The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-02
EVOLUTION AND THE CHURCH.

The General Assembly of the Southern
Presbyterian Church recently i'll session
at Augusta, Ga, had under considered
the subject of evolution in its relations
to orthodox Christianity. The commit
tee to whom the matter was referred
made the following report, signed b,
nine out of the thirteen members:
'sTo the several overtures on the sub
iect to the evolution Of man, sent up by
the Presbyteries, the General Assembly
return answer as follows: Tie Churcl
remains at this time sincerely convinced
that the Scriptures, as trl y and author
itatively expounded in the Confession O.
Faith and 'Catechism,' teach that Adam
and Eve were created, body and soul, by
the immediate acts of the Almighty pow
Ell, thereby preserving a perfect race
unity. That Adams body was directly
fashioned by Almighty God, without any
natural animal parentage Of any kind
and of matter previously created of moth
ing, and that any doctrine at variance
Herewith is dangerous error, inasmuch
as in the methods of interpreting Scrip
trre it must demand, and in the conse.
quences which, by fair Implication, il
Will involve, it will lead to the denial Of
doctrines fundamental to the faith.
s:Geo. D. Armstrong, chairman; Wm.
| F. Jenkins. r. +. SmOot. G. 3. Stricken.
L. c. Vass. A. n Hollifeld, NJ. Won
Lear, R. B. Fulton, D. n. Kennedy
The minority presented the following
report:
'SThe undersigned, members OF your
committee on overtures on evolution,
would recommend the appointment of a
special committee to draft a pastoral let
ter to the Churches and Presbyteries Of
the Assembly, embodying the following
points:
Fs1 \ recognition of the alarm and un-
easiness pervading the Church on account
of the evolution discussion, and that this
alarm and uneasiness are not unfornded.
go An intimation of our loyalty to the
symbols, as tie correct Interpretation of
the Holy Scriptures, and determination
to defend them against any interposition
which would mar the historic sense or
contradict any traditional doctrine Of our
faith.
s'3. The original application of the
doctrines contained therein belongs to
the Presbvteries, and the Assembly con-
siders them competent for their func
ton; neither would it llsrrp or forestall
this function, or hamper them in its per-
formance. by granting any in thesi de-
livcrances which could be construed into
an anticipatorv exposition Of the law, but
could not be of binding force.
~ The Assembly assures its Presby-
teries that the highest Court of the
Church will be ready at the proper time
to uphold and endorse any judiciabaction
of the Presbyteries founded on the con-
stitutional law Of the Church. %
This report was signed by the Rev
Wm. Finn, the Rev. F. L. Ferguson,
the Rev. T. E. Smith and Ruling Elder
Y. H. Henderson.
The Rev. Messrs. VIM. Finn and F.
E. Smith presented the following addi-
tional minority report:
eve the undersigned, members Of the
special committee on evolution, recon-
mend that the General Assembly decline
to make a deliverance on the subject,
because the answer which is invoked by
these overtures, if granted, would violate
our constitution. (Note Confession Of
Faith, chapter 81, paragraph y
''Second. Because the Word Of God,
as interpreted by our standards, gives
the faith of the Church.
'sThird. Because before one of our
lower Courts concrete case is pending
involving the matters of those overtures. :"
The matter was discussed quite at
length-two days being consumed in the
debate
The motion was then put that the mi
nority report be substituted for the ma
jority 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 a vote
of 1877 yeas to 13 nays. So the majority
report was adopted.
OTHER MATTERS.
The following resolution was offered
by the committee Oh foreign correspond
ence:
Resolved, That the committee appoint
ed to confer with similar committee OF
the Gene1al Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America
for the purpose of arranging for cen
tennial celebration, shall also constitute
the Committee of this Assembly for carry
ing out such arrangements.
DR.. Richardson read letters from col
leges in the different Presbyteries as to
their conditions, which show them to be
rather short Of funds.
DR.. Smoot said that they should edu-
cate their boys to be ministerS-that II
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 reno,t of the committee on theologi-