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

Sunday morning at the First Prczby.
torian Church tho pastor, Row. DR.. D.
A. Cunningham, preached upon tho
subject: For What Docs Prosbytcrian.
ism standH" to largo congregation
He took rs his text Eph. 9:9O: Quilt
upon the foundation OF tho Apostles md
Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being
tho chief cornerstone"
Tho people are inquiring and pastors
Will take pleasure inGxpIaininS to their
people some OF tho distinguishing char
actcristics OF their own denomination.
The tendency, hn said, il to ignore the
past, and tho people arc so busy and oc.
cupicd with the present that not enough
interest Is taken in tho records OF the
ngGs that are gone. This is especially
true OF Americans.
lio would not discuss the question
with spirit OF narrow dcnomInatima!-
ism nor il it claimed that tho spread
Ing oil tho gospel il dono alone by the
Presbyterian church. Tho evangelical
branches OF the church arc rocognIzad
as ieI low workera. "Still 1t must BIO re-
mGmDorod wo are prGsbytorlans anu
that VIC stand Tor all tho branches OF
tho great family Of tho Re!ormod
churches, holding to tho Presbyterian
polity and doctrine"
These churches raised by devlno
Providence to do peculiar work, have
record OF labor, struggle, victory aud
blessing, which ID written in the history
OF almost every land. Now We ask,
what is our mission now?
First, ProsbytGrianisln stands for
soundness OF scriplural teaching. and
especially loyalty to tho person OF Jesus
Christ. From this centre all our theol-
ogy starts. This is not claimed as dis
tinctlon peculiar to ourselves, but 1t Is
pointed to rs characteristic. Jesus
Clrlststands out rs the greatest person
aye in history, tho mightiest force in
the worlds action. The question, Who
il lle?is back OF all other questions.
Tho answer by church determines tho
value OF tho religion it teaches. In
Jesus Christ VIC have God and man III
one person. This is tho glorious person
to whom the Presbyterian heart aud
faith have over becn loyal. Tho ner-
sonallty OF Jesus Christ inspired and
guided the Reformation, and enabled
John Knox TO put more lilo into his
hearers from the pulpit IN ono hour
than GOO trumpets." It is this truth
that leads the van OF our doctrlnal be-
lief, and all else follows in the train.
Such Is the religion that = proper Npprc-
citation OF the person OF Christ must
ever produce. No church can ever bear
an eilectual part in the conquest OF the
world but is loyal to the person OF
Christ.
Second, Presbytarianism has stood in
the past as faithful witness bearer. "Yo
arc my witness saith the Lord lsa.,
43:lU. This and similar scriptures from
the beginning took deep hold upon
the Presbyterian heart. Tho past his
tory OF the church is strewn with testi-
monies, confessions and witnesses TO the
truths Of God. Among all these wit
ncsses one voice arises clear and strong,
Ike the shout OF king-it is the voice
OF John Knox witnessing to the king
chip oil Jesus. that He alone is the head
and King OF the church. A long line OF
witnesses repeated tho testimony. 1t
was witness that discuthralled Scot
land and secured its chartered freedom.
To-day the voices OF all these witnesses
are sounding in our cars-thcy recall
our history; remind rs of our ances-
tors; they shame our imbecility; they
confront us with blood-staincd testi-
monies OF heroic devotion TO Christ.
They call upon us to surrender no truth
and give up no principle.
THIRD, Prcsbyterianism stands Tor tho
true spirit OF ScripturaI Catholicity. 1t
does not bind its members to anything
narrow or bigotci. The ministry and
cldership are asked to subscribe to the
doctrines oil the Bible rs stated in tho
Westminster confession OF faith and 10
the form OF government. For the mem
bershlp at large tho only requirement
is faith in Jesus Christ, and an endoayor
to lind and do his will. We are not
Catholics but catholic As another
has expressed it, "Christian is our
name. Presbyterian our surname" We
are Presbyterian MISUNDERSTANDING
because wo belong to Christ; Prcsby-