The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-16

00tes
It6sfoys Dispoick The Dispatch Of No
.v~,nbcr 9Th publishes from the PhiIadelphi,
Times Rev. II. s. Gregors's account o.
q Some Mlnisters who Took Lesdlna Par'
IN tho southern Confederscy." THIS &C
connt cioses With an anecdose which, as
rcspectsullv submit, does injustice DOTH u
Or. Dabney and 10 The doctrine Of fofeordi
nation AZ held by Presbs tesisns.
&. DR.. Dabncy's initials are X. l., ana MOI
3. II Is highly probable that "a young
aid, never Said 10 Or. .Dsbney, 81 see
Colonel, you have cot gate.post between
you and Proyidence." General early de
mics that be ever used the language ascribec
"a him 10 ceriain chaplain. the sams
story. for substance, Is probably hundreds
of years old, and has been applied. with va
rtaisous, 10 different generals and chapIain'
during the Confederate war. One variation
which have heard was to this effect Gene
raj Ewell, seeing an eminent chaplain bow
his head al the sound OF approaching shells,
said, .sDoctor, i see that you are not much
eiated at the near prospect Of Heaven
Here are three stories substantially the same,
General Early utterly discredits the one Ia
which be 10 said 10 have administered re
buke 10 chaplaiDs; but, on the other hand
compliments their courage In the highest
txrms. The young aid, IL be could be found
and General Ewcll, would, l have no doubt
do the same. :.
Z. DR.. Dabney never advanced as good
old Presbyterian doctrine" "tbat each bull
lei and canpon-balI was directed IN its mis-
sion by the hand OF Providence, and was
sped with uDerring certainty where 1t wa:
designed 10 90 "--that IL, he never advanced
this doctrine In such a way as to exclude all
necessary and proper precaution to protect
ife.
The doctrine OF foreordinatior. as taught
by PresbyfeTiaps and by The seventeenth
article Of the tbIity-nine to which Episco'
paIian cIergymen subs cribe, exalts human
activity and human prudence as the means
bv which the Divine purposes are ef1tctu.
ated; because this doctrine Is derived from
Him who bid Himself till His hour was
come, and who bsde His disciples when
prosecuted In one city 10 flee TO another.
Calvin Is nothing except In so far as be
follows the Scriptures, and Pfesbyterians
do not seek or desire his namef for their dis
fine,ion to any other extent. But be is GER
tainly worthy OF regard as fai'bful expo
Deat OF the sacred writings, and certainly
updeserving the odium OF teaching Judaism
when be uses such language as The follow
ing: "The arts OF csution and deliberaion
IN men proceed from the inspiration OF God,
and they subserve The designs OF His ployi-
dence 10 the preservation Of their own lives
as, on tie contrary, by neglect and slotbiui'
ness they procure to themselves the evils
which He has appointed" The reader OF
his works, so little understood and so much
misrepresented, will find many similar pas
saees scattered through them.
4. IL cannot be shown that PreshyteriaDS
are less diligent in the use OF means, both
for AbeIr temporal and spiritual welfare.
'ibau those who reject their doctrine: less
prudent in counsel, or less courageous in
action.
8. Therefore, IL we concede the truth Of
the story, DR.. Dabney would not bave acted
as good Pres byterian nor good Christian
II be had not taken shelter under gate
post to write bis dispatches. His duty at
the moment was not 10 fight, but TO write.
Exposure OF bis person TO the artillery or
Che rites OF the enemy would certainly not
have aided him in the performance Of the
work assigned him by bis commander. Ii
would have endangered his life unnece.sari-
iy-risked The loss Of that which it was his
duty 10 preserve for his country and the
tempted ProvideDce, a one
would do who, at the suggestion OF Satan,
casts bimself down from O pinnacle to be
caught IN the arms OF angels.
TCCKAUOE.