say the article referred
to is predicsted on an assumption born OF
presumption If II Is, I'll not say it.
Early in the meetings there were many
common sense Christians here, busily
preaching the theory of fitting ones self
for Heaven by many little endeavors, a
looping oil of this evil and that, putting
down this little sin, curbing the de-
grading spPetites," as also many canal
travelling Christians who preferred 10 go
slow and sure, with no risk from steam,
and | state what is universally known
and felt in Psrkersburg, when say the
former class have long since ceased their
moral sermons, and are crying out "what
lack we YETI Whist must We do to be
sayed2" while the latter class
have well-nigh abandoned all their
clumsy old dug outs and canal boats,
and are now crowdmg the engine rooms
and wsrmest quarters OF the Old Ship OF
Zion, rejoicing in the new-found, happy
Consciousness of the powerful influences
of the Holy Spirit. And they are now
among the most Jealous on board, in
favor of rapid transit, from darkness to
li,ht-from the Kingdom OF Satan, into
tie Liberty OF the Gospel OF the Son OF
God.
Oar critic speaks approvingly OF the
Christian life, and | lake 1t, he Is q Chris
tisn, accepting Chris.'s teachings, and
believing ~ strictly true His words to a
certain lawyer, ''Ye must be born agar"
BIT if So when? Before, or after, this
".oppirg oil, pruning &c" which 40
wisely recommended And five must
be born again" - why? Surely because
we are dcad-n sin, and must have 8
new birth, that we may enter upon a
new life What avsils 1t TO apply his
"lUpplng oil and "curbing," to
a dead tree? All efforts are futile
aud manifes!ly wasted, till by q
miracle of grace, the dead is made alive,
through a new birth. There are Nico-
demuses in Parkersburg who have lately
been taught and convinced that they
"must DO born sgsin"-notably, some
standing with the foremost at the bar,
who, lifelong, have been "lOpping of
here, and curbing there" till their lives
of morality stand before men, msrvels OF
grace and beauty. But they have heard
the words, Marvel not that L said unto
YOU, ye must DO born again." and while
it is evident that they did marcel
greatly, yet their troubled souls are
even now struggling in the agonies of
the new birth, and while they attend
the meetings daily (which are still as
crowded and with deeper interest than
when Mr.. Hammond lett two weeks ago.
am quite sure Common Sense" would
fill TO convince them that they are
ulduIy excited. Granted, then, the
n .cesslty of the new birth, and the
fact that men are being born
again, why should it be thought
thing incredible that many
men ald women should be "born again"
NJ or about the same timer And because,
in Gods providence, hundreds in Par
kersburg have experienced this new
birth in the past weeks, why should
"CImmon Sense" in the absence OF proof
t. the contrary, set about to deny the
facts snd predicate excitement instead
thereof Under the regular Sabbath
preaching, sinner is occasionally con-
verted "a man "born again." Brethren,
congratulate the new born soul, and re-
joice with his sympsthizing friends, and
"Common Sense" says that's regular
that's all right-no excitement there
I'll get up and shake hands with that
happy child of God" But when, by q
special moving of the Holy Spirit, scores
and hundreds OF sinners are converted
scores and hundr eds Of men and women
are "born again." about the same time
aid after their travail of soul,
se happy IN being ushered by the
spirit into the new lite in
Christ Jesus, and all their many
scores, and many hundreds of friends
and sympathizers are congrstulsting
them and rejoicing among themselves
now, forsoolh, stsid Common Sense
perched bolt upright on the digniaedistool
of proprety, and, looking on with
sort of skeptical indifference, says, an
none of it; TOO much stir and excitement
there; don't believe there's nybody born
at all" II this is in accord with
Common Sense" in spiritual things, how
in physical liie2' Let us see. Ii child
be born TO n nelghbor Common Sense"
would congratulate the happy parents,
fondle and kiss the smiling babe, and, if
newspaper man, tell how much it
weighed, and perhaps publish half col.
umn of gush about 1t. Iftwins, more re.
joicing, and more demonstrations would
b. in order, and q whole column issued
in the paper. Now suppose, in any town
or neighborhood, hundred patient,
burdeD-besring mothers were, at the
same time, sgonizipg in travail, with the
hlndred families all in powerful so.
lisitude awaiting the issue; and shout the
same hour hundred healthy children
should be born into the world, and sll
tie hundreds of dear ones and friends
should DO congratulatinS the happy
IN rthers and greeting the new born, and
these hundred families with their
hundreds of friends, should be hurrying
from home 10 home, conminghng their
mutual joys and grateful Thanksgiving
wouldn't "Common Sense expect no
small stir IN that town. And what
SORT of figure would Common Sense"
cut in that event, by deliberately with
drawing himself to some high