The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-07-07

ousies and envying and bitter person
alities'
And these lectures, coming after the
editorial in The PROGRESSIVE FARMER,
without any comment, receives to a
great extent the endorsement of the
editor. The General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church, disapproved of
the act of the Board of Trustees Install
ing DR.. B. They did so by a vote Of
440 to go. It was as able and cOnscien-
tious body of men as ever met in
religious assemblage in America, and
not lot of disappointed ecclesiastical
office-seekers. The statement is abso-
lutely false. The question was not
whether there was to be a creed taught
at Union Seminary, but whether it
should be that of DR.. B. or of the Pres
byterian Church. AS she built the
Seminary, endowed it, done mean by
those of her faith) as she is responsible
for what is taught there, and as she
requires Of her professors solemnly to
promise to teach her creed, it seems to
me that the editor of THE PROGRESSIVE
FARMER has arraigned her too severely
for her act.
This crying out against creeds comes
strangely too from an editor of an
organ of the Farmers Alliance AS
Alliancemen we propose to have creed
the Ocala platform-and have men
swear to support it. If they don't, we
say they shall not represent us. That
is just what the Presbyterian Church
says.
If [ am not mistaken, Senator Vance
had to agree to support the Alliance
cree1 in the U. S. Senate, and THE
| PROGRESSIVE FARMER was forward in
the movement requiring it of him. His
terms Of obligation were not more
solemn or binding than those of DR.. B.
! Suppose now he should violate his obli-
! cations, and turn upon the THE Pro
GREssIvB FARMER, and say, You
surely do not propose to strangle free
political discussion, do you? Party
demands poked at representatives
means you want no more light upon
any political question" Would that
be right, after his promise? There is
nothiug, believe, that would please
the enemies of true religion more than
the tone of your editorial and Mr..
Dixon's two lectures.
AS for the hindrances to the final
triumph Of Christianity spoken Of in
the editorial, I will say that one of
them, and no small one, is the spirit
displayed, alas! too frequently by men
in high places in the church-men re-
tanning, or striving to RETAIN ecclesias-
tical Office in violation Of solemn obli-
cations, and then, too, frequently they
are defended in such course of conduct
by those who ought to have discoun-
tenanced it, Those who defend it lead
others to think that they think such
conduct is right.
If the creed of the Presbyterian
Church is cast-irOn, DR.. B. knew it
full well when he was ordained. He
renewed solemnly his promise when he
was installed that he would abide by it
or quit; now he could quit easy enough.
He knew it, and the editor of The Pro
GREssIvE FARMER ought to have known
it. He could be to-day member of
the 10Th Century Club and a full
fedged infdel, and nobody would
strangle him any more than any of the
other members of that Club. They
are not complaining Of strangulation.
| But when there, the church would not
be responsible for his utterances. She
is 11o1U, and conscientiously doesn't be-
lieve she ought to lend her mighty in
fuence to the propagation Of doctrines
that she honestly believes would do
great harm. This is a great big free
country, and DR.. Briggs can find plenty
of room outside Of the Presbyterian
Church to teach what he pleases. The
Presbyterian Church has a right to say
she will not endorse him, and ought to
be allowed to do so without being
arraigned as she has been in THE Pro
GREssIvE FARMER. If this right is not
allowed her, hope replies will always
be in order JNO. @. ANDERSON.
Harrisburg, n G.
I'VE frankly grant spaceto Rev. Mr..
Anderson for his article in defense of
his church. We are panied that any
defense of any church, through our
columns should be made necessary,
especially as against any attack or
charn.ns made in this rnarnr.