The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-05-19
A LONG HEAD
by Rev. N. Nj.
Long, Formerly of
Pulaski,
In Running the Gauntlet Of a Pres
byteral 1nquisition at Memphis.

The following is the full report Of
the examination of Rev. Nicholas NJ
Long at Memphis, which occupied two
sittings OF the Memphis Presbytery
week before last. We gave last week
the reasons that induced the trial. II
seems he incurred the envy of some OF
the preachers of the Bluff City whe
were seeing themselves eclipsed by this
profound young divine and uponl his
being called to the pastorate of Park
Avenue Church, they took occasion to
beiabor him numerically in vain at
tempts to establish their assertions OF
his heterodOxy, but he meets their as
saults with a calm and thoughtful expo
sition of doctrine that overwhelms his
assailants with confusion and estab-
fishes his orthodoxy: We copy from
the Memphis Appeal:
Mr.. Long presented his letter to the
presbytery of Memphis from the Pres
bytery Of Columbia, and was called to
the stand to undergo an examination
upon "a experimental religion, (2) on
theology, and (3> on church govern
ment. The examination on the first
subject was conducted by Rev. John S.
Park, who, by few simple questions,
brought out christian experience that
was unanimously voted satisfactory.
Then DR.. Stedman, of Memphis, was
called upon to conduct the examination
on systematic theology. DR.. Stedman
called upon Brother Daniel to lead in
the examination; but Brother Daniel
declined and the venerable doctor be-
gan as follows:
DIR. Stedman- How was man created ?
+ Mr.. Long-He was created in the i'm
age of God, in knowledge, righteous
ness and true holiness.
Q--What do you mean?
Mr.. Long said substantially that
mans knowledge was like Gods in
kind, but not in degree; the word
righteousness in the original means JUS
tice-the disposition to do that which is
right. True holiness means purity Of
soul.
Q-How long did man retain his first
estate?
A. Until he fell.
Q-Do you know how long this was !?
A--No sir.
Q--How did man fallP
A-By disobedience to God.
Q-What was the effect of the fall
upon man?
Ale was brought into state of sin
and misery, viz, the disposition to re-
bel against Gods law; spiritual death,
and the necessity of physical death.
Q--How is man redeemed?
A--By the blood of Christ.
Q-How are the benefits OF the re-
demption applied to man?
Dxrf fl1o
Holy Ghost, under which man repents
of sin, believes in Jesus Christ and per-
seVeres in holiness. fEtE
Q--For whom did Christ die?
A--For the world. t
Q-For the whole world 2"
A--Yes, sir.
O--Did Christ die as our substitutes
A--Yes, sir.
Q--W hat proof have you of this?
A He bore our sins in his own body
on the tree.
Q--Whose sins?
A-The sins of the world.
Q--Do you mean to say that Christ
made full satisfaction for the sins of
the whole world9
Ale made an adequate satisfaction,
Q--What are the DEGREES of God
A--The DEGREES of God are what He
mines shall be done.
Q-What are the effects of Gods de-
crees upon man?
Al do not think j understand you.
DIR. Stedman then repeated his qaes-
ton, with little more emphasis, in the
same words, and got the same answer
as before.
Q-Leaving out of consideration the
rest of the universe, do Gods DEGREES
embrace everything that man does
A--No, sir, think not. The distinc-
,tion, think, is properly made between
the positive and permissive DEGREES of
God. l do not believe that the Al
mighty positively DEGREES the sins of
any man.
.Q--Did God decree to save some men ?
Ayes, sir.
Q-Whom did He decree TO save?
A--All who believe in Jesus Christ
Mr.. Daniel here asked permission TO
interpose question, and then Mr.. Dam
iel led off with several.
Q-What is the basis of Gods. de-
crees?
A--Will the gentleman state his
question more explicitly?
Odd God decree that those who be-
lieve in Jesus Christ should be saved be-
cause BE foresaw that they would be-
lieye or because of His sovereign good
pleasure?
Al will say, Mr.. Moderator, that the
basis OF the DEGREES of God in regard to
the elect is His own infinite love. The
basis of His decrees in regard to those
who are lost is their own sins alone.
Q-What is yeur view of repro baton
Al have Just stated that the only
ground of reprobation IS the sins OF the
reprobate.
Q--What sins?
A-The sins of which they are guilty.
Q--Do you mean their actual trans
gressions or the guilt of Adams sin?
A--Their actual transgressiOns.
Q-Do you believe in the doctrine OF
imputation?
5 Al do in a certain sense.
OIL merely ask this question in order
to get at your view in regard to the
atonement. Is the guilt of Adams sin
imputed to us?
A--There are three different views
held by as many different schools in our
church on this doctrine of imputation.
The first is that of the Princeton school,
which is that Adams sin is sin passed
Immediately to us, and as the penalty of
that guilt an evil nature is inflicted
upon us--that is to say, we are each one
of us personally held responsible for
Adams sin as Adam was himself. This
view l utterly repudiate. The second
view is that held by DIR. Dabney, of
Union Seminary, which is that there is
such natural and such a federal con-
nect1on between Adam and his poster
ity that, i'm consequence of his sin, they
are found in the same position in ma
ture and under the law as he occupied
after his sin. To this view have no
particular objection, but l am inclined
to hold rather the view of DR.. II. j.
Breckenridge, and even of John Calvin,
to-wit: that simply in consequence of
the universal law that like must produce
like, we come into the world with an
evil nature. That is to say because that
we belong to the genus of which Adam
was the head. We inherited his moral
and spiritual qualities just as we inherit
his physical nature. And while there
is federal connection it is based entire
ly upon the natural relation. / reject
the doctrine of immediate imputatiOn
upon the ground that it would be unjust
in God to hold me personally response
BILE for the act of another individual.
For instances we can plainly see that
God would have. no right by an arbi-
trary decree to make Gabriel the fed