New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
THE PRESBYTERIAN CREED.
AZ EARNEST PROTEST AGAINST REVISION.

AN EARNEST PROTEST AGAINST REVISION
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: close observation Of the debates on u'o
revision of the WESTMINSTER Confession OF fa',"'
as reported in The Tribune. suggests many inquiries,
] think that those Doctors Of Divinity VINO ih'c's"
SO fercely against that creed had better go h''io
SLOW They are handling edged tools which IS always
more or less dangerous. Among the new bsh''
many profess 70 consider predestinaton stumbling
block. The real question at the bottom OF all Is,
Is predcstinaton scriptgra or IL 1t notf faui
appeared to have no difficulty on this point. Many
appear to think that too ypuch prominence IS gwen
to the Sovereignty OF Gods Is the sovereignty Oh
God" myth, OF is 1t mott II 1t is not myth. why
should II be surred over, rcegatcd To the rear
I, as well as every good Presbye am thanSiui
that God is sovereign, and all that that implies IL
has become somewhat popular nowadays TO try 70
exclude God from being the Great Rner In His own
kingdom According 10 common, old-iashioned
Presbyterian ideas, all Gods attributes are CO.
ordinate and equal lie Is Just. loving ana mcreln
and in His sovereignty these attributes are applied
as His infinite wisdom may direct. No minister
ever finds himself limited by the old Confession in
proclaiming the infinite love Of God as manifested
through Jesus Christ to sinful and erring world
Every Presbyterian minister when ordained volun-
tarly accepts the doctrines laid down In the West
minister Confession, and promises before God ana
man to support and cherish all It's provisions Ihere
is no mental reservation about II. What all that
means we all know. Such being the case cannot
understand how ministers Of that Church can stand
M and publicly state, have DONE that they
never have or never have until lately, read II; or.
having subscribed and taken these VOWS, how they
can assume hostile attitude and want, as some OF
them avow, TO make creed' entirely different.
How can they expect ordinary people TO give their
creed an undivided support while they the leadefS
OF the Church, are doing their best 70 dlscfeas h
Can the Presbyterian Church afford at this tine wheh
sceptic,m Is making its boldest assaults, To- confess
10 the world that IL has been mistaken, ara mas beeh
teaching error for the last 30 years
Much has been said about the spirit OF the tines
and our advanced erudition and scholarship The
latter Is good enough I'm its way. but we all Know
that most of the great which have dealt stag
great and scholastic men. Are We to understand
that the Christian religion changes from age TO age
Because have new such things as telephones
and monographs must we have new doctrines! Our
spirit Of the times" business Many OF them should
know that this legend masks the most insidous as
sallants of the Church. They cannot afford TO change
their base in the face Of the enemy. The progress
crcature' and not tinkering with creeds
The Bible itself contains many things which many
people consider stumbling blocks What is done
Revise TT No. Try TO understand II, but not to
vislng how do they know that their new creed.
won't contain the usual quota OF stumbling blocks
It Is sound philosophy which says, Better far
endure the ills have than fly to others which We
know not Of, n may be that the "new creed. Of
the "new nghtsD will be so inspd and pontess that
IL will contain stumbling blocks" / sincerely
hope that there will be conservative sense enough 10
say, no. Let the old creed alone 1t Is a landmark
which we cannot afford to mutilate or destroy to
suit the progress of the age"
Hoboken, n. j.. Jan. 81, 1890 JOHN REID.