Daily Republican., 1883-11-21
RELIGIOUS.
DANIEL WEBSTER'S FAITH

puDilsueu tnt IollOWlhB lettef OF DANIEL
Webster to the Rev Thomas Worcester,
formerly pastor Of the Congregational
church in Salisbury, N. H., which is
accompanied with II confession Of his
religious faith, both of which are in his
own handwriting. We have seen Mr..
Webster's name in the records of the
church in Salisbury, enrolled among it's
members, If We mistake not, about the
time the letter below bears date. He
remained a member of that church un-
til his death The letter and confession
were never before published. They are
as follows
BosCA WEN, August 8, 1897. Dear
Sir : The other day we were convers-
Ing rcspec Ing confessions of faith
Some time ago | wrote down for my
own use few propositions in the shape
OF articles, intending to exhibit a very
short summary of the doctrines of the
Christian religion as they impress my
mind. l have taken the liberty to en-
close copy for your perusal.
am, sir, with respect, yours, &c,
ID. WEBSTER.
DANIEL WEBsTER's DECLARATION
OF FAITH.
| believe in the existence of Almighty
God, who created and governs the whole
world. l am taught this by the works
Of nature and the word Of revelation.
1 believethat God exists in three per-
sons this learn from revelation alone.
Nor is it any objection to this belief
that cannot comprehend how one can
be three or three Que. | hold it my
duty to believe, not what can comprs
hend or account for, but what my
Maker teaches me.
! believe the Scriptures Of the Old and
New Testa,nt to be the will and
word Of God.
l believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of
God. The miracles which he wrought
establish in my mind his personal au-
thority, AMI ru, der it proper for me to
believe whatever he asserts. believe
therefore, all his declarations as well
when he declares himself the Son of God,
as when he declares any other PROPOSE
ton. And | believe there is no other
way Of salvation than through the
merits OF His atonment.
believe that things past, present and
to come are ali equally present in the
mind Of the Deity ; that with him there
IL no succession OF time, nor OF IDEAS
that, therefore, the relative terms past, |
present, ami future, as nsed among mon
with strict property, be appl ell
to the Deity. I believe in the doctrine |
Of fore knowledge and predestination,
AZ thus expounded. l do not believe in |
those doctrins as imposing any fatality
or necessity on mems actions, or any
infringing free agency.
l believe IN the utter inability of any
hum an being to work ont his own saliva
ion without the constant aid of the
spirit Of all grace.
| believe III those great peculiarities
1f the Christian rehgion--a res,lrrec-
ion from the dead and day OF judg-
nent.
/ believe in the universal Providence
't God and leave to Epicurus and his
more unreasonable followers in modern
lines, the inconsistency of believing
hat God made world which he does
rot take the trouble Of governing.
l believe religion to be a matter not
If demonstration, but of faith. God
'equires us to give credit to the truths
which he reveals, not because we can
prove them, but because he declares
hem. When the mind is reasonably
thai the Bible is word of
iod, the only remaining duty is to re-
'eive Its doctrines with full confidence
If their truth, and practice them with
pure heart.
believe that the Bible is to be un-
lerstood and received in the plain and
'bvious meaning of it's passage, since l
annot persuade myself that book in
ended for the instruction and CONVEX
ion OF the whole world should cover its
rue meaning in such mystery and
lOubt that noue but critics and philOsO-
hers can discover it.
/ believe that the experiments and
ubtleties of human wisdom are more
likely to obscure than to snlighten the
ovealed will of God, and that he is the
most accomplished Christian scholar
Who hath been educated ut the feet of
esus, aud in the College of Fishermen.
l believe that all true religion CON.
lists in the heart and the affections, and :
hat therefore all creeds and confessions !,
=.
piety.
Finally, believe that Christ has inn
osed on all his disciples a life of active
that he who retrains onl y =
rom what he thi' KS 10 be- sinful has
erformed but a part and small part n
his duty that he is bound to do good "
nd to communicate, to love his neigh
or, to give food and drink to his
nemy, and to cndeavor, so far az in
i'm lies, to promote peace, truth, piety !
nd happiness in u wicked and forlorn /
'orld, believing that, in the great day j
'hich Is to come, there will be no other =
Iandard of merit, no other criterion of
haracter, than that which is already
"By their fruits ye shall
now them"
l