The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-13
CHURCH COUNCILS.
Two Important Presbytorics in ses-
sion here Yesterday.
THE U. ?. AND THE PRESBYTERIAN
Ministers of this Part of tho Country
Assemble in tho Annual Spring Sos.
sIon.-IntcrcstinG Subjects Acted
upon, and Much Routine Business
Attended to.

SESSION III tHc GcCoIu CuuTCIl VI tulS
city yesterday at . p. m. Tho delegates
arc entertained by the members Of tho
threo local churches.
Roy. G. N. Afford presided ut tho
opening session. One:otthe first items
Of business on tho programme was tho
election OF q new moderator. Roy.
Frank Fish, OF Claysville. was nominal
cd and elected moderator, and took
the chair at once.
Roy. Mr.. Hamilton was elected stated
clork pro tom. in the place OF Rev. DR..
Wood. Rev. 7. A. Anderson was then
elected clerk for the ensuing six
months.
Next on tho order OF business was tho
reading Of n call from tho Waynesburg,
Pa, church to Rev. J. Nevin, Of Sharon,
Pa. This was formally accepted by Mr..
Neyin.
Resolutions were offered by Rev. DR..
James l. Bronson, of Washington, Pa,
and adopted, endorsing tho action OF
the last General Assembly in tho Briggs
case, affirming the responsibility OF
professors OF theological sominaries OF
the church to maintain and teach the
doctrines OF the standard of,the church,
and not to divert the attention OF stu
dents by giving prominence to specula-
tive tcnets and fads in biblical criti-
cism; also that tho Presbytery OF Wash!
ington expresses its approval in gem
eral Of the amendments and changes in
tho Confession OF Faith made by tho
committee on revision, and desires that
it be sent down by the General Assem-
bly, to the Presbytery ms m overture
without material change.
Last evening Joseph Hamilton and
A. L. Latham, OF Washington, stu
dents at Princeton, and A. B. Stevenson,
OF Washington, q student at McCor-
mick's seminary, preached brief SER
o
This morning the Prcsbytcry will
elect four delegates to the General AS
sembly, which meets in Portland, Ore,
Mavl7.
The ministers present are: Rev. DR..
D. A. Cunningham, DR.. w! II. Cooke,
G. NJ. Afford, OF Wheeling; James l.
Brownson, James II. Snowden, William
Speers, Washington; J.. S. Pomeroy,
New Cumberland Smith F. Greer, New
Cumberland; William II. Lester, VI rest
Alexander; Laverty Grier, Forks OF
Wheeling; John S. Marquis, Lower Ten
Mile; Z. X. Alexander, Mt. Prospect;
James E. Stevenson; William f. Ham
ilton; Ross Stevenson; George Melon.
aid; Frank Fish, Claysville; J. p. An
derson, Cross Creek; a. B. Loves, Wash
ington; Joseph IL. Weaver, Burgetts-
town; Sam Graham, Unity; ]. g. Gar
yer, West Liberty; 7. 4. Anderson,
Upper Buffalo; Ii. G. Gibson, Pigeon
Creek; c. Ruble, Allen Grove; A. O.
Rockwell; c. G. Allen, Holidays Cove;
J.H. Hunter, Hookstown CIV. Shields,
Wellsburg; L.. d. Taylor, Lowec Buffalo;
L. E. Keith, Moundsville.
MR.. AFFORDS SERMON.
Last night the retiring moderator,
Rev. c. VI. Afford, OF the Third Pres
by.crian church Of this city, preached
tho usual sermon Ho took for his
theme, love the Rcvealer OF God"
and for his text First John, iv., rs:
Everyone hat loveth knoweth God.
He that lovcth not lsrowcth not God,
for God is love-"
One oitho great objects Of the Chris
tian religion is to teach us something
about God to make US better acquaint-
ed with our Creator, our Prescrvcr and
our Redeemer; to help us to know Him.
There is an apparent contradiction in
tho scriptures on this subject. We
read, WHO can by searching find out
God? Who can find out the Almighty
unto perfcction?" Yet the Saviour has
taught us that this is life eternal, that
they might know the only true God,
and Jesus Christ. whom thou hast
sent"
God is unsearchable, inaccessible, un-
movable, and yet it is essential to
eternal life that wo should know Him.
When the Bible says, "Wholcan by
searching find out God?" it does not
mean that nothing can be known OF
Him; but that lie cannot be perfectly
known. We know space, move in it,
measure portions OF it, but we do not
know it to perfection. We know tho
ocean, taste it, sail over it, dive into it,
battle in it, but do not know it perfectly.
y child knows its father, enjoys his love
and care, but knows nothing. about his
plans and business. You may know n
sculptor, but know nothing OF art; or n
beautiful singer, yet know nothing OF
music. II we cannot have q perfect
knowledge OF the finite, how can we en-
pect to know the infinite God to per-
lection? We cannot comprehend all OF
God; it is not because the mind is a
blank, but because lie is too vast Tor
perfect comprehension, and we are short
sighted. In firing 4 cannon We cannot
sec the ball or follow il in its, flight, yet
We can sec tho explosion, hear the
sound and make some explanation so
We know what tho divine attributes arc,
though VIC arc not able to follow them
IN their ~iar.reaching effects.
Paul said he knew as a child; lc
knew in part; he saw through a glass
darkly, but he was expecting u more
extended knowledge, he was looking for
4 clearer vision. IN
Through the gospel OF His dear son
We know something Of God, We get II
distant glimpse OF Him; VIC hear his
sweet voice from afar; we wish to draw
near and know more OF him; We are
ihuneering and thirsting Tor moro
knowledge OF tho divine. How r we
to acquire this knowledge; how satisfy
this longing?
There are distinctive emotions in all
ilte-such as enjoyment and sorrow.
These are found in beast and bird, and
In a greater degree III man. The child
Is unable to reveal its joys and sorrows,
lis likes and dislikes; but the mother
heart is able to read her child and it is
accomplished by love. Love is the
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