, 1881-02-13

Sunday is M article with the above head
lines which. though in the main correct as
to our religious principles, in some respects
does Gen. Garfield and the ':Disciples" such
injustice that I am moved to ask little Of
your valuable space to make few correc-
tions. :.
First, take the following: "It would be
an impossibility to hold mind like the Cen
erals down to the tenets Of any sectarian
theology"
This is true, but not in the sense in which
the writer evidently intended it. The
evident intent Of that and similar remarks
in the article in question as to tho Generals
s'liberality" is to show that because he is
'brond,' therefore he cannot be held "down
to the tenets''' even of his own Church.
This is mistake, No man lives who is
more loyal to his Church than Gen. Gar
field. But the reason he is not held
"down to the tenets Of any sectarlan theol-
ogy," is, that his Church il the 'sectarian
fSi5 the Discipies .s les cSarei is the Ne@ Tsstaent,
and each Individual Disciple makes his own
appeal to the laws Of Christ, as presented BY
the Apostles, without the Intervention OF any
authoritative human Interpretation what
ever. Hence it comes to pass that the Dis
ciples are unit Oh all great cardinal prin-
cipIes, such as the Fatlierh0otl of God, the
Divinity Of Christ, the inspiration Of the
New Testament, the proper action, subject,
Lords Supper, and the equal rights of all
their members. These, with us. arc fanda-
mental, and, as before stated. Gen. Garfield
is us true to these rs any living man.
however, tie Disciples hold to the largest
liberty, and insist that there shall be no dog
,natisnl. Where there is neither, in the New
Testament, 80 thus saith the Lord, nor all
tile n;ime ot being livery broad and liberal, ~
while III 'many respects. tile writer in
! question pronpl1nces us q the most narrow
allt uncOnitnM!sl1E.
Upon this l remark That if to adhere to the
fundamental doctrines Ur principles above
| stated without wayeying; if to make direct
appeal IL Christ and Ills Apostles for simple
| and unusistaEable commandments and or
! dinances; aud il to cling to these us Of Divine
authority, rather than accept the crectss OF
nen,-il lhis is to be, or become, s. tie most
| narrow and ulicomnromisin-, then we plead
guilty to the cEaYge; but Lie writer III the
! charge will find Gen. Garfield rs guilty as
amy Of us, The truth OIL tile Who!s question
| uncoinpronsislns,' So far as the Discl-
| ple5'' are CONCERNED, sec1lls not even yet to
! be understood by either the religious orsec-
| ,lar world. 1t may be terscly stated thus:
OF Chri,&l;lnityto the princi piles and practices
OF Christ and His Apostles, 50 that there
| will be put one Church, which will be
! Cnrist's, and but one creed, Which will be
His Divincly Inspired word.
| They I:uId, therefore. that III matters Of
faith tncre nuot be lHitU-in matters Of opl.-
| ion, liucra;ity. 1t they are " narrow,': it will
be BECAUSE they believe Christ has been able
| to s:ly Il few things, and did say thon SO
| plainly that they admit ct llo second inter
prsl;tiill; il they arc Is ul,cumprolnising," it
! is becallse they bclitye the founder of any
| institutioi,-as Of Ffeenlasonry or Od.l-Fel
! luwship-ll;1s Il perfect right to found 1t rs
| lie uleases and that it is not within the PROV
church. to first demand i setting aside of
some Of its most cartiina! principles; and il
they are .' libcral,'' it is because they hold
thai the Great Founder. Of Christianity left
government tn he adapted to the surround
I lnss or necessities that might i'll the ages
arise. But the Constitution never! That is
| fixed AMI must forever remain.
As to the - Unitarianism" OF Gen. Gar
| field, or lis Church, will venture the opin-
! ion that If the writer under review under
stool! our position on either 'sUnitarianism NJ
! or Trinita,ianisln lie would never
! again eE,rge either Gen. Garfield or
tie Disciples with leaning in either
! direction. The Disciples do not find in the
| New Testament a warrant fur either of these
! ''islls,'' and yet no Unitarian s.lrpasses them
i'll their belief in the humanity of Christ,
| aud no Tril,itarian sIrpasses them III their
Avoiding either extreme, it will be found,
| if ever the world OF the Church cares to find,
| that cn this, as OIL other great cardinal
| points, the Disciples hold Il ,,Scriptural posi-
| ton, free from human 4Ognatisnl and sIeei-
| latio1l; But tliisopenS i: tield too broad for
the limits ut 4 newspaper article, aud must
| be coteitt for the present to rest it here.
Finally, is it not Il little singular that so
much is said of Gen. Gartield'5 religion, and
that too, because he is religious! Other
Presidents have come and gone who naue no
pretesions to Il religious belief, alltl whose
morals were doubtful, if not positively bad,
and neither the Church nor the world seemed
to note anything about it. But the
! moment nlan comes TO- the
front who is positively religious; who does
in fact bEiUng to the Church; who observes
with solemn and sacred reverence his obliEa-
tionS to his church; aud who. at home Or
abroad ,-anid tile burdensome responsible
ties of a Congressman or the exciting scenes
! Of Chicago Corvention,-- aside, seeks
out, however humble, and attends his own
church,-ttle moment, l say, such a man
and intent of those writing up'' his re!ig-
ious views to fritter them away, rs II they
wished to be able to say: Never mind. good
people, Gen. Garfield is not very religious
after al, lin fact, rs says our writer, lie Is
not a rcligionist at ali.'' protest against all
such statements, lis unjust alike to our PrcSl-
tlent-elcct and the Church Of which lie was
I'LL l.onured member, long years. before his
mime was mentioned i'll connection with the
Presidency. U. 4. burgess,
Pastor Christian fuiscip!e) Church, corner 1n-
| diana avenue alld Twenty-ifth street.