, 1874-05-25
DRAKE IN CALVIN.

Judge Drake, OF tho Court OF Claims 1t Wanh-
ngton, Is quasi-unlyersnl gonius. Hc is an
author, . atatesman, q conBtitution-buildor, and
thsologian, hs vol rs judge, lawyer, and poll
tician. ut the beginning Of tho War he was
hot secouaionist; but, finding that secession was
not likely to lead to political or other preferment
in Missouri, ho became an intense radical and
leader Of radicals. Radicalsm in politics he
found paid, and now he is equally radical In
Calviniam, ut the Saturday session Of tho Pros
byteran General Assembly. at st. Louis, his
religious oarnoetnoss aud Cclvinistio zeal cropped
out, mitch to the discomfort Of tho Assembly.
Had an Isaiah suddonty appeared In tho midst
of them and foretold the near dissolution and
utter extinction Of tho Presbyterian Church. he
would scarcely have produced greater coma,o-
tion. Our correspondent informs US that some
Of his hearers turnod pale ut his words, and that
after tho speech some fifty mombers "arose as
If slot from then sea.s." There must have
been considerable explosive material in speech
which could start fifty sodato Presbyterian d.
vinos out Of thoir Hoats so suddenly.
1Ir. Drake stated that 1t was his firm and con-
scientious conviction, mud he Wished to e1presH
it before that body and before God, that thoro
were ut work in different paris OF the Presby-
torlan Church Of the United 8tatos Influences
and opinions thct arc ininaical to the con-
tinuod existence Of tho Church in it's integrity,
He was met with chorus Of 'tNoes" In reply.
Nothing disconnected, however, Judge Drakc pro-
H.. ~ =
hercsy cropping out here and cropping out there.
aud knew that before long it would ba found in
open antagoniam with the Church. The work Of
publication Of Presbyterian books did not proceed
rapidly. and there was 8 groat deal Of ill-will
shown toward tho Board OF Publication itself.
The Assembly had been looking for an explains
tion Of ali and had found none. Mr. Drake Vas
Of opinion TINT it was all caused BY ''rootcd
| dislike OF Calvinistic literaturo.'
We think TINT Mr. Drake hit the nail on the
head when ho uttered theso words. Thero Is a
| rooted dislike for Calvinistie literature; and
among Presbytorlans that disliko is =
| growing ono. presbyterians themselves
are becoming conscious Of the fact.
Some know it because they observe It an
nro,lnd thom, and como from so1f-introspeotlon.
There ls abundant evidence OF the truth Of Nr.
Dsakes remark IN various parts Of the country
and hia legal training in weighing testimony has
euAblea him to SEQ tho full bearing OF tho dis
| like Of which he makes mention. Prot. swing't
course is protest against Calyinistlo doctrine
! 80 ls that Of the Chicago Prosbytery; go is thu
Of tho Presbyterian membership Of this cit,
! which egmpathizea with sad sustained My
Swing iu his trial. The contest botweon pre-
destination and it's opposite in tile Presbyterian
Church has been begun, and tho decision of th
Synod in the case Of Patton aeaiuat tho Chicag
PreBbytery, no matter whether it go for Q
against tho Presbyter5, will bo tue siyne
for vast changes In that Church. I'll
withdrawal Of Prof. Swing will not della
tho fnal issne, while It enhRnces th
probability that tho decision Of til
Synod, nov that Prof. Swing has loft tho Churcl
will bo adverse to the Presbytery aud to libora
ism in tho Presbyterian Church. The tono'
that mere belief or an opinion can ssye, on
that God predestines thousands before the
birth to eternal dan,nation, arc not very populs
in this age. TO thoBe and other Calviuistio do,
trinen there Ia IN thia country, as Mr. Drake ht
said, "a rooted disllke." It wouR DO marvelot
| 1t thero mere not.