Evening journal., 1890-10-22
BALTIMORE SYNOD.
The Representative Presby-
terrain Body in Session.
THE OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

COnvenes in Central Church Last Even
ing-Dr. w. w. simontoA's Opening
sermon-PrelimiRary Business-This
Mornings session-Prssbyteris1 Re
INSTRUMENTATION Reoeiyed-Dr
Gibbons Talks on the Work of the
Preedmen's Board.
The Thi1ty-sixth Session of the Pres
byterian Synod of Baltimore held it's first
meeting last evening in Central Church
A large congregation was present, most
of the people being the delegates and
| beautifully decorated with flowers.
On the platform were seated DR.
Simonton, moderator of the synod; DR..
William E, Logan, Of Dover, and s. w.
Reigart, of Salisbury, Nd In front Of
the pulpit were large vases filed with
various kinds of flowers. In the rear
were large potted palms and ferns.
| = The program OF the evenings religious
services began with singing of the
hymn 20, Come, Let US Sing to the
Lord, by the choir.
! After this DR.. Simonton invoked the
were about to be conducted The seven
tieth hymn was sung by the congrega-
| ton. Rev w. II. Logan of Dover read
the first Scripture lesson from Corin-
thians 3 15,
The Rev. s. w. Reigart offered the
prayer after the Scripture reading.
The choir then sang ''My Faith Looks
Up to Thee.
(. W
The interesting moderator of the
synod, Rev. w w. Simonton, delivered
the opening address of the snyod. He
chose his text from Timothy BIS "Hav
ing form Of godliness, but denying the
power thereof; from such turn away"
de exhorted the congregation to turn
away from those who have ceremonies
and forms Of godliness or piety, but are
really impious.
BE said: 1t is not the grosser forms
of this impiety to which we call atten
tion. 1t is the form and ceremony Of
piety to which we take exception. He
| here said that all heather religions
whether ancient or modern were all ex
/ ternal and mono were helpful to the be-
levers ia them.
1T is with Journalism that we have to
4
bat inwardly. What is meant by form
alism? 1t is the tendency OF the mind to
| rest on form and ceremony and to paw no
attention to the substance OF religion.
| The Journalist has the profession of
religion, but has not the reforming.
cleansing power This he abjures and
says is upattainsble He practically de-
MES that there are such things. He says
that q formula of worship is wor
ship In harmony with his be.
lief he attends the forms of
worship in Gods Church. Do not
wholly reject form, for rejection of
form is mostly rejection of substance
The trouble with the Journalist is not
that he has too much form, but that he
has too little substance. Journalism
deals wholly with the external. IL looks
at the natural part, while the Word Of
God looks at the supernatural. 1t sub
atitutss q place at the communion table
| for fellowship with Christ The cause
of this as with all wrong is to be referred
to the depravity of the human heart.
The Journalists performance of reliq-
| ioCs duty is q round of forms. They do
not question their religion They have
place in the church visible They think
they are good Christians because they
hear the word of the preacher. How
likely is it that such people will be led
away from Christianity It is not that
we must obey the law TO the letter, but
we must do more shan this. Do we long
for and pray for Christi Do we pray to
God in manner and desire to have our
prayers answered.
Principle of Form aIism.
What is the principle underlying for
malism? There seems to be two forces,
Man In natural state is a religious be-
ing. Every race and tribe has some re-
| ligion, however crude it may be. In
civilized countries the religion is Of high
order, while the uncivilzed have crude
nature worship. Man therefore would
worship God If let alone Then there is
the other force. This is an earthly force
| purely natural, carnal, which draws away
| the heart from God What is the re
sult2 Why the form of religion is fol-
| lowed while the substance is denied
Satans opportunity comes here to draw
away the persons. He is aware that he
cannot make them give up all religious
worship and knowing this he leads
| them to follow the form of worship
while really they do not believe in 1t.
These become but tools of Satan, and
multitudes Of people, alas, wearing the
livery Of God, are really owned BY Satan.
To throw off this Journalism expiation
must be made besides repentance A
truly pious man may use form, but he
goes farther than this. Journalism teaches
that form, ceremonies make Christian,
but the Word Of God says that we must
go farther than that. Faith and unbeliei
are not more diAmetrically opposed than
are Journalism and Christianity Formed
ism is q result of human nature. It Il
in every denomination, but is more
strongly felt in some. Man loeketh on
the outside but God looks internally and
sees not the fern but the substance.
The synod Constituted.
The congregation sang Praise Wait:
in Zion, Lord for Thee" Moderator w
w. Simonton then constituted the synod
with prayer The permanent clerk Their
called the rsll beginning with the Pres
bytery of Baltimore and followed by the
PresbYtery Of New Castle and Washing
ton and Virginia
The following elders responded to New
Castle Presbytery;
First Church of this city. DR. R. ].
Mckay; Hanover Street Church, w. M.
Pyle, Central Church, DR.. l.. p. Bush
Rodney Street, William NJ Candy
0livet Church, David McHenry; West
Church, Charles Baird; the church at
New Castle, DR.. David Stewart; Middle
town, J. B Deakyne; Dover, r. M.
Jones; Red Clay Greek, George Klair
West Nottingham, Joseph M. Tosh.
Election of Officers.