Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-09

BARN and Smith, and Knight and
Young, and Fulloch are among the lead
ers in this great army corps; while Nor
man Macleod, though dead, yet speak
eth. These men would not break en-
tirely, iron. the oldformtilaries, but they
would have them modified and wearless
frowning and scowling brows. 1t is for
this they have unsheathed their battle
blades. We confess to feeling no small
fear as we hear the bugle blasts OF these
great chieftains summoning their clans
10 the conflict. We have fears that the
revolters or boilers, smarting as they
have been 80 keenly under the lash, may
carry their revolt TO an opposite and, II
possible, more dangerous extreme; and
that some may strike off tangentially
Into an nti-Christian attitude, or even
right off into the dreary silenccs, blank
yacuities, and blind OF specu-
ulatiye Atheism. "--Natttrdl History p.
1874. eeg vr
And yet with all these fears, and at
the same time depreciating as we do cX-
IRENE language even in the dcnuncia-
ton OF such ecclesiastical ignorance and
despotism, still as son OF the Rciorma-
ton OF the sixteenth century, ana as by
hereditv related to Scotchmen whose
blood in other days dyed many heath
er brae in defence of what they regard
ell religious liberty, we cannot have
a profound sympathy with every effort
of the human intellect To relieve itself
and the conscience Of usllrpcd and I'M
lawful authority, to widen and deepen
i'm the intellect and conscience of
humanity at large and especially OF
ecclesiastical courtsand powers, the great
truth that a broad distinction must be
made between Articles Of Faith and
mere theological opinions, and
the practically operative faiths OF
Christendom into better and sweeter
harmony. In this effort John Stuart
Blackie, in the works OF which we have
made mention. has been energzing; and
having been so, though we may regard
some of his language as Incorporate
and perhaps provoking to the injury OF
his own cause, / have very cordially
given him an honored seat among the
silent friends that surround Inc.
But our author has something more
and still higher to commend him to our
respect and affection. He emphasizes,
and in the warmest language commends
the practicalness of the Christian relig-
ion. In this he very widely and very
honorably differs from many OF the neg
alive and destructive critics OF the pres
ent day. There are many to-day who
will sympathize with him fully
in his earnest protests against
all ecclesiastical despotism and
unlawful spiritual authority who evince
no Sympathy with him, but rather deep
antagOnism against him in his adinira-
ton for and devotion to the pure and
practical morality of Christianity. There
are men to-day who antagonizc the
Church intellectually, chiefly, ii not
solely, because she antagonizcs them
morally. To this class, John Stuart
Blake does not belong. He is warm in
his prOtestations against ecclesiastical
despOtism; he is no less warm in his
Communications Of the Christian religion
as practically purifying and elcvating
moral power. Here are some OF his ut
terances upon this point "The most
distinctive part of the Christian moral
system that meets us in the face Is that
1t is presented to Us prominently, eHscn-
TALLY, radically as religion Its
Evangelical appeal" to men is-"Re-
turn to God and be savcd-tO man
there can be no safety anywhere except
in God, who is the source OF all good,
and in Christ, who gave Himself i liv-
ing sacrifice that We might he redeemed
from all evil" in the Christian ethics
God is not secondary tigurc-lle is
not brought in merely for a sanction
He is the central sun OF the whole sys-
TEN, from whose bright fountain OF
perennial excellence all the little twink
ling lamps OF our minor moralitics are
lighted up" Christian virtue, in fact,
can no more exist without piety than
Socratic virtue can exist without logic.
Socrates was, no doubt, remarkably
pious man; but while the piety OF Soc