Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-17
BEEcHER's IDEA-wEAT RELIGIOUS Pa
PERs THINK ABOUT IT.


An article in the August number of the |
North american Repitu. by the Rev. |
Henry Ward Beecher, has been made the |
topic of discussion in a number of religious |
Journals last week Progress of thought,
according TO Mr.. Beecher, is not away
from religion in America The religious
sentiment was never so strong and active
as it is now. The changes are in general
for the better. There is less sectarian d.
vision and greater liberty Of thought
"Even that. magnificent sect that boasts
that, like the eternal Arctic zone, it never
changes, has come under amelorating in.
fuences. Tie pulpit Is improving its
methods. There is going on transition
from the creeds of the past to the forma-
lion Of creeds adapted TO the present wants
and present knowledge of truth. The es-
sential characteristic of this transition is
the substitution of the theology OF Evolu.
tionism for that OF Ca.vinism. Darwinism
should be heartily welcomed, with open
arms aud exultation. as release from the
hideous nightmare of ages"
OF Mr.. Beecher's article the Christian
Onion says "That MIR. Beecher has right
ly interpreted the progress of thought in
the church as radical can only be doubted
by those who do not desire to see. The in
depreciation of life's mystery afforded by
the Westminster divines is no longer held
outside decreasing circle of professional
advocates, who hundred years ago used
it, who now barely venture even to defend
it. The world is ripening, il it be not al
ready ripe. for new reading of this riddle
of the ages. We are very sure that Mr..
Beecher has come clearer thoughts on this
subject than he has given to the public in
this article. He is by nature prophet
his conceptions of sin and penalty, of par.
don, atonement, redemption, of inspiration
and the divine life, are positive beliefs. He
has never belonged to the ignoble army
of what Benton called the Antis Ii he
| turns away from the medieval hor-
ror, the hideous nightmare Of ages,
| it is because he has found purer,
better and more ennobling faith.
1t may not be clear as crystal it is not
reasonable to ask him at his age TO begin
nineteenth century Institute Of Theology.
But if he waits till his affirmative con.
ceptiens have fully clarified he may wait
too long. There is no want in this age
SO great as tire want of a new statement
of theology there is no man whose state.
ment would be sure of go many readers
wishing to be convinced. For there is
no man who SO sipgulsrly combines the
three qualities necessary 10 grapple with
this problem-a philosophio reason, q
broad sympathy with men, and a pro-
found spiritual insight.
The Coagregdtionaiist says "If Henry
| Ward Beecher were as learned as he is
brilliant, he could scarcely have written
some of the most Objectionable passages
| in his late article on Progress of Thought
in the Church, in the North american
| ReUietg; while, If he were severe as a To-
gician as he is adventurous as rhetori.
clan, that discussion might have been still
further pruned. He knows too little and
he proves too much. The shoal.
est place in this unprofound paper is its
attempt, by the drgumentanl ad inpidiom
as applied to God, to overthrow the or.
thodox theology"
Sin this article" the Christian
Register says, "the hopeful, generous en-.
thusiasm of Mr.. Beecher's nature his
broad catholicity, his mistaken confidence
in the value of the religions sentiment, his
acuteness as an observer, and his rare
power of statement, all find free and ample
play. He assumes with abundant reason
that a great change, progressive and pro-
phetic, is passing over the public mind in
matters of religious truth. The article
concludes with q glowing prophecy on the
future of faith. That son of Lyman
Beecher could write it is sufficient justifi.
tion of its title. There has been pro
gress of thought in the Church, and it
has not been confined to Mr.. Bsecher
either. When we carefully compute the
personal equation of the individual observer
in this instance, and eliminate any minor
errors of statement, we are obliged to con.
fess that Mr.. Beecher has reported the
signs of the time with considerable accu.
racy, and that he himself is only one among
a large number whose enlightened views of
religion are the result of forces which he
describes, and which are destined to
achieve still greater victories"
The Churciman says: "What Mr..
| Beecher may say on any point of theology
can have no Importance as a discussion,
but is very significant as showing the reli.
gious drift of the day. No believer in
Christianity, as based on the Incarnation,
can accept evolution as divine mode of
action, except with limitation which
makes it practically of very little moment.
It cannot apply to Christ, nor to those
who, by regeneration, are made partakers
of His life. Our chief interest in this mat.
ter is thai Mr.. Beecher is the representa-.
tive of large following. His words will
give Others courage to speak, and make
manifest, if not accelerate, the decay of
faith in those of whom he is the exponent.
His relations to the Congregationalists are,
We believe, OF the loosest, but he still
claims to be in that body as a recognized
teacher. That il will utter any protest is
hardly to be expected. Ii it do not, it is
certain that all who have any faith in
Christianity, or in Christ as the Incarnate
Son, will hasten to leave communion where
these divine realities are denied, and the
Gospel of the Iucsrnation and OF the Re.
surrection is supplanted by the gospel of
evolution"