The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-08

Am Mkat Am. his pOOk ID eeIIes
.ni=aEtielh@sEitt representative
men Of all different churches, each one
for his own church, explaining the doc
trincs Of his particular communion.
There are fifteen such articles in the
book, averaging ten and ahali pugeseach,
commencing with "why Am Bap.
list" and continuing on, with other
"whys, " through all the generally known
religious organizations OF the day. There
is an article ("Why Am Methodist')
from the pen Of Rev. G. H. McGrew,
who is, we takeit, West Virginia gen
tleman, the son OF ex-Congressman Nc
Grew of Preston county, although his
present location is not indicated in the
article, as in the case Of several Of the
other articles.
THERE'S no one feature Of this book
that so much impresses us as the fact
that nearly every writer is just what he
is because he was born in the faith
which he champions. We presume, SO
far as we can detect, that this is the
case with all oithese writers. They in
herited their conflicting beliefs and
have chung to them. While this fact is
no discredit to any mans head or heart,
land certainly not to the latter yet it
is nevertheless noteworthy feature in
e'discussion, especially where a writer
inclinesto be dogmatic or narrow.
These champions can not all be intel
lectually right, and yet it is easy to per-
ceive that they are alone as much as
the other-morally and religiously
right. They are all apparently sincere,
and all teach sound ethics as the sub
stratum Of their controversial doc
trines
There are two sides to every question
Of mere doctrine in religion, as there
are, in fact, to almost all questions OF
whatever kind in this world, and it is
astonishing how much can be said for
any particular doctrine by an able
champion Of it. No wonder that thou
sands Of men who read and hear n
great deal stand aloof, amidst all this
diversity, from any settled form of be-
lief whatever.
There was traditional Justice once
who always decided case after he had
heard the first side of it presented, be-
cause, as he said, 1t confused him to
hear the other side. All these writer's
have decided in favor OF their respcc'
tive sides to begin with, and thus, like
the justice, they have avoided corflt-
sion. II there is any particular credit
due to these writers for what they arc it
would seem to be not to themselves but
rather to their parents, and these par
ents perhaps should hand this credit
back to the grandparents, or even to
more remote ancestors. Generally
speaking, this is the line, the line OF as
cent, on which credit for beliefs should
be awarded. In most cases very little
credit is due to tho mere heir of any
particular belief. Hc has worked out
nothing for himself His work has
been more to confirm his inheritance
than to test it.
Ifthis TACT of inheritance really made
any essential difference as respects the
present and future condition OF men,
their correct conduct in this world and
their happiness in the next, what an
awful thing it would be for man to be
bornin the wrong faith. Itwould bring
up an old question, one that dates far
back, as to whether 1t is indeed right
for men and women to marry and in
woke into life those who may be lost.
ofcourse this line OF inquiry goes bacl,
to the beginning of all men aud women,
and seeks for solution beyond all hu.
mmity, as towhy this capacity for error
and discord in matters OF belief came
to be part and parcel Of the human in
tellect That such is the fact all of us
know, but as to why it is fact none Of
US know.
The reading Of such book as the
volume before US should have one good
effect, to make all persons very CHART.
able towards every form OF honest be,
lief. 1t is discussion ofthis kind that has
produced this effect already to SO great
an extent in our day. We have realized
that it is best to charitably agree tic
disagree in this matter OF our religious
belieis-in fact, that it is a necessity SC
to agrec in order that q rational modu'
rireidi among dissentients may exist al
all. Coercion and denunciation have
boon tried, but all the conformity pro
duccd has been bogus and fraudulent
We have found that by this means men
maybe terrorized and silenced, but moi
converted. They can be made dissem'
blers but not good Christians.
The book under consideration winds
up with q blast from the inevitable Col