ISTew Series, "Vol. "VI, N"o. 7.
Strictly in Advance $2.50, Otherwise $3. 1
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gmmtatt Iralnftmaii.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1869.
METHODIST AFFINITIES FOR PRESBY
TERIANISM.
The recent declaration of Dr. Abel Stevens in
the-London Watchman , which is copied in an
other column, to the effect that Methodism is a
Presbyterian form of Church government, awakens
some serious and hopeful reflections on the affini
ties of our various truly Protestant bodies. With;
out pausing closely to oriticise the ecclesiastical
accuracy of the language, we may say unhesi
tatingly, that such a use of the term betokens a
degree of friendliness and fraternal feeling for
whioh there must be a deep, underlying founda
tion in the truth. And we hesitate not to say
that this fraternal fueling is fully reciprocated by
multitudes who bear the name of Presbyterian.
It has become simply impossible for any intelli
gent Christian to ignore the great advance made
by the Methodist denomination in all the ele
ments and appliances of theological and general
culture, or to overlook the eminent services they
have begun to render in theological literature
both periodical and permanent. It looks as though
we should soon owe to Methodism the only great
Cyclopedia of Theology in the English language.
Presbyterians would not be true to themselves if
they failed to feel a lively sympathy in such
movements and their authors.
And if Presbyterians have for nearly a century
regarded Methodist revivals with suspicion, and
reckoned the success of their camp meetings and
their special measures as a very doubtful benefit;
from the beginning it was not so. The same spiri
tual impulse which made Wesley the apostle of
Methodism, sent Whitefleld as a flaming star across
the ocean among the Congregational and Presbyt
terian Churches in America. The Calvinistio Meth
odists of Wales are a fruit of the same movement.
Tho Countess of Huntington, though a Calvinist,
went warmly into the movement, “ and such,”
says Dr. Stevens, writing of the early history of
Methodism, “ was the moral unity of both parties,
the Arminian and the that the es
sential unity of the general Attthofiistic move*
ment was maintained.” And if balvinists feel
that the Armiuianism of the Methodists is pre
cisely the weak point, the doctrinal defect which
has led to shallowness of inward experience and
evanescence of results, and even disastrous reac
tions, they cannot deny a persistency, a tenacity
of life, and an extraordinary power of growth to
the body, which points to an inner and a great
reality. Moreover, the Methodists themselves.no
longer shut their eyes to those extraordinary de
linquencies of their probationers, which have been
a matter of unfavorable criticism so long among
other denominations. They view them with
grief, and they have started the inquiry, How
the abuse is to be remedied.
If it has been made a reproach to the Metho
dists that they know nothing of the Presbyterian
principle of government by representation, they
have answered, on the one hand, that our or
dained elders were ministers almost as truly as
their local preachers, and their presence in the
judicatories is not, therefore, lay representation;
and besides, holding office during good behaviour,
they are not, in the full sense of the word, repre
sentatives, of the people. On the other hand,
the Methodist Church is now passing through an
agitation tor lay representation in the strict sense
of the word, and may yet turn out more republi
can and popular in its form of government
than Presbyterians or Congregationalists. Cer
tainly Presbyterian ideas, or ideas quite as
good on church government, are becoming fa
miliar to them. And that some' ideas on the
same subject, hitherto supposed to be quite pe
culiar to the Methodists, are getting currency
among Presbyterians, appears from Mr. Barnes’
suggestion at the Clinton St. installation of
elders, which was in substance that Presbyterian
elders would ■do well to assume not a few of the
functions of class-leaders.
As to dootrine, we cannot doubt that a like
assimilation has boen going on. Calvinism and
Arminianism are represented as opposite poles of
theology, and so they are. But the fact that the
earth has two opposite poles does not contradict
the fact of its geometrical unity, but confirms it.
Neither of its poles oould be dispensed with.
Every Calvinist who has not theorized himself into
fatalism, or something very like it,' admits with
every pulse of his practical life, the grand truth of
human freedom involved in, Arminianism- Every
Methodist who philosophises, and they are-not a
few, confesses the supremacy of the divine will and
purpose in the universe, as the only escape from
chaos. Both, when they come to the Bible, with
out dogmatic prejudice, must see'both doctrines:
divine supremacy, and human freedom', clearly
v*
s
Sr '
stated there, and sometimes interwoven in the
same sentence. Increasing numbers in both
Churches admit, that if the two doctrines can no
more be reconciled than the two poles can be
brought together, they must both be simply be
lieved in, as they are. The Calvinist does not
need to loosen his grasp upon the iron pillars of
the divine decrees in order to admit the mystery
of free will. The Arminian need not sacrifice
free will in embracing decrees. Only those ra
tionalistic types, of mind, who insist on haying
everything logically explained and systematized,
need have any trouble about it.
