The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-09

And thou hast made him, thou art
just"
1 do not submit this as basis of fell
lowship, for some might not be able to
unite on it. But each mans theology
must be a personal theology, and this
serves me as an inspiring, working the
DRY of life-the motives that govern my
actions.
| was brought up farmer boy among
the mountains of western Pennsylvania.
My parents, though Of moderate educa-
ton, gave their children advantage OF
the opportunities afforded by the dis
trict school and the summer academy.
At an early age / became principal of
the school in my native village, Laugh
linstoWn. Then my ambition began to
reach out toward college, and in March,
SO, entered Butler college, now part Of
the University of Indianapolis. My
purpose was to study for the profession
of law, but during my course 1 was at
tracted to the ministry as the field Of
largest usefulness. So on my gradual
ton in June, 'SS, l took a passionate in
the Disciples church at Winchester, In
diana. But I felt keenly the need of
DlOtiGSI Cullul anu iNStJb Ny AA'J "NN''S
under the direction of the faculty, and
at the end of one year resigned and re-
turned to the college to continue my
studies as a graduate student. After
four years study I got the degree IN
d. and was elected to the chair of He
brew and Old Testament literature,
which I filled until the spring of 1876.
In the meantime 1 kept in touch with
church work, preaching and addressing
conventions, etc, as opportunity Offer
ed, and helped to organize and for the
first three years acted as secretary OF
the board of education of the Disciples
church.
During this time certain convictions
came to me very strongly concerning
| the ministry.
1.-The minister should be free to
preach the gospel according to his best
understanding. 1T is plain that no
| creed, written or unwritten, can be a
| fair and adequate expression of a
| church's belief, for % no man holds to
exactly the same creed at amy two per-
| iods of his life; (2) no TWO men can
hold the same creed unless their educa-
| ton and experience be exactly alike, be
| duplicates one of the other, and (3) a
! dogmatic standard is not effective. 1t
neither keeps bad men out of the
| church, nor draws all good men into IT..
And the very principle Of an authorita-
tive creed is a check to progress. 1t is
| a good thing that men do differ in opin-
ion. Herein lies the hope of advance
ment. The problem before the church
to-day is not how can all minds be
subdued to the same creed, but how
can all hearts be filled with the spirit of
Christ which is the spirit of love and
liberation.
2-The minister should not be requir-
| ed to build up an organization less
comprehensive than heaven itself The
| teaching of Jesus seems TO be that the
church should be more comprehensive.
The tares and the wheat are to grow
together; the net gathers in of every
kind. I hold it detrimental to the high
est interests Of Christianity to set UP
creeds or rites not essential to salvation
and insist upon their recognition fol-
admission into the fellowship Of the
church. Let each one adorn the sane.
tum Of his own mind with every
thought picture to him inspiring anG
observe every rite that has for him eff.
ficacy and beauty, but let him alsC
| remember that there are privileges tc
be enjoyed and not conditions to be
prescribed.
If the burden Of preaching the gospe
is to make proselytes to a peculiar doc
trine, or building up an organization
the chief reason for whose existance Is
that it differs in some formal ways
from other similar institutions, I do no
care to be a gospel preacher. But il
preaching the gospel means going GU
into the highways and hedges COMPEL
ing men to come into the spiritual feast
If it means reaching out for the hand!
of men that are cropping for the RICH
way and bringing them into the schoo
of heaven, though their thought NAV b.
so circumscribed that they cannot ex
plain the Trinity; if it means taking tt
suffering humanity the sweet consola
ton of Him who knows our sorrow
and can bear our grief; If it mean
working with the we'll to do and cultur
ed in the light Of the best thought; If /
means fighting in the world conflict.
, For the right against wrong;
For the weak against the strong,
Against the power that needs resistanc
For the cause that needs assistance,
. For the good that we can do,
, Then am willing to consecrate my lif
to such a ministry. If | seem to be il
earnest, let me say that there are prin