The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-28

word as interpreted in our standards"
Lastly, DR.. Girardeau's view of the
"private judgment" clause of the resolu-
tions of 1880, is curiously inconsequent
and untenable. lie admits the right OF
private judgment as sacred right Sc
cured to her members by all the tradi-
lions of our Church, but he insists that it
is subject to the limitation that deliv-
erance IN theSt not contrary to the word
may put an end to it, and that such de-
lverance, by virtue of its own authority,
will subject the resisting individual mem
Der of the church to church censure or
penalty, no matter how much private
Judgment he may exercise on the sub
Jeet. Now, this is the qltinteSSence of
popery, and is certainly not what the
resolution of 1880 means. We must cease
to deal with distractions about this mat
ter. A concrete case properly posted,
will illustrate it and show where DIR. Cir
ardeau's doctrine would land as Let us
suppose that, in an evil day, our General
Assembly should follow the example of a
Conference of the Northern Methodist
Church, and should make deliverance
an theSi to the effect that the act of smok-
ing or chewing tobacco is disciplinable
offence in minister. Some minister has
backbone enough to exercise his right of
private judgment" on the point, and
continues to smoke his pipe daily. Of
course, if the deliverance be authorita-
tive In DR.. Girardeau's sense, that is in
the sense of being law or sound inter
probation of law, then this obstinate min
lister must be disciplined. Accordingly,
charges are tabled against him for VIC
lating thiS deliverance, He defends him
self by pleading that the right of private
Judgment" is reserved to him and that,
according to his private Judgment,
smoking tobacco is not forbidden by "the
word as interpreted by our standards.
" All but, says DR.. Girardeau, at is for
hidden by the deliverance IN thesi of the
General Assembly which is authoritative
as an Interpretation of law, and therefore
your right of private Judgment is lin
tied by the right of the Presbytery to
convict you" OF course therefore, on
his principles, the unhappy smoker must
be convicted, and censured or suspend
ed Thus, the reductio ad a6Sardatna
annihilates his argument.
1t is vain to attempt to shut our eyes
against the abyss of ruin to which some
are seeking to urge cur Church. Hap
PLY, thus far, they have failed, for the
action of 1880, ambiguous and objection
able as it is, does not carry our Church
one step beyond the wise and considerable
action of 1879. And it is fortunate also
that even if these agitators should sue
coed in getting some weak and incom-
petent General Assembly to recede from
the high and scriptural ground of 1879,
and to declare in express terms that the
General Assembly has right and power
by" deliverance IN theSi to make laws.
such action would not give such right
and power. 1t would be "atLtra vires"-l
a mere empty dictum-not binding either
on subsequent Assemblies or on any lower
court or any officer or member of the
Church. If the Supreme Court of the
United States were to declare by an entry,
solemnly adopted and put on its records,
that it had right and power to make laa0s,
1T would excite the derision and con-
tempt of every citizen. But the pro-
visions of the constitution which deny
the law-making power to the judiciary,
are not more distinct than those of the
Holy Scriptures and the standards of our
Church which deny all law-making pow
ers to the Church and confne it to God
who alone is Lord of the conscience"
Whenever the end of these agitators is
actually reached, and, in our organic law,
a provision is inserted, giving to the Gen
eral Assembly right, by deliverance
IN theS5, to extend law by Interpretation
beyond the word as construed by our
then the rock-foundation of
our Church will have been blasted and
split asunder, and she will fall.
r. r. H.