The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-13


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Bcceher's Belief.
ras PLYMOUTH PASTOR GIVES suMMsGY Oh
ms RELIGIOUS MISREPRESENTATION AM
The AToNRxsNT DEFINED.
Herald, ysstcrdayJ
For thirty.sour years l bsye endeavored
10 follow this Injunction, said MIR. Beecher
Yesterday morning, af,ex announcing AS DIS
text the seventh TO the fifteenth verse OF the
second chapter OF the Episfie OF Pau' 70
Titus, how imperfecfy none so well KNOW
as / do. II has been done constantly, SIM
cerely. earnestly, but with manifold lmper.
sections. Recently IL has been proclaimed
,bat I bsye made a new departure; that
have taken grounds In which have not only
torsaken toe truth. but which would place
me In sympathy not only with those who
arespoken OF as lberal.minded. but even
with those who have assumed an inhdel po-
sItion. This has been spread abroad BY the
press very fully. To those who sit under
my ministry regularly Il is not needful TO
reply TO this. but 10 those who read my SER
mons for profit, and TO those OF my Christian
brethren who may be led TO stumble or TO
useless dsputaiions thereby il may he need
fu, for me to say, as far rs the time will
allow me, on what ground l stand, and to
allude 10 the salient points IN my religious
belief. shall, therefore. briefly touch on
the following topics The inspiration OF
the Bible, the siufulness OF man, conycr-
sion. the Trinity, the doctrine OF the Father.
the Saviour and the Holy Spirit, the stone
menf and retribuiiop. On the question OF
the Church and its ordinances i shall not
have time TO speak, and this is a topic that
is Of secondary importance.
believe that God In every age and in all
nations has moved upon the besrts OF men
through the Holy Spirit, inspiring them TO
whatever Is true or noble. and that the
Scriptures Of the Old and New Testament
ore the fruit Of that inspiration, and be-
lieye with the Apostle that all Scripture is
given By the divine inspiration Of God, and
that 1t IL profitable for reproof, for correc-
ton, for instruction IN righteousness that
the man OF God may be perfected and
thereby strengthened In all good works.
i believe that true understanding
OF Gods word may be gained by
a careful study Of the facts OF nature, and
that the true view OF the inspiration OF
Scripture Is best found by continuous and
careful study OF those facts. believe that
a persistent disregard OF the study OF the
nature OF God and the Bible is 10 carry
men back again into bondage. and TO drive
others to the use Of casui try in the inter
probation Of the Scriptures. With increas-
ing years and increasing experience | more
and more value The Bible. From the be-
ginning to the end il tells men that II Is evil
10 do wrong, and urges upon them the
doing of good and the following OF it..
| believe that every man was born with
out holiness, moral sense, emotion, or pas
h,tt hot lao fnr
things Is developed by after.work, and that
men come gradually 10 a knowledge OF
the laws OF nature, OF men, Of society,
and that the divine laws awaken an eX-
perience that as men arrive at years OF
discretion prepares them for an acknow-
ledgment and acceptance OF influences that
are In harmony with the laws of God. |
believe that the whole human race is IN
various conditions Of guilt, and that this |
sin IL OF such a character as 10 need a d. |
vine interpOsition.
believe that God exertS an influence |
upon the human soul by which it is turned |
in the direction Of moral good, and It's |
whole nature changed and brought under |
divine influence, and that God reveals him |
self TO men slowly, gradually, and practl- |
caly, and that He bias thus revealed Himself |
IN the New Testament as Father, God, Son, |
md Holy Ghost. Without attempting to |
define the nature CT divine eXistencesI ac- |
.ept the explanation OF Gods nature as |
rune, and as being a triune God with |
specific individuality. But in reference 10
his belief the Church did without ii for
,000 years, and man can he good man
without believing in it. lbelieve also in the
Irvine nature Of Christ. Ireiect the clause
IA the Atbsnasan creed that Christ is both
human and divine. believe in rendering 10
Christ the completest homage OF which the
human soul is capable. | believe in the
Holy Ghost, and that with regard TO the
lyine mind il is an influence that largely |
promotes human activity. l believe in the
ltonement not as plan, as historic act, an
occasion, or a device TO aid humanity in
,.caping the penalty OF broken law. ]
believe that the atonement is the outcome
Il divine love, and that this is found in
he life, the teachings, the suterings, and
he resurrection Of Christ. | believe, be-
;ond that. that out OF these facts come in
iuences that rest upon the heart of man, by
which it Is brought into sympathy with the
divine love. Out OF all the subtleties and
theories Of modern tbeologianS rest firmly
and go back heartily to an endorsement OF
Tue Apostles Creed.
AS to retribuilon, believe that conduct
IN this world has powerful influence upon
he happiness and condition OF men in the
world to come. That the Old Testament
lid not teach the doctrine Of retributios as
part OF the truth does not alter the fact that
he New Testament does teach it explicitly.
That Jesus Christ did so teach IL and did
Jut il as a motive TO good men to turn back
heir fellows from all evil. Now, beyond
hat, as TO the duration and final outcome
Il retribution, l do not think the Scriptures
i've any definite declaration. Whatever
believe beyond this is mere theory-in
,ther words, opinion and not that Of know
edge. The difference between me and
Jnlversslisls and Annlhi!ationists is that
hey have district views as a creed as TO the
inal outcome OF retribution. hold views
IS 10 the nature and results Of retribution
which are obtained simply by conjecture. |
blink with the Scriptures that evil done
Iere Is not ended here, bat goes with the
pirit TO the world beyond.