Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-03
DR.. BRIDGMAN.
SHARP REMARKS IRON THB PASTOR OF TIE
BAPTIST TABERNACLE
Sc SAYS Thai Toe Ez-Bapdst is Rather Var, Not
Over Strong With a Banksrng After Liturgy
Gowns. and VsStmsntS' and That
BIS Church Was Weak.
A5V York sun

his sermon ia the BaUJlSJ IdOtIudClc
Yesterday morning 10 the Rev. DR.. c. De
W. Bridgman, of the Madison Avenue
Baptist Church. who went over TO the
Episcopa. Church last week. DR.. Pot
ter'S text was from jeremiah Kill. 20;
''Where is the flock that was given
thee, thy beautiful flOck?'
The preacher followed his text with
this imprOviSed answer, which he put
i'm Or. Eridgman'S mouth:
Il left IT, Lord, and went where l
could crafty my ritualiStlc tendency
and wear pretty gowns.
This was followed by another verse
from GalatinS.
Il marvel that ye are so soon re-
moved from Him that called you In TO
the grace O Christ unto another
gospel ,,D D..
.These are good times, said DR.. Pot
ter, both for the church and Tor the
world. They are times Of intellectual
activity. Of honest, healthful inquiry. |
have no sympathy with the peSsimiStic
notion that things were better in earlier
generations and that We are going TO
the dogs now. My discussion to-day Is
10 be upon adenOminatiOnal matter, for
our own peoples ears, not for procla-
nation upon the hOuSetopS. III Is TO
show YOU that there is liberty of discus
sion i'm our church and to diSabuSe the
minds Of those who have been hearing
ISLANDERS lately about our church. Will
demonstrate that there is liberty enough
in the Baptist church, and that there
need be no fear OF punishment for llo-
eral discussion.
Nearly al. modern hereticS have
sinned more 10 the manner and mode OF
their statements than in doctrine.
Each OF them protests that he is Ortho-
doX. and probably they allure, but they
!.tve assumed certain manners OF state
ment which are Objectionable. This
they do for temporary effect, to catch
the public eye. 1t is 4 PROFESSIONAL
trick TO give the appearance OF hereSy
10 ones statements. As aomatter OF
fact, in nearly every instance such per-
sons aS these could escape cenSure by
shortening simply their notorlety. 1t
is better % let smart men stay In the
Church Il they want TO and let them
alone. Cease advertising them, ana
they will speedily find their own level.
Dissent. differences of opinion, and con-
troverSieS are no new experiences IN
Church life. We are plainly told in
Timothy: If there come any unto you,
and hiring not this doctrine, receive
him not into your house, neither bid
him God-speed For he that biddeth
him GodSpeed is a partaker OF his evil
deeds ! don't propose to give GOD
speed 70 that one Of our friends VINO
has Just gone on I of the Church.
1T is rare for men of real intel
Iectual power 20 leave our Church,
and | can only recall one case in the
last twenty years As for those who
have come to Us, frankly and fatty
am ready 20 say that the late corners are
no great shakes. | have very small re-
spect for q proSelyte under any circum-
stances. unless he is very young.
The recent Illus tratiOn in our church
is sporadic and not Symphomatic. have
seen men who thought they represented
a great cause sum it up in the writing
of their own name. deny that there
has been any denomination of discomfort
or lnnhappineSS in our Church or that
we are under dOctrinal or denomina-
tional restraints This is no time for
man 10 resort TO STACEY, theatrical,
scene-Shiftng effects 10 heighten his
own Importance or iilumine his going
away. Instead of Il drama, as he has
planned. we see a farce. Men know too
much 10 be imposed upon long. He
who resorts % threats must expect to
have his propositions questioned. 1t
may be as well acknowledged that this
wasan advau ,eOuS time for the step
that has been taken. HercSy is in the
air and the chalce for publicity and ad-
vertlSement has been an excellent one.
| suppose that courtesy and charity
would prompt us to say nothing about
the matter before Us, but we have duties
10 proform My vows of ordination
mean something TO me, and | would
not throw them aside il could. was
never able TO understand how men
could SO easily disregard their oathS.
The general assumption that DR..
Charles Dewitt Bridgman was repre-
sentative BAPTIST pastor, in charge of
large aad prominent church and
leader ia our councils, is fallaciouS. Ii
is an assumption only and does not
bear investigation. | will not attempt
10 give the history of the Madison Ave
nue. Baptist Church: There is not a
Baptist that does not know that a
great open sore had its perpe tuity
in that church. There were
years when certain names could
not be mentioned in our denomination
al councils. When DIR. Bridgman was
called o. the paStorate there was no
church lite They had a meeting house
restored by processes common TO the
fame OF that day. For years they did
not apply for aSSOciatiOnal membership,
for they realized how strong the feeling
was against the history OF the move
ment. Dr. Bridgman was eight years
pastor before an application to join our
association was made. When the church
was admitted in 1885, it had total
membership, resident and nonresident,
of lQS. This number doesn't constitute
4 great and powerful church. In 1890,
five years later. they reported 241 aS
the total membership, with just one
baptism IN the whole year. Two hun
dred and forty-one on paper means
a working force OF about half
that number, and constitutes no
great and powerful church. Look
at the report Of their Sunday school. 1t
showed a membership of l20 in 1885
and 2lO in 1890, which was falling Oft
l.