New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-16

t.de. have bean left 4 prey TO more powerful neigh
bors.
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH.
The same principles apply the different branches
Of the Church Of Christ They. In IKE manner. nA.e
their organizations their life. their chsfae'ef anu 'neI
mission. Some Of them have been endowed win more
gfts and graces than others favored with bctcr heos
usefulness. and granted more favorable opportunities
for doing good. For this reason IL is frequently sao
that this that denomination Is well h''ea oy e anu
opportunities TO prosecute given work. Accepting '"e
~ true call your attention TO the privileges and con-
sequent obligations Of the Presbyterian Church Nouce
l. Some Of her special privileges 1t must be conceded
Of course that large number OF the gifts OF the Spirit
are shared alike by all denominations 1t would be an
unwaranted assumption 10 claim that even the special
privileges shall mention are nonopolfed oy the fres'
byterian Church. The utmost can alege is that she
possesses than her sister churches
Among the special privileges. may mention:
First government more in keeping with the teach
Scripture than that OF any other branch OF the
Church The highest authorities in ecclesiastical history
teach that the only government known to the Jews In
Church or State the representative the Preby-
teria The Temple with its officers and services, was
almost wholly symbolic Their parish church WAS the
synagogue In It. and not In the Temple. the people
stately assembled for religious worship Its officers
were the Bishop. the angel and the edenthe repre-
Of the people, Upon these devolved the duty
Of conducting the devotons. the instruction and the die
cipine Of members The at Jerusalem
largely court Of appeals where injustice and wrongs
caused through inadverence, Ignorance or Partially
rectned Nowhere is 1t recorded that the people
were called together Church In the State settle
disputes dispense equity to at variance
done both by the elders the legally
appointed representatives Of the people
A CLpAR.cuT AND scRIPrURAL CREED.
The special privilege Of the Presbyterian Church
is clearcut strong and Scrpural creed Notwithstand
ing Objectionable passages the alleged incorrect In
terpretatons Scripture and the Questionable philosophy
Of three paragraphs in our Standards they are
marvel of skill and dialectic acumen. They have been
Justly classed among the best specimens extant Of
clear thought and coeent reasoning They were prepared
in troubous times for the Of uniting in one church
all the Christians Of Great Britain and Ireland Every
heated In the fires Of controversy and forged
into gold not only BY the best heoogans Of the
Church. also by the abest statesmen Of both Houses
Of Parliament The Shorter Catechsm has been pro.
nounced by many who have had sympathy with Its doc
trines the best compend Of scptura truths this world
ever
The Standards not only clearcut but exceedingly
strong. They based largely Gods sovereignty.
sovereignty. however implies arbitrarness
injustice but such aliases the proud and
the lowy God represented In every part Of them dis
closing His eternal purpose and summoning them to
be co.workers with Him in It's execution BY this means
He the weakest to know that mghter energy than
Is breathing Its potency through all their
efforts He them feel that they erded with
strength which other system Of doctrine furnish
the shadows Of danger fill their heart with alarm as
afforded in this Greed that evil befaD
without their Fathers permission When they be-
frutesness of their toll they told that every
sincere effort however destitute Of visible results is
predestinsted step necessary antecedent to some
blessed end When they march to the subugaton OF the
world to Christ they know that they shielded by
panoply nvunerate and nerved by energy more
nvincble that furnished In other confession OF
faith When they forced to face the fires OF Smith
field mnge in the Of St. Bartholomew they
the satisfaction Of knowing that they are Immortal
until their work earth Is ended.
1t Is loudly proclaimed IN these days that the doctrines
Of Standards destitute Of the breathngs Of Gods
love. This is largely true. The tender phase OF the
Divine character not clearly set forth 1t ought u
be in this age But must not be forgotten
that the Church. like the Kosnos has been undergoing
evolution from her nfante days to the present
time Every period Of her history has had its special de-
veopment AS in the earlier formations OF the earth we
and more OF mness and desoatons OF the rocks
than Of the and beauty of organic fe so In
the establishment Of the Protestant faith we find more OF
the sovereignty God and Of the struggles after freedom
Of confidence than Divine love and the beauty Of
fraternal feelings.
STRONG TRUTHS OF CALvrNIsM
Delicate carvings the lily be put the top Of
the pillar pedestal that is to bear the heavy weight
must be firm and massive. Grace and truth came by
Jesus Christ those lovely qualities could have come
only after way had been prepared for them by hs
sterner qualities Of the law which came by Moses Inc
sweet proclamation Gods fatherhood and love for the
doctrines of His sovereignty which gained FOR Che
nations the civil and religious liberty they new
enjoy The strong truths Of our Calvnistc creed are not
to upon therefore, monstrostes but as neces
sary antecedents nder and more lovable doctrines
The bark Of them as another has said, us
acknowledged to be rough the stem gnared. and the
boughs twisted here and there into knoy shapes OF I'M
graceful strength But 1t must be remembered that they
are not willow wand Of yesterday. These boughs.
though they the Of Calvin have wrcsted with
the storms of nearly thousand their stem has
been wrcathed by red lightning and SCARED by the
and all over their rough rnd are the marks OF
tho bateaxe and the bullet. They have not the plant
grace and the silky sofness Of greenhouse plant but
they majesty above grace and grandeur beyond
beauty Their roots strangely contored but some OF
them are casped around the stakes Of the martyrs many
Of them are hidden in solitary cells and lonely Libraries
where deep thinkers unused and prayed in some
apocac Patrnos and their great taproot runs back.
not to the Of Geneva, but to the Man OF Sorrows
until twines in living, loving embrace around the
Cross OF Calvary"
These doctrines have out Of Gods word In
such way as forbid the making Of any essential
changes in them without doing violence to that Word
The Standards declare with the great Apostle that al
have sinned and short Of the glory Of God" They
tell Lord chose multitude which no man can
number before the foundation Of the world that they might
| be holy and without blame before Him In love- The
ground Of this choice said to be mot OF works lest any
man should boast but by grace are men saved and that
not Of themselves is the gift Of God" They are pre-
destined 10 be conormed to the image Of His Son. that He
might be the first born among many brethren. Their
security is the golden chain whom He did
He also did predesnae TO be conformed to the
image OF His son. and whom He did predestnate them He
also called and whom lie called. them He also justified
and whom He justified them He also goried" There is
here between the foreknowledge of God and the
Qualification Of His people
| CHAMPION OF EDUCATION.
The third privilege the Presbyterian Church Is cham.
| pionship the of education In justice to our
brethren should that they share
with us this honor In early days they were one
with U.S. and ecclesiastical relation was dissolved
they did not abandon old educational policy Both Of
suffered oboquy from sister churches on account OF the
thorough training candidates for the ministry
We accused Of putting manufactured In the
schools and called Of God to preach the gospel 1t
WAS predicted that practice like this. which did away
with the necessity Of the Spirit to give utterance tne
u tln .,.i. oIA hoC b,rch Cnch