The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-14
From the Presbyterian Journal.
Hedged In.
BY THE REV. GEORGE A. LITTLE.

There is another way of forming the
character of others than by the atmos-
phere OF home, college and social surround
lngs. Such are outside influences or
barriers to good or i'll. This other way
is by hedging the mind to substantial
truths, or causing it to grow by enclosiaeq
1t in rich pastures and by deep, cool
waters.
A few weeks ago one of our D. DIS
was giving me an epitome of new here
sy which has affected some of our church
es. While talking, my boy of eight years
came into the room, of whom I said, T" He
has the form of sound words, for he can
repeat the catechism." "Then," remark
ed the Dr., she is proof against new
lsms; and from this the conversation
drltted to the early instruction of earnest
men who have departed from the teach
ings of the church.
The leader in this new ism, it was
said, is man whose religious instruction
was obtained in middle life. He had to
begin NTH no definite idea of the sum-
mary of Biblical teaching. He studied
some truths, and not knowing their re-
latlon to others, bounded off from them
as tangent departs from its circle. And
he is but an illustration of many who OBJ
tain glomcimg off knowledge of Scrip
ture. They get one idea, which is. true,
and connect it with speculative notions,
and thus are lost to usefulness at least
But the boy with the answers to the
catechism in his head is no tangent to
the circle Of divine truth, but diameter
passing through it. He has struck the
central truth which is Christ crucifed,"
and understands that all else radiates
from it.
The catechism and other summaries of
Christian doctrine, also some of our grand
hymns, are fences which hold the intel
lect to the truth, which make the mind
to feed upon it, If a catechist is asked,
What is the condition of the righteous
after death ?" his mind takes hold of this
answer of the catechism, The souls of
believers are at their death made perfect
In holiness, and do Immediately pass into
glory and their bodies, being still united
to Christ, do rest in their graves till the
resurrection. This is his starting point,
and as it is the opinion of eminent the
ologians, it is good one. If he doubts
it, he must disprove it before he can &C
cept different answer. Thus every man
who for years had recited the catechism
must start from these doctrinal opinions
whenever any question Of practical the
ology is asked. And how much better is
it for investigation to argue from O aDezZ-
aoorded proposition than from an under
fined idea. Thus in everything else. The
great men in physiology studied some
work largely true, and afterwards cor
rected some things by their larger expert
ence or closer observation. No man
takes up any science as ne1U thinQ but
first profits by the learning of others,
and then adds to it what he has discov-
cred. But in theology many wish to be-
gin as though the Bible was to be studied
for the first time. This is the great mis-
take. AS one studies geology in books,
and then confirms or corrects their teach
ings by digging into the earth, so one
should study the theology which is taught
by eminently wise and good men, and
confirm or correct this by a very large
and careful examination Of Gods word.
But it will be said, "to hedge in
boys and girls to the truth by having
them commit the Shorter Gatechisn
and other formulas Of truth is hard
work.
True. nothing really valuable is easily
CAMEL. Parents cannot train up their
children in the way they should 90 with
out hard, painstaking labor. The cannot
gather gold for them as easily as they can
sand.
1t is harder to make wise and good