The sun., 1891-06-02
Women and Creeds.


uonal Council. in session at indianapolis,
has sent q telegram to the Presbyterian
General Assembly at Detroit, asking that
women be allowed to have voice in tho
ratification or rejection OF the proposed re-
vision Of the Westminster Confession.
On the face OF 1t. that seems q reasonable
request. The majority Of the members OF
the Presbyterian Church are women. and II
they are not allowed to have their say as to
the creed, they will be forced to believe as
men think, and not as they think themselves
One OF the most important changes made by
the Committee Of Revision. my. the most
important change, concerns tho doctrine OF
the damnation ofinfants, In whom, Of course.
women have the first interest.
As the Confession now is. babies come
under the operation OF tho decree Of election,
and are either saved or damned. according
as they were elected or passed by" by GOD
before all time. That is a logical and an in
evitable consequence Of the doctrine Of cleo
ton. The revision retains that doctrine. and
yet 1t undertakes to leave out infant damna-
ton. because the thought that babies are to
be everlastingly tortured In hell Is inexpres-
sibly shocking to the sentiment Of humanity.
But IT, GoD made the Decree 1t Is OF univer-
sal application.
Tho theory Of the Confession Is that no
body obtains salvation through any desert Of
his own. but simply because he was elected
to 1t. Whatever was decreed. 1t says In
substance, must come to pass. Therefore
the Westminster divines were compelled to
subject infants and adults equally to it's op-
eration.. Tho elect OF every age would DO
saved, and those passed by would go to hell.
whether babies or adults. That must be 50,
II fthe decree was made. OF course the eter-
nal torture Of babies seems especially horri-
BILE. but, really, 1t is no more horrible than
the ceaseless writhing OF damned adults in
the lake OF fire.
JONATHAN EDWARDS was q humane man,
kind and considerate, and yet he declared In
one OF his sermons that the elect Twill rejoice
in seeing the justice Of COP glorified in the
sufferings Of the damned" and the sight Of
these sufferings will heighten their sense Of
the blessedness OF their own state;" for
however the saints In heaven may have
loved the damned while here, especially those
Of them who were near and dear to them
In this world, they will have no love to them
hereafter" "They will sing joyful songs of
praise to GOD" and the sight OF this strict
and immutable justice Of COP will render
Him amiable and adorable In their eyes"
The torture will be administered according
to His sovereign pleasure. His arbitrary
will. restrained by no obligation" and the
bodice OF the damned (which shall have
been burning and roasting" for millions of
ages" "in these glowing flames, yet shall
not have been consumed. but will re-
oivp t1 OF nkn
which will not have been shortened at all by
what shall have been passed" In his IA
NOUS sermon on "Sinners in the Hands Of
an Angry GOD" preached at Enfield. In Con-
necticut, July 8. 1741. he announced also that
"the bigger part OF mankind that have
died heretofore are gone to hell" and
II what he said was true. the great
majority OF those who have since
died are now undergoing the torments he
described so particularly. Prof. SAITH In
tine General Assembly, the other day. esti-
mated that. according to the Westminster
Confession. the recruits for hell arc going
In Mt the ratc Of thirty a minute. or 1920 o
day.
Very naturally, Presbyterian mothers are
Mortified that the doctrine OF election makes
possible such fate for their babies. II they
are required to believe the creed. they want
to have a hand in making 1t. Yet at no
period In the history OF the Church have
women been allowed to meddle with creeds.
They have mover been admitted to the Church
Councils. Men have agreed upon the creeds
without regard to feminine sentiment.
Probably, therefore. the General Assembly
will pay no heed to the telegram OF the
Women's Council. Women will have to
take the Westminster Confession as the
Presbyterian nen make It, o. Leave the COM
vnupIOp