Montgomery County sentinel., 1885-06-12
BEEOHERS NEW THEOLOGY.

Beecher is delivering series of sermons
in which be is disclosing the leading features
of his new theology. He is not quite SO
radical as some were led TO believe he would
be from some Of his lectures through the
South and elsewhere.
Whilst he claims TO be firm believer in
evolution, he has not ventnred in his re-
ported sermons t0 insist that there was
lost link that connects humanity with the
brute creation. In his recent discourse he
said.
"kn0wledgc Of God must be derived by
the moral feeling and the moral experience
Of mankind. The knowledge of God in its
elemental forms is evolved within us and its
application to nature is subsequently gradu.
ally unfolded 10 us. It Is true that God
has explicitly declared His will 10 mankind,
hut II was only after man had, by his de.
velopment and unfolding made 1t possible
for him TO understand the enunciation of
Gods power All moral elements are de-
pendent upon certain forms OF knowledge,
which, like the alphabet, must be learned
before any progress in knowledged or mo.
rality can be made. The origin Of man is
debatable question. Theories on this point
have been advanced, sustained, and attacked.
IL has by no means been proved that man
was evolved from the lower order OF bruies,
although there are some who claim that
such Is the case"
Mr. Bcecher further says that while he
did not see how The abyss which separated
man from the brute could be spanned il was
evident as compared with its present degree
the human race began on very low basis
At bis entrance into the world man was
inferior in every respect TO what he Is now.
His condition was, perhaps, about as low AZ
people Of this enlightened age could con
ceiye Of He was an inhabitant of the earth
ages before the commonly accepted chro-
nology which makes the earth 5000 or 5000
years old. The unerring signs Of geology
demonstrate that men were on the earth,
increasing and developing. many thousands
-ef ysars before history tells US anything
about their occupations or conditions That
was period when men were developing so
rs To understand the existence and nature of
Coda period Of incubation it might be
called"
There is no doubt that these series OF
sermons OF Mr. Beechers will be not only
interesting, but will excite good deal Of
comment amongst the ministers.
Col Jno. +. Bryant. Republican, who has
been succeeded as United States Marshal Of
Georgia by J. w. Nelms, Democrat, thus
explains his resignation: II saw chat the
Democratic newspapers of the State, voicing
the wishes Of the Democratic masses OF
Georgia, demanded my removal from office
II had been my determination, from th,
time that knew Of the result Of The las
election, 10 resign in December next, be
cause was unwilling 10 serve under a
Democratic administration. believe thai
the administration should have in the prin
cipal Offices men who are In sympathy with
the policy of the administration. II Is well
known that am q Republican. fought
on that side during the war. and for twenty
years since the war. believe In the prin.
ciples Of the party. and believe IL would
he dishonorable for me holding position
under the Democratic administration to pub.
licly express opinion 10 opposition 70 those
of the administration. am unwilling 10
remain silent for four years, the length Of
my term of Office. Therefore ] decided tu
resign