The daily gazette., 1879-10-22
FIRST EDITION.
Synod Of baltimore.

W. -. A. Al LIE
hey. DIR. BITTINGER, OF WASHING |
TON, ELECTED MODERATOR
AT the opening session of the Synod Of |
Baltimore, in Hanover PRESBYTERIAN |
chuI ch last night, an audience was pres
ent that only half-filled the room. This |
was probable due to the inclemency of |
the weather. The meeting was opened |
with singing by the choir and was fol- |
lowed by devotional exercises conducted
by Rev. Mr. Umstead Of Smyrna, Rev.
Mr.. Galley Of West Nottingham and
Rev. Mr.. Cook of Havre de Grace, all of
whom occupied sea behind The pulpit.
Mr.. Cook having re id tire first chapter of
Paul's first eplstle to he Corinthians, ,and
offered iervent prayer, MIR. UMslead
gave out the hymn commencing
''In the cross of Christ glory" which
WAS sung by the choir and congregation.
Rev. Mr.. Gayley then preached ser
mon from Romans, chapter, 'G verse
For am not ashamed Of the gospel of
Christ; For it Is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth to
the jew first, and also TO the Greek"
"Paul was man of an intrepid ma
ture," said the preacher in commencing,
and then went on at grea. ength to de-
scribe the character of Paul. He was
inau trile to his conscience, whether per-
scouting the church or III m,intaipipg z its
cause. In his zeal to aid the III a. asees
he was great enemy OF the gospel; all
he features of his nature sigiallZed him
AS prosecutor of the church. The traits
Of character IN Paul AS an enemy of God,
were no less marked than those which
distinguish ed HIM as a christian. Ii deed
his Efforts for the cause he previously
strove against, in great measure, stIm-
ulated HIM 10 greater efforts to undo the
wrong he had perpetratcd. And all this
| notwithstanding the fact that the circunl-
.tances under which he labored were so
| different. Before he bee ime the servant
Of God he had the plaudts Of his people
| but atlerward he received much opposi-
lion. On the occ sion of the text he
was surrounded by the bogtry and su
perstition of ignorance and almost Of
pagan SIN.
The most important point called up by
the text was the efficacy of the gospel to
save men. Under this head the preacher
took up, and dwelt at great length upon
the ada talion of the gospel 10 meet
mans moral and physical wants. TO be
| tluSlCit III ptI oiihlIIS any tdoh u 'h'iiS
must be tilted for that purpose. God
provided man with conscience, the mis-
sion of which was to constantly remind
man Of his msdoings. The depth Of this
is fifty illustrated in the depths OF moral
instincts in the human race. The COLI
sciousn' IS Of sin and of demands made
by h broken law was deeply implanted
in pagan as well as christian hear $.
Sin was not only felt as guilt but as a
sense of need of publication by God.
When tins is the case man desires TO
overcome disposition to sin, but moth
ing in the Bible will meet this desire.
he Bible itself is powerless to GO on TO
sal, alton, tor before guilt can be removed
the penalties Of the law must be fulfilled
and its pen tlties endured. This the
Bible teaches us.
Now, seeing from these facts that the
\ gospel cannot take us on TO salvation,
another point arises that, while it is
adapted to meet mans moral and physi-
cal wants, its efficacy in Supplying those
ants is due to God. An instrument i'll
itself is powerless. With no hand to
manipulate IL, it would havo no potency
of itself. Without God, the Bible could
not not raise man up to a better life.
In His hand it is mighty power-lhe
sword of the spirit. Look now religion
advanced under it, and what victories 1t
achieved. No religion ever had such OPP
position as Gods, but in every confess
the enemy has been defeated. So long
AS the church was earnest in its fight and
adhe ent to principles of truth It's march
has been constantly onward.
While the AID of God is essential to
the efficacy of the Gospel in its work ol
saving merit, mans faith is also neces'
sary. Unbelief is a rejection OF truth
while faith is Its cordial reception. Bu'
more than simple belief Is necessary, a
man must wholly surrender himself t.
divine influence. Faith is not native tf
the heart, but the result of Gods work
1t il introduced into the heart AS an evi
dence of His justice and redeemlni
power.
The minister said the reverend speak
er, in concluding, need have no appre
tensions Of the gospel becoming veal
or of it losing ground. In the past /
has stood as firm as God himself and ha
not been ov, rconIe by any obstacles
And now, although the religious skio
are dark With the efforts OF science, /
Will conquer over all the obstacles II
the path yet to be traverseu' Inc caus'
IL ours aud Gods, and the gates OF hel
. shall not prevail against It.. In closing
, he urged his brethern of the BAltimor,
synod to he less ambtIous to gain popu
lar applause, and 10 work more ear nesti.
, for Gods cause, and to call the blessed
= truths to all people in their simples
form.
|. Prayer and the benediction followe'
this sermon, and the Synod was thtl
formally opened, with Mr.. Gayley, TIL
n retiring moderator in the chair
In answer to the Synodical roll cal IN
following members responded: BAIT
more Presbytery-Preacbe ~; elder
= q: New Castle NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
elders, q; Wa >hington, ID. G., Pr shy
tery-pieachers, =; elders, Z.
The el. ctlon of moderator was the
annousced as in order, and menbe
l. said if was he turn of w Washington Pres
o bvtery to have the moderator. He the
Is nominated Rev. DIR. Benjamin +. III
II finger to fill that position.
"a Dr. Biitenger was elected by acclaim
lion, and the usual form OF welcome D
D. ing gone through by the retiring mode
a,or le took the chair, and in Few we
d chosen remarks thanked the synod Il
=. the honor conferred and proniseu 1o
ie his duty without fear or favor.
Dr Rev. II. o. Gibbons OF Baltimore pre-
rs bytery, and Elder Chas. Baird OF Ne
IL Castle presbytery, were elected tempo
ary clerks. =,
Rev. Lafayette Marks, presented u
I'd following report of the commitIee Vi
st Tuesday, October 2lst,-7.D, p.
80 Opeuing tervioes. Wednesday, o:to "