Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-04-22

the church which separated from th
ROmish communion" He adds: 81
alse embraces three secondary pro
tests against original Professionalism
such as Quakerisn-ap protest agains
its ordinances Arminianism-a pro
test gainst its CaIvinism Methodist
i. "a protest against IFS CaIvinism ant
its fnrmalism; and Liberal Christian
ity (so-called)-a protest against 1t
trinltnrian and sacriticial theology"
In considering the difficulties uude
which Professionalism has been doint
its work we will find they have beer
many and pecn!iar-(D. AS reform
alton anu revolt against old errors, j
has had extremes, reacilons and othe
incidental evils. The work of modi
iication and re-statement, gradual,
going on in connection with the ad
vancemeut of general intelligence, ,ha
been a task of the most delicate anl
difficult character, soreiy testing tn,
highest wisdom, stability and pietl
OF Its adherents, and also Its hold up
on the confidence and respect of tn,
masses" (b) "In its divorce from the
state, in the United States, and il
some European countries, it lost tht
advantage of prestige and influence
over the popular mind, which the
state afforded, .and was cast upol
t1uctuatiDg outward sources of vol
untary support" (c) "Under Pro
testantlsm. religion became purely
] personal thing, passing out from
under the exclusive controI of the
sacraments, and the arbitrary sway
of assumed prerogatives, into ire.
pressible conflicts with Individual
hosts and worldly Influences" (dl
1.-The capriciuus and fuctuating vol
untary sources of support have been
tested i'll country which everywhere
yields to the supremacy Of public
opinion. Nothing is more irreepOMsi-
BILE, or liable TO be more capricious and
destructive, and yet in these unsteady
hands are such great interests held y
Subjected to such severe tests and
working under such new conditions,
it Will be found, says our author in
regard to Protestantism. and especi-
ally American Professionalism: "No
paralysis has come upon us, nor are
there any Indications of dissolution,
but the best symptoms of life and
progress. The struggles of Protest
antism are only the normal contests of
the vital forces, expelling from the
system disorders inherited from
Romo. whose deadly faint has long
distigured and embarrassed her; and
the evidences of decay which some
see are only the devitalised elements
which vigorous life throws off in it's
higher advances"
Regarding the problem in ali its
aspects, and "widely interpreting the
signs of the times in the light Of the
whole history of Christianity, we see
indications in the condition and pro-
gress of American Professionalism
which convey encouraging lessons.
The past eighty years-at farthest the
past century, and in some respects
the past thirty ycars-Lave been dis
tingnished by a most rapid and mark
ed Developments
This is thc conclusion which the
volume under review is designed to
vindicate. In it the problem of re-
liglous progress ia discussed under
four heads: Faith. U-Morals.
Vitality. IV.-Statis-
tical Exhitits.
FAITH.
As to faith. the charge is often made
that 'Protestantism is a break with
ancient faith and worship; that it ia
logically and historically tie genera
tor of scepticism,' sc.
Our author says truly: "The tes-
timony of The centuries show that,
for the origin OF scepIicisn and its
fearful ascendeMcy in the last century,
n
amy form, but an imbecile, corrupt
and lmperi0us church, Obtrnding it.
self between the world and GOD and
darkenlns the faith of the naiions."
professionalism had its origin at a
time when tradition and the scho OIL
men, sustained by the terrors of the
hierarchy, b I'd dominated Europe for
centuries" Emancipation from such
bondage was a necessity, aud, in
due time, a certainly" "Aucieut iii
its essence and residuum from ante
medieval times, scepti, ism first ap-
peared in modern times, springing out
of the bosom of Rome, just prior to
the origin of Professionalism" Tie
revival of learning introduced new
philosophers into Italy. Between the
middle of the fourteenth and the
close of the fifteenth centuries there
appeared number of philosophers
who "propounded theories which
have been characterized as neither
Christian nor Mohalnmedan, but
Neo-Platomc sud heathen. With
these men there arose in Italy and
elsewhere schools Of ideal Platonists,
tending to Deism and Naturallsm,
aud a class Of peripatetics, sliding ln-
to materialism and scepticism. The
school of hunanists, enthusiastic
worshippers of Pagan antiquity, de-
voted TO the revival OF classical study,
became antagonistic To Christ ianity,
ahd 1T was quite common Tor d;gni-
tar es of the church. in the circles Of
their friends, to avow atheism. III g
mental quickening commenced in tie
revival of learning soon extended 10
all the sciences. - In
the fields of mathematics, mechanics,
geography and astronomy, the sci
cnces and speculation of The ancients
were first nurlured, aud then, partly
by gradual progress aud p.rily by
rapid and bold discoveries, material.
ly extended. With the assured re-
suits OF Investigation were connect
I'd manifold aud largely turbulent at
tempts 10 establish Oh the basis of
the new science new theological and
philosophical conceptions" "Anli-
has been Incorrectly re-
garded by some Us au offspring of
Yetlt is not
strictly true that it originated in the
churches OF the Reformation. The
rise of these ideas an3e.d.tes ,nu,iimvai
ages. The same causes that produced
the taformaiinn, modern scepticism
and the Transition in philosophy an,i
Phy s1cil science revived the ArIau
Ideas OF previous centuries"
All which, and numerous other
similar things, 60 to show, As our
auti''r asserts, that "the present in
'Ir'tions aud tendencies nf religious
'honslt are not new, unusuai and
exceptional experiences in th,. worlu'-
history, nor In the history of modern
times"
we see but 'i'hc of these things
as compared with Europe in the OPEN
ing bali of the last century,"
The great doctrines of the .refOr-
nation were banished tronl the uni
verslties and the pulpits. A laroe
class oi div!nes held To a refined sys.
'tm "i cihlcs, having no connection
WIN Christian motives and the vital
pr'ncirln OF Spiritual religion. Ar
iahlsm aud Socimianism were f.sh-
lonahie in the established church. and
the prevailing creed OF the most in.
tellisent disseulers." Mr.. Lecky saws
III his England i'll the Eighteenth Cen