The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-14
The General Assembly.

The General Assembly.
The Presbyterian General Assembly meets
tomorrow at Saratoga. and the sessions
which will then begin will be the most i'm
portant in the whole history Of that once
conservative body. The debate over the
question OF revising the Westminster Con-
fession, whether or no any de1nitive conclu-
sion Is reached. will have an influence which
will extend far beyond the bounds Of the
Presbyterian communion itself, reaching to
nearly every part and branch OF Protestant
Ism. It will be the upturning Of Protestant
theology from its very foundations.
The Westminster Confession was formally
adopted by the first General Assembly
held In May, 1888. and for more than a
centuryit has continued without change as
the standard Of faith Of the Presbyterians
its fundamental doctrine has also formed
the basis Of the general Protestant belief.
with variations among the Methodists, and
not until now has there been any concerted
movement from inside to disturb them
1t 10 true that IN 1888 the Presbyterans
divided into two parties, known as the
Old School and the New School; but the
separation was caused by differences as to
tho treatment OF slavery and relations with
kindred Churches. not by any disagreement
es to the formulas of faith, SO that In 1871
they came together again as homogeneous
body of a common faith. The Westminster
Confession continued to be unquestioned In
the General Assembly until within two or
three years. and the first overtures for Its
amendment were SO few that they attracted
little or no attention. But last year the de-
uuddAnlu rtrnDy that tho Nat-
egorical question whether they wished or
did not wish for revision was sent out to all
the presbyter1es. ais In number.
The result is that the great majority,
reaching to nearly two-thirds, have declared
themselves In favor Of altering and Destroy
lng the force Of the doctrines which are the
very pillars of the faith Of the communion.
and have been 30 regarded from the begin
ming These doctrines, as enumerated In the
Independent by Prof. BRIGGS Of the Union
Theological Seminary, who may be called
the prophet of the new theology are repro
baton. the damnation OF infants. the uni
versaI damnstion Of the heather, the state
ment that Roman Catholics are idolRters.
and the statement that the Pope is Anti
christ. In other words, then. they are the
doctrine Of election and the direct or indirect
consequences OF that dogma, the corner
Otone Of Calvinism. which Is simply the
logical declaration that the personal and
omniscient GOD knew before all time what
was to happen during all time and all
eternity. Assuming that there Is salvation
for some and that damnation Is visited on
others OF mankind, the Confession reaches
the conclusion that the all-knowing GOD
knew from the beginning and particularly
designated those who were to be saved and
those who were to be damned. or course,
90 foreseeing, and 80 exercising His I'M
restrained and understandable will, with
out regard to men and their acts, infants no
less than the mature came within the opera
ton OF the law of His sovereign power over
all His creatures, and the heather could
not escape from it.. 1t is simply fatalism,
way Of saying that what is to happen must
happen. whatever men may do or desire.
To get rid OF this terrible doctrine OF
GoD's sovereignty. therefore. the Presbyte-
riHns must completely remodel their belief,
FOR 1t lies at the bottom OF the whole. There
are few articles in the Confession which can
stand without 1t. and they are OF compare
tive insignifcance. Yet the vote on the
question Of revision shows that 1t Is rejected
by the great body OF the denomination as
altogether hateful and as contrary to hui
man reason. They want. and we say it not
irreverently. to reconstruct their COP, and
to mako Him more consistent with their
conceptions OF Justice. They want to limit
Him by the limitations within which
they are bound themselves, as If
He were their creature and not they
His creatures. But how can they do
that and preserve the personality and the
sovereign power of the Almighty, the awful
Ruler Of the universe, whose ways are past
finding out by mortal man How can they
do it without abandoning reprobation alto
gether, as opposed to reason; aud If mans
reason Is to prevail as the limitation, what
becomes of GoD2 Human reason becomes
tho GoD, impersonal and without affections.
Hence it will be seen that the General As
sembly which Is to meet at Saratoga to-
morrow will begin an attack on tho very
foundation Of religion, and will be compelled
by logic to pursue course which leads to
agnosticlsm, or the rejection OF every
theological dogma which docs not stand
the test OF human reason and tally