The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-06
HOPE, w.. "COMMON SENSE"
A Good Tempered aud Pleasantly
Written DiscussiOn.
Correspondence OF the Register.
PARKERsB'URG, February 4.


PARKERsB'URG, February 4.
Clad in armor of seif-righ.eousness,
his own or borrowed, Common Sense"
throws down the gauntlet again in the
REGISTER of the 2Ssh ult. Absence on
business explains the lsteness of this nc
tice. de says admit the excitement
when, i'll speaking OF our con-
seryative Christians, l say '"they
have abandoned their clumsy canal
boats. and are now crowding The
encinerooms and warmest quarters OF
the old ship OF Zion" Let us see how
that is. II traveller, apprized shd con-
WINGED OF his opportunity, quits the slow
going, close-cabiRed cana.-boat, Tor the
capscious, safe and enjoyable quarters of
the majestic steamship OF the line, as she
sails grandly by, bound for his de-
sired port, does anyone say he Is ex-
cited, or il foolish enthusiast? Docs he
not rather proceed in the exercise OF the
highest quality of common sense, acting
upon the merest reason and judgment?
No more can common sense presume ex-
element OF what is described by the
S:nsiLs; and ! submit that 1t were useless
to spend time with anyone who sees no
difference between interest, zeal or earn
estness, or all combined, and excitement,
as the term is COMMONLY understood.
But again: He asks me to tell him
what this new birth lsF
Once upon time, 3 lawyer, who, had
be been writing 10 paper on the sub
iect, would doubtless have subscribed
himself Common Sense" rather than
Nicodemus, asked Jesus the same ques
ton. will hardly undertake more than
did the Divine Teacher, and respectfully
submit this snswer-JOhn III, 5to IL.
Alter thus inquiring OF spiritual things
whicE Jesus says are spiritually dis
cerned, he, himself proceeds with "world-
~ wisdom TO answer 1t In the hesh, a.
follows. 40 be born OF God is TO learn
the truths Of faith and to do them;" and,
by way OF emphasis l presume. he adds;
"aud there is nothing miraculous about
it,"
So then, it fol!ows-a babe, TO be born
into the world, must first learn of the
things OF the world, and 60 them-must
eat, work and "buIld," and thus "iltt!e
by little" Us he put it, be born in the
lcsh. Isn't this kind Of common sense,
nonsense and ridiculous? II the word
born, means anything it means
BORN, and not training, or
education, either morally, intellectually
or physically. And as 10 the spiritual
birth not being miraculous, Jesus says,
The wind b.owelh wherei Iisteth,' &c,
in John, AS cited, which see again.
Again be SAYS, al person from the
heart does good acton that person is
being born again." and gong on thus
building, little by little" he pre-
sumptuously concludes: Ale will have
house that will ever stand, because i! is
founded upon rock
O! but what rock? And will Ii stanGf
The rock of morality, upon which COM
mon sense builds, as the world counts
common sense, has never stood the test
ia the past and well not endure.
Common sense Knocked 1T n oah build
ine the ark on dry land, and WAS drown
ed. Common sense, doubtless, bullded
GOOD works "little by little in SOdom,
TIL fire and birthstone overwhelmed Il.
Common sense came to Jesus saying,
CAL these have | kept from my youth
up." and went away "30rrowtul."
Common sense said on the day OF Pen
tecost, "pnese men are full of new Wine"
and was souUdly re6uked by Peter.
While, on the other hand, Tor answer to
the question. "Uow can q man in few
4 90 ~ | will
instance how that by faith N Christ,
Mary Magdslen, what was SINNER ut
once bect NJ welcome and worthy COM
panion OF Mary, the mother OF Jesus;
now Saul, the prosecutor, "tell to the
earth" and rose up as Paul the Apostles
how the paralytic let down through the
root If the house, went his way whole,
bearing his bed; how bind Bartlmeus
SAW, the leper was clesnsei, and even the
thief on the cross, who surely had no
time to "Iop OIL u sin here" and "curb an
appetite there" and 50 build him house,
"iittlo by little" and DO thus born again,
.sgradusily," was "this day" with Christ
in Paradise.
1t were hardly profitable to pursue
this controversy, for while !. may De
true, that the writer, who so signs Nm
self Is possessed of liberal supply OF
common sense, as the world knows 1t, yet
[ submit that it is fair TO conclude from
his letters, that he is IN rare need o! what
is of vastly mora importance 10 Us poor
sinners in tie world-to-wit--s new
heart; for am persuaded no has not been
born ag IN. 49,,
And now, in conclusion, i! Is my hum
BILE prayer, that he may not be found
among those, who, trying to climb to
Heaven On Ladders buIlded of their own
good works, and who, when at last, they
have mounted the tcpmost round OF
their utmost efforts, will in the
unutterablc disp4ir Of that terrible
moment DO compelled 70 hesr the
words coming down FROM the
throne of.Goi, 81 am the way > he
that c,imcth up some other way, the
same il thief and robber;' but that
he may, by = child-like faith IN Christ,
have An anchor, sure and stesdfss', for
bis HoPE.