The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-16

Tho Rev. Dr. LYNN AuuuAN IN MS
-,-r,,n n; Plymouth church. Brooklyn.
sn,4,y attacked the old definitions OF
y, Tr,nlty. and discussed that doctrine
",,,h the same candor that has charac-
,.,,.el his usterances on other tunda-
mental bc'!efs.
nr Ahbo., declared that the ordinary
s,ssi,Ions OF the Trinity are unSatis-
s,r.ory TO many persons now, and while
,ss deAalll0us are not openly denied,
Wv are being quietly set aside as
ry5,inuless. He snid that in doing so
,,ms we're apt to think shey were lay
IL aside the Trinity itself. but he de-
cared tia, behind the old definitions
,,-r, IS some real truth. The worship
a, che virgin. though regarded as a
snparsatilion. by probably all his hear
ers, We aid, was also founded on vital
truth.
Tsis day * recognized by consider
.sis branch OF Christendom as Trinity
SYnday.I propose to make Il, there
s,rr the occasion OF some remarks up
~ ne subjec; OF the Trinity. But.
,,blIe tlr,s Il tho occasion, Il IL not the
cause. " the theme which have chos-
M,dlsvaI DsanItions Archaic.
am sure there are n great many In
The community besides myself TO whom
me old medieval definitions OF Trinity
an unsatisfactory, archaic or insignl-
nclnt-.O whom they either mean noth-
!ng or they mean whnt We do not be-
ueye-and yet I am equally sure that
there Is something that Is meant and
that lies behind these deanit!ous, aud
that II Is true, vital and eternal.
five 70 hack and take, for example,
ne definitions of the Trinity contained
Ia the Athanasian creed. they would
Ither b. meaningless or self-contradlc-
tory 20 a great many OF US. II We take
rysn the definition which we find in the
Slcere creed we should be doubtful
about affirming them. though we
ulEht object TO denying them. II we
tGke more modern phraseology. we, at
least, hesitate or are perpleXed inter-
preting theis meaning.
II ne say We believe in three persons
N one God, We straishtway have TO
explain that we do not mean By per-
sons what ordinarily Is meant by per-
sons. n we say We believe they are
three IN substance and one in essence.
ne have straiEhiway TO try 60 explain
War the word substance" means,
uni DO not succeed in explaining II to
others.
These old expressions that stlll Hnger
IA our confessions Of faith are mean
fsE!eSs 70 some and causes q perpiexity
70 many. and they are laid aside-eith-
Or openly and ayORedlg, or secretly
and uaavuWedly-and in laying them
ASIDE We are apt 70 think
that we are laying aside the
Trinity altogether. that there
ts-no meaning in II. that Il Is an old
MEDIEVAL plece OF scholasticism, which
We can well get along without
The doctor then defended all doc
trtues OF the church, as containing some
real truths, IS follows:
And yet I an sure that there Is no
Doctrine which has ever really entered
Into the heart OF Christ's church that
has not had real truth in It. What
ever error may have been intermiEed,
however false II may be In It's form, or
k5Eeyer transient IN its form II II has
really found its way from the creed to
the eKperiance. n Il has really been In
to the prayer. che deyotions and The
hymns u che church. then there Is
some real, vital truth In II
WsEshIP Of the Virgin Mary.
I viii take as an illustration the
worship Of the Virgin Mary. Prob
ably there IL no person in this mouse
TAR p,orninr. who believes in the wor-
snip Of the Virgin Mary. Probably
mist OF us would regard Il as medic
val approximation. bringing Injury up
on the church. and yet. my friends, the
worship or alterations OF the Virgin
Mary never would have found It's way
Into tn heart OF me church " there
we're not A real truth underlying IL The
ohurch had thought that God mnde
man in His own image, and tt had
believed that God had not made wo-
man IN HIS own image. and II attrib-
uied 20 God the qualities II adored IN
man. and Y did not attribute 20 God the
qualities Il adOred In woman.
Il did NOT attribute TO God patience
Esntieness, purity. tenderness. There
is an element In Gods character Inter
prfted % US by woman: and II was be-
cause the church had denied this, be-
cause. at all events, It had Ignored Il,
'hs; II turned aside from the alteration
Of God 20 the alteration OF the mother
a. God And we have turned ourselves
hack from this worship or alteration OF
The Virgin Mary To the worship OF God
Himself because we have come 10 be-
leye that there Is no patience. no gem
tleueEs. no tenderness. no sympathy IN
woman that is not Infinite In God Him.
Ielt
Now. IN a somewhat similar manner.
We may lay aside the old definitions OF
he Trinity rs archaic. we may forget
teen. we may say that We DO not
En1T what they mean. or we may an
S7!utsly disbelleve. and SIN, am sure,
~ shall find In the Trinity vial
truth What u then OF the Trinity ~
experience? Not OF threetold dentnl-
tpH n God. but a threci3ll experience
% God. that 1 wish TO speak 60 you q
;eN moments this morning. Indeed
Our definitions Of God more and more
Fssm g. Us to fall. more and more we
refuse 20 define Him. more and more
Ne come 10 SEQ that Tor the finite 10
attempt n define The INFINITE ls. indeed,
o wonderful piece % assumption. Lei
VI lay aside the definition, let US thlnk
Wis morning FOR a few moments OF the
SArrai6li experience Of God
hr Abbott vent on 20 define the eN-
l.f.aHeH ~ God a. the Father lie
s4It Hc wns the creator. the infinite
eternal reality behind al the shadow
ana s.ubllnce Of paysing things.
llN TGks on the second experience o.
S"i-th1t revealed IN Jesus Christ. a.
M 'Ipefioucc ~ God who hiss come
INTO our NE. entered into our sorrgwF'
shd borne The burden Of our sins The
doctor then said:
u you want to know what We nnlly
b'i0ye aHI what our beliefs really
lh'iH you must not look at Our creeis,
vlr fraeds are PHILOSOPHERS definitions
% Eaaf We believe; and n you want 90
sInw htw philosophers interpret our
ualeG h. Ia the crecdF. but u you
Want ~ know what we really belieNcfgp
10 rho UFawnr hanIra anil nO Ia the nNfIiN