The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-02

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tjusaN MY. Herald.
Rev. o. B. rockingham preached oheoi
the most remarkable sermons Of recent
times, last Sunday, on the occasion Of
taking farewell Of the Church Of the
Masonic Temple, Of which he has been
twenty years the pastor. 1t was an at.
tempt 10 describe his faith; and as such, 1t
will have TO DO described as "a rather dis.
nal failure. Mr.. rockingham began by
recalling the connection Of himself and
his Church with the unitarians, a con.
nectlon which ceased some ten years ago.
He describes that church as defective In
theology-"there Is no single article In her
theology without fatal defect" The mis-.
take make by the Unitarians was In adopt.
Ing any creed at all because at thereby
bound itself to stand still-to be a church
Of the past, rather than the future" OF the
other churches, Mr.. rockingham recog.
mixes but two, generally the Roman
Catholic and Protestant, The former Is
the greatest church that ever was upon
earth; but It reminds US OF the middle
ages, Of darkness and Of superstitution. II
Is OF the past" While denouncing It's
dogmas, Mr.. rockingham says that "the
old fashioned plety, that spirit OF baby.
hood which lacks courage-that sulks
through the worlds spy IN the enemy's
camp.,will always find refugein that old
church."
As for the Protestant Church, at is an
agglomeration OF interpretations Of Scrip.
turei Is nothing more than misinter.
preted Bible. It's foundation Is book which |
Tor the past one hundred years has been |
spread open TO flood OF light that has
riddled 1t through and through so thor.
Oughly that we are not sure Of tho gen.
nineness OF a single chapter; It's theology
has been called ii question by the most
serene and earnest minds that ever lived.
They have undermined the very founda.
tons OF Professionalism. The past and the
future. struggle within It, and arc tearing
It to pieces. Professionalism never believed
In reason; never encouraged free thought;
1t set up barriers against reason; never
encouraged free thought; It set up bar
rters against study; aud Its end is Ger.
tain" /
This lisa bitterarraignment; and the man
who makes 1t ought to be very certain Of
the ground upon which he himself stands.
lie argues the necessity for some new or.
ganization-"some Intellectual basis, some
common ground upon which all may
stands" but what? Mr.. rockingham
supplies the answer: II am not prepared
10 say what; do not know; but / believe
the time is not far distant when all who
wish to work for humanity shall have
some common platform upon which to
work" Mr.. Frothingham's ten years OF
independent religion must DO pronounced
altogether barren Of results, II this Is the
summing up. "As Igrow older" hec
GUIDED on Sunday, VI am more and more
with the Importance OF doing
good" Here is at least one plank in the
Did creeds which Mr.. rockingham does
not see the necessity Of throwing from un.
Ter him. It Is at least singular that the
'ne purpose Of religion which he comedies
should be that upon which the churches
he denounCes are intent. Mr.. Frothing.
ham employed a phrase in his sermon
which seems to fit those who profess re.
igion like his own. "There are always
uneasy souls" hos said, "who detest oreeds i
md will not open the book. These will
Increase more and more; and will come {
,ut from the churches-spiritual tramps."
The expression seems to be both appro-
pirate and complete.