The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-02-21
For the Central Presbyterian.
Letter from Rockingham Co., Va

.
MesSrs. Editors,-I have read with
considerable interest and wonder the
stirring article in your last issue from
-. A. Y" and others preceding it.
There is living principle here which is
destined to work out something. Facts
are stubborn things" Right adapta-
tions to right success are hard to argue
against. The true proportions of things
even nature herself always seeks to re-
store. At any rate l venture to suspect
that we are living on the eve of greater
future for the Presbyterian Church than
the mere STATISTICS of the past one hun
dred years would lead US to expect.
Ought not the cardinal principles of
the Church, of any great religious body,
to be so developed and administered, ir-
respective of Evolutionary Interpretation,
as that its success shall be as possible
amongst one class of people as amongst
another class of people Is it possible
for one age to come to understand better
than preceding age the right develop
ment, proportions, gradations, and rela-
tive Importance of things involved in
the essential principles of Presbyterian
Church polity and thus leave the
Church ever afterward guarded against
relapses into the old time mistakes.
1t took the Protestant bodies 300 years
to learn what religious federation meant.
This doctrine of the Church is better un.
derstood now than at the Reformation.
And this treasure of knowledge gained
by bitter experiences will hereafter, we
believe, preserve us from relapsing into
the custom of inficting pains and punish
ments for difference of religious beliefs.
The true sentiments of liberation existed.
without doubt, in many breasts and To-
calities even than in the darker ages
but their real value and tremendous i'm.
portance to the administration of &C.
cleslastlcal affairs was not generally seen
and acknowledged. A few might whis-
per or still more loudly point to in
stances of that way in answer other
causes were assigned: these sweetest
truths were wasted on the desert air: the
Church was founded on its course and so
walked on through fires and blood for
the teaching of divine retribution.
We were talking about these matters
the other day-about the administra-
ton of the affairs of our Lords kingdom
here on earth being somewhat like
great school of children left in the hands
of few older scholars while the master
Is out, when pious old lady remarked
that she remembered very well when all
the elders of her church used to sit on
their bench near the minister during
meeting. And" she added, Zone or
the other of EN- nearly always said some
thlng-then the elders were all preach
ers. like"
| remember reading several years ago
a sort of irregular encyclical letter from
one of our great eastern city pastors, cut
ting off Mr.. Moody because he was not
regularly ordained. Now church order
Is exceedingly necessary, good and i'm
portant, but | recollect that thought to
myself when 1 read that letter, may not
The Lord in certain epochs of the Church |
ind 1T necessary to make it known that
lie Is tired of critical sacrifices and |
splendid whole burnt offerings and teach |
the people by sort of apparent con-
tempt Of their order or of something con-
nected with their order, that they are at |
taching too much Importance, reLatiUezy, |
to that thing thought about the Jews
and their genealogies, and Paul's la
borious argument on the priesthood, and
how it ran roughly over their nerves
their views of the order of Levi, and of |
their almost indelible impression that
their Interpretation Of the Scriptures on
this great subject of administering, d.
recting, and governing the affairs Of God |
amonst men had reached a state of final |
These are crude thoughts, but there
may be a slight residuum in them if the
vapory portions are thrown off. l have |
mentioned Mr.. Moody. I have nothing
to say in laudation Of Mr.. Moody as Mr..
Moody. I have never heard him speak.
| have never read his sermons-not one
Of them that I know Of l was speaking
only from a general outlook upon things.
So | will ask further, what, if any, is the
rebuke we may understand meant from
heaven tor the churches by the appear
ance of this man upon the field 4? and by
some kindred movements Of the times.
Have we 80 administered in our Lords
absence as to keep in due prominence the
things that are meant to be 80 in His
Word have we administered in the past
hundred years in the very best manner
TO reach the most men have we made
no serious mistakes?