The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-16
The New Congregational Greed.

For several years past the Congregation
alists have been at q loss to find out what
they really believed. They are the direct
theological descendants OF the Puritans,
whose Calvinism was OF the most pronounced
sort, and yet Of late q considerable part of
the Congregational ministry and some OF tho
leading theologans of the denomination
have distinctly abandoned their ancestral
faith and taught what was altogether an
tagonistic to it.
Universaltsm, for instance, has gained q
strong foothold among these successors OF the
Puritans. Probation after death has even
been taught by Congregational ministers, or,
at least, they have acknowledged their IA
Torable disposition toward that doctrine,
though 1t was most damnablo heresy in the
eyes OF orthodox Puritanism. Inspiration
and revelation have been explained away in
Congregational pulpits. The old teaching as
to infant baptism has been discarded by some
OF the ministry, and large proportion OF the
denomination seem to regard the christening
Of their children as matter of no essential
Importance.
Councils for the examination Of candidates
for the ministry and for the installation Of
pastors have been vexed by the discovery OF
such heresles, or theological vagaries, and
the evidence has been increasing that doc
trinal unsoundness Is very general among
the younger members of the ministry es-
pecially. 1t has become apparent that the
ConKre2ationallsts are divided into two par
ties, or schools, the one adhering with more
or less tenacity to the old theological stand
ards OF the Westminster Confession, and
the other having no standards OF belief ct
all, but blown by every wind Of doctrine.
Accordingly, at the National Congrega-
tional Council held at st. Louis In 1880, q
commission was appointed to prepare and
publish to the churches Statement OF Doc
trine" It was not to be promulgated as IN
authoritative creed, but as one worthy Of
acceptance, and which should Garry such
weight Of authority as the character Of the
commission and the intrinsic merit OF their
exposition OF truth may command" No
council and no commission could do more
than suggest such articles OF faith, for under
the Congregational polity each separate
church is complete In itself, and not subject
in government to any ecclesiastical authority
outside Of itself.
The system. however. recognizes and on
4OISoo LILO uoC0oSAty VI UNION anu fellowship
among the churches. and since the earliest
days Of the denomination matters OF COM
mon Government" have been delberated
upon In general councils. For instance. such a
council, held at Cambridge In l646, approved
the Westminster Confession OF Faith, and
adopted what Is known as the Cambridge
Platform" wherein standards Of Church pol
ity were established.
The Westminster Confession has, indeed
hitherto embodied the religious beliefs of Con.
Eregationalists. They have been strictly Cal.
whistle. The new creed recommended fol
acceptance by the St. Louis commission
however, so dilutes and transforms the old
Confession that its doctrines are scarcely
recognizable. Yet that commission was
composed Of twcnty-two OF the foremost
theologians OF the Congregst ionalists, and a
large number, II not the majority, represent
the most conservative sentiment Of the do
nomination. In their efforts to steer clear Of
difficulties and avoid discords, they have pro
duced document capable Of varying inter,
pretations. 1t 10 milk and water as compared
with strong meat, beside the Westminster
Confession, on whose doctrines the old falti
OF Congregationalism was built up.
For instance. Article v. Of tho new state
nent OF Doctrine" reads thus:
~ We believe that the Scriptures Of the on s,a Ne,
ssnsss - ~ sssssA q osss ssvsasssas e Hinssa