Here it is interesting to observe, that the
Methodist articles of, religion contain not the
slightest trace of Arminianism, but, if anything,
are Calvinistio. The section XII. “of Sin after!
Justification,” uses no such phrase as “ falling j
from grace,” and contains nothing to'which the i
opponents of that doctrine would hot subscribe.'
Seotion VIII., on Free Will, would pass muster
at Princeton. It is as follows: “ The condition of
man after the fall of Adam is such that he can
not turn and prepare himself by his own natural 1
strength and works to faith, and calling upon -
God; wherefore we have no power to do good
works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without
the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that'we
may have a good will, and working, with us, when,
we have that good will.”
Thus it appears that there is no hindrance but
rather encouragement in the written creed of the
Methodists to the further development of affinities
for Presbyterian doctrine. May the good work
go on.
SEARCH AFTER TRUTH.
By Bev. £. B. Adams, S. B.
Said a wise man: “Were the .Almighty to
give me the choice either to accept truth, or,to.
search.after it, I would, with all deference, pre
fer the latter.” - , , :
There is extravagance in this assertion, no
doubt; yet it contains a very importanfcthqught.j
We are so constituted that possession is npt to us
the largest source of pleasure. The excitement
of pursuit, the expectation and fa,ct of conquest,
are often more rapturous an cl'absorbing than thej
senfle of propnestorsTiip. This specially true
of objects which have.'no power of development,
no qualities which may .be successively unfolded
to afford us. repeated instances ,of wonder and
delight. And we are satisfied with what we
possess only when it doed yield us new'arid''un-,
expected proofs of excellence. Henee : whep our
minds and hearts have put' fortfi their energies
for that which only 'seerhe'd a” good, which is
found, in'the possession, to be'an evily the reac
tion is; In equal measure, painful. the
6ame law we find that only to be a. good-which is
capable of successive disclosures of new and sur
prising qualities; which is fitted for our-eh;
larged experience, for our natural and our artifi
cial wants ; for our improving taste, our growing
intelligence; our better rviews and nobler -del
The rapture of discovery is succeeded by the
calmness, even by forgetfulness of possession.
The huntsman who- has stricken the chamois
from his alpine peak, or prostrated the, bison on
the prairie, thinks" more bf~repeating that suc
cess than of possessing what' he has gained.
The astronomer, across the field of whose teles-.
cope a new planet has rolled, lingers' not long in
the joy of his disoovery, but lifts his lenses to
the firmament, that he may win to science ano
ther of its wanderers. Man desires tp know.
Efis mind is for truth, and , truth;,is for the
mind. The world is full of experimenters. They
dig into the earth in search of' tokens, making,
dead things eloquent and tuneful. They breathe
the fumes of the laboratory, seeking hidden af
finities. They soar to the heavens, measuring
worlds'and systems, peering into space ; now on
the confines of Sirius; anon, within, “ the bands
of Orion,” then away with “ Arcturus and his
sons,” applying that sublime arithmetic which
they began to learn under the mother’s eye, by
repeating the units, or counting their fingers.
The discipline derived from these processes is
invaluable, but the possession' of truth thus
gained is also of infiniteworth. There maybe
more excitement, more eestacy in the discovery'
and the conquest, but there is, doubtless, more
good, more calm, diffused, enduring happiness in
the possession. And this because truth is mani
fold. It forever unfolds its glory to the mind ;
adding to the, wonder of ignorance the deeper
wonder of revelation; bearing the spirit into
clearer field's of light, until it lands us in the
untroubled brightness of perfect ideals. The
study of abstract truth is doubtless elevating,
purifying to the mind, to society. We must
have ideals, that they may win us above our ac
tuality. It is , thus that we rise as individuals,
as familtes; *aB 'Communities. There * mußt be a
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1869.
goal for the mind, for., humanity, . Our aspira
tions should go ou£ and, upward. Brit, truth is
not a mere abstractfoja. , It,is reality. It .is the
life and soul of fsets. It grows into ptates, into
revolutions, into grand activities and,’growths pf
power. It embodies itself in the popular inter
est, and marches, as with the footsteps,of - God,
over thrones and through empires.
possession of Cromwell as a liberty
and self-rule, and. makes the palace pf Charles
Ist kinglcss., It takes up its abode the work
men of Paris, and .the miserly Lou^i:. Rhilippc
leaves his throne and his “ French people,” , and J
hastens across the. channel ini the guise ,pilot.
