Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-22
PREsRYTERIAN FArALIsn.
A Toronto Clergyman Explains why
He Rejects CaIvin's Church.

He Rejects CaIvfnss Church.
[From the Toronto Globe.l
DR.. Lsngtry gave three reasons why he
could not rejoice in the progress of Pres
byterianism. The first was because 1t had
revolutionized the historic church and de-
fested the reformation; the second was be-
cause it supplied the first instance of
msn-msde church; the third reason was
because cf n philosophical fstalism of it's
doctrines. DIR. Lsugtry concluded his lect-
ure as follows:
The whole confession of faith is bsssd
upon aud permss.ed by this doctrine. l
make no eorments upoa tie meaning of
these statements. L will give 1t to you In
the language of the originator and props-
gators ot THE system. Calvin ssys: Pre-
destination we call the eternal decree of
God, by which He had determined in Him
self what He would have to become of
every individual of mankind, for they are
not all created with a similar destiny; but
eternal life is foreordained for some and
eternal dsmnstion for others. Every man,
therefore, being created for one or other of
these ends, we say he Is predestinated eth
ct 10 life or death" Zschius, the Swiss
IeIOTmcI, InhI TIE rcpTOD4Ie are
bound by the ordinance of God under the
necessity of SHINING" and Beza, his cour-
tryman, that God hath predestinated not
only unto dsmnstion, but also unto the
causes of 1t whomsoever be saw meet"
And Calvin again says of Gods designs In
relation to sinners, "He directs his voice
to them, but il Is that they may become
more deaf; he kindles a light, but It Is that
they may be made more blind; he pub
fishes his doctrine, but it is that they may
be made more besotted; he applies a RENE
dy, but 1t Is that they may not b. healed. !"
And Peter Martyr, another confrere, says,
''God supplies wicked men with opportu-
mites of shining and inclires their hearts
thereto; he blinds deceiyes and seducss
them. He, By his oIking on their hearts,
bends and stirs them mp to evil" And
John Knox says, The reprobate are not
only left by Gods suffering. but are com
pellsd TO sin by his power" Toplsdy, a
Church of England Calvinis;, among other
awful lttersnces, Gays: 1.-The sentence of
God which reiscts the reprobates is 60 in
mutable that it is impossible that they
should be saved, though they have per
formed all the works of the saints, and,
therefore, 1t Is not true that those who
perish through their own fault might have
been saved through grace If they had not
ceased lsboring for saving grscs."
This, according to the exposition of Its
| originstors and advocates. Is the doctrinAl
| system which the Presbyterian church,
| and, also believe, the Baptist and Con-
gregstional churches in all their subdivi-
sions, are pledged to believe in and propa-
gate. It directly contrsdicis the scriptu-
raj statements 1t dishonors God, and I
cannot but fear that 1t has contributed
greatly to the unbelief of the world by
presenting such picture of him, in whom
/ 1t ssks men to believe, thst many minds
| could not reesive 1t, and, If 1t be said, as
| it often Is, Preebyterisnism has dropped
| all those dietssteful doctrines now, their
ministers do not teach Il, 1 can only say
sm glad of 1t, but Presbyterian doctrine
without Cslvinism is very like pail with
/ out bottom.