The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-25

hoUOA VI Ouil5blduo uISbluCL anu sep
arate from those who do not approve
the whole of this Profession of
Belief" But.while they regard it in
cumbent on all to adopt this as a
basal statement, they "leave it to the
churches and societies, or to smaller
associations of churches, if such
should be formed, to continue or
adopt such more particular articles
OF faith as may appear to them best,
provided they do not disagree with
our General Profession"
But such more particular articles
OF faith" were to be supplemental to
the Ger eral Profession, and in no
sense substitute therefor, for strin-
gent provision was made in section
two OF the Plan of Government that
the convention was to be composed
only of those approving the Pro-
fession, through delegates who also
hold the General Profession of Be-
lief" So far, therefore, as words
could express it, the acceptance of
the Profession was obligatory on all
who should claim seat in the conyen-
ton as we'll as on the churches and
societies which they represented.
How far this was regarded as au-
thoritative and obligatory may be
seen in the action of the "Western
Association" the next largest organ
ization of Universalists in the coun-
try. This association embraced in
its territorial limits "the entire por-
ton of the State of New York lying
west of the Hudson river" territory
in which societies were being rapidly
organized. This Association incor-
porated the Winchester Profession
in its constitution. Rev. Stephen r.
Smith, writing in 1913, of this act of
the Association, adds: This Pro-
fession of Faith had already been
adopted by the few organized church
es OF the order; and has very gener-
ally been made tie basis of the
church compacts and formulas of
faith existing in the denomination"
Historical Sketches, First Series,
p. 15) 1t may be presumed that Mr..
Smith, who was active in organizing so.
cleties and churches, was more COM
petent to set forth the attitude of
these bodies toward the Profession
OF Faith" than any one at the pres
ent time.
The statement of DR.. Cnger that it
was the usage of our church for the
first seventy years of it's growth"
that those who could not accept the
Winchester Profession, phrased their
own creed, is an error so far as it re-
lates to more than one half of that
period. What is proposed by him
and some others, that we let the Win
chester Profession stand as it is and
allow parishes and churches to adopt
such other articles of faith in addi-
ton thereto as shall not antagonize
the spirit of the Standard is simply
return to the original position taken
blythe convention of 1903, and is in no
way in opposition to the requirement
of our present laws, and calls for no
legislation, whatever, on the part of
our General Convention. Nothing
prevents any preacher, parish or
church from doing this at once, if it
seems desirable.
But this is not what those who have
been stirring up opposition to the
Winchester Profession during the last
twenty years desire. They demand
radical changes in the Profession of
Faith itself, or that it shall be wholly
set aside by substitute. And that
demand is what We must meet at the
Chicago Convention next month. If
DIR. Conger is right in his declaration
that "the past teaches u.s." that the
Winchester Profession "can never be
amended 80 as to make it satisfactory
to all interests of the denomination"
and shat no new one can ever take
its place" why should we waste more
time of the Convention in seeking to
attain the impossible? Why may not
every uneasy preacher, every dissatis-
fed parish, if there are any, fall back
on the originally accorded and never
denied privilege of making for them
selves, as supplemental to-but not
as substitute for-such additional
Christian declaration of belief as they
may desire?
1t is very certain, from the drift of
discussion since the convention of
1895 that the Meriden creed will not
be heartily advocated by any one at
the coming session. 1t is deserted
and repudiated by several who were
zealous in its defense two years ago,
and it will not secure a vote sufficient
to place it in our convention cousti-