The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-12
The Presbyterian Rebels.

At conference OF prominent Presbyterian
| ministers of the liberal school. held at Clevo-
land. resolutions have been passed calling
| on all Presbyterians of their way OF think
| ing to stand together in defence OF their
opinions. This means that the discipline Of
| DR.. BRIGGS by the last General Assembly
| has not settled the controversy as to
the Bible. but that it is to be kept
! up in the Presbyterian Church with
renewed vigor At the next meeting Of
that supreme Presbyterian council tho
| case OF DR.. SMITH OF the Lane Theological
Seminary will come up. and as tits substan-
TALLY the same as that OF DR.. BRIGGS it
may be assumed that it will be decided in
the same way. or by his suspension from
the ministry as teacher OF hercsy. Hence
there will soon be furnished an oppor-
tunity to discover both the strength and
the endurance OF this Cleveland party of
opposition. II II is consistent. it will be
obliged to seccde from the Presbyterian
Church. for it denies the authority OF the
General Assembly to determine whether
the teachings of DR.. BRIGGS. Dr. SMITH. and
their followers are orthodox. yet that au-
thority will have been exercised and en-
forced persstently. 1t will. accordingly. he
q party OF rebels against the General Assem-
bly,. and consequently against tho nu-
thority OF the Presbyterian Church. II it
stands together" it must stand apart
from that Church. II it cannot force its
views on the General Assembly. it must
submit to the opposing views of that body
or withdraw from its ecclesiastical juris-
diction.
There being no probability that the senti-
mcnt OF the next General Assembly will be
different from the opinion which caused the
condemnation OF DR.. BRIGGS in the last, the
declaration Of the Cleveland conference Is
mere bravado II it Is not preliminary no.
tice ofcontemplatcd secession. In honor and
conscience these i" liberal Presbyterians
will be compelled to 80 from n Church which
prOclaims them heretcs and denies them
the reasonable liberty OF opinion" in
volvcd in accepting and intoxicating the
stigmatized doctrines OF DR.. BRIGGS ana
DR.. SMITH. Believing MS they do. they will
forfeit both their own solf-respcct and tho
public respect if they sthe their convic-
tons in order to preserve IN outward con-
formity with doctrines which really they
reject. Every man is entitled to reason
able liberty OF opinion aud he cannot give
~ up NIIhOuC w ell
slavement.
Why then, do these rebels counsel their
brethren, who may DO pcrplexed concern
ing their duty, to abide III the communion
and service Of tho Church, assured that in
so doing they remain well within their con-
stitutional rights? How can they be doing
their duty in continuing TO abide in
Church which denoupccs their opinions
ms hrrctical, and refuses to allow
them to teach according to their con-
sciencrs? Perhaps the explanation of
this counsel Of tho Cleveland conference
is that it hopes that tho next General As
sembly will reverse the decision or the last.
or at least is disposed to delay formal So
cesslon from tho Presbyterian Church until
the actual and official condemnation OF Dr.
SMITH has occurred.