Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-07-19
Daniel Webster's Greed

La tnea: llmo3 tl l.Oiobica; u:iSSt auV
shifting defaitops of docir;ae. the following
reprinted frcm newspaper of tweaty-foar
years ago, will be read with Interest:
DR.. Smith, OF Concord, n h, has pub
lished the following ietler Of Daniel Wet
ster 10 he Rev Thomss Worcester, former
ly pastor OF the Congregational church III
Salisbury, n H. which is accompanied with
confession of MS religious faith, both OF
which are in his own handwriting:
'BosCAWEN, August S. 1907.
"Dear Sr,-The other day We were con.
versing respecting confessions OF faith. Sons
time ago l wrote down for my own use a
few propositions in the shape OF articles, in-
tended to exhibit very short summary Of
tho doctrines OF the Chrietian religion as
they impress my mind. have ,akan the
liberty to iDclose copy for your peru5a.
II am, sir, with respect, yours. etc,
DANIEL WEBSTER.
II believe in the existence of Almighty
God, who created and governs the whole
world am taught this by the works of
Nature and the Word of revelation
Il believe that God exists in three per-
sons this l learn from revelation. Nor ia
it any objection TO this belief that cannot
comprehend how one can be three or three
one l hold it my dcty to believe, not what
I eau comprehend o. account for, but what
nv Maker teaches me.
Il believe the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testament TO be the wiil and word of
God.
Il believe Jesus Chris: tc be the Son of
God. The miracles which be wrought estsb-
ished. in my mind, his personal authority,
and render it proper for me TO 6e!ieve what
ever he sssert7. l believe. therefore, ali his
declarations, os when be declares himself
the Son of GOO as when he declares any
other proposition. Aud believe there is
no other way of salvation than through the
merits OF his atonement
81 believe that thugs pas, present, and to
come are all equally present in the mind of
the Deity that with him there Ia no sue
csssioo of time nor OF Ideas; that, therefore,
the relative terms past, present. and future,
as used among men, cannot, with strict pre-
priety, bs applied to Diety believe 10 the
doctrines of foreknowledge snd predestina-
ton, as thus expounded l do not believe
in those doctrines Ss imposing any fatality
or necessity OF mems actions, or any way
infringing free agency.
II believe in the utter inability of any
human being to work without the constant
aids of the Spirit Of all grace.
II believe in those great peculiafites of
the Christian religion-s resurrectioa from
the dead and day OF judgment.
al believe in the universal Providence of
God and leave to Epicurus aud his more
unreasonable followers in modern times tho
Inconsistency of believing that God made 8
world which he does not take The trouble CT
governing.
Although / have great respect for some
other forms of worship, | believe the Con-
grega,ional mode, on the whole, to be pre-
ierable to any ether.
II believe religion to be a matter not Of
demonstration but of faith, God requires us
10 give credit TO the truths which he reveale
not because re can prove thsn, but because
DE declares them. When the mind is rea-
sonably convinced that the Bblo is the
Word of God, the only remaining duty is
to receive is doctrines with fnl confidence
OF their truth and practice them with pure
heart.
II believe that the Bible is to be under
stood and received in the plain and obvious
meaning of its passages; since I cannot per-
suade myself that book Intended for the
instruction and conversion OF the whole
world should cover its true meaning In such
mystery and doubt that none but critics ap6
philosophers can discover it.
~ believe that the experiments and sub
ileties of human wisdom are more likely TO
obscure than to enliehten the revealed will
Of God, aed that he s the most accomplish
ed Christian scholar vino bath been edu-
Gated ct the feet of Jesus nnd in The College
of Fishermen.
II believe that all true religion consists in
the hear and the affections, and that there
eore eli creeds AMI confessions are fallible
and uncertain evi6ences ofevange geica! piety.
Finally, believe that Christ has imposed
On sll bis disciples life of active bsuevo.
lence; that he who refrains only from what
he thinks to be sinful has performed but a
part, and small part of his duty; chat be
is bound to do good and communicate. to
love his neighbor, to give food aue drink to
his enemy, and to endeavar, so far as in him
lies, to promote peace. truth. piety and hap
piness in wicked and forlorn world, believ-
ing that in the great day which is to come
there will be no other standard of merit, DO
other criterion of character, than that which
is already established-'By their fruits ye
shall know them. Central Presbyterian.