Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-01-31


freedom ana personality, and gr'asif#
hat 1t : for u- To iii az 81 NAT Ma .AeN-
ing iIf- ne suffering al NA!I-t; 10 s-..GE
into the fellowship OF Ills ~dlsi = ts-
ing made cunfurmRaie unto us 0t5ttl,
and So becoming COW prktES Win Itl'll ~
the redemption OF the world IN u " -, -, -.
the Old view emphasizes the part ltGiHI
fact: the new emphasizes the uniNeE,al
principle of which hat fact Is the typl-
. cal expression.
Neither the old nor the new view OF he
. Holy spirit Is easy to formulate. Inc
old view inclined to regard the spirit H.
/ a mysterious force, coming COW ~ ="
hidden fire, or heavenly dew, or HoiA
/ gale al special times and places, ana tiith
wit hdraWiug for period to MS seStt'
habitation The new view recognizes tht
presence of the Holy spirit III every htaFt
in which the seeds of the gospel nave
fallen and borne fruit; IN every nome
where Christian principles are emhodlta'
in the power OF Chri-t-ilke personality
which fathers and mothers nave over
children which teachers exercise
over pupils, which pastor eNeres over
people, which friend has over tflehu.
Bot n regard the working OF the spirit ~
divine and allimportant. one lhel=hes
to regard this working a external ana
spasmodic. The other regards 1t rs dwell
ing in US, Il perpetual presence. the abiu-
ing secret OF all our peace, ana the per
. The old view insists ON the necessity OF
repenerat ion as a condition OF salvation
for every human soul, ana expects lHe
experience to be more or less denillte III
time, and sharply marked IN the con
seriousness of the converted soul. he
new view insists with equal emphas4s
/ that the raw material of sensuous impulse
( and natural appetite must be worked over
/ into moral virtues and spiritual graces,
and that this trans formation from nature
to spirit, from self-Will TO obedience,
I from sin to holiness, must, i'll principle
and purpose, be radical and thorough
going But it limits this spiritual re-
newal to no moment of time, to no pc
culiarity of circumstance, to no regular
method OF procedure. 1t may come as
suddenly and sharply as the nash OF
lightning out of the depths OF Midnight
darkness. Or it may come as gradually
and imperceptibly as daylight breaks
upon the sleeping world al dawn 1t may
be occasioned by the burning words OF
preacher or evangelist at an evening
meeting. 1t may be due to the silent IN
huence of fathers example ana
mothers love extended over all the Years
of childhood and youth. 1t may man
ifest as a sudden revulsion from one
I past and break with all one : associates;
or it may be simply the fuller recognition
of the spiritual significance OF early
training and a more conscious accept
I duct Its accompaniment may be almost
anv shade of feeling from agony TO rap
ture; and its practical expression may De
ANYTHING between greater kindness
and considerateness IN the nome ana
the most arduous foreign mission.
The two views agree upon the necessity
of Fundamental and comprehensive
change but differ in their expectations
as to the times and methods OF Its man
Hesitation.
The old view of the church, at least III
New England Congregat ionallsm, APP
preached the idea that the church Is all
aggregate of individuals who are ortho-
doX enough in opinion and exemplary
enough III conduct to indulge a hope OF
getting into heaven. The new view IN
CIines to regard he church rs the organic
embodiment of the Christian spirit and
life; the natural centre for every effort
to make this cart h a heaven, and proper
home of every soul that shares the hope
OF the coming of Christ ; kingdom here
on cart h, and is willing to JON hands
with others and with Christ TO work Tor
its accomplishments.
Both regard church mem hershlp as
solemn duty and a blessed privilege, but
one emphasizes the individual soul and
the world to come; the other emphasize.
the common life, and the world III winch
We are.
salvation, on the old view, is an escape
of an angry God, admission to the pro-
visions OF His gracious plan, and an
abundant entrance into HIS blesSednesS
and rest. The new view Is chiefly at
tracted by the power OF the gospel TO lltt
the soul out of its littleness and mean
ness and seltishness, and fill it with large
interests. generous impulses, high Ideals
and noble aspirations. a noble life,
fresh ent husasm, a lasting inspiration,
an intenser hate of wrong, stronger de-
votion to he right, truer love for men,
and a trmer determination to promote
. their we'll being-these are the tirst-frults
/ of salvation; this is the real Kingdom to
] which the saved soul is admitted.
/ Salvation, from both points OF view, Is
a pearl of priceless value. But the old
view emphasizes the receptive, passive
side and dWells on the benefits it brings
to us the new view puts in the front the
active outgoing energy which the Chris
tian life makes possible, affirming that II
is better to give than to receive
The old view declares that the bible Is
the word of God; and, therefore, 1t can
not contain errors and must not be too
closely criticised. The new view declares
that the bible is a treasury OF messages
from God and, therefore, no amount OF
incidental rubbish that may have got
into it can in any wise impair the pre-
ciousness Of the real gem that 1t contains
and the more carefully and critically its
contents are examined and classified, the
brighter will the real jewels shine, and
the more precious will the whole become.
The old view of eschatology Is con-
cerned chiefly with what is going to
happen to the individual in the future
world, and bases its estimate on precise
proof-texts, whose exact symbolism and
connotation it feels itself competent to
define. The new view is quite as much
concerned with the future of humanity
, ON earth as with that of the individual
in heaven, and in SO far as it ventures to
J prophesy on either point, it relies on the
, spirit of the gospel, as whole, rather
, than the precise letter of specific figurs-
tive passages, to give the data from which
J to construct the comprehensive curve OF
mans ultimate and eternal destiny.
Both views hold that the present is
pregnant with infinite future signiti-
canoe. One tries to calculate the pos
, ton of particular points in the here
! o. flor from the Iaoait ioI, Of ri ion La I