Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-06
MEMPHIS APPEAL
Bo1r1Se THE RELIGIOUS CBEEDs.

BOLTING THE RELIGIOUS CREEDs.
Every political canvass furnishes new
cyop of boilers. A few years since the
17asges followed few leaders and swallowed
everything prepared for them with the con-
fdence Of blind young birds, But the
spirit Of political independence is abroad.
Men are thinking for themselves. There
are candidates and speakers, but there are
no leaders and no followers, for everybody
reads and being thoroughly posted and ca
psb!a Of Judging for themselves, men refuse
TO follow or to be led as of old by self
constituted bell.Wethers.-- The great mass
OF the people are now capable OF wise dis
elimination, and when q platform does not
suit them and they see that Objectionable
men have been foisted upon them by fraud
or corruption, they resort TO the only remedy
left-bolting. The same spirit of independ-
ence is doing much toward breaking down
the partition EsII--of- Egcty, and 1t is
plain TO be seen that bigotry will
soon become mere tradition. 1t
still exists, though shorn Of much
Of it's strength; it still lives TO denOunce and
condemn, to stias free thought, to move in
the grooves and ruts made by the intoler-
snce Of other days. But the sacred cause OF
civil and religious freedom is gloriously on
ward. Men Of different creeds and denomi-
nations are coming together. Notwithstand-
log the frighful names they have given one
another they have found human hearts in
human bosoms, and have at least ceased 10
fear and hate, and will soon be united in
common brotherhood. All denominations
are laboring eide by eide in the came field Ct
active charity. The world now looks more
TO noble deeds than to the standards. The
old wrsngIes about heresy and orthodoxy
have given place to discussions about char
ityI beGsvolence, humanity-the essence Of
true TsAHi Almost every day develops
the growth OF toler1t10as- Rsligioua boItets
are now az common as political bolteie.
Last year several leading ministers were
arraigned for boiling their creed, ard
this year promises TO increase the num-
Der of boilers. Henry Ward Beeeher hss
bolted the creed ofhis Church and has set up
for himself, and still he is not invited TO
"step down and out" The Rev. Heber New
ton, Of the Episcopal Church, has boltsd the
platform on which he has 20 long stood, ard
is TO be tried for herssy. His offense con-
sists in ? rers technical violation Of Church
canons lie cll no doubt plead justifea-
tion, and eHdeaY0r TO show, as all religious
boilers endeavor 10 show, that he has
preached nothing but the truth concerning
the Bible, and it may be that pending the
trial, it will be demonstrated that it is the
church canons which should be placed on
trial instead Of the minister. II is favor
able Sign to see clergymen thinking for them
selves and daring 10 doubt the infallibiity
of a cast-iroa interpretation of CERTAIN
fUrnlulariel 49,. pied ceU.-s.es ago. But the
APPEAL sill maintains, as it did pending =
controversy in this city two years ago, that
when a minister bolts the creed Of his
Church he should disconnect himself
with the Church whose dogmas he
voluntarily espoused and Voluntarily repu-
dated. No church conpels man TO join
it or forces a minister into its pulpit. When
Beecher, Newton, Thomas, and other boilers,
became ministers in their respective denomi-
nations they voluntarily made VOWS and
promises which they have. confessedly vio-
lstsd. They have a moral and civil right
10 preach IA their Judgments dictate, but
they have no moral right to teach anything
contrary 10 the doctrines and rules in the
pulpits belonging to the denomination whose
creeda they are employed TO indorse, defend
and propagate. Clergymen should declare
the gospel as they understand it, after ample
and candid research, aud not as it has been
transmitted to them in formulas adopted in
an age OF ignorance and bigotry. But they
cannot honestly and with self-respect remain
in Church after openly repudiating its doc
trines. They have a right TO bolt, to re-
nouncs their creed according to theiI
conscientious convictions. But then
consistency and honesty should convinc'
them that their place is no longer ia but ou
of the Church whose standards they have
deserted. The largest liberty should b.
allowed ministers, but they will never b
permitted to exercise the liberty of remain
ing in the Church after a fragrant violatio
of ordination VOWS assumed under the mos
solemn circumstances. The clergyman who
wars upon the Church that has educated hin
on the bounty of its members, is placed il
the attitude of receiving money under fals'
preiensss, and should restore the money be
slowed upon him under a misapprehensioI
of facts before renouncing the faith of hi
lonafaotore Nhan q cIarUvman dauiaa III
trinity, he should enter the Unitaria
Church. If no longer willing to believe il
everlasting punishment, let him take shelte
in the Uniyersalist Church. And if reject
ing the creeds of all denominations, let hin
join Ingersoll and the pagan philosophers G
the present age. But he should not attemr
to remain in Church after repudiatiDg il
creed.