The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-13
Rlaine,s RELIGIOUS Belief.

Pittsburg Commercial Gazette.
What is Blaine's religious belief" The ques-
ton will probably have an important place in
the discussions of the coming campaign Relig-
ion has but little to do with candidates fitness
for Office but the two things will probably al
ways be associated as long as human nature re-
remains as it is. Rev. E. R. Donehoo pastor of
the Eighth Presbyterian Church, in this city,
tells an interesting story on this point.
sit was on Panhandle train on my way out
to Washington" said he 1t was commencement
time and I was going to attend reunion of my
class. happened to occupy a seat with dis
tinguished-looking man whose appearance at
traeted me the moment saw him. He was an
entire stranger to me. 1 had never seen him be-
fore. AS we rode along we got to talking you
are native of Washington county, he said. 1
told him that was and he added 1 thought
recognized your face. If l am not mistaken, l
knew your father and then he inquired my
name / told him, and he said that he knew my
father we'll
He described his appearance to me. and said
that he was tall and remarkably straight man.
This excited my curiosity; asked him what his
name was, and found for the first time that
was talking to James g. Blaine. My father was
county commissioner in Washington county at
the time when his father was prothonotory. They
had an Office adjoining each other in the same
building, and were fast friends My father was
an elder in the Presbyterian Church, of which
Dr. Stockton, one of the finest preachers in
Washington county was pastor Mr.. Blaine
spoke of DR.. Stockton. and asked me if he was
still living He inquired after a number of
great curiosity to know whether the people still
stuck to the old forms of worship and the lines
of faith and doctrines that were held when he
was boy. In talking abodt this he showed a
great familiarity with the church and its doc
trineS and inferred that he must have made a
study of it when he was boy. told him that
the people were strict as ever in their belief.
after while l asked him if he was Presby
terrain. He replied, Yes am Presbyterian
in faith, but not in name. MY wife and | are
members of the Congregational Church in
Maine, which practically has the same doctrine
and system as the Presbyterian Church. We
talked for some time fully and freely, and he ex-
pressed himself in the clearest and most une-
quivocal terms.
You won't dispute my orthodoxy he said,
when l tell you have named my son here after
Dr. Emmons," and he introduced me to his two
sons who were in the next seat
NOW, Dr. Emmons," said Mr.. Donehoo twas
one of the strictest orthodox preachers of his
day in New England. He was so rigid in his
Calvanism that he bent backwards He is the
man who preached the sermon at his sons flu
neral and told the people that he had no doubt
that his son was in hell because he had arrived
at the years of maturity without making pro-
fession of religion
''At that time there was warm discussion
about eternal punishment. Canon Farrars book
on Eternal Hope had just appeared and Mr.
Blaine was very much interested in it. You
may possibly have an idea, he said, that we in
Washington, because we are engaged in politics,
are interested only in temporal and worldly
affairs. but it is not So 1t would surprise you to
know how much questions of this kind are studied
there. and studied seriously, too. If there is
anything in which l feel as if 1 am ofSfhe
original lines it is in this. think there will be
a restitution in the far future for those who are
not saved "