The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-06-02
EVOLUTION AND THE CHURCH.
u" Earnest Consideration of the Subject In th,
General Assembly orthe Southern Prcsbytcrinus

Presbyterian Church recently in session
ut Augusta, Ga, had under considered
the subject of evolution III its relations
to orthodox Christianity. The commit
tee to whom tho matter was referred
made the following report, signed by
nine out of the thirteen members:
"To the several ovcrturcs on the sub
Ject to the evolution of man. sent up bv
the Presbyterics, the General Assembly
return answer as follows: Tho Church
remains Mt this time sincerely coprinced
that the Scriptures, as truly and, uthor-
itatively cXpomdcd in the Confession of
Faith and 'Catcchism, teach that Adam
and Eve were created, body aud soul, ~
the immediate acts of the Almighty pow
er, thereby preserving a perfect race
unity. That Adams body was directly
fashioned by Almighty God, without any
natural anim;i parentagc of any kind,
and OF matter previously created Of moth
ing, and that any doctrine nj vnriancc
herewith is II dangerous error. inasmuch
as III the methods of Interpreting Scrip
turc 1T must dcmand, and in the consc
qnenccS which, by fair implication. it
will involve, it will lead to the denial of
doctrines fundamental to the faith.
Geo. ID. Armstrong, chairman. Vim
f. jenkins, r. *. Smoot, G. b. Stricken.
]" c. Nass, A. n. Hollifcld, NJ. Won
Lear, Il. j. Fulton, d. y. Kennedy"
The minority presented The FOLLOWING
report:
"Ihc undersigned, members of voul
committee on ovcrturCS on evolution.
would recommend the appointment of a
special committee to draft II pastoral let
ter to th" Churches and Prcsbytcrics of
the Assembly, cmbodying the following
points:
- \ recognition of the alarm and I'M
eaSinesS pcrvading the Church ON account
ot the evolution discussion, and that this
alarm and uncasincss are not upfp,ndcd.
50 An intimation Of our loyHy TO the
symbols, as tnc correct intcrpPfntiou q
inc holy Scriptures, and dctck ,inatio1v
to defend them against any mtcrpositi9
which would mar the historic sense or
contradict any traditional doctrine of our
faith
''3 The original application o. the
doctrines contained therein belongs TO
the Prcsbytcrics, and the Assembly con
SldcrS them competent for their fmc
ton; neither would it usurp or forcstol,
this function, or hamper q n, its per
iormnncc, by granting II ii Icsi de
ilrcr'nccs which could ,tlsnma cd into
an anticipatory exposition thu Nv, but
could not be of binding [ G. \
81 The Assembly asa $ its prcsbv
tcrics that the highest Nourt of the
Church will be ready at the proper time
to uphold and endorse any judicial action
OF the prcsbytcrics founded on the CON
stitutional law of the Church"
This report was signed by the Rev.
Wm Finn, the Rev. +. l.. Fcre1ytn.
the Rev. T. f. Smith and Ruling TMcr
V. II. Henderson.
The Rev Mcssrs. VIM. Flim/ Id +.
+. Smith presented the folowI addi-
tlonal minority report:
eve the undersigned, members of the
special committee on evolution, recon-
mend that the General Assembly decline
to make n dclivcrancc ON the subject
because the answer which is invoked bv
these ovcrturcs, if granted, would violate
our constitution (Notc Confession of
Faith, chapter 81, paragraph 4)
Second. Because the Word of God.
us interpreted by our standards. gives
the faith OF the Church.
"Third. Because before one of our
lower Courts concrete case is pending
involving the matters Of those ovcrnrcs.
The matter was discussed quite at
lcngtln-two days being consumed in the
debate.
The motion was then put that the mi
norty report be substituted for the ma
lomty report, but it was lost. 1t was
moved that the vote be next taken on the
majority report and that the yeas and
nays be called and recorded Adopted.
The roll was called and resulted in vote
OF l31 yeas to l3 nays So the majority
report was adopted.
OTHER MATTERS.
The following resolution was offered
by the committee on foreign correspond
cncc:
Resolved, That tie committee appoint
ed to confer with similar committee of
the Gcncnl Assembly Of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America
Tor the purpose of arranging for cen
tJnnial celebration, shall also constitute
the Committee Of this Assembly for carry
ing out such arrangements.
DIR. Richardson read letters from col
Iegcs in the different Presbytercs as to
their conditions, which show them to be
rather short Of funds
DIR. Smoot said that they should cdu-
cate their boys to be ministers that if
they had no ministers there could be no
church. Fathers should press upon their
sons that the great object in this life is
not to make money, but to glorify God.
The afternoon was spent in discussing
the report of the committee on theologi-
pOl gnminorira which I. ae r,ll,,,o.