Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-01-07
Dr.. Leonard Bacon on tho National con5ra
rational Council.

The wisdom with which the late meeting
at st. Louis handled the question about
new Declaration Of Doctrinal Faith Tor Con
sregationalists, and finally disposed al II,
was beyond any reasonable expectation. To
NV mind, there was in all the debates and
proceedings no manifestation of the wisdom
which cometh from above more signal than
what we see in that result. Only those
whose memory runs back for half 4 century
can realize how great a vioeery has been
gained for freedom to search the Scriptures
and for progrcss in theology; victory which
we now see recognized and registered by
great representative assembly of Congrega-
tionalists, gathered from the whole breadth
of the continent. :.
| do not consent TO all that Prof. Mead of
Obcrlin has SAID in his paper, whsSi was
heard with SO much approval at s. Louis
but | thank him heartily for his work in lead
inc the Council to the conclusion that no
seventeenth century formulary can he hon
estly referred to us Il declaration OF what the
Conversational churches now accept for
Christian doctrine or what Congregational
pastors are now expected TO teach. thank
the Council for its recognition OF the TACT
that since the meeting at the Savoy Palace
in 1860; since the New England Synod,
in 1850 since the little Synod at Say
brook, in 1908, more light has
broken forth from the oracles OF God
| thank the Counsel for its testimony that
devout and studious men in this last quarter
of the nineteenth century are more compe-
tent than any divinos Of the seventeenth
century to formulate for us the great truths
of the Christian revelation. Our fathers and
predecessors of two hundred years ago were
compctent 10 make declaration OF what
they believed, with the light which they had
from the Word of God but it was not Tor
them to take away or circumscribe our right
of saying for ourselves VIVA. we believe.
After two hundred years OF study and en-
pcricncc, and of the outpourlngs oil God
spirit on his people, we ought to know more
than our fathers knew; and let the Council
have due credit for saying so.
Nor is the Council less to be commended
for the wisdom OF the method in which II
proposes To obtain new Declaration OF
Faith. 1t seems to have borrowed leai
from the proceedings of the great Plymouth
. Church Council, in Brooklyn. a commits
sion is TO he deliberately selected and ap-
pllllCu DN u " VIM N''N
ell has delegated the duty. The twenty
five commissioners are to represent "dnfer-
cnt shades of thought" in the constituency
of the Council they are TO take as much
time as they find 10 be necessary; and they
are to work, without restriction, in their own
way. If they can agree on Declaration
of Faith whether Of the faith actually
held bv the the churches which are numbered
| in the statistics or of the faith which those
churches ought 10 hold-the work IS done
| The commission need not report its Declara-
ton to the National Council for ratification
or approval. The completed formulary-
whether it he 4 compendium of theology,
| like the Westminster Confession, or SIM
pie creed, Ike that Evolutionary form which
| is ascribed TO the Apostles will pass FOX
what it may be worth ; for it is 10 be pub
lishcd as nothing else than the testimony OF
twenty five men Of picty and ability, wei
vcrscd in the truths Of the Bible, and repre-
seating different shades of thought among
Trintarian Congrrga,ionslisis 1t ca ga, -
| fail 10 be a valuable document and, IKE in'
result of an old fashioned council oil ci'urch
cs. i; will brvc so much force as there Is
] force in the reason Of -IndependtW