The National tribune., 1882-05-20
DANIEL WEBSTER,S CREED,

/ or writer IN me t0f3rfqfti iOHditSf, IN which
/ Daniel Webster has set down a few PROPOSE
tions in the shape Of articles, which are in
tended "to exhibit a short summary of the
+. doctrines of the Christian religion" as they
impressed his mind. TIE document Is dated
B0scawen, y Il, August :, 1907. 1t is
thought that this is tho statement which he
read to the Congregational church in Frank
lin upon his being admitted to the member
ship Of that church. This is not unlikely,
as the date of his admission was September
-, 1907 The recent centennial anniversary
of his birth has to great extentreyiyed the
interest in MIR Webster, and this Z" 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 1 am taught this by the works Of
nature and the words Of revelation.
[ believe that God exists in three persons;
| this learn from revelation alone. Nor is it
any objection to this belief that I cannot
comprehend how one can be three or three
one. L hold it my duty to believe, not what
l can comprehend, or account for, but what
my Master teaches me.
1 believe the Scrsptures of the Old and
New Testaments to be the will and word of
God. believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of
God. The miracles which he wrought es-
tablish in my mind His personal authority,
and render it proper for me to believe what
ever He asserts. 1 believe, therefore, all His
self to be the Son of God, as when He de-
clares any other proposition. And believe
there is no other way of salvation than
through the merits Of His atonement.
believe that things past, present and to
come are oil equally present i'm the mind of
Deity that with Him there is no succession
Of time, nor of ideas; thati therefore, the
relative terms past present, and future, as
used among men, cannot, with strict pro-
priety, be applied to Deity. 1 believe in the
doctrines of foreknowledge and predestiGa-
tion as thus expounded. do not believe in
those doctrines as impairing any necessity
on mems actions, or in any way infringing
free agency.
believe in the utter inability of any hu-
man being to work out his own salvation
without the constant aid of the Spirit of all
grace.
believe in those great peculiarities of the
Christian religion a resurrection from the
dead and & day of Judgment.
1 believe ia the universal providence Of
God; and leave to Epicurus, and his more
unreasonable bllowers in modern times, the
inconsistency Of believing that God made a
world which he does not take the trouble of
governing. Or. Sherlock
Although have great respect for other
forms of worship, l Believe the Congrega-
tional mode on the whole, preferable TO any
Of demonstration, but of faith. God requires
us to give credit to the truths which He re-
veals, not because we can prove them, but
because lie declares them. When the mind
is reasonably convinced that the Bible is the
Word of God the only remaining duty is to
receive its doctrines with full confidence Of
their truth and practice them with pure
heart
1 believe that the Bible is to be understood
and received in the plain and obvious mean
ing Of its passages; since cannot persuade
myself that book intended for the instruc-
tion and conversion of the whole world should
cover its true meaning in any such mystery
and doubt that none but critics and philoso-
pliers can discover it.
l believe that the refinements and subtle
ties of human wisdom are more likely to OBJ
scure than to enlighten the revealed will of
God; and that he is the most accomplished
Christian scholar who hath been educated at
the feet of Jesus and in the college of fisher
men.
I believe that all true religion consists in
the heart and the affections, and that there
fore all creeds and confessions are fallible and
uncertain evidences Of evangelical piety.
Finally, believe that Christ has imposed
on all His disciplesa life OF active benevo-
lence; that he who refrains only from what
he thinks to be sinful.has performed but
part, and small pars, Of his duty that he
Is bound 10 do good and to communicate; to
love hfs neighbor, and to give food and drink
to his enemy; ana to end.avOr, as far as in
him lies, to promote peace, truth, piety and
happiness in wicked and forlorn world;
believing that in the great day which is 10
come, there will be no other standard of
merit no other criterion of character, than
that which is already established. by their
fruits ye shall know themn