The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-03-31
The nhAKEMIE LEAGUE.
A Highly Interesting Session Held at the
First Presbyterian Church.
REV. Or. W. C. CAMpBELL'S ADDRESS
He Discourseh Entcrtaintngly or the
History VI tho Church OF which
An Interesting Programme Ron.
hcred-tIuslcnI Treats.

The First Presbyterian church waswell
filled last evening on the occasion of
the March meeting OF the Mackenzie Lea
que
Mr. Robert TAFT, the president, pre-
sided. and In the pulpit were Rev. ". c.
Campbell, Of Roanoke. who delivered the
address; Rev. w. S. Lacy, Rev ". A.
Slaymaker, Rev. r. ~. Robinson and
Rev. T.. +. McCluer. The chancel had
been prettily decorated with growing
plants and presented q most attractive
appearance.
Prof. a. +. koerner played the prelude
on the grand organ, and after the in
vocation by Rev. w. a. Slaymaker. the
Mackenzie Choral Union sang swcetIy
Bridges beautiful hymn, .'Rlse Glorious
CunquerOr."
Prof. Charles Borjes then rendered u
violin solo. which was followed by the
scripture lesson, read by Rev. T.. Il.
McClucr The choir then sang the an
them, "Oh, Thou Eternal
ADDRESS ON CALVINIsM."
Then followed the address Of the even
ing by Rev. w. c. Campbell, D. D., of
Roanoke. The reverend gentleman
chose FOR his subject Some Of the Dis
tinctivc characteristics Of Calvinism"
Dr. Campbell said in part:
l wish to say something Of our church.
the part it has played in history, and
the effect its doctrines have had upon
character, and the impress this charac-
ter has made upon history.
Representative government, Of which
the Prcsby terrain church is All example
has q very ancient origin Older than
Calvin. older than Augustine. older
than Paul. 1t was IN existence when
Moses went back to Egypt from the
land Of INDIAN. Gods commission to
IA linn fI,,tf
elders OF Israel together and say unto
them. the Lord God Of your fathers
the God OF Abraham, Of Isaac, and OF
Jacob appeared unto me-" Exodus iii:
| lG. And when Moses and Aaron returned
into the land Of Egypt it is said And
Moses ana Aaron went and gathered
together all the elders Of the children of
Israel. and Aaron spake all the words
which the Lord had spoken unto Moses
and did signs In sight OF the people,"
Some one has quantity remarked that
Moses and Aaron went down into
Egypt to attend Presbytery."
When society began TO take upon IT.
self, outward form, III the aggregation
Of individuals outside OF the family
government became representative in
some instances, and from that day to
this the world has Iheen made more or
| less familiar with this form Of gov
ernmcnt in the Jewish church on the
one hand and In the Presbyterian OH the
other. and 1t will perhaps outlast all
! others.
| Our Federal government took Presby-
| lerianism as its model Perhaps the in
fiucnce Of those Presbyterian elders
| who made the NIecklen!burg Declare ton
| nt Charlotte in North Carolina and the
presence Of the Rev. John Witherspoon,
| a delegate to the Continental Congress,
the only minister in that body, and the
only minister who signed it, helped that
| body in It's search for n model govern
ment 10 adopt that OF The Presbyterian
| church; and they made mistake, so
| Tar as we can see, but on the contrary
have set the example after which all
States in changing their forms have
seen fit to model theirs
The universally Of the Presbyterian
| church is seen in the fact that 1t does
| not have its habitat IN a single race
| Like man, it seems divinely ordained to
flourish in any land.
! The Presbyterian church in It's doe
trincs and polity has proved attractive
to all classes Of men. This has been
her glory. Kings and peasants, philoso-
Pliers and poets, statesmen and sol
diers. have been Il btra cted TO it and
have been found enrolled under its ban
ner. H. has brushed aside those eXter-
| nal rircumsta noes that qualify men tc
each other. as their calling in life
! their wealth, their social standing, and
recognizing in every man q soul fol
whom Christ died, it has conceived it,
| mission to be to man as such, ana the
hearts Of It's people have always beat in
broadest sympathy with the human
| race.