The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-05-09
The Protestant 0cumenical.

The Evangelical Alliance, under whose
auspices ii is proposed TO hold in this city
during the coming fall q sort of Protestant
Gcumcnical Council in rivalry Of if not in
opposition 20, that of the Vatican, is a volun-
tary organization, embracing members Of
various Protestant religious denominations
They came together ostensibly to effect Ger.
tain objects held in common by all, at the
foundation of which lies the promotion of
what the Alliance assumes TO be evangelical
religion, in contradistinction TO Roman Ca
thoIiciem, acknowledged irrelgion, atheism,
md lredelity, But in defining what consti.
tn,ts evangelical religion, the Alliance
trenches on dangerous ground and discloses
the weakness OF its bond Of union.
The Alliance is bGs on what is supposed TO
I've the consensus Of the varou confessions of
faith adopted by different Protestant denomi,
nations mutually recognizing each other as
evangelical. This summary WAS originally
adopted in London in 1916. 1t embraces the
following cardinal principles
l. The divine Inspiration, authority, aud sufclcncy
H. The flsht ana duty of private judgment in the
II. Tue unity OF the Godhead ana the Trinity OF the
Nv. The utter dcprayity of human nature in consc.
W Ile .teernaton Of the SON. of Cod He work Of
noucmu 10 for sinners OF mankind, and HIS AeiiatoTa
VI ILe jlstltn,icn Of the sinner by faith alone
WI The WORT Of ihe 10Y SPIRIT IN the conversion
Nni The nrmolpity OF ii, soul the rcaurrcc lon
d tn' i2H Ne HsS d-oa Il &c %qTa 9y our L9f
e2I: 49d ne a, Innl,nS IA, e. a. Of 'i weed -
Gnd the obligation and pgpetuity OF tie ordinances vi
Baptism and the lords Supper.
The Alliance, however, in adopting this
summary, os if foresccinG threatened danger
is careful to protest that it does not accept
or adopt il as a creed or confess on, but
merely as an indication of the class of per
cons whom it is desirable to embrace within
The organization. Consequently, 1t is also
an intimation TO others that they are not
wanted
1t is not TO be wondered at that the Ali
Ance has encountered opposition, even among
Protestant denominations, TO its efforts 10
assemble Its grand Gcumenical Council
Ihe summary of faith or basis Of union al
one blow cuts of the largo and influential
denominations Of Christians called Uni
larians and Universalsts, and is not espe
sially acceptable to tho different schools Of
Luthernns Liberal thcologians of the
BEECHER school, who have been charged
with tendencies averse to TTnitarianism-o
at least with undue sympathy with Uni
lariansm--do not take kindly to the basis
Ritualistic or High Church EpiscopaliAnf
who invariably stand aloof from all unions
will Of course have nothing to do with this Al
hancc or its General Conference But thcr
isanothcr element, particularly in the Churcl
Of England, that would under favor
able circumstances unite in the ant
Roman crusade, which at present is repelle
by the rigid orthodoxy of the Alliance pla
form, This is that influential body rcpr
scented by Dean Afford of Canterbury, VIII
withholds lis acceptance of an invitation {
participate in the conference until IL
extreme Calvinism Of the basis ia mod
Ged or satisfactorily explained.
Thus il will be seen that the Couucil
not preceded by that degree of unanin.it
even among Professionals, that would bespcI
for il the entire respect of the world, Aud v
bhall not be surprised il. 50 far from provlI