The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-25
The New and the Old Prcsbyterian!sm.

The New York Presbytery has completed
its consideration of the revision of the West
minister Confession by adopting the report
of DR.. VAN DYKES committee. with few
minor amendments. That is. ii recon-
mends that the Ca!vini5tic doctrine Of cleo
ton he retained. but that its consequence
of non-cicction be omitted.
When the General Assembly appointed
committee OF revision they were Instructed
TO preserve the Ca!vinism Of the Confession
AS a first requisite, and accordingly their
report was carefully contrivcd with that
end in view. but the scheme OF revision
proposed by them was satisfactory to no
body, and even President PATTON, who was
foremost in its construction, confessed that
it was faulty and was offered as II suggcs-
lion merely rather than as u perfected
model Hence the plan was submitted by
the General Assembly al Detroit to all tho
Presbyteries for criticism and amend
ment, with the result III New York which
we have explained.
The Rev. Or. PAEKIURsr complained last
Sunday that while Prcsbyterianism is
strong in the head it is weak in the heart;
but the criticism cannot apply To the Ncw
York Presbytcry 50 far us concerns its deal
lnHS WIFI lIllS suDJttl. ~ lIao SiioNi uii'ii7-
takable weakness of both head and heart.
II has been both illogical and disingenuous.
II has pretended to obey the mandate OF the
General Assembly to leave unimpaired the
CaIvinsm of the Confession. and yet it has
done it's utmost TO destroy the logical con-
sistnncy OF the system.
or course if some of mankind arc elected
to salvation, the remainder are not elected.
They cannot all be elected. for cleo
ton implies choice and preference.
One candidate for Office is elected
and the other rejected. That is the
doctrine OF til" Confession and an essential
| principle of the CalviniSn which the Gen
cral Assembly commands shall be pre-
served. But the Prcsbytcry has been try
ing to accomplish the feat OF retaining
election and describing nOn-electiOn. with
view to conciatng the present opposi-
ton to everlasting damnation. Some of
the speakers complained of their en-
barrassmcnt when mothers objected
to the Confession Oh tho ground
that the doctrine of election makes
possible the condemnation of their children
! to the tormcnts of hell. Yet they did not
dare to oppose tho doctrine itself. They
wanted only to dodge it's inevitable consc-
| uucnceS, 50 diSaSrccab'o to the fashionable
! sentiment. They wanted TO profess belief
in tho doctrine and yet to convey the i'm
preston that ii does not mean what 1T
tenrhes, or that there is an election, but
that nobody is not elected.
However il may be with tho Presbyterian
heart. We do not believe that the Presby-
terrain head has lost its sanity SO far rs TO
r.. rpr tbut SORT ny rnnSnpinV
II cannot be made to believe that there is an
election and yet that there is no election;
that some are chosen and yet that none is
passed by: that the onnipotcnC GOD Is I'M
willing that any shall perish. and yet that
He vii! doom many to everlasting damna-
ton, II IL believes in universal salvation.
il rejects election altogether. II 1t believes
in the system of CALVIN, it believes, per-
force, in election ard ali its consequences.
The New York prrSbyt"ry cannot mako two
aud two cqunl five by any form of words.
It's whoIo labor therefore, has gone for
nuuglt. unless to show that the vigorously
logical Confession cannot be amended so as
10 bring il in accordance with the prevailing
sentiment Of New York Presbytelians. 1t
must start with entirely different promises
il It's conclusions are To be made different.
| II its talvinlsm j. TO be retained. IL must
hc kept substantially as il IL. II IL Is to be
altered essentially, its Caivinism must be
extracted leaving it II shupolcss and pur'
posciess construction and Presbytcranism
with no body of consistent theology.
The real issue before the next General
Assembly. accordingly, viii bo bot" con tho
advocates OF Calvlnism and the opponents