Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-05

them, the way all are treated; endeayor to
acquire knowledge of the services and
their true meaning look into history i'm
partially, tracing there the majestic career
of the church, shedding beneficence around
her, amid everything else that failed; ex-
anime her doctrines, as she teaches them,
their logical cohesion and all-satisfying
fullness so far as on earth they could be
made full in short, obtain vivid idea OF
her living organism, and they will find a
reward exceedingly great, an answer to all
the perplexing problems which torment
their souls"
"Farmton" says in the Adcanee: ''I am
reminded of what friend tells me of the
prayers of the good and great DIR. Finney,
who did not allow any feeling of natural
embarrassment to interfere with his asking
of such blessings as he thought were par
ticularly adapted to the needs of those for
whom he prayed Himself a fine musi-
clan, he was, when pastor at Oberlin, con-
siderably annoyed with what he con-
ceived to be too much display on the part
of his organist Accordingly, in the long
prayer one morning he said: And, Lord,
thou knowest the faults of our brother, A.
B. He is a good organist, a good organist,
but thou knowest he is tempted to show
off. Humble him, Lord, and teach him.
The rest of the musical programme, or
that morning, at least, was of a particularly
subdued character; and the hold that this
minister had upon the people is evidenced
by the fact that this peculiar petition pro-
duced no merriment in the Pews and no
al laff kn
associate of DIR. Finney in the pastor
ate of the First Church was Prof. Morgan.
Prof. Morgan was man rather of books
than of action and what he considered
his moderation did not altogether please
his more stirring colleague. For years it
was the custom of the two (both have long
since gone to their blessed reward), to oc-
cupy the pulpit together. On more than
one occasion the prayer made by DIR. Fin
ney preceding the sermon, in which men-
ton was scrupulously made of everybody
and everything that could possibly be ben
Gifted thereby, contained a petition like
this, And remember Brother Morgan.
Thou knowest what good man he is, and
how learned but thou also knowest, as do
we, o Lord, that he is lazy, very lazy
Anu utTe MOulu lO1OM al uiJDSdA lOA lilo
awakening aud energizing, which should
surely have proved effective. But in this
instance also it is characteristic Of the
simple earnestness and straightforwardness
of the man and of his methods, that there
seemed nothing uniting in such prayer"
OF the recent action of the Presbytery
of New York relating to the revision of
the confession, the Observer Pres says:
"At this crisis The action of the New
York Presbytery is great consolation to
MANY who have scarcely spoken during
the revision storm. They ought to be
thankful, indeed, if they really believe that
their confession sets forth important
truths that men are prone to deny, ignore
or forget. But they ought not to be sur
prised at all at the amount of hostility
that has been manifested to what is
termed Calvinistic teaching. If they toll
crate in their theological seminaries pro-
fessors who teach that Jesus Christ and
his apostles were mistaken in their views
of the Old Testament writings and writers;
if they permit Presbyteries to license
young men who do not know whether re-
pentence and faith in this life are essen
tial to salvation, it is mere afiectation for
them to be shocked and grieyed when the
fruit of this sowing is reaped in a whirl-
wind of unbelief and contempt. Let
this kind of recklessness go on for
few years more, and there will
be a body of preachers and teachers
who know nothing whatever of the old
reverence for the Word of God, which
make men mighty in defense of eternal
truth. Having mutilated the Scriptures
and impaired their authority, it will be
next in order for the Presbytery to accept
moral character aud amiable qualities as a
substitute for faith and piety. By this
time the Unitarian Heaven will have had
its perfect work and revision will have its
consummation in the abolition Of all stand
ards whatever We have no such fears.
This movement has already served to
show the Presbyterian Church that there
are nominal Presbyterians who would be
happy to have their great church commit
suicide. But people do not commit suicide
until their circumstances are so desperate
that they lose their mind. 1t would be a
singular episode in history if this powerful,
flourishing church should now haul down
its colors and cease to WELD that mighty
sword which has wrought such glorious
victories, and so often turned to fight the
armies of the aliens"