The sun., 1890-01-21
DAMNATION THEIR THEME.
TEE NEW FORK PREsBYTERH WARM
ING TO ITS WORB.


wit, Not Always Too Reverept, Plays
About the Ancient Debate on Free win,
Fixed Fate. Foreknowledge Absolute"
The New York Presbytery held yesterday
In tho lecture room Of the Scotch Church In
west Fourteenth street the flrst OF series OF
sessions set apart for the consideration OF the
report OF DIR. Hastingss committee which
taxes foreordination TO damnRton. and other
unpleasant things, out OF the Westminster Con
fesstQn. There was large attendance OF
cler2ymen. and good many theological stu
| dents were also present The Rev. Il, Il. Sam
pie was Moderator.
DR.. Hastings took tho floor in bohalf OF the
| report OF his committee After referring to the
changes In the Confession which were advised.
he said tho committee had thought the harsh,
unchartable statements about the Roman
Catholic Church and the declaration as to the
six days creation should be changed although
1t had not so advised. On tho revision OF the
Confession, he said As Presbyteries have been
heard from. Of which % have voted In favor OF
1t: l.l99 ministers, representing 177270 church
members, have voted Yes" and 4g8 minis
ters, representing 70.96s have voted NO"
The Rev. DR.. Paxton then told OF n dog being
sent 10 railway station to he forwarded as
freight and the baggagemaster asking where
he was to 60 Il don't know" was the answer.
and he don't know. Hos OF UP his tag and
nobody knows"
This whole revision" continued DR.. Pax
ton, " Is eating up our tag. and IL you eat up
that old Confession, and mntilate 1t, as this
report does, you won't know where you're
going
Dr. Paxton went on to argue that the rerort,
by leaving In the third chapter OF the Confes-
sion the declaration that God foreordains
whatsoever comes to pass, and cutting out the
rest, set forth that God ordainS some things
put not others; that he ordans the. good things,
ne said. Reprobatioh and election 90 to-
gether; and to put one In and leave the other
out holds us Ut to rldcue"
After denouncing the report as a surrender
to Arm!nianism, he quoted Pauline texts in
T9rr iay9r 81 Caivnism,s pet doctrines and then
p more OF Paul than Jesus in Calvinism;
But II YOU turn from Paul to Jesus. you will
leap ont of the frying pan into the ilre.,h
Dr. Paxton then quoted texts from the Cos
nels which. he asserted, supported tho doc
trine OF damnation. and said of the seventeenth
chapter of John that there was scarcely verse
IN IL IN which the doctrine was not taught
As he had appealed to Dr. Schaff's COM
mentary IN support OF ST. Paul being a Cal
whist, that ecclesiastical historian said:
Whatever may have written or printed in
the Bible taught tho preiestination OF men to
saGes sinsy. You can make the Very truth lie
by giving hut, part OF, it. Christ may not have
prayed for. the whole world in the chapter
when he, was dying. on the cross. IA. voice:
Thon they were Of the elect" and shocked
laTShtieT II they are we needn't he afraid for
Or. SchaT quoted texts sustaining his views,
and said OF this sentence. God hatod Esau."
which occurs eight times In the Confession.
OF his creatures made In his own mageY What
would we say OF an earthly father who hated his
children before they were born Z"
The discussion will be continued to- day and
until the subject ID disposed OF.