The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-23
Boice, hblngdon: Mrs Alex, Stunrt,
Abingdon; Mrs. X. y. Preston, Wytho-
s"'.Methodist Retorts.
Il rho Tilncg-1 )ispntcl,

Editor or Tho Times-D ispntcll: y
Sir,--Afr. Small fears "Methodist"G
does not know what d creed Is. rhnt !
may hnvo been true before Mr.. Small |
wrote his reply; It certainly Is not
80 now, thanks to Mr.. Small's patient
dealing with a hard case.
llo says, An interpretation OF a
text as cited by Methodist Is not I.
creed IN any true sense" Did I say
It WASP Did interprct q text Did
I not Quote 1so,n. x. Ala, word for
comment? THAT is. Indicated q dis
position to tako the Word $of God mt
first hand, and only attached tho word
creed for convenience, niAl asked Mr..
Small II lie Is willing to give me The
fright hand OF fellowship OH that. His
reply lis. he Christian Church has
no creed. has none formulated.
It takes the Word OF God at first
lihand.n Very we'll; but while he takes
1t Mt first hand, he wants mo to take
1t at second hand Is that a square
deal? 3385f +; # sSt ts
THe then gives Or. Philip schars
definition OF a creed ~, "a form of
words setting forth with authority
i certain articles Of belief, which arc
4 regarded by the trainers ms necessary
4 for salvation. Or a least, the welfare
ofi&tho church, al
That is perfectly clear; as is that
I Of the Standard Dictionary, a for
NAL summary OF fundamental points OF
4 rcliS ious belief AN authoritative state
rncnt Of doctrine on points held to be
vital Usually representing the vie%s.
OF a. religious body q confession Of
4 5faith.''$ Webster's IS almost identical.s
Z But Mr.. Small takes ones breath when
i he comes into the arena, saying. "a
4 creed Il is mol what II believe. II is
A what l say YOU must believe.
y IT is to formulate a human state
3 nent. or b opinion, and compel adj
( hcrcncosto8it before ono can have com
! as I do5Jnot Insist upon It as term
:. OF communion between us Ut Is not q
. creed, but "a conviction" That IL flne.
d @ Ill had heard him say that from
+ the pulpit would have doubted my
!, cars but he says 4 t in cold type
!. and there SIS no mistnking It. To say
4 tho least. ~ 8is original. In other
q words, Mr.. Small holds, q creed is q
II Isthcolcg teal dose repaired for the othor
J fellow by an ecclesiastical pharmacist.
{ mot by any means intended for the
+ compilcr:f5a conviction Is Il a dose tho
!. ! compiler may tn Ike with comfortable
4 consequences: But the moment the
/ compiler offers ! t to Il he other fellow
3 presto, II. becomes n creed !! G5
. N ow. richmond, you havo gotten Il
1 from hcndquarter Mr.. Small has nc
s creed; his church has no creed; ~ he
i Insist tina t you accept them, for ii
= r. that event they will degenerate into
& that wicked thing S4 called q creed
81 hat has become Of his pet formula
t believe, rep ent. and be baptized q I,
N It q conviction q? Then It 81 s not in
!: tended for public acceptance, and VIII,
= = 4 does She lnsls Z upon It as term o
q communion betweon fus r. II It a creed
{ Then tbs not Mr. Small s. for he lla
II no creed. And II lie has only con
Yictions why does he not u hol d on Z
A. them and quit &dcgencratlng them int
n a creed BY Insisting that thor folk
= accept them :? There isSa tangle her
= somewhere, but It'll Is not my tanglc.
8. VIA In regard &t to Il immersion he 4 say
N THAT II Is not a matter OF nterpreta
~ ton at all. It is 8 matter OF trans
~ alation.' assert that 81 It is n matte
n ofinterpretatlon and not Of transla
- tlon,5 and Mr.. Small. in the very nes
sentence, retracts what he said aboy
.a and says, 1T he N word i{5l1aptizo Is II
- transferred IN w ord. : 3 II It ls@n trans
~ ferred word (and no we'll -informe
~ man denies iD. 1t is clearly a mat t
Is James translators 80 treated It, ar
5 their examplo was followed by the n
.s,t syiscrs Of 1881, as lyell5as by the Anne
~ lean Revised Version of ! 30
81 ~ n regard to \ that S4oo pu up !
d tho Christian Standard at cinclnnal
erE| O,,EN tnat&9l a. flltLergIlH nt does & II
u. concern me, for It seems to me a wag
er between Christian people Is n lit
snl out OF the lawful way Of doing thing
!, a But this say. no Uniformed pc
! !, : son says that he word bap the IN Ne
+ = Testament Greek means, !" to sprinkl
N or8''pour": neithor Will II Q say noa
In |.'to1 immense. 4 And u It is not III e
M us to discuss Greek. Plain, every d
on folks want to know what I the Engl
n dictionaries, Y" uaed in any respc ctat
TX college In Al1leri lea, Il say on he su
,of ject ,g Is I'll is,j Il
5Sl5As to 4 Mr.. Snnll's quotation ofgA
Try yVcal ey''s IN otes on ROM VI, As" IL
iii intends to Intimate that Mr.. NVesl
to taught and practiced immersion, I
him say so In plain w rds and drop J
ins!nuations. If he \ did not mean
tho make such an Impression. what &
. os- he mean u .i3 HI
yer ! IN all this I have u nc yer said ~
nas Small was PECULIAR" I have 81
~ Tho lis very natural In his method
vet contending III for Christ ian nifty, . q
cen still l believe It, METHODIST
de- Richmond, Va, la US ..