Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-03-13
CURIOSITIES OF OPINION.
Professor David Swing on the Reyis-
ion of the Presbyterian Creed.
Thoughts for the Consideration OF the
Thoughtful.

opinions rather than tor forming them.
Other minds seem 10 possess two depart
ments, one for the occasional manufacture
of a new doctrine, the other for the safe
keeping Of old, weii-seasoned ideas IN
the old cabin Of the west there were visible
in olden times many pieces Of hickory or
oak lying across the jOists above the fire.
place. There they were smoked and dried
eternally, and the chief happiness of the
old settler came from telling the visitor
how many years that piece OF stuff lad been
up overhead undergoing its curing process.
The guest could do nothing but confess
that the place was a good one for drying
sticks 1t must be confessed that in many
minds there are places for dry and eternal
storage, and that to these minds great hap
piness comes from recalling the number Of
yeas in which the articles this stored
have occupied their peaceful position.
According to Mr.. Tyndall's recent arti-
Gle in memory Of Carlyle, that great mind
which seemed so wide awake and so des-
tructiye Of opinions had large place in
his mind for the preservation Of OLD scien-
tific opinions which seemed to Mr. Tyn-
dali as worthless as they were old. Mr..
Carlyle handed ont his scientific dogmas
with piece founded upon their age.
In former eras the storage department
Of the mind was so large as TO compose all
most the whole intellect. Generations did
not add to truth; they simply carried on
ward the old loads of stuff. A traveller of
200 years ago visited in Dutch Guinea a
very high and most favored wooden god
which for many years bad made comInmi-
cations to the negroes in audible speech.
1t would say nothing in the daylight but
in the darkness of night it would answer
questions for The inquIrlng heart Its
favorite hour was two in the morning.
At that unreasonable hour the English
man arose and along with some negro
wise man made call npon the wooden
deity. In vain did they each and all rev
erently question it. The natives were not
at all panied ut the taciturnity of their
wooden friend, because their minds We're
made for carrying the god along from age
to age their heads were places of cold. dry
storage. 1t was otherwise with the English
tourist, for he poked his cane into the
mouth Of the stubborn image, and for the
purpose of opening up in the negro mind
a department of inquiry. he fired his pistol
into the cheek of the idol No word of
objection came from the god regarding the
cane or the pistol. IL is probable that
some negro tribe in Africa is still getting
instruction from that wood, because the
African mind is only a means Of transpor-
tation and not Of any analysis or elimina-
ton.
Among the thousands Of Presbyterian
cIergymen there must very naturally be
some of these storage brains In common
years this quality of mind is little noticed
but when a day comes for making a re-
vision of an old creed then the mind that
thinks becomes very distinguishable from
the man that is simply in the carrying
trade The Rev DR.. McCracken, Chancell-
or Of the University Of New York. was
reared in Ohio among the most extreme
Calvinists. When he was youth in
Miami University he would not sing any
hymns except the psalms of David, His
half-brother was arraigned by his presby-
terry for playing upon a guitar upon a Sat
urday evening that hour being too near
Sunday to admit of such evitv as guitar
and Juanita. But this youthful McCrack-
en- was not a mere paek-horSe. He now
stands along with Howard Crosby and DIR.
Van Dyke of the New York group of
Presbyterians He had in him power OF
holding a review of opinions. He has
seen through and through the creed
Many are amazed at the attitude of Or.
John Hall. He stands in no way affected
by the flight of years. He has carried
along very carefully all which the seven
teenth century handed over to his charge.
He may possess many fine intellectual
qualities, but one must not reckon among
these the power to make an intellectual
advance He is a great friend Of the old
ideas preaching, government and rehg
ion because his mind is a guardian OF old
goods rather than producer of better
fabrics
Out of Dr. Halls peculiar mental struct-
ure has come a repartee which will make
many impatient persons feel half glad that
the Doctor yentured 10 play mis- part in the
drama of revision. The famous Doctor
lamented that the Confession of Faith wa.
liable to suffer change of even a single
word; he besought the presbytery to let ii
stand and then add some commentary
which would show what am opinion the
church cherished of Gods mercy. DR.
Crosby raised a laugh when he arose an ex.
pressed a doubt whether it would be
wholly grand and pious to express God,
wrath in the regular body Of the creed and
cod love In a footnote And thus will
end Dr. Halls footnote idea
The Chicago PresOytery has voted quite
unanimously that there should be q re-
vision. but the more difficult work is he-
fore that body that Of marking out the
words and phrases and statements which
are out Of harmony with the teachings Of
Christ The shorter path would perhaps
be 10 leave untouched the Confession Of
faith. but to make essential Go q Presby-
terrain clergymen a belief in such q state
ment of doctrine as wis drawn mp some
years ago for and by he Evangelical Al
lance. The orthodox Congregational
ehurche, have found peace 10y making Il
belief i'm Calyisism optional church
Is having become evangelical rather than
doeriual
The Chicago Presbytery is wise i'm H0t
being In haste. The condition of the
Presbyterian Church Is not indeed salts
factory but the fact is not hike that Of
house on fire "a time when all must run
and scream. and when some p5nic-strickel
persons must hasten 20 jump ont Of al
upper window The ease admits Of care
ana honest deliberations The day Of re-
vision isouc az the greatest DAVIS that ha.