Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-03-31
DENYING THE
REV. MIR. GALLAGHER's CHANGE
OF FAITH EXPLAINED.
His Views ON Three Godheads-The
Scriptures. Written By Men and
Interpreted by Men-A Book OF
Holy Truths, But Not Inspired,

ny MICH HMIA
Interpreted by Men-A Book o
Truths, But Not Inspired
The Opera House was crowded to suffo
cation last night to hear Rev. Mr.. Gala
gher's reasons for changing his faith, ant
many were turned away. The gallery
was filed with ladies and their escorts. Il
was a very orderly and respectable assem-.
blage, many of whom appeared to be in
sympathy with the speakers views, as there
were frequent outbursts Of applause. Hon.
Geo. W. Baker, with a few well chosen
words, introduced the reverend gentleman,
who said:
My life has been one constant search for
truth-truth tempered by wisdom, sup
ported by knowledge, and guided by love.
1t is because Of my fidelity to the truth
that l stand before you tonight. Whilein
your presence and ever in the presence of
God and man, l shall tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Let me first state the history OF my change
OF views A week ago last Sunday evening
l preached a sermon on the Moral Re-
sponsibility Of Man" After the services l
went home and sat down. As | never can
sleep after preaching, OF account OF physi-
cal exhaustion, l felt like reading. Near
me was a copy of the New York Evangelist,
and in it was an article concerning the
trial Of Rev. W. Robertson Smith, Profess
sor OF Hebrew in the Presbyterian Theo-
logical Seminary Of Edinburg, Scotland.
DR.. Smith was charged with heresy for
writing the oracles on the Bible and He
hFaw ItarotnNa IN Ahn E.4,otnra1ia D~s4
annica. As / felt like reading / went to
my library and read these articles -read
nearly all night and late into Monday af-
ternoon, and with these articles / read the
articles on the "Apecalyptic Literature "
and The Gospel and ~Apecypha." These
articles changed my views with regard to
the inspiration of the Scriptures, but three
things kept me from changing my opinions
on that subject. First-I believed and
still believe that the Bible contains Divine
truths, and had many doctrines which
must have come by direct revelation OF
God. Second-I believed in the inspira-
ton of prophecy and, third believed
that Jesus Christ was a divine and inspired
man. These three great doctrines kept my
misgivings and doubts from having any
control over my opinions. But after weigh
ing the evidence presented in the articles
mentioned, | was forced to modify views
on several doctrinal points. Let me here
refute a number Of false rumors that have
been circulated through the town. 1t is
said ! preached things which / never be-
lieved. / brand this assertion as false.
Every sermon that | ever preached in the
Eureka church, or any other church, |
preached with my whole heart and soul.
1t is true that / have studied these SUBJ
jects before and was not familiar
with the objections of Strauss, Re-
nan, Voltaire, Hume and Tom Paine; but
it makes all the difference in the world
whether one studies a subject to believe
the arguments presented or whether he
studies from a critical standpoint with q
view to be influenced by the evidence pre-.
sented. 1t may be that my mind is more
mature than it was a few months or a few
years ago, and that / can weigh evidence
more carefully, or may be that my mind
is weaker, and that arguments which would
not once appear forcible, now appear very
strong. Be this as it may, one thing l
know, that the arguments presented in
the encyclopedias-and any person in the
house can read these articles, and il they
do not come to the same conclusion that |
did, then l have no faith in the power Of
evidence to move the human mind
changed my views Of the inspiration OF the
Scriptures, and with the loss of belief in
the inspiration Of the Scriptures ! had to
modify my views with regard TO the Trim
ity, eternal punishment. and the vicarious
atonement. A strange circumstance served
to open my way to duty. That Monday
evening / visited q neighbor in company
with my wife, and the neighbor put this
question to me: "Do you believe in the
inspiration Of the Scriptures?" l an
swered, eff you had asked me that ques-
ton yesterday l should emphatically have
said yes, but / have been reading nearly
all night and all day on that very point
and have had to change my views, and
must now say that l do not believe in the
inspiration of the Scriptures" On re-
turning home the question OF what l
should do presented itself. Should l hon.
estly and openly ayow my opinion before
my congregation, or should / acquaint my
Session and Trustees Of M change OF
views. 1t seemed to me to be wiser and
more prudent to acquaint my Session and
Trustees. l called a meeting last Friday
evening at the parsonage, and in the parlor
told these gentlemen that ! had diverged
from the standards of the church, and
asked them whether they would allow me
to preach until my Presbytery would set
tie my theological s~tanding-the Pres
bytery meets during the second week OF
April. The Session said NO, that / could not
preach, and closed the church against me.
Some have said why didn't Mr.. Gallagher
resign and leave the town, and make his
views known elsewhere. IL had
lone such a thing I would have
laid myself open to the charge
of being a hypocrit; for l could not sever
my connection with this church without
giving my reasons to my Presoytery,
whose orders l must obey as long as l am
a Presbyterian minister. I would have
had to send my reasons for leaving the
church to my Presbytery, and Presbytery
| being a court Of review would have de-
posed me from the ministry, and dissolved
| nv connection with this church, and state
| to this particular church why they took
| such action. There the whole matter
| would have come before the people, and
| everybody would have said what a hypo-
| crit that man Gallagher was; he has turned
| Unitarian and when here he preached what
| he did not believe. How much, nobler,
| honester, and more manly it was for me to
| frankly state my opinions before my SEES
| sion and Trustees privately, and let them
| decide what should be done. Some have
| said that / have been a hypocrit in preach
| ing as / have and in now changing. Surely,
if I had been a hypocrit. and it had
been to my advantage to be a hypocrit FOL
three Years, it would have been for my ad
vantage to have continued on in the samt
course. must say that have been sur
prised at the false and malicious ISLANDERS
that have been circulated about me. sur
prised that people should have though
that all ideas Of morality could have beer
changed by the simple modification OF my
views on certain theological subjects.
Now let me state my position on religi
GUS subjects.
/. With regard to the Bible. Ibeliev'
it TO be a compendium OF divine truth
that it contains revealed truth that coult
not have been known except God had re
vealed il. I do not believe that we know
to whom God revealed the truths Of tn