The Portland daily press., 1883-11-02
Windham. Nov. /
The Rev. $. IL. Dana settled at quincy,

The Rev. y. M. Dana Settled Mt Quincy,
I'LL.
The Rev. Samuel Howard Dana, formerly OF
Portland, was installed pastor of the First
Union Congregational church of Quincy, ILL.,,
on the 10Th of October. President e. A. Tan
ner of Illinois College was president of the
council. The sermon was by Rev. DR.. H. M.
Scudder. The other clergymen participating
in the exercises were the Rev. W. W. Rose,
the Rev. A. A. Ellsworth, the Rev. E. Frank
Howe, the Rev. f. S. Hayden, and the Rev.
s. M. Wilcox. Mr.. Dana upon his examine
ton. after stating his general accord with evan
gelical belief, said that in regard to theological
statements "no definitions of God, OF Christ.
of the Holy Spirit, of the Trinity, of the
Atonement of eternity or of eternal life, are
satisfactory because these transcend all pre-
cision and de6niteness of statement He
then made the following statement:
First: God.-I believe in His being wisdom.
power, holiness, Justice, goodness, and truth and
THAT God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son that whatsoever believed in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.'
Second: Christi believe that Christ was God
manifest in the flesh, that He and His Father were
one, not only in essence, but in will and purpose:
that the aim of Christs life was the reconciliation
of men unto God; that God was in Christ reconcil.
to seek and to save the lost those who were lost
from God-to restore men to their lost estate as
sons Of God He was the Lamb of God that taketh
away the sins of the world; not merely the punish
ment of sin, but the love of sin.
Third: The Atonement.-All theories of the
atonement are defective and unsatisfactory al
though there are elements of truth in all Some
satisfy the heart; some the mind; none both Some
emphasize one attribute of God to an exclusion of
the others The character of God and the character
of man, the nature of holiness and the nature of
sin, the infinite justice and the Almighty love of
harmonic with the Gospel or be truly a christian
theory that leaves out the Christ asserted fact that
.God so loved the world that He gave His Son."
Love was the motive; sin the occasion; salvation
The purposes eternal life to all who will the result
"Christ did not become the Lamb.of God by being
lifted upon the cross, but He was lifted
upon the cross because He was the Lamb of
God. That cross was erected not by the hand of
divine justice. but by the hand of divine love. It
was not that God might love men, but because He
did love men; not that it might be possible for God
to forgive sin, but because He could and wantsd to
Fourth-The Holy Spirit-I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the indwelling comforter who brings the
things of God and of Christ to remembrance;
who convinces OF sin; leads to repentance and
faith; by whom those who believe are made new
creatures in Christ Jesus and are enlightened and
sanctifed.
Fifth-The life into which the soul is brought
through the new birth is the eternal life. over
which time and death have no power. A life begun
nal that they should know Thee the only true God
and Jesus Christ whom Thou hasa sent" (John
1873 HE that hath the Son hath 1ife;' and she
that hath not the Son of God bath not life'' John
5:11,1 2). It is through Christ and because of
Christ that we attain eternal life, and hence his
words OF entreaty and of warning. I believe that
any method of interpreting those words that miti-
gates the danger of rejecting Christ the Savior
or lessons the guilt, the power, and the fearful
consequences otsssin is not true method or in ac-
cordance with the spirit of the Scriptures.
Sixth-The Scriptures-I believe in the language
od which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old
and New Testaments is the only rule direct us how
we may glorify and enjoy him. l believe that
"holy men of old spoke as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost" that the Scriptures are profitable for
doctrine, for reproof for instruction in righteous
ness; that they contain The history of Gods revea-
ton to man; of Gods converse with man. believe
the Bible to be among books what Christ is among
men. In it as in Him. the divine and the human |
are blended. The human brings it near to u.s.
us to understand it and to enter into spmpa-
thy with it,. The divine lifts us heavenward ele-
Yates ennobles inspires and makes it the power of
God for salvation. believe that this revelation of
God is progressive. and that its elimination is |
reached in Jesus Christ
believe that the knowledge and Interpretation of |
this revelation is progressive, and is progressing:
that God has yet more light to break out of his holy
word; that we can be learners, and ought to be
learners while the world LASTS that as theological
systems and statements have been modified and |
changed, so they will be, that coming generations
viii look back our fallacies as we do on others
that open-mindedness is a Christian frame of mind
l believe in the holy Catholic church and in the |
Congregational church.
1The action of the church and society in call |
ing Mr.. Dana was after this statement unani- |
mously ratified by the council, and he was in |
stalled in the presence of a large audience.
The church is the one of which Rev. f. A. |
Thayer, who died after brief service was pas
tor The Quincy Wing says: "Many touching
illusions were made to the late pastor Rev. Mr..
Thsyer, who has by this service been yiyidly |
brought to the minds and hearts of the people.
and the earnest prayer offered that the work
begun by him may be carried on by his sue
cessor, and that the love and support given |
him may also be bestowed upon Mr.. Dana in |
his work. The candidate acquitted himself |
creditably and has already won his way into
the homes and hearts of our people,