It enthrones itself in .the .heart of Luther, and
revolutionizes Christendiom. .In the yearajphich
have just gone by in our country, it embodied
itself in the might of a million warrure, and in
the persons of twenty millions of freemen, whose
pulsations 'for justice and liberty- - shbek the
world. We hear their'echoes now "from ‘ltaly
and Spain'. Truth is life. When we haVo truth
we have life. When-truth comes to ns- it conies
to stay, for it is sent of God. Let us welcome
it, and enthrone it in our hearts. Nothing'-is
great, beautiful, healthful, divine, bub'Thun a.
A PLEA FOR Tflti TEN COMMANHJttENTS.
, “At the-present day-, the ten commandments
are having a hard fime bf it,” suggested:’*-friend
recently. It was an odd way-of putting it, but
the -idea is important, and worth considering.- Are
these.old mandates obsolete? Have the tables
of the law. become fossils ? -Is it to beseemed a
piece of old fogy ism. to regulate our .oonjduottby
the ten commandments ? > - :
- That young America does nob> like these- anti
quated leading strings.is sufficiently .patent.
Money-and Fashion: and Pleashre are very -popu
lar divinities, foisted idolatrously into the. place
where the first commandment puts the living Je
hovah, i The good 1 old.- precept about honoring’
Father and Mother is tabooed utterly in many
home- circles.- The Sabbath & kept holy after
a‘very queer sort' of keeping, and-in a Way that
‘reveals the vaguest and loosest notionssancti
ty. - tfThou shall kill,”. as interpret^ljy^thfi'
- Mew Testament, finds many violator#'- of wboin
our laws take'no cognizance. -Andi“ Thou shtilt
not bear false witness,” is conveniently ignored'
by many who would be shocked, if their Christian
integrity were to be directly questioned.
Wotild it riot be'well to give these, command
ments'a little more airing in our papers--andipul
pitß ?- 1 Do they not need re-ekposition and. pi’ao
• broil- enforcement ? - Surely their observance has
'a very close connection, with piety.-Indeed, piety
is out of the question, without faithful and con
stant effort to observe them. Yet we. fear there
are multitudes of professed Christians,-who have
little conception of.'the binding obligations of the
commandments, and who-rire'iutterly unaware hPw
“ exceeding broad ” they are. Take this - matter
of bearing false • -How fearfully preva
lent it-is in society. Downright falsehoods—de
liberately- coneeived and deliberately uttered lies,
embrace not a tithe of the violations -of this law
of God. Truthwithheld.is.sometimes a worse
• deception-than, a direct mi# statement, The. es
sence of a lie is riot iri what'is'said, but in
the intent to deceive. Lying hearts are just as,
much an abomination to God, as lying lips. We niay
beliars, when every word uttered is the exact truth.
We may be liars, and yet say nothing. A look
may be a lie. Silence may be a lie. If we make
false impressions, with intent to deceive, purpos
ing to mislead, we are guilty of falsehood. ''
Yet think what trickery, what guises, what,
shams, what pretense, what withholdings of truth,
what flippant misrepresentations, what so-called
“ white lies,” there are in the "world ! - As if a
lie could be “ white ” because it is about a little
thing ! As if an untruth; could be washed to
purity because it concerns a trifle! All lies are;
as black as the devil, who is the father of
them. AH liars, unless penitent and forgiven,
shall have their, part with him who, first deceived
the woman in Eden. ,
Yes : let us ventilate these old commandments. ;
They are serviceable yet. If they are “ having
a hard time of it” in these days, let us see to it,
that their claims are more faithfully pressed to
the conscience and the heart, and they doubtless
will be given greater heed. The “go-easy” piety
that makes profession of faith arid love, without
obedience, is of the garnished sepulchre sort, full
of dead men’s bones ,and all uncleanness. Send
the ten commandments sweeping down., through
onr hearts and lives, and many of us might feel
to 1 our hurt and healing, the force of their strong,
broad negatives. H. T..
—-We rejoice to learn that another Bible total-'
abstinence man is tp be added to. the number
now in the United States, Senate. . We, refer to
Senator Carpenter, recently, elected from Wiscon
sin., It is reported of him that, on the evening:
of the 4th, he delivered a brilliant and powerful
oration in. favor of total abstinence from intoxi
cating drinks, at Music Hall, Milwaukee, taHng
for. his text the following words: “ Wherefore if
meat make my brother to offend, I will eat. up
flesh while the world standeth, lest I
brother to offend.” The speaker who followed'
said, that the Senatorial canvass had been con
ducted, both on the part of the candidate and
his most active supporters, on the total abstinence
.principle. r
CURRENT TOPICS.
