The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-09-16
VOL. 9.
Ghe Bnlletin.
THE PAN.PRESBYTERiaN
Council nv Professor Patton Of Chien-
90 Saw IL What Accomplishments
Presbyterjanism Large Ef-
eIDent In the Constituency
OF the Great Protest
nuI W0rIu.

hht
Chicago TriJane: "Ihe good
which was done WAS this: In The first
place ii was shown that the Presbyterian
faith the Presbyterian poilty--is a very
large element in the constituency OF the
Protestant world. Sou see, the little Pres.
byleran church in France occupies a very
little space, and the Presbyterian church
is relatively small compared with The pop.
tdation. But when you put together the
Presbyterian churches all over the world,
you find That they occupy a very innuen-
tai portion OF the Protestant world. And
it - no email thing to have manifested the
Visibility OF the Presbyterian church in
that war. In the second plscc, the rc5uiis
Of the council show that the CalysBistic
faith, and the peculiar doctrines OF the
Presbyterian church, as held by Prcsby-
teians all over the world, re tam q, strong
hold A. ever in the Presbyterian church.
The influence of the council wa- aIt0geth-
CT IN the direction Of conservatism in doc
trine. 1t is true hat there j. broad
church element in all the Presbyterian
here. But the sentiment that found most
favor In the council was a sentiment which
was liberal WithIn wise limits but, at the
same time, conservative with respect 10 the
great and distinguishing Doctrines of the
C1lynislic faith In other words, If the
spirit Of the council is TO be taken as an eX-
over think, the sentiments are just this
Tnat lresDyterians are not os'ilizcd: that
they DO not believe in mere fossiliZed
creed, a. Conservative mel are sometimes
represented az doing; but that, with wise
outlook for the future, with generous
recognition Of all that is good in other
churches, and with very catholic and
evangelical spirit, they are as tenacious as
they ever were Of their peculiar doctrines.
! think that am correct in stating that to
be the spirit Of the council. 1t did not run
into the mere Iut OF conservatism and pro-
scription, and that Is not what the PTesby-
terrain church wants. They only want to
recognize what is true as true, and at the
same time recognize that there is sense
in which there Is proper and gcnerou. lib
crafty TO be exercised. think the iniiu-
ence Of the council was good in the
way Of the interchange Of thought
and experience on the part OF the diner
ent churches. For instance, we Americans
found that the same troubles we have here
the same problems that we are solving
in matters Of theology, are being brought
up for discussion in Scotland, They have
Just the same types OF thinking over there;
lust the same questions mooted that VIC
have, exactly; no more nor no less there
than they are with Us, 1t was mutually
stimulating and beneficial for the repre-
sentatiyes of the different nationalitcS to
come together and compare views. Apart
from that, the social idea Of bringing men
from 20 many different churches together
is good one. This being the first meet
ing Of the council, there was less discussion
in II than there win be in the future. They
avoided, as much as possible, subjects that
would awaken unpleasant discussion. 1t
il important that the council should avoid
anything that might tend 10 embitter dis
cuss.on. There are questions both III tins
country and in scotland, and particularly
there, which could not very well he
touched without destroying The har'
mony, and hence was that some things
were wisely omitted from the programme.
| But it was a fact that there were men IN
the council, sitting side by side a. members
| OF the established church, the Free church,
| and the United Presbyterian church, taxi
| Ing part in the proceedings in the most
| pleasant way, who had never met each
other before, and who perhaps never would
have met had 1t not been for this council.
| | think it was the expression OF quite
number Of their best men that the councl
had done Scotland world OF good by
bringing these very men together. BE
cause, while Scotland is a very sinai
country, the churches had L good deal o
controversy which rests on what they
think ia very goodground, ana suppose
it's very good ground; at least on grCnn'
which they hold very tenac.ously.'