Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

the BOsIel, Is, Jne moral law the BoIuel iu'oi
is the basis Of il. belle vso rs used
there by four means, at bottom, obedience,
practice. 1t means more, but that is the be
ginning and basis Of 1t. The basis Of what he
teaches there is: he who obeys the moral law
practices righteousness, shall be saved; he who
does not shall be c~ondemned.' There Is more
n it, but that is the foundation OF II. Moral
| wv is Away included in any general use OF
the words, gospel" and obedience" In any
general use Of the word "believe" No one
supposes Chtist referred to a simple abstract
belief or not, in certain theological or philo'
sophical questions, either about himself or
God, or the human soul. When he said,
Follow Me-" or He that believeth in Me
hath everlasting life" He meant at bottom
and first of all, obedience TO his chief teach
Jugs. "Why call We Me, Lord Lord, and do
not tho things which / say" A few senten-
ces before he had given the Golden Rule,
Christ gave Illustrations all the way, what he
meant by believing the Gospel. He went
home with the grasping, dishonest publican.
There was discourse, the gospel was preached
In the morning teachers restore all dishonest
gains, gives generously, and therein makes
pledge of future conduct. He has believed"
the gospel. There may be more to it, but that
is the bottom of it and Indispensable. The
woman, p~enitent at Christ's feet, and now
going out to q new, pure life, had believed
the Gospel. Christ taught, his apostles did,
orthodox clergymen teach, that Is the way OF
life, and retribution the alternative.
In that New Testament sense of
of belief, from the bottom up, and no saliva
tion otherwise; but that is not the way the
word is used in the article refereed to, as in.
Guiding conduct, righteousness. 1t Is charac.
teristic of our teaching, to throw q man back
on his conscience. Christ, and all the Bible
so direct. 1t is the motive intent of the heart,
not abstract opinion, The "belief, " on which
is conditioned salvation, always has a moral
quality, and includes righteousness.
Men sometimes fail to do themselves justice.
Recently, at u public Unitarian gathering, In
Chicago, Ed. Everett Hale said, for substance
thrt by orthodox teachings, universal suffrage
is to let devils vote, and to send the average
boy to school, is to educate a little devil and
such things. He knows Boston, its orthodox
clergymen, as Phillip Brooks, its scholars, its
strong men and women. many of whom are OF
tho orthodox faith. He SACRIFICES his own sell
respect, when he knowingly makes such mis-.
representation It their teachings. He does
not do himself justice. He must regret it. Any
paper of this city knows the weight of teach
ing in any pulpit here, or in a Sabbath School
or the like, is upon conduct, il for temperance,
charity, righteousness, good morals and good
habits, calling also transgressors of moral law
to repent and do works meet for repentance,
though there may be incidental spots or defects
in our methods, and that the sanctions used to
persuade or warn, are what Christ used and
history has proved wise. 1t also knows
how great are the temptations, especi-
ally OF young people, to ways that
lead to dishonor and ruin, and
when one repre- ents to such readers that q
main part of the gospel and all that goes with
it in the church, is to denounce unbelief and
,Nnur Il a,nnatin, ~, tha hanl sc ln,ltas. 49,,
one who does that through the columns of ar
influential paper is not doing q good thing
and If he be- otherwise q man who tries to dc
service on the right side, he is failing in such
an article, to do himself justice, for the
statement is not true and it is not right t.
make it 1t can do no good and some will be
lieve it to their harm. 1t is hard enough here
hearing, especially to have influence. Dom
try to check or disparage it anywhere, bu'
help 1t in press, or school, or pulpit, anC
save all the sin and woe we can
We can now be brief with the last part of tn,
charge, viz. that a. the funeral, the orthodo,
minister, 'denouncer' of the man while living,
'recants, consigns his faults to obscurit,
elsewhere, 'the dead man s sins") and his sou
to heaven" 1t Is stated as the popularity" o
this case that Mr.. Butler failed to '~'recant,
deny his creed, and ''provide the usual as
surance that the dead mans soul had gon,
straight to heaven"
The first part of the statement is meant t.
impress you as stating what Is the large par
of preaching. This to tell you what it al
amounts to and what is the inferred qualit,
OF the preacher himself. Out of regard ito tn
feelings of the living and the common rever
ence of DEATH" he declares his usual chic
teachings false and himself a hypocrite. TIL
answer must be in the facts, past and present
Years ago 1t was common to have n funera
discourse and for the clergyman to close will
q brief review of the deceased's character AM
express opinions about his future state, wit
any Improvement of the OCCASION" M,
father was a clergyman, and it was one of tn
trials of his life that every now and then h
had to state for substance, the departed ba
iived in transgression of Gods laws, and die
without repentance. DIR. Emmons, in hi
day, was a repentive orthodox preacher G
n ew England. His son died in waywardnes
in middle life. The first Sunday followin
the funeral his father publicly stated, wit
choking grief, his son had died giving II
evidence, and leaving no hope of his salvation
SO much for the past. To-day the CROWN
custom is tn make no remarks but hold n yer
simple service, a hymn, a few verses of scriI
tuie and a prayer. If however the decease
has been illustrious for usefulness an
goodness, we sometimes hold him NJ
both in gratitude and to command his exam
pie as, in n larger way, many representativ
citizens spoke publicly of Bishop Clarkson, q
upon the recent de tn of Col. Hammond, {
Chicago, the Inter Ocean said for substanc,
Come see how a Christian man can live an
die" If the dead has born q speckled or
really bad character, if l say anything ian
my hab Is like others) this Is its substanc,
The depar 81 has now gone beyond on
sight or reach. He is in the hands of tn
Judge of all the earth, who wi
10 right" III he had one or two characterize
virtues; If no was always truthful, generou
to the poor or any such thing, | feel at libeIt
to mention and praise the virtue and recon
these are all or even the dete
inmate qualities of the mar nj
intimate they open heaven to him. VIII
opens heavens gates to any one, US | undeI
stand the Bible, l teach elsewhere than at
funeral. l reserve the right, II it otherwis
seems best, In any presence of death. to "a
~ IA "y'u" II, and mine are ais
~o".. , q we think we bha
lie Lt,slv', as to be ready" A
lm4s -rud .a' 4 what "Rev. Butler
did, anu :. ~ L..--J occasion to apoloI
ize, nor any one to take %offense. BY the gra,
of the most deprayed, l repeat the scrip
ure, Then shall the dust return to the cart
as II wis; and ths spirit shall return unto Go
who gave It," One who did not reflect espe
tally IL he seldom heard preaching, might Il
terpret those words, as ''sending the dead ma
straight to heaven" 1t merel
means he has rome to his accoun
"After death the judgement" In the I
place not there. / state over and over
men, what the Bible teaches, one must do
, life to come to that account with JOY and NJ
grief. Some, we ara told, wilt awake to eve
lasting life, some to shame and eyerlastir
contemnt - according to the deeds done In
body. 1 only speak Of myself las the briefe