, 1881-03-06
4 DEPARTURE FROM ORTHODOXY THAT HAS
STIRRED TWO DENOMINATIONS.

MORE "sHERESI.7'
4 DEPARTURE FROM ORTHODOXY THAT HAS
STIRRED TWO DENOMINATIONS.
Ntar Turk Sun.
Last Sunday the Rev. Thomas r. Slicer an
nounced from tile pulpit his resignation Of
the pastorate Of the Park Congregational
Church, Brooklyn. and preached a sermon
giving his reasons for abandoning orthodoxy.
The intelligence Of Mr.. Slicer's adhesion to
liberal doctrines has occasloned more COM
ment in the Methodist Church than in tile
Congregational Church, for he has been i'll the
latter Church for the: last four years only,
while lie was in the Methodist ministry for
Every Old Methodist minister has ancc-
dotcs T. tell OF the Rev, Henry Slieer, Or
"the War-IIorse OF Methodisln,' Us lie used
to be called for his denominatlonal energy
and zeal. lie took leading part III the Cen
eral Conferences IN the half century Of lS
the itnerant system. The wife. Of
Father Sliccr was the granddaughter Of
one of The pioneers of Afethodisul, and her
father had been a Methodist minister also.
appointment to the Methodist ministry that
Father Siicer's. son Thomas, while still
youth, mounted his horse, and, with UNI
brella hanging from lis punlnel and his
library in lis saddle-bags, started out as
III
having been an orthodox minister for fifteen
years. hc publicly forsakcs the faith.
Talking OH the subject yesterday he sala
that the lnythologic theology of orthodoxy
way. Cltrsy.nen nonlinally orthodox felt it
lnd admitted it among themselves. Ihey
make show Of defending the old dogmas,
but they practically turn their backs, upon
them. Men haze their livings to earn and their
families to support, and they avoid shocking
~, in their
opinions. ''But" said Nlr. Slicer. ~ am
young, strong, and healthy. | can earn my
living, and | cannot conceal my conscien-
tio,,s convictions
about his change OF opinion, Mr.. Sllcer salu
that he was most strongly Impressed with
the failure of the old dug,nas to impress tile
hearts or the lives Of men, when, after tour
years circuit work in Maryland, he went to
Colorado. Oti-fashioned warnings and ap-
peals, based upon (, system Of future rewards
and pttnsllments, had no influence on the
strong, brave men Of the West. They were
not to be scared from honest convlc ton BY
threats of eternal punishment. lie had
lad labored to inculcate practical righteous
ness. To impress good conduct should be
the aim Of ministerial effort, and for years
that, and not the teaching Of d0gnlas, had
been his object. 1t had finally become I'M
possible for him even to give such assent to
orthodox ,logmas us is implied BY the posi-
ton of an orl!losloN minister. .....
Nj, S.icpr says that there WAS no disagree
ment between himself and his church on the
subject. Under his ministry its debt has
been raise,l and it is in Il tlourishing condi,,
lion. lie had entered the Congregational
Church because he liked its independent
poity, which gave to the. various congrega-
lions Il wide latitude Of thought and action;
intended for orthodox uses, and It would
not have hee!, honest for him to divert that
trust by ltltling the congregation lnt4 l4loer-
;lis,,,, Mr.. S!icer says that lie has no plans
for tic future: lie Is devotea 10 tlle HllIls,
t,r;a| calling hut cannot preach antlluateu
formulas that he dues not himself believe.
TuEIsIpENITENT'S DESTINY
THE pocrE1SE OF ANSllnL.,TIoS TAUGHT
1Y 4 REFORMED EPISCOPAL MINISTER
Much interest hns been excited among the
attendants Of st. Jolll's Reformed Episcopal
Church in this city by a series of sermons by
the Rector, the Rev. J. D. Wilson, taking
hold ground against the doctrine OF eterhal
,unislu,e1,:. Mr. Wilson is recognized as
oue Of the ablest thinkers i'll the Chicago pull
nit and his expressions OH this subject have
uale some stir among his brother clergy
men. some of whom look upon them as
hetcrodox and dangerous, while others adj
nit that they have long privately held sfml-
lar views. Il reporter Of TIE TRIBUNE has
obtained from Mr.. Wilson the following br1et
abstract OF his argument, which in his SER
mons was fortified by numerous proofs from
Scrint1,rn rs we'll as from reason. lie was
vcrv reluctant TO EXPRESS his views for publ
cation having Il Strong dislike 70 anytnl1g
jil5{. nt,toriety or senSatlOn.1llSm Dul tad 10
hesitation in Affirming his con'lctlohs' LIS
SAIL: .,.
hold the view commonly called "condl-
tional Immortality, ,''-i. C., eternal life exists
nuiv in Union With Jesus, Christ. The argr-
mriit viii bc iron, reason and Scripture.
l. Tseason-First-I!lere is difference ;s, De-
+wp,.n right anil. wrong believers ana SIN:
frhcy ought to bc viewed differently by doa
|. Srcond--1t is evident that in the present
state of things vice is not always puhls'lea
! nor virtue always rewarded. 1ttllce y lcct !"
| tjcation is to bu looked for,-a time OF retrI-
'Ti,irtl-In what will that rctribation con,
sjst? / answer: in such punishment as snail
| hr inst and right, ending with eStlnctlon.
| Eternal torment is not Just II Is GNcessHe'
| eternal torment iulplfes eternal slnn.ng, and
eternal SHINING Involves Il defeat Of Cod; II
! wt,I,I make. lnc Devil as powerful as God,
| and virtually Says there arc two Gods, one OF
| evil AMI one t,f good , >. ,,t
animals shows that tl such life has 17oss.bi;t-
;tiry. but The attainment Of those, posslolll.
tics does not always follow. All blossoms
arr ,wssibe fruits, but only, some come u
| fru;fiun. Ali eggs are possible animals, bnt
Oily some attain their, destiny. So all men a'1
are possible inlnortals, but some fall to reach
| immortality. ..... .....---
Fifth-We cannot by reason prove man i, I'm,
| mortal: the best we can 90 Is to prove tna'
| lie is cupublc Of Immortality
II. Resclation-Bnt reason cannot proEt
much one way Or other, God knows what T. !:
| before us. and has told US all We need te
| know. Hence We are to look to the b1p!e 1o'
/! satisfactory Information.
| First-The Bible uniformly promises LIE
| only to the righteous.
"This is life eternal to know the only 1fus
God and Jesus
"lI: that hath the Son hath llfe." err >,
s'Iie that bc1ieyeth on the Son hath lIe e:, :,
t'WaG..s Of sin is death; gltt OF doo
sceondrhe doom Of the wicked ed ds,td IS 'tde
sructio,'' psriiton "eyer!as.ln8 ot1ln maat
rs t!,nue:, had not hetn,' ~, vanish" etc: