The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-08-10

and presbyters were made for the
Church and not the Church for them.
They are simply divinely appointed
Observation-Disclosures placed in the hands
of the Church for efficient and orderly
accomplishment of its mission on earth.
''Divine right" of bishops and Kings
are alike explosive. They are yoke
fellow, priest craft institutions, liga,
tured with common validity, and, like
5iamese twins, must together go the
way Of all the earth.
Equal rights to all and special priv
ileges to none" will o embraz0n the
whole canopy of civil and religious
government, but antecedent thereto,
clerical and presbyterial forces must
and will become either Scripturally
divorced or compacted. What saith
the Scripture, B. Q. 1922 Cast out
the bond-woman and her SOD; for the
son of the bond woman shall not be
heir with my son, even with Isaac"
Common vision reveals the fact that
in the Northern section of our own de-
nomination, Satan with impetuous z7al,
is grasping at the helm in order to
wreck the Church, through its corpu-
lent element of clerical authority, and
their crescendo of Macedonian appeal
has for twenty years reverbrated the
wide domain of our still, sunny South
land Church. Hybrid presbyterianism
has availed several times in saving our
Church from heresy in the past, but
immaculate Scriptural authority is the
clear cut and essential requisite for
forthcoming ordeals and final consum
nation Of its mission.
In the evolution of things, as we see
them about Us in the worldto day, pres
byterialism and republicanism are
twin principles under whose gravitat
ing influences the riven powers Of
Church and State respectively converge
and uniform themselves preparatory to
their nuptial reception into the one
millennial kingdom of their common
Lord. Elders and Senators, therefore,
hold unique and most illustrious posi-
tions as officially they look for and
hasten unto the second coming Of
Christ.
Modern presbyterianism, though far
in the lead of both reformation and
evangeliz alton, has as yet attained only
middle ground between prelacy and
virtual presbyterialism. Imperfect as
our system Of government is, see how
gloriously it operateth as a leavening
prize pie on the outer world in republi-
canizing and unitorming the govern
ments of men. The reformation &C.
complished wonders in the outset, but
we have not shown ourselves worthy
sons OF such noble sires, in broadening
and consummating the grand enter
prise as we should have done. Let us
then take fresh courage, put shoulder
anew to the wheel Of reformation, turn
on the search rays Of Gospel truth and
never cease until presbyterianism is
thoroughly presby terialized. Then,
and lot till then, shall we present to
the world a model form Of government
that for perfection can be neither gain
said nor denied. It becometh all de-
nominations to overhaul their creeds
from time to time and see if. in the
fuller blaze Of Scrlptural intelligence,
they still accord with inspired truth;
but it especially becometh Presbyte.
rians as the manifest forerunneTs of the
Church's millennial AID most Glorious
cub lunary dispensation, to lock we'll
to the matter Of her uudergirding
principles, and see that in every and all
respects she is panoplied with the full
and sole authority Of Gods Word.
Jos K RANKIN
Rankin, n. G., July 30, 1897.