Telegram-herald., 1891-05-19
RELIGIOUS PROBLEMS
MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Wsil ss Csaasseea IaarsdAy, " ass
9s~sttsEs sf crave Inzpsrtaaes VIII
AEl.s - Prof. BFiSxs' Astisas
80 be Lack 81 Inio.

DsrEofT. NichL. Nav i8-The fosa
session Of the Presbyterian general as
sembly viii b~gia On Thursday mora
nag next. ths brethren Of the seath
meeting n birmingham. Ala. aad the
brethren Of the north ia this city, with
Rev. DIR. Moore Is moderator and Rev.
DR. W. f. Roberts as clerk. With . re-
port expected from the committee APP
pointed last year az Saratoga 20 revise
the Westminster confession of faith.
And with ovcrtnres from about eighty
presbytsries Ia regard TO Union sea-
mary. some ssxing the assembly 70
veto the appointment OF Prot Briggs.
whose inaugural address ON Biblical
theology has led his own presbytery in
New York to begin judicial proceedings
against him. among other topics OF
importance which are expected. the
coming assembly promises to be mem
orable-
The revision % the confession Of
faith Was tae question last May which
aroused the greatest interest through
out the evangelical denominations
For two centuries and half the fol-
lowers Of Calvin had the utmost conf
denee in the integrity Of their
system But. conservative rs the
Presbyterian church Is. il found
itself obliged 10 20 with the current OF
modern thought An important re-
vision committee. of which DIR. w. C..
Roberts is chairman, containing some
of the ablest scholars in the church.
has prepared report which viii be
submitted to the assembly this week.
and after discussion and possible amend
Inent viii be sent 10 the presbyteries
FOR their consideration. After the pres
byteries have discussed il and have sug-
gested any changes the committee viii
make it's fnal report TO the assembly
next year. Then IL will go 20 the pres
byteries "a an overture and II tho
requisite number approve IT 10 will BE-
come the law Of the church.
Changes have been recommended by
the committee Ia chapters 1, 8, :, 8. 2. 10.
Ia. 10. 81, e3, -, 80 and 80. and two new
chapters have been inserted. one en-
tilted ''Of the Work OF the Holy Spirit"
and the other ''Of the Universal Offer
of the Gospel"
The case OF Prof Briggs, Of the Onion
theological seminary, New York, prom
ises 10 overshadow the confession of
faith revision. A few paragraphs from
the professors now famous inaugural
address will show the cause of the ex-
element regarding his orthodoxy. In
his address he had this to say in regard
to rationelists:
-Martneau could no, nnd authority IN the
church or the Bible. but he did fnd God en-
throned in bis own soul There are those who
would refuse those ra alton alists . place in the
company Of the faithful But they forget that
the essential thing Is TO ind God and Divine
authority. and IL these men have found God
without the mediation OF church and Bible
church and Bible are means and not ends
they are avenues TO God. but are not God
We regret that those rationsiists> depre
eistS tho means OF grace 90 essential u
most Of Us but We are warned lest We
corrlrnis . similar error and cep-.cssse the
reason and the Chrtstisn consciousness The
Bible has been treated as II 10 were baby tc
be wrapped up In swadfiing clothes. nursed
AMI carefully guarded lest 10 should be injured
by hcrstics and skcptics II has been shut up
IN . fortress ana surrounded BY breastwcrks
and forttfcssions - extensive ~ those tha,
envelope Cologne and Ssrssbnrg. No ons car
through tho breastworks OF Traditional dogma
tism and storm the barriers Of ccelcsiasti
eism"
DR.. Briggs was especially severe in
his handling Of the dogmaticians who
have. he thinks. built barriers around
the Bible, shutting out the light OF
God, obstructing the life of God and
fencing In the authority of God" The
first barrier which he proceeded to de-
molish is superstition And this is
the way he did IL:
~The ors. barrier that obssructs the way tc
the Bible IL superstition We are accustomed
TO attach s1pcrstiticn 70 tho Roman Catholic
MHiois,ry, hazioiatry and the use OF images
and pictures and other external things In wor
ship. But superstition f. no less supsS stitior
a rs takes the form OF Biboistry. II may be al
the worse u II concentrate Itself on this one
thing But ne Bible has no magical virtue In
81 aad there Is no halo inclosing H. I,
wiz not stop . bullet any better than
mass book. 10 viii no. keep OF, evil spirit.
any better than q cross. \, viii net guard \
home from fire half 50 veil A. holy water Il
you desire 20 know when and how you should
take a Journey yoa viii and a safer guide in ar
sinans sc or a daily nevspapsr. The Bibis Il
not batter than hydrom ancy or vftchersst II We
seek tor Divine guidance oy the chance operins
cf tho book The Bible n book Is paper
print and oind;ng-nothing rsorc. n is entitled
20 rev~rsnt handling for the sake OF It's hoiy
contents. because IL contains tie Divine wore
Of redemption for man. aud not for any othel
ressoa wsstevsr.-
Killed ais Selshbors.
al.