Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-09

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me i'm this discussion are sufficient TO
show that creeds in themselves cannot
be incompatible with mental culture
and the best interests Of divine truth.
A church, to exist, must have common
faith. Were all creeds swept out OF the
Church's memory to-day, she would be
constrained 20 begin 10 construct new
one tomorrow, in words Of her own
choosing, therefore a creed cannot be
fatal to herprogress. But the Church
without this memory OF the past
would not be in as favorable a position
for furtheradvance as when she retains
the great lines of that past, which APP
pear in the creeds Of by-gone times.
This being so, the creeds OF the past are
a help and not an hindrance to the
Church now. Thus far there is no diff
ticulty in answering the question treao'
ell OF in these papers with adecided neg
alive. But when instead OF looking at
creeds as the expression of the general
faith of the church on those points OF
divine revelation which alone deeply
concern her, we remember first, that
they are often long, elaborate, minute,
passing into provinces that lie
beyond the sphere OF di-
vine revelation altogether. and
secondly, that large bodies of ministers
are pledged by the strictest formulas OF
subscription to the belief and mainte-
nance Of them in their forms. Creeds OF
this kind may narrow the views of those
who subscribe them, and may put far
too powerful weapons into the hands OF
the Church authorities, whose position
is a constant temptation to use the pow
or which they possess. The signing OF
creed by a minister when he enters a
church's service is not his only relation
Ia il. 1t is the standard by which he
may be tried, with the strictest forms OF
law. When his teaching seems to differ
from it he may, at any moment, be IL
belled, and the doctrine supposed to be
contravened must be stated in the
terms of the creed. Latitude OF inter
probation cannot now be recognized
without throwing everything into con-
fusion. Hunters of heresy may thus
easily have the law on their side, even
i'm very small matters. 1t is this that
makes something more than the mere
cultivation OF a liberal spirit in the
church necessary. With such men the
attempt to throw doubt upon their po-
sition and their honesty becomes to
them the chief matter of dread. They
can never tell to what extent they may
be suspected. DIR. MnLIGAN proposes a
remedy for this evil and to encourage
liberal spirit in the church, not merely
security against legal charges, but the
giving the inquirer such position that
he shall not bring charges against him
self. lie thinks the old creeds, the Au-
g,liaad, the Thirty-nine Articles, West
minister Confession, cannot be altered.
Any remedy must be sought in one OF
the two ways: Either first, by the
adoption OF simpler, or (2) by the
modification OF the formula OF subscrip-
ton. He sums up thus:
/. Crseds must exist, but must not
have a place assigned to them which
would check mental culture, or the best
interests OF Divine truth.
>. Existing creedS cannot as yet be
changed.
:. The formula OF subscription ought
To be- framed in such a way as to make
provision for conscientious scruples
wherever the "sum and substance" Of
the doctrine contained in them is adj
hcred to.
1. \ spirit OF constant testing OF the
creed and OF spirited inquiry ought to
be encouraged by the Church, so that
her ministers and theologians should be
ever watching the words OF thought
that mark successive ages, so that new
truths, or new forms of old truth, may
be ever brought by her when necessary
out OF her treasury
There are in connection with the Wes-
lcvan Methodist Church in England
/ SD travelling ministers who constitute
the great Brotherhood of Methodist
Preachers in Great Britain. These min
listers travel the 70i circuits into which
the Wesleyan Methodist Connection is
divided.
Irish MethOdism is divided into ten
districts, 1856 circuits and 247 travelling
preachers. The districts are named
respectively Dublin, Waterford, Cork,
Limerick, Sligo, Enniskillen, Clones,
Londonderry, Belfast and PortadOwn.
The Sligo district has the smallest num-
Der of circuits and preachers, having
only cirucit and ii preachers. Belfast
has 81 circuits and IS preachers, Dublin
has IS circuits and II preachers, one Of
whom, Rev. JAMES TOBIAS, breaches to
the Methodist soldiers of Dublin gar
rison. The Irish Methodist have sent
out three of their best preachers to New
Zealand, the same number to England
and vet have several promising young
men on the Presidents list OF reserve
preachers. Irish Methodism is doing
great deal for the Evangelization OF the
world.
An exchange figures up some "beer
statistics in New York, which are sug-
gestive. From May l, 1873, to May l,
1879, there were made and sold in the
city of New York l,S2lS0 barrels OF
lager beer. In each barrel there are four
kegs, and each keg, at retail, averages
lI5 glasses of beer, making the total sales
6l7, 80, 500 glasses, which, at 3 cents
per glass, which the consumer pays for
:. will y;,-a e2O S7O 1l0 as tho amount