The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-02

SCIENTIFIC CfeuuIlLy WhICh may DC US
ridiculous and complete as that coupled
with the crudcst religious belief is thus hit
of by the London Spectator: Tho modern
mind considers that the old woman who
said "shc would believe that Jonah swal.
lowed the whale. il that were in the Bible"
was q fool; but II the old lady had seen in
ono OF Mr.. Huxley's lectures q statement
that q flying fish had swallowed an albat.
ross, and had believed it, she would not
have been accounted credulous. A "ghost"
is impossible, but the generation Of force
without the consumption of anything
that can be credited at once. II MIR. Edi-
son were TO say that he had seen q table
rise in the air, he would be laughed at;
but il he were to say publicly that he had
discovered n method OF lighting New
York for q penny n week by self
existent electricity, the price Of gas
shares would fall. The notion Of a
conversion, " a rare lR) mental operation,
which nevertheless, does occasionally OC-
cur outside, rs well as inside, the circle of
religious emotion, is contemptuously ridi-
culed, but the notion Of q new motor pro-
duced' from a small w~ineglassful OF water
is received with most respectful attention.
The preacher who describes a possible
time in which all men shall be Christians,
and laws scarcely needed, is Condemneda US
u foolish dreamer; but when Sir William
Thomson looks forward to the day when
North America shall be lighted by the
electric force Of generated by utilizing
Niagara, he is only going q little too far
ahead OF his generation. We are really
not going one inch beyond thetruth when
we say there are men who would reject
the central fact OF Christianity the resur-
rection OF Christ-not for defect Of evil
dence, but because it is, in SO, impossible,
yet would believe that certain combina-
tinns Of electricity and heat could gene
rate life, and thousands who would reject
the story Of Paul's vision as ridiculous,
while receiving rs true an account OF q
new instrument that would enable a
Londoner to see New York.
BISHOP HUNTINGTON in the: Churhman
thus holds up the mirror that the seeker
OF orders in the church may see what
qualities should be reflected therein for
him to become a worthy member Of the
priesthood: "a man need not be disin.
genuous, or sordid, or wickedly ambi-
tious, to seek orders in the church with.
out being worthy OF them, without even
knowing what sanctities they signify or
what sacrifices they require. He wants
to turn himself to good account; he has
some talents, and thinks no has enough
oil themto make a preacher, or as man
as he sees some preachers have; he would
like to belong to a profession that is every
where respected, ~honorably mentioned
and favored; he would liketo enter a class
Of whichthe members pass in tho best So
ctety, speak with q kind Of authority, are
exempt from coarse hardships, are treated
with some difference, enjoy some literary
opportunities, are well dressed and are
rarely allowed to suffer the worst pains
ESQ 1t seems to him Of poverty; he Is at
tracted 10 q pursuit where his daily efforts
will run easily and naturally in the line OF
the better interests Of mankind. What
mistake can their be in all this? Is not
the very existence in him OF such an in
cllnation to be taken as Il token Of moral
superiority, distinguishing him above less
aspiring companions; and will it not BIO q
KIND OF quenching Of divine fire and
cruelty to the church to permit a lad Of
such promise to plod on at a trade, in a
shop, or on a farm? Partial friends or
fond relatives fan the ilQme. Why should
not encourage himself, and be en-
couraged? Because Of that sort OF ma.
terial God never made prevailing prophets,
strong ambassadors, q priesthood that
could look sin out Of C%ountenance and
trample Satan under foot, brave Of
Ulcers Of q conquering army. Because,
while the church can bear q great deal OF
intellectual medioCritY in her shepherds,
spiritual mediocrity in them is an intoler-
able burden on her back. Because we
know from the message OF the Spirit to
the Laodiceans that lukowarmness in an
apostolic service sickens the divine heart.
Becausethe exigencies Of these times are
that a ministry without burning zeal,
without convictions, without constituting
love for Christ and a personal closeness 81
communion with him, with an enthusias.
tic passion for saving tho souls 81 mon.
and above all, without thorouph.roinv
.selt.sacrifce, must fail Unjust fail in snite
apparent success; impotency Is at The
centre OF Its activities and under the roots
Of Its tongue; II plays, by secret and per.
haps unconscious treacheries, into the
hands OF the most subtle and fatal
enemies'W which arc consuming Inc Tnrd's
heritage and house,
II Vou Are tronbinl y,;,h D,,u.