Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-07-07

innumerable sources. The pages of
Ecclesiastical history, in the periods fol-
lowing are so replete with references to
confirmation that it is unnecessary to
claim your attention by presenting an ar
ray of statements therefrom. Now, we
have testimony from another source which
is, because disinterested, of especial value.
The brethren in Christ, not of our fold,
who have given the subject careful consid-
Grafton, confess that confirmation has good
grounds for existing in the church at the
present time. We could easily, as we have
at hand, give the testimony of these breth-
ren, but we forbear.
Surely nothing more need be said ia an
swer to the question, "What grounds have
you in your church for the practice of con-
frmation?"
3rd. "But, do you not think that >in
confirmation you require those people who
have confessed Christ before men to make
a new confession which actually annuls the
one already made?" No, we do not.
Confession to Christ may be made almost
in any way with the mind fixed upon HIN.
1t y'be made with the proper intention,
by standing up by kneeling over, by hold
ing up the hand, by making an open
declaration. We are thankful for and have
a reverence for the confession made by any
one in any way, but that feeling does not
close our eyes to the truth as we see it.
Confirmation includes confession, it istrue,
but it means more. 1t is conformity to
an ordinance which has ever been recog-
nized and gives character to confession
which is intended to last throughout life.
1t also finds us in obedience to an institu-
ton which the Apostles did not ignore and
surely in obedience there is blessing.
The late DR.. Coleman, of the eongrega-
tional church, gives US the climax for our
answer to this question. "The confession
of the name Of Christ is, after all, very
lame and will be so till the discipline which
Christ ordained be restored and the rite
of confirmation recovered to its full use
and solemnity."
4th. ''Does your church believe in con-
version?" OF course we cannot conceive
of Christian church which does not be-
leve in conversion. 1t is possible we may
misunderstood each other as to the mean
ing of conversion. What does conversion
mean? 1t means the subjection of the hu-
man will to the Divine. There can be no
misunderstanding between us as to that.
1t is possible there may be III reference to
the method. We state most candidly that
we are more interested in the fact than we
are in the method. 1t must be that we
misunderstood each other as to the method
rather than as to the fact. We are broad
as to method, we are unconcerned whether
one is brought, as St. Paul, suddenly to
the realization Of the fact or as the majority
of men, silently and quietly, until willing
to own allegiance to God and to follow His
will and not their own, or as children
reared in the nurture and admonition in
the Lord until conscious that their wills
are subject to the Divine will, yet not able
to tell of the time or place where such
change was wrought. We are concerned
about the fact of such consciousness rather,
than about the method by which it was
brought about. With this quotation from
our Boolvof Common Prayer we will leave
this question: so, merciful God, who
hast made all men, and hateth nothing
thou hast made nor desirest the death of a
sinner, bnt rather that he should be con-
verted and live"-
5th. DO you not think you haze too
much form in worship, especially the mat
ter of praying out of book?"
There is form in every relation Of life,
and why not in matters spiritual. Form
is the frame in which spiritual truth is set.
If it were not for form the world would
loose the best spiritual thinking and feel
ing of mankind. 1t is also necessary to
give permaneney to emesion. Emotion,
whatever we may think, plays a very
Eprominent part in life, and if it were not
for form it would be lost or would run riot
and thereby work mischief 1t is neces-