New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-16
DIR. MACARTHUR on CREEDS.
he DECLARES THAT PEOPLE CANNOT DE BOUND
BY THOSE OF MEMS MAKING.

he DECLARES THAT PEOPLE NAHNoi DE- nOo.''
BY THOSE OF MEMS MAKING.
In the Calvary Baptist Church yesterday the Rev
DR.. Robert :. Macarthur chose as the theme OF his
sermon "Creeds" considering the following question
"Do creeds as usually understood conserve orthodoxy
preserve tho Church from heresy. protect Its doc
trIncs ~ People live now, Dr. Macarthur said In sub
stance. In epochal period OF the Church. when mec
tradition counted for naught, when many human
scaGolds about the temple OF truth had 10 be torn
down. after which the temple OF truth would shlne
more glorlousy. The idea that men could be bound
10 a fixed creed OF mans make rapidly losing
ground the Catholic Church. with IT, doctrines OF
obedience was shaking on its foundation They conld
not compel TO believe and think In TIE same
manner Living. growing men must diNer AID change
The thus saith the Lord" would exercise Its proper
command IN place OF tie thus saith man
The minister then gave II h-ioii al survey OF the
different crceds Tho Apostles Creed he considered
good compendium Of Christian doctrine, though some
~ IFS clauses he considered que tionahle and not
harmoplzlnc With the teachings Of The Apostles.
Bnt his chief objection WAS the lille, which was III"
result Of pious fraud" The clause OF thrists
descent into hell' be dcpored having caused much
dissenslon and nl.ieelns in tho Church. THO Nicehr
Greed, prepared sort OF compromise after two
centuries Of controversy. at the council OF Ncca In
stead Of checking here's served 60 give m Impulse To
Artanlsm IL was an instance 81 the fact that churches
with the longest drawn crccis contained the most
ing and numerous factions, while the Eaplsts. with
simply fnith In Gods Book. had a centre OF union.
After showing what he called the spuriousness o!
the h,hanasan Creed the Doctor spoke Of the creed
formulated at the Assembly OF Trent C34AG3) Icy the
Catholic Church. and expressed his Amusement that
those doctrines should be believed In this century
He avcrrcd that many OF the Catholic cl"reymen with
,vhom no had convcrscd seemed 10 have the same
feeling and he predicted that their desire to tlink
and act as their corsccnccs dictated would soon bear
fruit
After dcnouncng what he termed the narrowncss
~ tho Thirty nine Articles OF tho Church Of England
Dr. Macarthur spoke with evident sympathy OF the
Westminster Confession. Ia those l1b5 sessions
held I0t3-iD were present the most learned and pious
scholars among tie Presbyerans, the Independents
and The Church Of scotland. The result was docu-
ment most finished. rhetorical. elaborate and most
hcautifuI The minister advised the lrcSly teriGnS
mo, IA tamprr with this hut II II did not up 10
their requirements TO adopt II new and b:tier com
pendulum Of Christian doctrine lie tanked tod ihai
he did not have 10 believe In MI the doctrines, rs
pcclaly In that Of prcdestlnatkn Men, shlh he.
went 10 bell because they loved SIN mere WAS
NO rosnonslMy n men had moi the right 10 chose
hen and God could not save them. lie was grateful
Ina, Le could extend ia" invitation TO all men ana
women to come to Christ
This famous Westminster Assembly would have he
come BDptls but for the influence OF DR.. lISht!oo.
I'm the wear is43 they decided by majority OF one
The following year Parliament made baptism hy
sprinkilng legal The Doctor pleaded ior slmtl"
belief In Christ : prr-onal saviour without ihia
he con ldorcd creed. however extended. Of avail