St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-11
SAILING UNDER FALSE COL.
ORS

There is much in name, however
men may deride it. A rose by any
other name might smell as sweet. but
to millions it would still lack something
OF its attractiveness. Men have fond
ness for names around which cluster
pleasant OF tender memories, and cling
to them with tenacity that frequently
sets reason at defiance and borders
upon infatuation.
We see instances of the blindness
with which people follow name every
day in politics, in religion, in science
and in society. There are today men
who call themselves Democrats or Re-
pnblicans. and who follow those parties
bllhdly in all affairs of state. They
cannot tell the distinction between the
two parties. and would be Republicans
or Democrats Just the samefif the
parties should exchange policies and
principles. The name is tangible to
them-they care FOR nothing else.
An example of devotion to a name
OF clingiag to the shadow after the SUBJ
stance has vanished-is found in the
movement of body of men in New
York calling themselves "Llberal
Presbyterians.' These men, eminent
as they may be in theology. forget that
the title they have adopted is mis-
nomer-a paradox utterly irreconcilabIe
and absurd. A man can by no mutation
OF circumstances or process of reason
ing be a "liberaln Presbyterian. Pres
byterianism is iniberafity personified !;
when it becomes liberal it ceases to be
Presbyterian. And yet these men. pre-
sumably Intelligent, get together and
adopt declaration of principles. much
as the council at Nice did, which they
call the Liberal Presbyterian creed, but
which is as far removed from the arti-
Giles of the Presbyterian faith as day.
light is from darkness. Those of faith
and church discipline form mass of
absurd contradictions.
On the start the league or council has
declared in favor of lettering all church
and individual action by requiring a
rigid conformity to the infallibIe rules
laid down in the Scriptures. togethe L
with such other regulations as may be
adopted from time to time. OF course
the human amendments to the divine
commands are given the precedence in
all cases. it aims, the declaration of
principles asserts, TAT increased eff
cheney in the practical life of the
church, declaring its readiness to adapt
methods of Christian work to varying
needs; to employ new methods where
these seem called for. and to make
room for diversities of gifts" All this
may be very proper and commendable.
but it is un-Presbyterian and heretical,
and those who consent to be governed
by these rules at once snnder their re-
fations with the Presbyterian church,
for they are in rebellion against it.
No one can cavil with these men as to
their right to believe what they choose.
Even the strietest churchrnen will con-
cede them this privilege. But they have
no right whatever, religious or moral, to
call themselves Presbvterians while re-
pudiating the articles OF faith of that
church, for they are not entitled to the
name either in an absolute or qualified
sense. They have an equal right to call
themselves liberal Catholics or Baptists,
or Methodists. and the Presbyterian
church has perfect right to repudiate
and denounce them for endeavoring to
obtain false standing in the religious
world by misappropriating name.
The design is manifestiy dishonest. By
virtue OF the reputation of the church
all organizations bearing its name &C
qulre nominal standing for respect
ability and for a certain degree OF theo-
logical consistency. The new organiza-
ton, however, repudiates all allegiance
to the mother from which il sprang.
while endeavoring to profit by retaining
semblance of relationship. 1t would
have been far more manly for the dis
senters to walk out bravely and estab-
lish new sect, bearing new name,
instead of attempting to gather recruits
by assuming a relationship that it does
not possess. For the new sect is not
Presbyterian in any sense, and has no
right to assume even the semblance of
Presbyterianism. 1t is sailing under
false colorS, and attempting to get gain
by means of false pretenses.