Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-15
NUMBER 3.

/ tive audaeity, and insisting that theology,
like science and philosophy, shall deal
only with what can be accurately known
L demands the rigid application of the
Baconian method, in which facts are the
groundwork of theory 1t demands sim
| pier creed, but it wants creed. and it
wonid repudiate any creed which lacked
/ the quality of comprehension. The time
has come when it should be freely recog-
nized that modern criticism is at heart
/ reyerent and Christian, not flippant, athe-
/ lstlc, and anti Christian How serious.
then, IS the breach between modern cult
uEe and current orthodoxy? To me, at
least, 1t seems to be thin and vanishing
line; and the hope Of a eoaleScence in the
near future appears to rae we'll founded. 1t
| cannot be otherwise. For reason seeks the
truth, and ali truth is sacred, binding upon
human conduct; while Christianity is the
religion of holiness, and the germinant
! energy III holiness is veracity, truth
seeking, trCth-loying, truth-compelliug
temper"
The CbristidR Union says: "Dr. Patton,
the President of Princetown, who has been
| rather the leader of the auti-reyisionists,
has shown both Christian grace and polit-
| zeal wisdom-the two are oftener identical
| than either politicians or Christians sup
pose-and, by gracefully yielding to the
demand for revision, has secured for HIM
| self and the conservatives whom he repre-
sents an important influence in detern,in-
ing what the revision shall be. Whether.
| IN the phrase quoted above Reformed and
'Calvlnistc are TO be regarded as svno-
| nyms, and, If not, which should interpret
| the other, might be doubtful and difficult
question for an impartial Judge TO decide;
but it is nearly certain as anything can be
that the present movement will result in a
revision OF the old creed, not in a new
one as a substitute for it, nor in a new sub
scription, and that no changes will be
| made in The revision which cannot secure
| practically the unanimous approval of the
church-that is none which make the
| creed, In the fundamental declaration of
an absolute divine sovereignty, less Calvin
lstlc than II Is now. Indeed, the adoption
| by the Assembly of the report of another
committee, providing that no changes
shall be made in the Confession OF Faith
without the approval of two-thirdS of the
| preshyterles, Is a guarantee to the conSery-
atives against any radical changes. 1t is,
indeed, true that the Assembly has, by a
large majority, provided for second COM
mittee TO prepare, in cooperation with
other Reformed Churches, short creed
containing the essential articles Of the
! Westminster Confession; but. even il srich
creed is prepared and made, as sUg-
gested, a common symbol for work IN
mission fields, it is not likely, except by a
! gradual process, to take the place the more
| distinctively Calvinistic creed of the Pres
byterian Church. In short, there is little
prospect that out OF this movement there
| will come forth at present anything ap-
| proxlmatlng an ecumenical creed: and,
| whatever larger liberty the revision NAV
! give within the Presbyterian Church, or
whatever it may do to redeem the creed
| of that church from obloquy, nothing short
| of an ecuusenical creed, or movement
/ which at least looks in that direction, can
| have any very vital interest to the men,
! bers of other than the Presbyterian COM
! munion."
The Observer tPres.) says: "Those mem
bers of the Assembly who had been most
| strenuous in opposing any revision what
ever, stated that they acquiesced in this
experiment because it was the wish of the
| majority, and one of them declared with
| trankness that was received with great
| good humor that he consented because he
did not believe the experiment would he
successful. General consent, however,
was secured only by reason Of the extreme
| caution with which the committee is ap-
| pointed, restricted and instructed in re-
gard to their work. Though it was con-
| stantly repeated during the discussions,
| by speakers on both sides of the issue, that
the majority OF presbyteries for revision
was large, IL did not seem to be remem-
! bereo that there was no large majority for
any specific revision. This large majority
included an extraordinary variety of sug-
gestions relating to different matters. 1t
| might have been much larger without
having any preponderating weight in re-
| gard to any one change proposed. But one
of the changes most discussed secured the
approval of scarcely one halfof the preshy-
teries. Only one other approached this
number, the one relating to elect Infants
| In respect to the charges most desired, the
F! presbyteries were evenly divided. Under
these circumstances it was wise that every
step should be taken with all possible con-
! sideration for differences of opinion. Much
g. tiiC NiiuiSu duN! TIC NbIlu tHlSN Tue eN-
citement Of absorbing discussion and i'm
portant issues, there is universal ex-
preston of relief and qualification at the
conclusion of this effort to provide for re-
vision. 1t is now in the hands OF those
| whom the Church has called and instructed
| IN regard 20 their duty Their work when
finished will be considered by another Gen
eral Assembly. If that Assembly approves
1t will be sent to the presbyteries, where it
will be agtin considered If two-thirds Of
them approve il will be returned to an
other General Assembly. If that Assembly,
approves it will be enacted and become a
part OF the Confession of Faith Mean
while it is to be hoped that the min5 of
this great Church is not to be absorbed
and agitated by The discussion OF differ
ences in theological opinion. Such dis
cussions are useful in arousing attention
and stimulating inquiry. But continued
toe long, they exhaust the energies of the
Church and impair its powers"