The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
4 SOUND THEOLOGY.

OuQECu We HOW OOOA WV 80 49, 1
theology, and it is thought to be an evidence
IF broader and more liberal culture to be
less exac:iug in points of doctrine. If
minister speaks fuently and fairly about the
Atouement and Christ and the Holy Scrip
lures and Repentance and the Spirit, there
is an indispositiOn to pry curiOusly into the
sense in which all these terms are used Oae
nav have his doubts about the infallible
character of Inspiration; another may have
his doubts about the inherent efficiency OF
the Atonement; third may reject the first
chapter of Genesis or the imprecatory Psalms
or the Song Of Solomon; fourth may de- |
cline to accept the doctrine of Eternal Retri-
button; fifth may have very vague notions
about the personality of the Devil or the
Holy Spirit a sixth may explain away the
higher and more far.reaching provision OF
the Prophets; a seventh may drag down all
miracle to the level of nature; an eighth
may exercise the prerogative to discard the
positive declarations on th1--sueject of the
Divine DEGREES ninth may discriminate
broadly between the natures of the three
members of the Trinity tenth may look
forward toward better and more sstisfsC-
tory Revelation of the Divine mind: the
sentiment is to tolerate all these differences
of opinion, and to advocate some vague form
of Christianity in which We shall all move on
together without jOstling or formulating too
precisely our ideas on these subjects. When
man stands up like one of those stern old
prophets of the post-Davidian period, and
insists on definitions and perspicuous dis
tiuctions, the word dogma is uttered, and
many turn away in displessure from the
''trOubler of Israel" This is to cry "Peace,
when there is no Peace" These matters
cannot be settled in this way. If the Bible
is not inspired lin the Old,fashiOned sense)-
inspired in every thing wherein it under
takes to speak,-then who shall draw the
line If Moses uttered falsehoods, then why
not David, and Paul? 1t does not do to say
that Moses was not inspired to teach science;
the point is that he was inspired not to teach
falsehood. When we ascertain his meaning,
then his authority stands or falls with the
truth or the falsity of his declarations. Pc
ter predicts that the world shall be burned
up now if the epistle is genuine, and Science
can prove that this conAsgration cannot oc-
cur, Peter is discredited.
When we approach God for pardon, We
cannot afford to hear of Christ who was
not divine; those who can be satisfied with
Saviour of inferior dignity, do not belong
where We belong; and the line must be
drawn clear and plain. When We are in.
vited to nationalist away the miracles of the
Old Testament-the Flood, the Plaques Of
Egypt, tho cleansing Of Naaman, and the
ike,-we feel that this involves also an elm.
ination of the miracle from the New Tesla.
ment; and that, in fact, nothing at all is
left Us that we can trust in. The Broad
Churchman may not sweep the whole away
in this downright manner; but he diScredits
this and that ibis own pleasure Determining
until we have really very little faith left in
any part of the record.
The denial of the plain declarations of
Scripture with regard to the duration of fu-
ture punishment is based on abstract con-
sideration5 of the benevolence of the Deity /;
we cannot permit the construction of the
Bible to be conducted in this way all We
insist on is that the line shall be drawn.
In other words, to come to our conclusion,
we believe in doctrines as the foundation of
Christian life. Without doctrines, that is
opinions, We can not move at all in Philoso-
ply or Religion. The fundamental doctrines
must be held to as the very sheet-snChOr of
the Church. Toey should be clearly defined,
and reSolutely insisted on. Here is the glory
of our Southern Presbyterian Church; where
in the vide world, in this, or in any past
age, has any Church existed with SOunder
theology May We hold it May we guard
it ssoredly as the Hebrews guarded the Ark !!
May We defend it, and resist on all occasions
every beginning towards the relaxing or
modifying of our fundamental beliefs Take
these doctrines away, and they take away our
Faith-our HOpe-Our all.
THE DISPLACEMENT of Theology comes