The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-08-16
A PREsBYTERlAN DOCTRINE.
BY REv. H. H. HAw II. u.

In aome points, tho general idea Of
Presbyterian belief is wrong. The word
Of God, contained in the Scriptures of
the Old and Now Testaments, is our only
rule of faith and manners.
We bow to no mere human authority.
What Gods word teaches we believe, &C
cent and teach. If there are "some
things hard to understand" that is n
Bible teaching See III Pet, III ID IL. We
do not wish to be among those called, by
Peter, "unesrned and unstable" Greek
"untanght; unestablishcdO, who wrcst
the Scriptures "unto their own destruc-
ton" Often we are sharply criticised tor
believing Gas some express IT'D that what
will be will be, no matter what man
does" We hold to no such folly. That
ia fatalism. The Bible does not teach it.
Presbyterians do not believe it. "3ut,"
saws some, "you DO believe in tina: horn"
ble doctrine of election" Yes, We 90.
But helter not call it "horrble' unfit you
srr whether it is in the Bibe-or until
YOU understand it. We believe III tile
doctrine Of election just ~ and only as II
i found in every mans Bible. JesusChrist
and His disciples taught it. tic who re-
iects it must reject the Bible. Now take
your own Biblc and turn to such passages
80 Matt. XIV ~, Mark XIII 20, Luke
XVII I. John XIV Is, Is, XVII 6, Eph.
3. 4, ii 10, Thess. 4, 5, IL Thcss.2 y 49, II
rim.I 9etc. In such passages you find the
doctrine.
"pre6estination is only part Of
collection 1t is Gods eternal plan fol
HI. neope-thcm only-'that we shoule
hs to the praise of His glory, who mrs
trusted in Christ" His people are pre-
do.tiuatcd .sinto the adoption OF children
nv Cbr;st"-"choscn in Him before th'
fourdation of the world"-to, or to-
what? To be saved, no matter what w
dog No, But "that we should be mol.
49,, x;,hout blame before Him in love.
Read Eph. 4-6,
ao,;n. "Whom He Gid foreknow' 1T
,,., did Enthusiastically, or for what
~ Ia saved or lost, dnyhom? No. bu
..to he copformed to the image OF III
Son" Read Rom. VIII 20 80. mes
and like things were sent to Cod ch"fc'
III. own children. Others have h''h
inc to do with them. No un'c''evcf IA"
right to quarrel with them tor they "e'
e. .n,,,,eu 10 or for him. They slmp'.
anr.ss Gods eterna! plan for the .sa'''
ton of His own people.
d., aoss not such doctrine cut the ua
believer Off from salvation! Inc "'''
., teach. We do not pretend e
understand fully all that '"i S'y*' '''' =
.,,,c;l. NIL difficulties. But We expires
49, understanding of the Bible III tines
,.,r.,s. God, from all eternity. d'd ny TN
..,,,t wise and holy counsel vi III" WIZ
mud unchanSahlv "rd''h ""'''H'
1905, comes 10 pass" He VIII" sf"ns '''er'
,.,. :, ratuliSm. But We hnd 'ar'"e
ching in the Bible which conpe's Ia
:. .,,sr statement or quslihcat'on'- ie
90 As thereby neither j" G'd the a0'a0
:, .;u. nor is violence offered TO the WI
- III. creatures, nor is the liberty OF eoo
,o.p,., III second ca"aes take" away "'
- ,H.r established" Here are TWO mug
u,on Gods sovereignty ana man XIV
agency. ,,on have ,bei
,.,..,,s aud mist ave srdAinsd means 10
.,,,,, III. benefit, or Goals decree 0'
; sa's. Sec This illustrated ;
! .",. XVIII. f;.,a ordained safety ,or a'''
! a., n .hl,u viii, Paul, v. V I'D. ~, ee /,
min means we're TO be used III oraes !,
. -" v. v, 3O-3l. Oar conclusion