Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-10
CAN THIS THING BE
The City Ministers Pleasantly
Disagree on Creeds
is THE BIBLE CONTRADICTORY
The Subject Of Psedestinssicn and koss-
ordination Made the Handle for .
Good NstaTed Discussion.

DR.. Mulhern presided at the pastors
conference yesterday afternoon, and
there was . good attendance. The
Rev. William Dsnman read . portion
of Scripture, and DIR. John L. Jackson
led in prayer.
Miss Nulhern read . paper written
by her. father on "Predestination." OF
which the foil owing 10 brief synopsis
"Predestlnation is one of the deep
things of God. 1t 10 part Of the I'M
changeabls purpose Of an unchanee-
able God. The problem 10 Gods de-
crees, and mans moral agency 70 solve
which too systems have been advocated.
Let us briefly examine each OF these
systems, which ehall designate a. the
Libsrtarians and the Necessariars.
The Liber taYians reject the doctrine OF
predestlnstion. They maintain that
God has left all men to act 40 they
choose. What is meant by thig IL is.
of course. that no obeys the impulses
of his own feelings and passions. Did
not God know that If certain, tempta-
tons astailed him to whom he had
gwen theso passions, he would fall?
Did He not foresee that these tempta-
tons would assail himr Did He not
permit these temptations 70 assail him.
Could He not have prevented these
temptations! Why, in short, having =
perfect fore-knowledge that such q
being 90 constituted and % tempted
would sin and perish. why did He cre-
ate him ut oil? In such . case il 10 self
evident that our feeble faculties cannot
separate .fore-knowledge from FORE
appointment. The denial Of predesti-
nation does not, therefore, At all relieve
any objection,it only conceals from the
ignorant and unthinking.
Nsosassrian Theories
"The Necessarian class hold that God
foreordained all things; that His de-
cree controls lrresistibly all matter, all
mind, ell feeling, all action; and,
therefore, that mans free-agency 10 a
tenet false, unscrlptural and absurd.
In the very outset We encounter one
objection to this creed which amounts
to q refutation; it is the consciousness
of free will and free agency, which
every man carries In his own bosom.
CONSEQUENCES 10 "a inward faculty
which informs us of what passes
within. am not more sure that see
the sun ia the heavens than that at
in accordance with my own unrc-
strained volitions. IL . man 10 not o
free agent. he 10 not accountable when
he s,ns. If q man be compelled, 1t 10
impossible to deny that God 10 the
author Of sin. From conclusions SO
profane and repulsive "a these even the
hyperists and fatalists shrink. yet they
are evidently committed to them by
their creed. If Gods DEGREES com.
pei men, how can He 80 earn
estly admonish and besceach them
to repent and return from their evil
ways? Well, then, do you receive the
doctrine OF predeetiiiation? Certainly.
To reject il. / would have to stultify
my intellect, TO discard prophecy,
which 10 based on this truth, to abjure
the plain teachings Of the Bible, TO be-
1ieve that God had abandoned the
world to chance and disorder. Do You
receive tho doctrine of mans tree
agency? Yes, ! do; for otherwise /
must renounce my own distinct CON-
scioueness, must disbelisve the Bible,
must make God the author and yet the
punisher Of sin.
Not Judge Nor Reconciisr.
ri embrace both doctrines. j do not
reconcile them 1T all. / am not re-
quired to reconcile them. Who made
me Judge and reconciler Of Code acts
and attIbutes and clearly revealed
Testimonies. In conclusion, let US
from the mysteries of Goodness we
have been considering learn IN humil-
ity and faith to wait patiently for
more light when We shall no longer see
"a through q Qlass darkly."
The discussion was opened by the
Rev. J. E. Smith followed the reading,
the paper being commended.
The Rev. w. A. Frye-I agree in
the main, yet my conviction is in free
agency. I think the preponderence in
the Bible 10 IN favor Of free agency.
The Rev. VIM. Denman-I belive
that God predestinates certain things
| to be accomplished. God predestined
events IN tho Old Testament and
| predestin ed character in tho New
Testament, yet believe in the doctrine
of free agency, aud preach ii without
any qualification whatever.
Inc Rev. Albert Smith, do not be-
lieve that fore knowledge is predesti-
nation.
:. The Rev. L. D. Bacoa-I believe in
| the doctrine of REORGANIZATION. i be-
| lieve thatGod foreordaIned the universe
before ell eternity. Man 10 subject
more or ices n environment and Femp-
tatious, yet fully believe that ia tho
redemptive scheme provision is made
tor the salvation of every human
being.
The Rev. DR.. FaiI-If the Bible is
| the authority IN matter OF doctrine,
| and II the Bible teaches what we un-
| derstand 70 be predeetlu alton, and II
| the Bible teaches free Will. that settles
| IL. II predestlnatlon meaas that God
condemns come souls 10 camnatiop,
then l reject it in toto.
Hare TO Make Agree.
| The Rev. Goodman cannot read
| the Scriptures and reject the doctrine
| of predestiuation. But | also believe
in free agency.
Tao Rev. Or. John l.. Jackson
Have never bad thIs question quite
settled in my own mind. l believe
! thoroughly Ia fires will and that II any
man comes to God he may he saved.
| If man 10 lost il IL because be rejects
all that - good purpoteiy and goes
down TO death.
The Rev. Jropoot, the new rastoY Of
/ the Holland Congregational church on
West Leonard street, was present and
! Joined in the discussion by invitation.
! lie said be had felt great difficulty in
! harmoninng the doctrine OF predes-
/ tDasiou With the gospel OF Jesus Christ.
/ lie thought that among bis people the
/ doctrine bad been preached too much.
Tnsv thought II they vent 70 church.
/ read their RSsiss ard did their duty
thev would be saved. II they were o0e
( 81 the lucky ones.