Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-05-19
GEORGE o. BARNES.

men, that il may seem presumptuous
for me 10 speak; but | have some con-
yiclions on the subject which / wish
10 record, in the hope that the cause
of the Master may be thereby advanc.
ell presume that Mr. Barnes most
ardent admirers do not endorse every
thing he says or does, nor has one
been found among his critics who does
not believe him to be good man. BE.
tween these extremes there are almost
~ many opinions Of Mrs. Barnes and
hi. work as there are persons who
think ON the subject. | will first give
my opinion and then my reasons for
il.
I believe that Mr. Barnes is a John
tie Baptist sent Of God 10 prepare The
way for grcai revival Of pure, spiritual
religion, rtich il soon 20 aoecp oper Blue
Grass Kentucky. Thisis 10 me more Of
conviction than a conclusion, yet the
conviction given, | think can see
proofs Of lis truth. IL is conceded on
all hands there has been a great spir-
itual dearth over this beautiful land for
many years. The churches of all de.
nominations have been spiritually
dead. In every church there have
been a faithful few who have kept the
embers smoking upon the sacred al
tars, and they have been for the most
part, vestal virgins. Here aud there
might be found man whose slul
sighed for the deliyerence Of Israel,
but the great mass Of church mem
b.rs have been worldly .minded, covet.
Gus, proud, lovers Of pleasure more
than lovers Of God. The prophets
language, Like people, like priest, v
has been verified. There has been
hut little Of the Pauline spirit. "Pub.
licly and from house 10 house day and
night with tears. The history Of the
church teaches that rs spirituality de.
olines the church becomes more iena'
cious Of forms and ceremonies. The
soul must have something 70 lean up
on. something to cling TO. Ritualism
exists only as n substitute for spritu.
atty. Rilualism is always intolerant.
IL is 80 in the very nature Of things.
lfforms and ceremonies are essential
to salvation il becomes a matter OF
the last importance. that the proper
forms be observed. Here disagree
ment springs up, and as a consequent
blgotry aud intolerance. eff am
right you must be wrong, and know
am right" This is the argument
of riiualism. CHARITY suilereth long
aud is kind. but ritualism is a stran
ger to charity. When Mr.. Barnes
SAYS, The churches of this country
with their steeples pointing heaven
ward remind me of so many bull dog:
with their tails curled over their backs
ready 20 tear each other in pieces" he
is striking at fact. When he says,
"When | was a Presbyterian preacher
aud used to tell the presiding elder
that hoped he would have good
meeting, was simply lying; ] did moi
wish any such thing he is again
striking at n fact. He puts il YER,
strong; he probably overdraws the
picture, but this is common fault OF
men burning with zeal to uproot q
great evil and correct depraved pub
lie sentiment.
What are the doctrines that Mr.
Barnes is preachingi He stands per
pendcular upon the corner stone O
Professionalism, Justification by Faith
His own experience is strangely SINH
lar to Luther's and Wesley's. III
says. IL tried thirty five years to make
myself a good man and failed, then
God made me first class, gilt edge'
Christian in one day. His religion
experience is all that the most en-
thusiastic advocate Of spiritual Tefig
ion could ask. all that the Bible prom
ices. He walks and talks with God
lie feels that God leads him day by
day in every thing. But says one
care his converts justified by faitl
and 10 they receive the witness of tn
Spirit?" As a rule they do not seen
to do SO. He does not demand tina
they have the experience that he has
lie does not lead them to seek it. Thi
seems very strange. This fact mad
me an opponent of Mr.. Barnes unit
recently. But when | look at him a
only forerunner | can feel reconcile
even to this Though the doctrine
of justification by faith and the vii
ness of the Spirit are held and preach
ed by the so.called evangelical church
es Of Blue Grass Kentucky, yet to
many years they have existed only il
theory. There are very few person
in any OF these churches who give an
evidence that these doctrines are mat
tiers of experience with them. MI
Barnes converts accept these doctrine
theoretically and that is the most "
have in the churches. That oinin
the church aud being baptized make
man a child of God had become s
deeply rooted ia the public mind an
had been practically accepted by al
the churches 30 such an extent, seen
ed TO make it necessary that som
Barnes should come outsides of tn
church in order to correct that grea
error.
All great reiormers are extremists
and suppose necessarily so, or the
could not be reformers. John Wesle
never took one of his converts into
church. True. he provided tor thel
the means Of grace, but this he WI
compelled to do because the chureh'
r..