The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-18

| y AdOubA VI WulCu he mas D06n
so long pastor. 1t would surprise us if
his church did not fully sustain the pas
tor in his present position, although the
representative of the church in the Asso-
citation, Mr.. Shearman, stated that most
OF the people are more orthodox than
the pastor. We are glad to hear this,
but we do not see how any congregation
could remain evangelical under the teach
ings of the Plymouth church pastor. On
many points of practical religion Mr..
Beecher has spoken eloquently and truth
fully. For more than twenty years we
have carefully read his sermons and &C.
casionally we have heard him preach.
Few men excel him in the art of speech.
He deserves to stand in the foremost
rank of public speakers. This has ena-
bled him to sustain himself under bur
dens which would have crushed any or
binary man.
But he has never preached the evan
gelical doctrines of the gospel of Jesus
Christ He has profeased to draw the
inspiration of his life from the teachings
and life of Christ. He has discoursed
brilliantly in the pulpit on all sorts of
social, political, moral, and religious sub
jects He has spoken beautifully of the
love of God, of the gentleness, sufferines
and death of Christ. But this is not
"holding forth the word of life" or
preaching crucifed Saviour as the re.
deemer of Gods people. He has never
clearly proclaimed Jesus Christ, the atom
ing sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Perhaps no preacher in America has done
so much as he to lead men away from the
saving doctrines of the gospel. Mr..
Beecher is no theologian. No man has
more persistently spoken sightingly of
theology. A preacher of the gospel can
no more afford to underrate theology
than lawyer can despise the knowledge
of law, or statesman-the science of DO
litical economy. 1t is no wonder that
such man, however brilliant and elo-
quent, should at last be found discard
ing his belief in the fundamental and dis
tinguishing doctrines of Christianity,
while he still claims to be Christian.
Mr.. Beecher, in his article in the North
american ReOic,O, and in his address be-
fore the Association, avows his belief in
what he calls the great doctrine of
evolution" and of which he says:
1T is perhaps the most revolutionary
tenet ever advanced \ To admit
the truth Of evolution is to yield up the
reigning theology. 1t is to change the
whole notion of mans origin, his nature,
the problem of human life, the philoso-
ply OF morality, the theory of sin, the
| structure of moral government as taught
in the dominant theologies of the Chris
tan world, the fall of man in Adam, the
doctrine of original sin, the nature of sin
and the method of atoning for it"
1t will thus be seen from Mr.. Beecher's
own words that his new "tenet" is to rev.
olutionise all the essential teachings of
the Christian world-teaching which
have directed the faith and guided the
lives of Christ's people in all the ages of
the Church.
He fully understands that in antago-
nising the doctrine of the Fall of Man"
he is opposing the whole orthodox the
ology of the church. For he says again:
"This doctrine of the Fall of Man in
Adam is not, as may be imagined, an ex-
treme and antiquated notion. It is fun
damental TO the whole orthodox theology
OF the world. The system could not
stand moment if it be exploded. It
may be summarily said to be the aoork-
ing theory Of the Christian theology, as
much to-day as it was FIVE hundred years
ago"
Now when all this is swept away, as
Mr.. Beecher says it must be by his new
"tenet, what remains and what is to
come in its placer
1t is new religion It is "another
gospel" tbs not the gospel of Him who
came to "seek and save that which was
lost.
1t is not surprising, of course, that Mr..
Beecher should have withdrawn from tbe
Association. How could he be honest
and do otherwise? But it is matter of
great surprise that an Association claim
ing to be orthodox could unanimously