Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1854-10-07

We end lho following lcuor io lhn nsl
Clarion Democrat aud commend ID 10 tho
special attention or our Religious friends.
hrAyEn rr, CLAuioS Go.
Sept 25lh, 1854 (
Mn, AtUXANDEB--D Dc1r SIR. / eco h
noticed in your last paper that the Evan.
golicoI Lulhorcn Synod Of Ohio refused to
receive into its body any member Of a So.
crct society," and you draw thence the
. conclusion that the order of Know Moth.
ing is OF course ropudulcd by that body.
Now as am a member OF that SYNOD,
md voted for The resolutions referred to, /
wish the world to know what position we
take, aud therefore take the liberty To send
you the Identical resolutions, together with
a few historical remarks, merely enough
to understand the resolutions correctly.
4 This Synod being in session from the
9Th to The llth OF June last received two
communications, one from Rev. Zeumer,
of PIusburg, praying the Synod to express
their opinion in regard to secret societies
in general, and the Protestant Union OF
Pennsylvania in particular (whose printed
constitution he sent in) as he was much
annoyed by the latter; and the other from
Rev. BuehI, Of Canal Fulton, Ohio, ask.
ing whether his congregation have the
right TO enforce a clause in their constitu-
lion denying all members Of secret socie.
ties the right Of membership of their
church. The following resolutions are in
answer TO these communications. The
order Of Know Nolhngs was also men
TONED IN debates equally obnoxious, and
| if its principles had been as well known
at that time, as they now are, | have no
doubt but what it would have been men.
toned by name in the resolutions, although
ii had not been attended TO in either Of
those papers to which nay are in answer.
Here are the resolutions:
RcS0lccel, That this Synod regards as
unchurchIy all societies cut Of the church
and particularly secret societies, whenever
they aim to accomplish those objects,
which tho christian church, according to
the word Of God, has, and ever must have
in view, because they are not only render.
ed unnecessary by the establishment orlhc
church, but because they are calculated
TO produce indifference towards the King.
dom Of Christ, and in many cases entire
cstrangcmcnt from christianity and even
gross inGdeity.
ReSo'rcd, That we regard the so.coled
Protestant Union OF Pennsylvania as be.
longing TO the above class Of societies =
and that in addition we find the following
things Objectionable in it: It stands upon
unionisjc ground, it inerleres with the
Office, which God has given to civil gov.
.ernment; and finally, it arrogates to
itself Christ's Office Of protection over his
Church, to which he has promised that the
"gaics Of Hell shall not prevail against it, :"
and "Lo am with you always, even to
the end Of the world"
RcS0lccd, That we do not feel ourselves
authorized as Synod, 10 prescribe to our.
congregations special directions, as TO the
manner in which thcv shall administer
church discipline among their members ;
and that therefore We advise the congrc.
cations who have sought our advice, to
act according 10 their own conscientious
conviction, aud the direction Of Gods
word, because we arc Of opinion, that the
same course Of procedure is not advisable
IN all cases, and that church discipline
ought only to he enforced, when 4. c. it0
wants 10 do away all distinctive doctrines
ofthe Observation-Disclosures, thecon.
sequences above referred to, manifest
themselves. ..
ReSolreI, In answer 10 Mr.. Buckles
inquiry, that the congregation referred to
have the right to shape and administer
their constitution in reference to this sub
jecl, according to their own conscientious
conviction.
ReSoteed, That VIC as a synodical body
feel ourselves called upon to exercise
church discipline only whenthe conseouen.
cesolono referred to manifest themselves :; |
but that IN future zee acW nalaU no oacI
into our connection, that belongs 10 such
societies.
So far the resolutions Of our SYNOD on |
this subject, feel 50 much the more anx.
ious, that the world should know our po.
silion in this matter as believe that the
Lutheran church in this country has been
the first that had the coursese boldly 10
express its views in regard to these pow.
crtuI societies, and our Synod is, as far
as know, the second ecclesiastical body. |
that has meddlcd with them at all; and
| wish only 10 add, tha, the Lutheran
chuch, although hated by Rome, worse
than any other is not Rome hating
church, and although she has always |
maintained, that the Pope is the Anlichrist,
yet she acknowledges tho popish church
even as branch of Christ, as the word
OF God teaches that Anti.Chrisl shall sit
in the temple Of God; showing himsclrto
be God and as it is proven beyond con.
!royersy, that even in that church there
are many Pious souls, who procure
saving faith in Christ in spite Of papish