Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-03-05
From the N. Y. Herald, March 3rd.
DIR. TALMAGE WANTS A BRAND NEW
CREED
1ubstttufiOn, Not nevlsiOn, Now this
the Westminster Confession II


.
CREED
Substitution, Not a.evlsi0n, Now thai
the Westminster Confession II
kssa1led.
ONLY THE BIBLE TEST REQUIRED
IT BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST" IS A
PLEDGE SUFFICIENT FOR ADMISSION
Or EXCLUSION.
The Rev. DR.. Talmage preached a striking
sermon Sunday morning before a great as
semblage in the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Religious Creeds" was his subject. He boldly
repudiated the Westminster Confession and
kicked over the theological traces of Presby.
forcible in his manner, and his earnest words
created something of a sensation. At times the
congregation burst into applause.
MANY are bound hand and foot by religious
cree g." said the preacher. "Let no man mis-
Interpret me as antagonizing creeds. I have
eight or ten of them-a creed about religion. q
creed about art a creed about social life. creed
about government. and on. A creed Is
something that man believes whether it be
written or unwritten. The Presbyterian church
is now agitated about its creed. Some good
framed from the belief of John Calvin. Other
good men In 1t want revision.
FOR NEW CREED ALTOGETHER
II am with neither party. Instead of revision
I want substitution. !! was sorry to have the
question disturbed at all. The creed did not
hinder us from offering the pardon and the
comfort OF the Gospel to all men. and the West
one minute But now that the electric lights
have been turned on the imperfections OF that
creed-and everything that man fashions is Inn.
perfect-let us put the old creed respectfully
aside and get brand new one.
NOT UP TO THE TIMES.
t. ls
dreds of years ago should fashion an appro
pirate creed for our times. John Calvin was a
great and good man, but he died rs years ago.
The best centuries of Bible study have come
since then. Explorers have done their work
You might as we'll have the world go back and
stick to what robert Fulton snew about
ments in navigation; or go back to John Gut
tenberg the inventor of the art of printing aud
to the time when telegraphy was tue elevating
of signals or the burning OF bOnf1res on the hill
tops and reject the magnetic wire which Is the
tongue of nations. as to ignore all the philolo-
gists and theologians of Tue last 328 years ard
put your head under the sleeve OF he gown OF
sixteenth century doctor. could call the
names. of twenty living Presbyterian ministers
of religion who could make d better creed than
John Calvin. The nineteenth century ought
not to be called to sit at the feet OF the SIX
tenth.
INFANT DAMNATIoN.
"a man who believes In the damnation of
infants himself deserves to lose Heaven. 1 do
not think any good mau could Omit such a
possibility. What Christ will do with all the
babies in the next world conclude from what
he did with the babies in Palestine when he
Rugged them and kissed them When some of
you grown people go out OF this world your
ministers officiating at your obeequies, who
will have to be cautious SO as not to hurt sur
viving friends But when the darling children
go, there are no Ifs or butts or guesses.
I'VE must remember that good John Calvin
was logcian and metaphysician and by the
I'm fortunate way. Logic has its use and meta
physics has Its use, but they are not good at
making creeda.
1.-THE defect in some of the creeds is that they
try to tell us all about the DEGREES of God. Now
the only human being that was ever competent
not have been com petent had he not been In
spired. hhol1eve in the sovereignty of God and
believe in mans free agency. but no one Can
harmOnize the two. 1t Is Dot necessary that he
harmonize them Every sermon that 1 have
ever heard that attempted sucn har monix ttion
was to me as clear as a London fog. as clear as
mud.
my brother of the nineteenth century. my
brother of the sixteenth century, give us Raul's
statement and leave out your own Better one
chapter OF Paul on that subject than all of CAL
wins Institutes, able and honest aod mighty
as they are. Do not try to measure either the
throne OF God or the thunderbolts OF God with
your little steel pen.
"What do you know about the DEGREES? You
cannoi pry open the door of Gods Ell ernal coun.
sells. GU CdQuOGo0pldlu Jus uysJ6f les Vi dOQ
eovernmenG no y, much less the mysteries of
his government 500 quintilliOn of years ago.
THE UNIVERSAL CREED.
Il move for q creed for all our denominations
made out OF Scripture quotations pure and
simple. That would take the earth for God.
That would be impr egnabie against infldelty
and Apol yonic assault. That would be beyond
human criticism. The denomination. what
ever Its name be, that can rise up to that Will
be the church of the millennium will swallow
up eli other denominations and be the one that
Will be the bride when the bridegroom cometh.
81 ct US make 1t simpler and palmer for peO-
Pile to get into the kingdom of God. Do not
hinder people by the idea that they may not
have been elected. Do not tag on to the one
essential of faith in Christ any of the inDumer-
able non essentials. A man who heartily &C.
cepts Christ is Christian and the man who
does not accept Him is not q Christian, and
that is all there is OF 1t.
THE BILE TEST
do not substitute Les 8 which the Bible does
not establish. There is one passage OF Scripture
wide enough to let all in who ought to enter
and to keep out all who ought to be kept out:
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved Got q mans heart right and
his life will De right.
but now that the old creeds have been put
under public scrutiny. something radical must
be done. Some would split them, some would
carve Them, some would elOngate them, some
would abreviate them. At the present moment
and In the present shape they are hindrance
Lazarus IL alive. but hampered with the old
free and unencumbered take of the cerements
of old ecclesiastical vocabulary. Loose her, and
let her got"