, 1881-11-13
THE THOMAS CASE.

THE GOODLY COMPANY OF HE1sET1CS.
Dayton Journal
DR.. Thomas is Methodist preacher who,
in the City of Chicago, has been giving forth
pulpit utterances for which lie was first tried
by 4 preliminary church committee, and
then recently by his whole conference upon
appeal. lie was convicted OF the o1fense OF
heresy. The result OF this decision. unless
reversed Oil appeal, must be expulsion from
the ministry and from the Church. Dr.
Thomas has taken an appeal to the Judicial
Conference, composed Of jury of three
contiguous conferences. If the verdict is af-
1irmed, Mr.. Tt,,.las must either appeal to
the General Conference i'll 1854, abstaining
from preaching in the meantime, or he must
become Ill independent preacher. thus adding
another to the thousand sccts Of Christcll-
dom, and preparing the way for the more
perfect reign Of inditferentis1n and irfldelity.
Such cases proclaim to young men of noble
aspirations that they choosc the clerical pro-
1tssion at the venture of forfeitil1G their
manhood i'll some future day for peace OF Ut
submitting to L religious battle with laen1-
bers III their own household uf faith.
Every 1uaN and patriot, whatever lis per
sonal ideas f,la religion, IS Interested III pre-
venting the multiplication Of hostile religious
bodies rs far Us possible. II cannot be that
III civil government secession and concurrent
Jurisdictions are abolninable and mt tu be
tolerated, ami yet in ecclesiastical ssoyerll-
1nent can be coinmeldable. Tie chief cause
OF intit.elity is not The propasandis'n OF Rob
erl ilsersoll and lnaterialistic theories. ltis
fO1iEd where the great Master Ut our holy re-
}is1:a placed it, iii Christian divisions. and
hence his last family prayer, tive times r.
peated. that they ali may be one rs My
Father and / are one, that tic acorld may be-
Hcrc. Christian and church organic union
must take place III Il historic bmfy, upon the
simple faith III Jesus Christ, with the frater-
nifty among Christians of the. first century
operative alnonE religious people OF this age.
The love Of God and the love Of man, the
fAtherlood OF God and the brotherhood of
l1r.1l, must be ever conjolned for truly Sic
cessful religion.
Thomas, at least so far Us the temper and
Shirt Of the prosecution are compared with
those of the accused. The prosecutors show
the spirit OF icres,y.llnnters i. past ages.
him with degrading his teaching for popular
effect They boast OF tracking him for ten
years They aver that he is Il jugg1er Of
words, and an assassin Of Ills mother (cl1urch),
that he should l stay in 3s5iclo i Until hts
broken, and spawned, and foundered that he
will be ready for the boneyard."
Dr. Thomas replied III gentle. dignitied.
and moderate manner, showing that lie Is at
least not tainted with the greatest heresy,
the lack OF charity or love.
The accused was acquitted on the charge
Df denying the inspiration OF the Old ant
New IestaMelts- but convicted Of !leresy rs
- the atonenlent and future punishment
The Doctnr appears to hold IL the essence nf
tile doctrine of atunelncnt, but does not wish
70 use modern metaphysical language. lie
thinks TINT Christ died tu reconcile ilan to
t;od. and emphasizes this. His view Of God
Is So fuli Of l.'ye that he thinks the trans
krsssor Is mainly to he rec"nciled.
lie makes more prominent the humanity OF