The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-11-16
DANIEL WEBSTER'S GREED.

trines of the Christian religion" as they
impressed lis mind. The document is
dated Boscawen, N. H., August s,
1907. 1t is thought that this is the
statement which he read to the Congre-
gational church in Franklin upon his
being admitted to the membership OF
that church. This is not unlikely, as
the date of his admission was Septem-
Der IL, 1907. The recent centennial
anniversary of his birth has to a great
extent revived the interest in Mr.. Web
ster, and this "confession of faith" will
undoubtedly be read by many people
with interest.
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
l believe in the existence of Almighty
God, who created and governs the
whole world. l am taught this by the
works of nature and the words OF reve-
lation.
believe that God exists in three
persons this 1 learn from revelation
alone, Nor is it any objection to the
belief that l cannot comprehend how
one can be three, or three one. 1 hold
1t my duty to believe, not what 1 Can
comprehend, or account for, but what
my Master teaches me.
l believe the Scriptures of the Old
and New Testaments to be the will and
word of God. l believe Jesus Christ
to be the Son of God. The miracles
which He wrought establish in my mind
His personal authority, and render it
proper for me to believe whatever He
asserts. l believe, therefore, all His
declarations, as we'll when He declares
himself to be the Son of God, as when
He declares any other proposition.
And l believe there is no other way of
salvation than through the merits OF
His atonement.
believe that things past, present
and to come are all equally present In
the mind of Deity that with Him there
is no succession of time, nor of ideas ;
that, therefore, the relative terms, past,
present and future, as used among men,
canpot, with propriety, be applied to
Deity. l believe in the doctrines of
of acknowledge and predestlnation
as thus expounded. l do not believe
in those doctrines as impairing any ne
cessity on mems actions, or in any way
infringing free agency.
l believe i'll the utter inability of any
human being to work out his own sal
vation without the CONSTANT aid of the
Spirit of all grace.
l believe in those great peculiarities
of the Christian religion, a resurrection
from the dead and day of judgment.
l believe in the universal providence
of God; and leave to Epicurus, and
his more unreasonable followers IN
modern times, the inconsistency of be-
lleving that God made a world which
he does not take the trouble Of govern
ing. (Dr. Sherlock.)
Although l have great respect for
other forms of worship, l believe the
Congregational mode, on the whole,
preferable to any other. l believe re-
ligion to be matter, not of demonstra.
ton, but of faith. God requires US to
| give credit to the truths which He re-
veals, not because we can prove them,
but because He declares them. When
the mind is reasonably convinced that
the Bible is the Word of God, the only
remaining duty is to receive its doc
trines with full confidence of then
truth and practice them with pure
heart.
l believe that the Bible is to be un-
derstood and received in the plan and
obvious meaning of its passages since
cannot persuade myself that book in
tended for the instruction and conver
sion of the whole world should cover
Its true meaning in any such mystery
and doubt that none. but critics and
philosophers can discover it.
believe that the rehnements and
subtleties of human wisdom are more
likely to obscure than to enlighten the
revealed will of God and that he is
the most accomplished Christian scholar
who hath been educated at the feet OF
Jesus and in the college OF fishermen.
believe that all true religion consists
in the heart and the affections, and that
therefore all creeds and confessions are
fallible and uncertain evidences of evan
gelical plety.
Finally, believe that Christ has I'M
posed on all His disciples life of ac-
tive benevolence that he who refrains
only from what he thinks to be sinful
has performed but part, and a small
part, of his duty that he is bound tc
do good and to communicate to love
his neighbor, and to give food and
drink to his enemy; and to endeavor.
as far as in him lies, to promote peace
truth, piety and happiness IN wicked
and forlorn world believing that in the
great day which is to come, there will
be no other standard of merit, no other
criterion of charater,- than that which
is already established, ''By their fruits
We shall know them"
Counting Gum Ohewers on a Train.
She was dressed in one of the cool,