Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-09-12
WHOLE NO. 2.5DI.

tne Statue Of John Harvard, tho lOuni
er Of this Oil institution oI learning
| the oldest in the United Suites. Their
is one remark which may be made
| this ancient seat OF learning was estal
lished originally in the interest {
solid education and an orthodox creet
While it may be true undoubtedl
that any amount and extent Of inte
lectual culture and treasures OF knowl
edge may be obtained. and amasse,
here, still, in science and literature
yet the fact is notorious and undispu
J ted, that the old landmarks oftrue ans
scriptural doctrine professed by tht
founders, and early patrons OF the Uni
versity, are we'll nigh obliterated ant
forgotten. Should any OF them nov
revisit the scene and investigate tho
state Of the case, he would find that in
stead of the pure old creed of the or
thodox Congregationalist, a dismal and
unscriptural Unitarianism now sways
potent influence over this noble mon
ument of the muniicent liberality oI
those who dedicated it TO sound learn.
ing and scripture truth.
1t is just at this point that this wri-
ter feels called on to change the ex-
preston Of commentator into candid
criticism OF the results OF the system
OF mental culture which for many
years past have been developing into
heresy IN creed. Not alone in Har-
ward is this observable. Butit can be
traced here and there more or less
clearly, sometimes boldly, sometimes
stealthiIy and cautiously, yet with a
self-satisiied air OF conviction, in the
intercourse you may hold with refined
and scholarly parties, and in the books
and journals and reviews which are
issuing from prolific and
press. Everywhere there
are abundant evidences of the prog
ress OF advanced thought" and OF an
age, in which the ancient
paths OF Bible truth followed and trod-
den by the purer theoiogians OF the
earlier times, are disowned and pro-
nounced obsolete and unfit To guide
the.inquiring and wide-awake mind
Of the nineteenth century. Prominent
lmong these signs we find verbal in-
spiration, the deity of our Lord Jesus
Christ; the eternity OF future punish
nent; the idea of native and total de-
laid aside as relics of
Jast era of darkness and ignorance.
once the synonym of or
hodoxy, are now manned by PROBES
ors and represented by reviews OF a
character OF lax views OF sacred scrip
ure and utterly independent of all the
NEE received canons of its safe inter-
Even the praises OF |
Henry Ward Beecher may be often
leard now from lips of persons from
whom, until recently, nothing but
What is pure and lovely and of good
eport, has proceeded. 1t may be
afely decided that one who approves
1 such a man, Is himself halfway
own the road to ruin.
What is mainly to be deplored in
he midst of much in New England to
e admired, is that they sacrifice the
eligious instincts and that sacred
raining in the love OF Gods Word,
lhich once characterized the earlier
hristian sentiment OF the Churches,
} species OF subtle refinement of
lought which arises more from pride
{ intellect than from that humble
pirit which is inculcated all through
nc Divine oracles, and to which is
ronlised the aid OF the Omniscient
piril. With the exception OF one
linister whose preaching was attend
1, the sermons heard were neat and
iii style, and more in the ma
ire Of moral essays than Gospel SER
IONS; and certainly no elocutionary
lcellencc was displayed, as they were
sad closely and with little animation.
There still remain some points of
ltercst to be presented, but let them
Dide for future communication.