The record-union., 1893-05-20

istration that the present status of this
case raises. Unless the Prudential Com
| mlttee find that there has been a substan-
tial change in the belief of Mr.. Noyes-
which none of his friends pretends to be
the case-it cannot lawfully appoint him.
| Granting that this belief is unchanged
the entire situation is unchanged. If it
was right to reject Mr.. Moves, at his
three former applications, it is necessary
to reject him again. Even this does not
larry state the question. The original
application OF Mr.. NOyes might have
| been lawfully granted by the Prudential
Committee at their discretion. To be
sure, many would have called that rev.
oIuuonary act, but the question was a
new one, and its decision depended
wholly on the discretion Of the commit
tee. Now the committee has no discre-
ton in the matter. 1t remanded the
question TO the board, and the board, by
repeated mandates and large majorities,
mas directed the committee how to decide
this and all other similar cases. The Pru-
DENTAL Committee is merely the eXecu-
/ tive of the board, bound by every con-
slderatlOn Of honor as well as of law to
obey the commands of the body that ap-
points 1t. To appoint Mr.. oyes-always
supposing no change in his belief-would
be to dlsobey the instructions of the cor
porate body whose servant the commit
tee is.'
The Bible" says the New York Oh
| SefteI (Pres.l lis the supreme apolOgetic
| Tor Christianity in virtue of the ever
abiding force lodged IN its spirit, and i'll
the divine magnetism which the Christ
eXerts upon all honest seekers after
truth. 1t IS little short Of suicidal to de-
/ tract, IN any degree, from the import
ance Of what every champion of the faith
ought to eXalt above every other agency
IN the crusade for orthodoxy of opinion
ana life. We regret to have to say that
ministers OF the Gospel, the accredited
opponents OF the Bible, are to a large ex-
tent responsible for this tendency to de-
Dreciate the value of the supreme apollo
/ getlc. In their preaching they manifest
ieuance upon other arguments, which
amounts 10 a dlstruSt of the revelation
which is the argument of God. They fall
INTO the mistake of thinking they ought
10 meet the enemies of the truth on their
own ground by bringing forward the
contentious of materialists, pantheists
ana scientific atheists in order to refute
| them. Thus they waste time and ability
| that should be concentrated on the study
OF Gods Book by giving both to the
study OF mans books, and, above all, they
tacltly ignore the divine forces lodged in
! Ood's Book. forces potent enough to carry
conviction TO every pure-hearted and
honest-mlnded inquirer We do not wish
10 be understood as opposed to breadth of
culture and acquaintance with the anti
CHRISTIAN theories Of the day on the part
OF the preacher, but we do wish to be dis
tlnctly understood as opposed to the
growing habit of dependence upon the re-
suits Of human learning to accomplish
oDJects for which the Bible is pre-eminent-
ly adapted"
On the question of the eligibility of
women to become ruling leaders the
flIJl fJgT/J1]1 ByPxBytf9,jg13 Df
Tenn, says: The real practical issue in
TINS matter is not whether the decision
| made last year shall be voted down or
allowed to stand, but shall a constitu-
| uonal amendment be transmitted to the
PresOyteries? The vital question lies
deeper than the constitution and touches
! the problem Of enlarging the sphere of
Womans Christian work. We believe the
| best way TO settle the constitutional Ques-
tlon when lies on the surface is to submit
10 the Presbyteries a carefully prepared
amendment. Those who claim that women
already have right to hold official posi-
/ tons should not object to this. They
must admit that there is no positive or di-
! rect provision in our book justifying their
| claim. 1t Is cOntesSedly a matter of in
| terence. Ii women are to be admitted
to the leadership they should come in
| through wide open door. There should
not be even the appearance OF stealing in
| through back door inadvertently left
| ajar or insecurely locked. Nor should
those on the other side oppose the sub
mission of such an amendment. If the
sentiment in favor of admitting women
to the eldership is sufficiently wide
spread to make its adoption by two
thirds Of the Presbyteries probable, no
adverse vote in the approaching Assem-
bly, can stop the movement, but if there
is no probability of it's adoption to sub
NIT it is the quickest way to secure its de-
feat. In either case to submit the ques-
ton to the Presbyteries seems to be the
| shortest road to its settlement"