New-York tribune., 1882-02-19
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

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| summary of the doctrines Of the Christian rell-
/ giOn,n as they impressed his mind. The dOcu-
| ment is dated BOscawel, \. H., August ),
| 1907. 1t Is thought that this Is the statement
| which he read TO the Congregational church
! in Franklin upOn his being admitted To the
membership of that church. This is not un-
! likely, as the date Of his admission was Sep
tember -, 1907. The recent centennial an
Diversarv of his birth has 70 great extent re-
vIvrd the interest In Mr. Webster, and this
confession OF faith will undoubtedly be read
by many people with interest.
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
I believe in the existence of Almighty God. who
created and governs the whole world. ! an taught
this 0y the works Of nature and the wCTls OF rrye-
latOn.
believe that God exists in three persons; this
learn from revelation alone. Nor Is II any objection
20 this belief that caHn0t comprehend how one
can be three or threo one. hold lt my duty 20 be-
leve, not what can comprehend, or account Tor,
but what mg Master teaches me.
ments 30 be he viii and word Of tod. ! believe
Jesus Christ 10 be the Son Of God. The miracles
which lie wrought establish in my mind His per
sOnal authority, and render it proper tor 70 be-
leye whatever He asserts believe, therefore, all
His declarations rs well when he declares Himself
TO be the son Ot God, a. wIcn lie declares any
other prOpos ton And believe there Is no other
way OF salvation than through the merits Of His
atouemeut.
all equally present IN the mind of Deity that with
Him there IS 10 succession OF time nor Of ideas
|
future used among men, cannot, with strict pro-
IreUy, be applied 90 Deity. | believe IN the
doctrines OF fUreknOwledge and predestination as
tnus eXpounued 90 not believe IN tnOse doctrines
as uupaIriug any necessity on mems actions, or III
any way infringing free agency.
believe In the utter inability Of any human be-
ing o. work ont his own salvation without the
stant aid Of the oplrlt of all grace.
| believe in those great pecUiarJles of the Chris
tian religion resurrection from the DEAD and day
believe in the universal providence Of God and
leave 20 Epcurus ana his more unreasonable fol-
lowers m modern times the Inconsistency OF belev
Ing lat God made world winch ne does not take
the trouble OF governing .Dr. Sherlock
Although | have great respect for other forms Of
worship. believe the Congregational mode an the
whole. preferable 20 any other believe religion
20 oe a matter. not of demonstration. but Of faith
God requires rs 10 give credit 10 the truths which
lie reveals, not because we can prove them. Out
because lie declares them. " hen the mind Is reaS
OEdJly convinced chat the Bible Is the Word OF
God, the only remaining duty Is to receive Is doc
trInes with toll confidence OF their truth ana prac-
tlss them with Dure heart.
believe that the 81 lie is 10 be understood and
received IN the pam and obvious meaning OF It's
passages since l cannot persuade myself that
book intended Tor the instruction and conversion of
the whole world should cover lts true meaning IN
any such mystery auU doubt that none hut critics
aud philosophers can discover 10.
| believe tina, the reLncmenis and subtletes Of
human wisdom are more likely to obscure than TO
enHEhten the revealed VIII OF Fod; ana tldt ne Is
the most accomplished Christian scholar who hath
been educated at the feet OF Jesus and IN the col
lcge OF fishermen.
/ believe that ali true religion consists in the heart
auL the affections, and that therefore all cretds aud
confessions are talIDle and uncertain evidences OF
evangelical piety.
FIna..y. / bctieye that Christ has imposed on all
His disciples lie OF active beneyOlence that he
who retaIns only from hat he thinks to be sinful
has performed but a part, and a small part, CT his
duty; tuat he ~ bound % 10 good and 10 cOnmCnl-
cafe; 10 love hI- neIglbOU and 20 give food and
drink 20 his enemy; and 10 endeavOr. as far a. IN
him lies, to promote peace, truth, plety ana happi-
ltT fTlLr Ia AZ
the great day which Is 70 come, there VII. be no
other standard of merit no other criterion OF char
acteT, than that which Is already established, BY
their fruits ye shall know them
CHCRCH MCSIC.-Among the manifold con-
slderation> IN connection with the question OF
church music there are two, The ChNTctpdp
thinks, that seem TO deserve more attention
than has been given them. The first relates TO
disturbance of doctriIal meaning by musical
arrangements. and the second 10 interference
with intelligent worship by indistIncJ
articulation. Take, for instance" The
ChUrchm0R SAYS. such passage a. the Holy,
Holy, Holy Lord God Of Sabbath, of the Ie
Deum, or the Holy, Holy, Holy OF the Ter
sauctuS. We all know tnat each Holy Is adj
dressed to one OF the persons in the Trinity,
and so possesses a dOctrlnal significance that
ought not TO be Interfcred with. To attempt
10 produce musical effects by repeating 1t IN
manifold variations is PROCLAMATION. These
words stand IN their ndlvldua. appropriation
as summaries Of the Creed and no repetition
10y which this individual appropriation Is dis
turbed or ObsCured can be permissible. What
would be said of such a choral rendering Of the
Lesser Litany-' Lord, have mercy upon Us,
Christ. have mercy upon Us, Lord, have mercy
upon Us -as should break up it, tTlne utterance
by vain repetition IN order TO secure musical
effects, and 50 destroy It's purpose and luten-
ton Just the same thing ought TO be said Ot
any interference, for any purpose, with the
trine-the uinc 0uly-utteraDCe Of Holy IN the
Ie Deum and Tersanctus. The utter absence
of articulation Of words Is another sore evil IN
much OF the singing one Is compelled TO hear.
Il produces an unknown tongue, which, even
with book III hama. IL is sometimes difficult 10
interpret. This cllolOn OF letters, and every
thing else that makes mp artlculate speech,
seems TO gather especially round the letter 5.
We once heard the Gloria Patrt given after
this fashion: Glory be 10 the Father and TO
the Hon and to the Holy We will not write
the last word, but let our readers drop out all
sound Of rhe letter and they viii reach the
shocking result. Whether the high shrlek-
~e dO not know the proper musical ternl-
which IS attempted renders the sloilant sound
an imDOss bllity, or whether the hurry of ut
terance in which words tread on each others |
heels. produces the same result, or whether Il
wish to initiate sOIne famous singer who lab
ored under this vocal defect as the c0urtiers
of the Wry- -necked monarch twisted their neoks !
ipstqr regis,, is responsible for il, we do not
know. We DO know that the result Is a verir-
able abOmlnatlOn.'
HG77 II MAKE SERlGOEs.-In speaking before
the Yale Theological school Lass week about
delivering sermons, President Robinson SAID 4: !
~ There has been Il rule laid down by some |
writer that after the topic has been selected |
tbr PREACHER should note down such thoughts |
rs might occur to him. This practice often |
lead, the preacher to produce many irrelevent |
IDEAS. as We may well understand the process |
of thought when pursued in this way An
other styLe Of sermon building and one pur- |
sued by many Is after selecting a text to ex- |
anime a large range of literature for his mate |
rial He takes an illustration here, thou ght |
there. and the sermon after being made up il a |
sort If religious patchwork. without con
tlnuity of thought and without harmony. 1t |
in no way represents the preacher. Another |