The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-19

torlans. because wo believe that tho
true original Apostolic Episcopacy was
FroSGIytety. Our methods arc cathollci
our ifesbytcrlanlsm, for example, Is
catholic In ita idea Of tho church. WG
must lcNru to gay and to rcA,lzo tho lull
meaning Of our words, 81 believe In tho
Holy Catholic Church" THIS catho.
IlcIty docs not, however, require an
endorsement Unfortunately OF
all forms of religion or OF
church government ng equally true. Az
Prcsbyterians wo are bound by our his.
tory doctrines aud principles, TO rol oico
In tho progress Of tho spirit Of ioIcra'
ton IN our day. This 10 ono oil tho uia'
tinguish Ing glorios OF our ago "a com.
parcl with thp past. But ThlIo wc SEQ
inuIta md errors, wO refuse to DO carried
away with tho vulgar Ignorance that
prcsumEa to say that all the work OF tho
roiormers was narrow, bigoted and
wrong No, it was far otherwise. Wo
hold thoy SGT up tho framework oil tho
apostolic church, that they fought great
battles for truth and humanity, that
thoy, settled certain fundamental things
touching tho inspirations oil Gods word,
sovereignty, aud Chrst1 divinity and
sacrifice, mans freedom md RESPONSE.
bility, and that while keeping in living
sympathy with our own age wo do not
depart from their spirit and method 80
as 10 place BUldhism, MohNmmcdanlsm,
the rawlings of Ratlonali5m, or the crratlc
anu nnvorihed spcculntiohs Of science,
on a level with the gospel OF Jesus
Christ, in order TO establish our claim
10 true cNtholicity.
10 do that wC arc not required TO
abandon definite theological opinions,
TncFo Id 4 rising school OF theoloGlana
wloaH nbhorranCa il CreOds, confessions
and ell crystalizei forms Of thought.
These they regard Ms belonging TO tho
darkness and tyranny Of the past, Wo
cannot help thinking that their lnlsaion
10 utterly inopportun9 anu useless ut
the Present moment, because there is
far too lnuch scientitic fog and theology.
Gu! mist already in tho world
Some mon arc greatly mistaken a. to
mo method OF securing tIuer c1thol-
lefty OF spirit; for example, DR.. briggs
would ignore tho doctrinal standards Of
his own church, and crdcds and comics
slong OF other churches, and become
the. protested leader OF all the disatluCt-
ca Aosts who arc to compose the men,
bershlp OF tho great catholic church OF
the future. DR.. BriGgO was not perse-
cutod by the Presbyterian church; ho
was suspended from the ministry be-
cause he taught cratic doctrin"I ideas
ana retuacd to desiet. Tho church is
patient with ouch IN an--thcsc are liOer-
al Gays; there is room in every cVangel-
lea! denomination for latitude OF opin-
ion, 1t is only when minister thinks
no knows more than all his brethren
and lnalzcrl OF crcods that he must be
dealt with. DR.. Briggs could have re-
manned III tho Presbyterian told had he
taught Presbyterian doctrines. 1t is
generally true that the weaker part OF II
mans creed il tho port which he holds
apart from his brothers.
10 all who arc building the walls OF
Zion, We can lend q helping hand. We
can recognize the ordination Of the Epis-
copalian; tho baptism Of tho roman
Catholic and thu BAPTIST; we can re-
sPont with all our hearts to the amen"
OF the Methodist. Thus it is our sys-
TEN is catholic in all its features and is
capable oil expansion to the uttermost
circumference OF our humanity.
Fourth, Preabytcrianism stands for
education, and for tho principles OF re.
llSlous and civil liberty. Homo cduca-
ton, instruction in the Bible and cate
chism, have been characteristic OF our
Presbyterian families, and our churches
have carried with them the school,
academy and the college. Civil and re-
hGlous liberty are linked together
where there is religious liberty there
will be found civil liberty. History
shows tia: from the principles OF Pres
Oytarlanism has sprung the civil and
political freedom oil many states. The
l't8'min8,cr Reuisw, which certainly has
no leaning toward Presby,erinsm, says.
"Calyinism saved Europe" The Eng
lish revolution OF l6SS and its conse-
Quent liberty came about through Pres
Dyterianism.
But the most striking illustration was
the birth OF the American Republic
Bancrof, tho historian, says: He who
will not honor the memory and respect
the influences OF Calvin, knows little OF
the origin OF American liberty" Enough
has been said to remind US OF our his
tory and TO assure us that tho church oil
tho future, tho church that is TO be
most elective in conquering the world
for Christ, will be church that is loyal
to the first principle OF civil and reIigi-
GUS freedom.
Fifth, Presbytcrlanism stands for
missions and revivals OF religion. The
Presbyterian form OF governments ono
which tends to develop the individual
activity OF her members, leading them
TO take nartin all forms OF Christian
work. For this work no system is bet.
tc: adapted. Our Prcsbyterianism
standsfor more than20, OOO,0OOot people;
the extent OF her mission work on ali
the continents Of earth and on tho
islandl OF the seas, is too great theme
for our present consideration. In mis-.
sion work the Presbyterian church is
represented by onc.tourth OF the Pro-
testaut missions OF the world.