The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-25

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir Your edi-
torial Is There a Presbyterian Church T. secms
TO me to miss q point which to some Of us Pres
bytcrians Is the point.
Fundamental and distinctive doctrines of tho
Presbyterian Church are freedom of conscience
and the right Of private judgment. This is at
frmed thus as the very first principle Of our
Church's government: form Of Government,
chapter l., section H.
They the Presbyterian Church In the United
States of America) are unanimously Of opinion:
81. That God alone is Lord OF the conscience and
ments of men which are In anything contrary to His
Word or beside II in matters OF faith and worship.
Therefore they consider the rights OF private Judg-
ment in all matters that respect religion as universal
and uualienable."
The Church standards also teach that it is not
within the scope OF authority Of any Church or
ecclesiastical body to add new laws Of faith and
conduct to the system laid down in the Bible.
form OF Government. chapter l.. section ~
THAT all Church power, whether exercised by the
body in general or In the way Of representation by
tive; that is to say. that the Holy scriptures are the
only rule OF faith and manners; that no Church
consc Ience. in virtue Of their own authority, and that
all their decisions should be founded upon the re-
vealed will of God"
the matter Of signing license applications. to-
gether with all such matters; Is outside the
divine law as revealed in the Bible, no Church
court has the right to pass a regulation in re:
gard to the matter. and any regulation so passed
Is contrary to the constitution or the Church
itself. He withdraws from the Presbyterian
Church because he believes that in censuring
him the Church is untrue to its own first princi-
pies OF ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
Many persons outside of DIR. Shields's personal
acquaintance hoped that he would carry the
matter through the Church courtsin the form OF
u trial in order to establish this very point. but
he. being n pcaceable and elderly man, preferred
the easier path of quiet withdrawal.
The number OF persons who feel the action OF
certain courts of The Church in this matter to be
| unconstitutionnl is very large; but, believing the
violation OF fundamental Professionalism to be
| rather careless than Intentional, and temporary
rather than permanent, they remain in the
Church. Such persons feel that DIR. Shields has
suffered unjustly. even while they may not ap
prove of his course in signing n license applica
ton. ! am among tho number, though i am u
total abstainer from alcoholic beverages.
Permit mo to add that, although ! admire THE
SUN very much, l consider your implied detini
ton of the quality essential to churchship to be
wide Of the mark. A church is n church. moi
because IL possesses doctrines distinguishing II
from others. but because it. possesses tho truly
essential and fundamental doctrines OF Chris
tianity, in common with all other branches OF
the Holy Catholic Church. tQuCd sempcr
1biQue at db omnibus Its only reasonable OK
! cuse for separate existence is adherence to doc
trincs that arc peculiarly its own; and the gen
eral recognition of the relative Importance o
the doctrines held in common as against tn
peculiar doctrines OF each particular Church il
the cause Of the growing hope for church unity
SIDNEY S. CoNGER.
MuLBURN, N. j., Jan. %.