.—The recent 'conviction of notorious defrauders
df the 1 revenue ih the whisky business, has been
followed by beneficial results of the'Stmt sudden
rind- extraordinary character. It has been -re
ported to the District Attorney that hot a single
distillery is in operation in New York" City.
Several of the prom inent whisky men now urider
indictment have fled, and the Whisky Ring’ is
struck with sudden panic. The Tribune ascribes
this panic to the near approach of an adminis
tration' which promises to be conducted upon
principles of common honesty and wholesome
economy—virtues which for four years have been
divorced from the national politics. We have
every reason to credit this view. The vampire
knaves who have been robbing our treasury, and
loading' down‘honest men with a double taxation,-
foresee-the wrath to dome, and seek safety in
flight.-We should not wonder .if Gen.-Grant's
administration were guided .by such downright
American common sense, such simplicity and
purityof. purpose, such anebonomieal regard to
the condition of the national finances, as to
■ completely baffle'those who have' inade polities a
(trade, and cleanse the ship of state of the myriads
-of-'barnacles, that, by their plundering and their
heartless intrigue, havfe nearly brought it to
ruin. 1
—The flood tide of Exclusivism, of which we
spoke some six weeks ago, is rising even in semi
pagan communities.. Mohammedan Puritanism,
is-gaining ground in every, part of.thp. Islamite
community. There is, we think, a conspiracy on
foot to destroy the present Sultan of Turkey, be
cause of his leaning toward European civiliza
tion, and from the strict enforcement of Moham-
medan usages. The Sultan of Muscat, the most
powerful of the Arab states, has been dethroned
by the chief of the -Wahabees, a Mohammedan
Beet, whose object is to revive the ancient fanati
cism and ferocity of their religion. The success
of this sect, ‘who are' more hostile‘to Christianity
than the other Mussulman rulers, will prove un
favorable to commerce; arts; agriculture, and
'general progress. 1
’ —Fri the midst of an unprecedented number of
murder eases, we hear of a movement to repeal
the death penalty in our Legislature. Staid
.old Pennsylvania will not easily be led to try
this dangerous experiment in dealing with
capital, crime. As to the whole question of the
abolishing of capital punishment, we' agree
cordially with a member of the French Corps
Legislatif, who said, “Certainly; certainly,
only let Messieurs the murderers set us the
example.”
—The ; outcry for (prohibition as the true
mode of ' dealing with alcoholic drinks, is
echoed back from the old world. In Sweden,
the great national vice of , intemperance has
become so alarming,, that the Legislature is
called upon- to interfere. Even the victims* it
~is said, join in the,-cry. The King of Sweden
sympathizes with the temperance men, but
hesitates to act. , The agitators call for a sta
tute rigidly prohibiting the manufacture .of
liquor.
. Doubtless our readers bave beard that Posi
tivism, the'ablest and greatest system of scientific
-atheism that has ever appeared, has- endeavored
to organize a new worship, according to Mr.
Mill’s idea, that there may be a religion without
a God. But it has not yet appeared that* there
may be a religion without material supporfr~for
its teachers. So English Positivism, has its sus
tentation Fund, and, if that is a test of the Zeal
of the members, the cause must be at an exceed
ingly low ebb. The report for 1867 shows a to
tal of receipts amounting to barely £l5O. 'Even
tills athouut is not kept up, and appeals for help
to Paris for extra subsidy, are getting very cla
morous. M. Comte himself, not only did not
live with his wife, and had decided preference
for the wife of another man, but quarreled with
Mr. Mill and other friends, about money, because
the sum they contributed for his support was
not put in the form of an annual allowance. .
—A suggestion worthy of the serious regard
of Christeiidom, was made by the Berlin Clerical
Genesee iEvangelist. ISTo. 1187.
( Home & Foreign Miss. $2.00.
X Address:—l334 Chestnut Street.
'Conference, October' 15th, or, perhaps, by the
iShnday' Magazine ■, commenting on the action of
thief Conference, the purport of which is, that a
lunited demonstration (should be made by the
Protestant .'churches,. December 8, 1869, in re
sponse to- the Papal allocution summoning the
Ecumenical: Council at (that date.: A testimony
ito.tbe essential truths >of the Gospel might ,be
i sent abroad by the simultaneous act of those
churches, which : might not only attest the fo
rward s unity of Protestantism before the world,
•bnt become a means of widely diffusing a knowl
edge; ;oft Gospel truth among Romanists. them
iselves;: i It 1 might properly become matter for
iactihn littithe edming General Assemblies.
