Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-10-16
NEW DEPARTURE.

A NEW DEIA hIOh NE
In the midst OF the political turmoil,
Chicago is having little religious ex-
element growing out Of the new depart
ure OF Il distinguished Methodist minis
ter, the Rev. DIR. Thomas, who is pastor
Of one OF the largest churches in that
city and in the West.
The church of which DR.. THOMAS is
pastor, is the same to which DIR. GEORGE,
formerly OF this city, has recently been
called. On last Sunday, DR.. THOMAS
completed his three years OF pastoral
service and preached his farewell ser
mon. In this discourse he took occa-
sion to reiterate his views upon certain
doctrinal points in opposition to the ac-
cepted belief OF the church. iwo or three
wears ago the Doctors uttSances in this
regard were subject OF consideration
by his Conference, and he was advised
to he little more circumspect. On last
Sunday he plainly and fairly announc-
ed his departure from old time Metho-
dism. He explicitly declared that he
did not believe in 4 vicarious atonement,
in material future punishment, or in the
endlessness OF that punishment unless
where its subject stubborniy refused to
yield to its reformatory influences. He
admitted the inspiration but lot the in.
iallibility OF the Scriptures, especially OF
the old Testament. GA the compatible
ity OF his own views with those held by
his Church. he said
Now the question is, has a man right
10 be Methodist preacher, and hold
that broader hope tell the truth as 1t Is
in literature, and speak the hope that is
in him on this subject? That is the
question. Well, the Articles OF Faith in
the Methodist Church have not one
syllable on future misunderstanding
about hell IN any way. Nor is there any
thing in the Apostles Creed on
that subject, and joined
the Church under the Articles
OF Faith, and was baptized with the
Apostles Creed as part OF the Liturgy,
and under those they cannot touch me.
Applause. Nor can they touch you.
OF course | concede that the. concensus
OF our theology has been that OF belief
in endless punishment. That has been
the faith OF the Methodist Church; that
Was the faith OF the theOlOgians, but 1t
was not in the Articles Of Faith. nor in
the Apostles Greed. Our last General
Conference added on little TO the ma
chinery for heresy hunting-a new rule
that reads what should be done with any
Of our preachers il they hold or dis
seminate in public or in private doc
trines contrary to the Articles OF Faith
they had added, "or the standard au
thority." That takes in, suppose, John
Wesley, and it takes in Richard Watson,
and | say DELHI 'rately that | do not
helieve John Wesley's sermon on He'll,
nor DO fully agree with Richard Wat
son. Richard Watson's theory OF hell is
that God undertakes to make law bind
ing by making the penalty as severe as
lie can and the rewarl rs great as He
can. and hence attaches, as reward,
nothing less than endless life, and as
penalty nothing less than endless death.
Now | hardly think that God puts out
all His energy and strength in makinga
sinner as miserable as He can. / don't
like the philosophy, the standpoint, ar
starting point of his theory; nor do !
suppo ,e that he adds the ,reatest posi-
BILE reward for well doing. / suppose
the other life, like this, lies between
great extremes, and that there is prop
er reward for virtue, and proper pun
foe sin. And i believe and /
think the Methodist Church made q
great mistsl in making so great a fu's
over so little an affair.
We had nothing until last May, as
said. as the special basis OF the trial OF
a preacher f,r heresy, except the
Articles OF Faith. Last May they put in
the standard authorities. They did not
define who they were, but they took in
The books, ] suppose. appointed by the
Bishops for the course Of study; they
include Wesley and Watson. l do not
know how they are going to interpret
hat rule, or what the practical applica-
ion OF the law is to be; but, il they
larry out that Law literally and practic-
llly, and the ministers OF the Methodist
Church are honest, | can take ii and
urn out one out OF ten OF the denomi'
nation. believe | can dnit, and will
,egin with Bishop Foster. Laughter and
applause mention his name because
{ is mentioned all over the country
hat he is not exactly sound, and when
was in Cincinnati some friends from
yew York called at my room at my
lotel with papers all made Gus OF ex-
racts from his book. read that book
nd was going to review it, but could
lot do 1T without seeming to be per-
onal. because he had helped in that
that l got, so did not
eview his book. These men came to
ne and proposed to me to agi;ate that
hing in the press OF Cincinnati under
nv assumed name, so that there would
,e pretext for bringing it up. / told
hem.in hunters phrase that they could
care up their own ducks if they wanted
o shoot them, and when attacked
Bishop Foster or any other man l would
10 it at home, and l would do it under
~ own honest name. lApplause.l