, 1878-02-08
BEECHER on ORTHODOXY.


newspaper men who are 50 anxious
to Get away from orthodoxy, and
that Justice may be done to Mr..
BcecGer, we rppubiSh his contradlc.
ton of the widely circulated assoca,
ted press report, of his "new depart
urc':
BALTIMORE. Jan. l0.-rhe following
letter was received yesterday by Rev. Mr.
Morrison. editor Of the "Presbytcrlan
Weekly"
BRoOKLYN. n. Y. Jan. $, 1873.
My DEAR MR. MORRISON 1t is incon-
ceiyable tc me how rational men should
allow themselves to be excited by the
periodical misreports Of the reporters ana
the Associated Press reports based on
them in regard TO my sentiments. For
twenty-five years, in printed volumes, as
well as from the pulpit, have preached
and printed, in every conceivable form,
the truth OF the inspiration of the sacred
scrpturcs, the existence and government
Of God, the doctrines of the Trinity and
the divinity of Christ AS very God. the
universal sinfulness OF man, the atonement
ofCbrist the doctrine Ola change ofheart.
the ellicacious influence Of the Holy Spirit
in regeneration. and the doctrine of re-
tribution both here and hereafter. 1t is
true that the question Of the nature Of sll-
fering. the objects of penalty. and the ques-
ton of its duration. have discussed with
such light rs had, denying that all the
light had yet broken out Of holy Scriptures
on various points that it contained. The
charges of atheism, intidelty, Universal
ism. theism. are made by men who know
nothing, and who takes no pains to know
ANYTHING. "EyeS have they etc. My
working sympathies go with the eyangel-
ical orthodox ministry. | refuse to be
held to consistency with any dogmatic
system of theology of the past. am with
Gavin and again Calvin; | am with Ar
minus and against Arminius; am with
Episcopacy; am with the Roman Church
and against is-my object being not to
build or to defend any system Of theology
or government, but to bring men near to
God and build thep up in in holiness of
life. HENRY WARD BEECHER.
The New York NJ. E. "Advocate,"
a leading religious newspaper, in
commenting upon Doctor Beecher.
says:
With genius for rhetoric and
gush, and with heart large enough
and strong enough, were it only
rightly harnessed with logic, to
draw all the nations Of the earth up
:oward better life, he is pre-emi-
nently fitted for getting into trouble
where impulses are treated as pur-
poses, and figures of fancy are meas
nred by the law Of definitions. In
the war against sin he is not can
non but a load Of hay. Rightly used
ne would feed the artillery and so
help efficiently; but when he is
pushed up to the front as the repre-
sentative orthodoxy he is put at dis
advantage, and may be made to sub
,ist the enemy's cavalry as we'll as
hat of his friends.
He has been schooled in a most
earnest way. God has been trying
10 teach him, by the things he has
suffered, obedience to the customs Of
society which his lax immensity has
over.lapped; obedience to the accu.
racies Of human thought as con-
-lensed in the di6nitions OF centuries
Of experience; and obedience to the
laws and right Of other minds in the
use Of language. His genius has
given a charm TO his laXness that has
made il perilous to those who had
no, his wealth Of nature. That which
IL not the cause of sn in him is made
thu. the occasion Of sin in others.
II b. had less confidence in Beech I
or, and NOR, rigid Interpretation Of
Scripture, there would have been no
need for a defense 81 bic orthodoxy.
De has Alwayt intended 10 work in
she orthodox harness, but it hAa been
that peculiar hind of hsmess prr
iered by the people With whum he
lahors itsas0rt OF Dutch harness,
be- uhich the collar nnj ihr hreschiug
are iudistoguishat.e hnd inter
ehsrr Ttus BE- has never mat.
tered mBca with whith ed a. ths
harness he pu'led With ueither
wsrial i.s7asis err rrsp~rg fo7 CFtho
dory. bs has caustsuSlr lefi ihe puh
Be iu sapegfat.ou az h.s stepping out
inta flrisliru Eflla. an8 BE- has