The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-28

of disclosing the ntoning nature OF God.
They were an Industrious exposition OF an
eternal iact-an exposition OF atonclnent, ana
not the atOncmcnt Itself. ! believe II was
the erection of q system OF living influence
designed to act. notupon God, or his law, or
upon the public sentiment OF the universe
but upon the heart Of man; that the iiie,
instruments by which the heart of man might
be interested and affected. The ] beauty OF
holiness, the attractive sweetness OF Divine
love, the brOoding care and kindness OF ever
lasting strength toward weakness and wicked
! ness-thc>c were the influences flowing from
the life and sunerings of Christ.
And now, from out Of the subtleties. the
pucrilities, the tanglc OF medieval and mot
crn theology, l 90 back heartily and embrace,
the sublime simplicity of the Apostles
Creed : "
Maker of heaven aud earth:
".And in Jesus Christ. his only Son, our
| Lord; who WAS conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Pontius plate, was cruciticd, dead and buried;
he descended into hell; the third day tic rose
from the dead he nscendcd into heaven, ana
sitteth on the right hand Of God the Father
| Almighty from thence he shall come 10
Judge the quick and the dead.
II believe in the Holy Ghost the holy cath.
Ollie Church.; the communion OF saints Ihe
Forgiveness OF SIPS; ,ns Ign"rre s,ncn.,
If am a hereto ! ain Il heretlc a!Ier Tic
pattern of the carly church. :.
AS to rctributiun. ! believe that conduct IN
this world has a distinct and powerful lnnu-
ence upon the condition and happiness OF
man In the world to come; and that tle olu
Testament did not teach the doclrlncs.ol re-
tribution hereafter rs n motive part OF ruin.
IL Is also n fact that the New Testament docs
teach il explicitly. | believe that Christ did
so teach when he declared with solIncnliy
and eurncstness that the penalty OF wlckeness
in thc world TO come was such rs TO warn
every .iranSpressor, and should be a motive
to every good nan to tdrn back his IciioWs
from evil. Beyond that, ms to the mcthou;;
the duration, the final outcome of penalty.
do not thInk that all the passages that we
have been taught to believe as teaching OF IN,
ferring conscious torment us any such nnal
outcome do not teach 1t, and are not r'smtlS
construed when they are made to tea tEs
Simple statement Of our Lord that
the consequences In this lie 20 over ana are ire
You'd this, the explicit Scripture. is q belief
founded upon analogy pnliosophS. &C, WY
is an opinion. and not a definite knowledge.
This Is the point which Denween
nv position md that OF Universalists. hesto-
rafiuns, An~nihlationists and RctriOutlohists
They hold their respective views as doSLlas;
that Is, as facts. based on the authoIltS o.
Scripture. l hold rctrlbution as scripture; l
hold simple retributi0n:aS Seriptural, put us
nature and It's results hold simply by con-
! lecture. and not by dogmatic assumption.
They arc my opinions, they are very p9Si.lse,
express Scriptuarl warrant. Dcl,cNe tnnl
what Scripture teaches is that evil done mere
does not cease with death, but goes over, WIFI
pains and penalties, beyond.
have now Igone over very briefly the CHIEF
points which IRE usually includedlin eVange-
tical crecds. Allow me to say now, Jas mat
in view Gs Te Of the Vide publicity given to ny
preaching both by those who are In sympathy
! with me and those who are not, will not seem
lmmodest or out Of place. FIRST, the root Oh
my ministry has not been ecclesiastical, nor
doctrinal, nor theological. All my whole
public life as u religious teacher las sprung
from a profound, in%eradicahle and growing
sympathy with the description given In lte'
brews, chapter ", verse =: "Who can have
compassion on the ignorant, ana on them
that nre out of the way ; for that ne niinsel1
also is comprised with infrmity.. Mnlie
at times l have been profoundly Impressed
with the various theories, doctrines, systems
and entertainments of days gone by, YET!
have not made these things my study p9t
my life has been given to man, his nature. his
needs, the methods Of arousiTg hlfn, lnclunG
him and building him up into goodness,
thoroughly furnished unto every go9a woIR.
My study and my sympathy have been 70
ward my fellow man and whatever thouenl
would do good l have preached, and whatever
l felt to have no usefulness lin IT nave neg
! lpCtSu, WDlpCStI III ilhy q >NOHS'
| have never claimed to be all-sided, never
claimed that all men should do just rs l 90;
| have scorned the idea ;of the sectarlan, ana
the founding Of sect. / hnve ue dc NJ 10. nuSo.
l have never defended my own. ! have slhl-
ply taken 1t, and used 1t. But have never
demanded that my liberty should be the law
Of any other inan's.conscicncc. have sought
to persuade but never compel. I have never
dreamed OF representing tho old theology, or
the modern theology, or anybody theoiogy
tx -l Gr.n lnlv fRlNn If pr
theologies when they stood In the way Of
what wanted to expound. l DO not think IL
fair, therefore, that my views should DC taken
as representative. l have never prcacned
them as representative of any church or crecu
or as anything but my views and representa-
tons, under God, for the purpose OF making
you better.
character, condition and destiny, In rcgard
still more to the spirit. enterprise ana work
OF evangelical denominations, l think am
In sympathy and sufficient agreement WIN
each to allow fellowship with evangelical
Christian denominations. But this Is not for
me to say. II is for them. not forme, snouLo
be glad to stand with them l am glad 70 DC
this in any derlslon. / love them with the
tcnderest and most fraternnl afiect1on' ana re-
joice in the prosperity, OF churches whose
trines | could not advocate and l should be
glad If they saw that in me and my teaching
which should enable them to be III 1ul fellow
| SIllD Will IUc. IL, ol Tx ttS iiuteS iHNJ
have good reason to believe me dangerous.
neither they nor all the world can put me out
OF Chrisl's fellowship. If 1t shall by common nm on
SfhseaS by are ,eou at DANGEROUS .ntse nns disagreement
| with those OF the Christian public to which !
have belonged, and that some form OF ex-
clusion would be best-even so, l should not
oppose. I shall mot defend my doctrines IN
controversy, but shall preach them. shall
not 60 back, to make peace, and take back
anything L have seriously and earnestly
taught shall not seek any tne less anxI
moral Influences TO be brought to bear upon
the souls Of men. ! will not engage.in contro.
yersy. l will not defend my right to say what
God puts 1t in my heart 10 speak. will not try
to break down every Misrepresentation that
a fertile imagination may, start: l have no
time left me for any such work as that. !
avoiding anger and bitterness as the very
worst heresy known to the church, seeking
the best things by the best ways that know
how until God calls me 70 himself.
And this l say, not as II l were going into
Punishment, or to trial. or even to material
Inconvenience, but simply asa declaration to
your frieSd and You have The right to know
my opinions and thoughts. / have not many
more years on earth, and | cannot afford to
n need n .%e'I I '' iSSe all Ii I behold
Gods work going forward with longer pace
aud firmer step every decade. belong to All
who love the,Lord Jesus Christ IN sincerity nee e
refuse 1t. But 81 turn from this alternative.
The number OF men clothed with courage to
make known the overwhelming substance OF
truth is every year increasing. The world Is
awaking. Glorious times are now at hand.
The new heaven casts forward a twilight glow
over all the earth. The world Is to be redeem
OF victory, The Kingdoms OF this world have
become The kingdoms Of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ" Even so, Lord Jesus; come
quickly.
Rev. DR.. idper3s Exnlanafinn.