The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-28
For the Central Presbyterian.
Once More-"In Thesi."

Once More-"In Thesi."aod
Those who hoped that, by bringing be-
fore the General Assembly of 1880for
revision and, possibly, for amendment,
the wise and carefully digested action of
the Assembly of 1879 good would be
done, have probably ere this, seen some
cause to doubt whether the ''old be not
the better wine" Rev. DR.. Browns
elaborate paper was adopted as memo
rial or overture of East Hanover Presby-
terry, and this, with a number Of other
memorials or overtures tending to the
same purpose, proved sufficient to open
again a subject which ought to have been
considered as definitely closed; and suf-
fcient to toss our Church Ian again on
stormy sea of uncertainty. Nothing
could be more disastrous than such un-
certainty. For, very large number of
persons who love our Church and love
especially the religious freedom which in
spires her policy and doctrines, and who
had hoped that the action of 1879 was
substantially final, find, to their amaze
ment and grief, that considerable ele-
ment within her visible pale is yet rest
lessly agitating this question, and that
some are seeking to establish the propo-
sition that deliverances IN, thesa" ought
to have an authority" which amounts
really to that of laaO Yet, the actual
events of the last Assembly bearing on
this subject ought to be sufficient proof
that the deliverances of 1879 were emf.
nently sound and judicious, and that they
have not been, in the slightest degree
modified, amended, or improved by the
resolutions adopted at the close Of the
long debate of $780, On the contrary
those resolutions do nothing but darken
counsel and cast veil of obscurity over
what was, before, clear and unequivocal.
AS to the question what those resolu-
lions of 1880 really mean, we are to re-
member that by a fixed rule governing
statutory construction, we are absolutely
forbidden to take the opinions of the de-
baters or partisans either on the one side
or the other, as giving any reliable light
on the question of interpretation Such
opinions can do nothing but mislead and
confuse. The resolutions must be inter-
preted according to the plain and natural
meaning of the language used in them !;
and if any technical or historic forms of
language are used in them, then we may
refer to the past for explanation of those
forms. And all parts must, if possible,
be construed consistently with all other
parts; or, If this cannot be done, then the
leading principle and intent must prevail
over other parts and give its force to the
whole
Adopting these well-established canons
of construction, let us look at these reso-
lutions. The first announces the basis
principle that nothing is law, to be en-
forced by judicial prosecution, but that
preted in our standards. This is not
only the leading idea Of these resolutions
but the rock-foundation Of our Church,
without which she would not be worth
preserving and would speedily fall.
The next resolution, after distinguish
ing between deliverances IN thes5 and
judicial decisions declares that both of
these kinds of decisions (namely, the IN
thesj decision and the judicial decision)
are alike interpretations of the word by
q church court, and both not only de-
serve high consideration, but both must
be submitted to, unless contrary to the
constitution and the word, of which wiz,
Of the question whether decision of
church court be consonant to the word as
interpreted in our standards) there is
right of private judgment belonging to
every church court and also 10 eVerg IN
divid1soL church member"
Now, it is obvious to the dullsst com
prehension that if this resolution be held
to mean that decision or deliverance IN
thesj which is consonant to the word as
interpreted by our standards, is to be
submitted to by the individual church
member as binding on his conscience be-
cause Of the simple fact that it is a deliv-
erance Of the General Assembly, then
this part of the resolution is inconsistent
with the first part which declares that
nothing is law to be enforced by Judi
cial prosecution but that which is con-
tanned in the word as interpreted in our