The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-07-29

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| Conference of 1SH by the Committee Education
and adopted by that Conference, as follows:
"Resotred That men have no more right to neglect
the cultivation of their talents so far they be
able, than they have to hide them in napkin,'
and may add that to neglect the cultivation of ones
talents is one way to hide them in napkin.
New York Tribune.1
General Garfield's Religion.
The CHURCH FOUNDED BY CAMPBELL
PECULIARITIEs OF THE WORSHIP AND BELIEFS OF
TVE DISCIPLES OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CAMP
BELLS woRK-THE BREADTH OF GENERAL GAR
FIELDS RELIGIOUS OPINIONS.
[From a Staff Correspondent of the Tribune.1
MENTOR, O., July 13.-At the CEN
tire of Mentor Township stands a little
white church, surmounted by little
white steeple Within, the plain,
STRAIGHTFORWARD pews give seating ac-
commodations for about two hundred
people. There is no pulpit. Upon a
broad carpeted platform stands an
old-fashioned mahogany table, which,
with the aid Of a big red curtain,
forms reading desk After the ser
mon is over, the cushion and the BIZ
BILE which it supports, are removed. A
white cloth is spread upon the table,
the commnion service is brought out
from a cupboard near at hand, and the
sacrament, called by the Disciples the
Lords Supper, is partaken of by all
the congregation who are so disposed
The choir sit in the centre of the au-
ditorium in the midst Of the pews. A
large framed motto-"Blessed be the
Peacemakers" rs"-hangs on the wall near
the platform. The windows Of COM
mon glass are screened by green shut
ters, and the place suggests a simple,
primitive form of worship, without
ritual, ceremonial or adiuncts of any
sort to impress the Imagination. This
is the home church Of General Gar
field, where he and his family attend
worship regularly, while living upon
their farm. Garfield joined the Disci-
pies when lad of eighteen, and has
been a member of that denomination
ever since.
The full name of the sect is Disci-
pies of Christ. Members of other de-
nominations frequently call them
Campbellites. They number about
100000, and have the centre of their
strength in Western Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and
Indiana, within the radius Of the la
bors of their founder, Alexander
Campbell, of Bethany, West Virginia.
In the East they are almost unknown,
but they have scattered churches
throughout the Gulf States, are nu-
merous in Illinois and Missouri, and
are pretty we'll organized in other
States west Of the Mississippi Camp
bell was Presbyterian preacher of
force of mind and powers
of oratory, who came from Ireland in
1909 with his father, and settled in
Washington County, Pennsylvania
He established an independent church
at Brush Run, in that county, ON the
theory that all creeds were human,
and therefore, without authority, and
that every Christian was his own Judge
of the meaning of the Scriptures. It
was an epoch of intense doctrinal diff
ferences, when Professionalism in this
country seemed to have degenerated
into battle of creeds. This sturdy
reformer, preaching no creed but the
Bible, and claiming for all believers
liberty of conscience and judgment
with regard to the meaning of the sa-
cred book, struck responsive cord III
the public mind. Hundreds Joined
his standard wherever he preached,
and within a few years after he COM
menced his independent ministry in
1927 a new sect had arisen acknowl-
edging him as its leader. His dis
courses formed body Of doctrine for
this sect, although its members, own
ing no authority but the Bible itself,
did not acknowledge them as in any
sense authoritative. To all intents
and purposes, however, he was the
founder Of Discipleism, as much, as
Calvin was Of Presby terianism and
Wesley of Methodism: In 1871 he
established college at Bethany, near
Wheeling, which soon became the ed
ucational and doctrinal centre of the
new denomination, and began to pub
lish periodical called The Millennial
Harbinger, which was everywhere re-
ceived as its organ, and which is still
in existence.
The Disciples endeavored to restore
the spirit and methods of primitive
Christianity. They admit to their
membership any one who will receive
the rite of baptism by immersion, and
answer in the affirmative the follow
ing question: do you believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God and
your Saviour" Nothing is asked
about doctrinal points. Indeed, it is
difficult to ascertain the precise points
of difference between the Disciples and
other denominations, because few Of
them can be got to formulate their
faith. The New Testament, they say,
is their rule of faith and practice, and
they have no catechism or books Of
reference to settle questions Of dispute.
Practically they agree on few gener-
al doctrines, such as the necessity of
immersion for the remission of sins,
but on most controverted theological
points they allow wide latitude for
individual opinion They are not Cal
vinists. They believe in the power of