Milford chronicle., 1885-12-11


find such remarkable statements in his post
cript that some reply is demanded. He says
that the recovered truths are not taught in
Presbyterian theology, or even known or I'M
derstood by Presbyterians, and that my letters
prove that do not understand those truths,
and indeed have no apprehension Of them.
This is matter that every intelligent reader
can settle for himself There are in his let
ter published in your issue of Aug. 27th, his
eight propositions which, he says, contain
the substance of these truths. Now let any
reader compare those propositions with the
teachings Of Presbyterian theology and say
if my statement is not well founded, and
whether calling these truths recovered truth
is not absurd. He says that misappre-
bend him when say that he severely con-
demns me- Now thought, and still think,
that it was John S. Prettyman that said that
was in precisely the same position as the
Pharisees in Christs day, an idolator with
will so hostile that ] would not believe
though one rose from the dead to teach me,
ETC., etc. Does any sane man believe that
the Bible says all these bitter things against
me simply because love the church! The
terrible mistake these people seem to make
is this that their Interpretation of the scrip
ture is of equal authority with the Divine
Word. We are not likely to fall into that
error. To the Divine Word we bow with
profound reverence, for their strained inter
pretation of the Word and the unwise and
illogical inferences they deduce from it we
have little respect
He says that Il mistake when charge
him with bringing hostile charges against
the church of Christ If my sect was the
church of Christ then my charge would be
true and he would repent etc, etc" But
lie is about to prove that it is only system
of mans devising and not the church of God
at all, and has no right to exist because it is
in open violation of the word of God. Now
we. all know that J. S. Prettyman wields the
pen of ready writer, that his training and
large experience have made him a strong
controversalist, and if he had undertaken
only to demolish me that would have been
to him an easy task, but when he under
takes to write the Presbyterian Church out
of existence, respectfully submit that he
has undertaken too large contract. The re-
suit will only prove how little he knows of
Presbyterianism.
The rule given us by Christ is safe rule,
viz, "by their fruits ye shall know them. z"
Has this branch of the church led sinners to
Christ, has it instructed and trained men and
women to lead humble, useful, Christian
lives, has it built hospitals for the sick and
homes for the poor, has it sent missionaries
to teach the wonders of redemption to those
who knew not God and had never heard of
Christ has the blessing of God and the gra-
cious presence of the Holy Ghost been man
ifestly present with it, and crowned all its
labors with a large measure of success?
If so, its claim to be branch of the true Vine
is well founded, and he who is found fight
ing against it needs to take heed lest he be
found fighting against God. He further says
that with me Presbyterianism is the church
Of God, etc and if this is not idOlatry it will
be difficult to find" How could he so mis-
lppreheud me, when expressly stated that
spoke of Presbyterian theology simply be-
cause was more familiar with that than
with the distinctive theology of other branches
IF the church of Christ With that sentence
before his eyes how could he charge that I
thought Presbyterianism the Church of God
Does it not appear as if somebody else had
a will so hostile that it is very difficult for
him to see the truth He thinks that my
sect comes between me and God, Oh MOI it
S not my sect that does now, or ever has,
me from God, it is my sinful heart
hat did that and it is through the instrument
ality of the church that 1 have been led
pack to the heart of the Everlasting Father
md to faith in His dear Son as my Redeemer.
Do you wonder then that love the Church
hat has been such an unspeakable boon to
ne, and that I shudder when hear any one
condemn it and heap up charges against it
If one thing however l am glad, step by
tep, week by week, we are getting at the
cal views and purposes of this people, in re-
.ard to the Church, and thus their power
or evil is greatly lessened, for when men
zee the end of their teaching they will be
areful not to enter on that path. If we
Who love the Church are idolators we are in
-ood company, David says; Psalms S7th and
Sth, How amiable are thy tabernacles, o
ord Of Hosts. My soul lOngeth, yea, even
ainteth for the courts Of the Lord. Blessed
re they that dwell in thy house, for one dav
n thy courts is better than thousand.
lad rather be a doOr-keeper in the house of
ny God, than to dwell in the tents ofwicked-
ess. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion
lore than all the dwellings of Jacob and Of
ion it shall be said this man was born in
er, and the Highest himself shall establish
er. The Lord shall count when he writeth
p the people that this man was born there "
am aware that David wrote this of the lew
III church and the Temple service, but we
1ust remember that the Church in all ages
) one, all of the redeemed are of the body
f Christ and pious godly men and women
a all ages have manifested their love for
he Church and their great grief whenever
hey were, for time, cut off from its privi-
ages, and these very men, who so flippantly
ak Of the Church, as a false system of re-
gion, thing of mans device, something
nat comes between the soul and Christ;
iese very men are indebted to this false |
ystem, as they term it, for their faith in |
hrist. If they have received the new birth |
lie Holy Spirit has used the Church that
ley condemn as the divinely appointed
leans to their conversion. How can they
nd it in their hearts to condemn the instru-
entality that Christ has used to lead them
repentance and faith in him, and thus into
fe everlasting The blessed Master is to-day
sing the Church to this end, making it a
essing beyond price to world lying in
ickedness. ENQUIRER.
~