-r—Tho Morning Post asserts that a community
which had recognized the crime of theft, as the
Mortnons have that' of polygamy, would have to
be tolerated by the General Government, provided
they-only stole, eaoh' Others’ property. On the
same prinoiple, we‘ know not why any crime they
Choße to perpetrate in'the name of religion: in
fanticide, Thug-ism, widow-burning would not
Aavo tO'be allowed, if perpetrated upon'each other.
Thus a State might run with the blood of inno
c'ents,and beoauSe.it was done in the name of re
ligion,; it would. be “downright persecution,” for
ithe. nation to. interfere., Roma n Catholicsmight
get control ofa State and set up the Inquisition.
audcelebrateAutodafewithout interruption; and
dreadful to imagihe,Presbyterinns might get con
: trobof the .'government' of Pennsylvania, and sup
press the Post.iot heresy, and the Post accord
ing.todts own principles:'would be guilty of
;“ persecution”iff it sought national in
tervention in its own behalf. .
: <SF\Pres. Blanchard, of- Wheaton College, is
reported as-, affirming that no Presbytery in the
United;States would- .dare.dismiss a minister,
;thoftghiheiterodox, ifi,his;dhurch sustained him.
We have.a.oase in Califoruiaywhieh is like to
put.lhisi.assertionuto' the:test, Rav-. L. Hamilton,
the pas.tor of -the Presbyterian: church (N. 5.,) in
; Oakland, several mouthsiago, preached some ser
mons,'in which he WaS 'understood to maintain
vanother probatioa foH sioftdvmen. In certain
othejr directicnsptoOj he was nnderstood to be
;what.’iB:Qalled'“ liberal.” .-.The Presbytery of San
Joss enjoined: him from proclaiming such senti
ments in his chsjrch, which is under its care. Mr.
H. appealed to the decision-of the Synod. That
body was convened on the 12 th of January. After
an earnest conference, the-. Synod, .with one dis
senting voice, sustained the Presbytery. And, if
we may believe the papers,'this; conclusion was
reached in the face of the popular feeling in the
congregation. It should be .said, however, that
many earnest persons in the church are in sym
pathy with the Presbytery and Synod in their in
junction. But there are few pastors who have
been more' generally liked in their congregation
than- Mr. Hamilton. He is a -man of thought
and reading; earnest and serious in his pulpit
address, and apt to carry an audience with him
from beginning to end of -;his discourse. The
end in-the matter is not-yet.- Mr. H. is not
likely' to .retract his opinions; indeed a volume of
the enjoined discourses is *just- coming from the
press;- No judicatory, in the Presbyterian Church
could, consistently with the standards, sustain
him. There seems to be no issue of the matter,
but in the organization of a congregation on an
independent basis.— Gal. Curr. of Gongregation
alist. - • . - ■ ■ ■ -
BSf Inadvertently we spoke once or twice in
a former article, of Mr. Mitchell as Secretary of
our Freedmen’s Work j his correct designation
is General Dr. Hatfield, Chairman
of tl|e Permanent Committee of Home Missions,
has been, elected Provisional Secretary for this
branch of the Work, which, we are glad to learn,
is in a prosperous condition. Says the Secre
tary;
“ More than 60 teachers have already been
appointed.. They are located in Maryland, Vir
ginia, the District of Columbia, North and South
dhroliua; Florida,;. Missouri, Tennessee, and
Alabama.. Applications are c6ming in almost
daily, both, for teachers and positions. The
work is almost without limits. We are restricted
only by the want of adequate funds. The
churches must determine for themselves the ex
tent of our operations in this line.
“ The average cost of supporting a teacher for
one year is about three hundred and fifty dollars.
Are there not many of our churches that will
contribute, each of them, enough to support at
least-one teacher ? * Some of our Sunday-schools,
we trust, will do as much May we not receive
a like sum from individuals to whom God has
given abundant wealth, and the' grace of heaven
born charity? Let your contributions be sent
to the Treasurer, Hon. Edward A. Lambert, 150
Nassau street, N. Y./ designated, ‘lor the
Freedmen’s Department.’”
The Annual Concert of '
be hold on XhuniJsr, the ZSth loot, in the Green Hill Presbyterian
church, at 11 O'clock, A. M , and in the First Preahyterian church
a t o’clock, P.-Mo Sei eriil atltireAeß may be expected.