Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-07

1
| Ing = Acknowledged Authorities
Use the Word Conversion" as
Well as Regeneration" to De-
scribe the New Birth-Rsvivals
| Upheld and Defended.
I In the Third Presbyterian church,
yesterday morning, the pastor, Rev. r.
K. Bigger, preached a very interesting
and forcible sermon on the subject OF
'Revlvals INDICATED" 1t was in
the nature Of reply to a
| sermon delivered On the pre-
vlous Sunday night by Rev. Joseph
Speer, and published in Mondays
Register. A full synopsis OF the dis
course of the Rev. Mr.. Bigger is given;
In view of the wonderful blessings
which our church has recently enjoyed
during two weeks revival service,
and IN view of the fact that in last
MONDAY mornings Register there APP
peaTed a portion" OF a sermon by
brother minister of our own denom-
| NATION, criticising reyivals, | deem it
my duty this morning to speak to you
IN vindication OF reviyals as having
their legitimate and God-appointed
place in bringing men into a saving
relation with the Lord Jesus Christ.
But before beginning my argument
in support of REVEALS, / wish to speak
of the uses of the terms conversion"
and Regeneration" While it is true
that in the last analysis conversion
n0t Identical wi and
while it is true that the salvation of
the soul is the thing ever to be aimed
at in dealing with men religiously; yet
1t is also true that these terms have
been used, and are to-day used inter-
changeably, in a general way-not sim
ply by ''eyangelists" and "revivalists,
but also by the leading theologians
and scholars of the world to describe
the new birth" or the subjective
change wrought in the soul by the
grace of God. Therefore, in view Of
this. hold that the word conversion"
is not improperly used when used to
describe that change Of mind and
heart which comes with the new
birth" | suppose that there is no
greater authority in the Presbyterian
Church than DR.. Charles Hodge. On
page 3 of Vol I'LL, in his Systematic
Theology, DR.. Hodge says, in speaking
of regeneration, the following: In
theological language, it is called re-
generation, renovation, conversion.
These terms are often used inter-
changably" with the theologians
of the Seventeenth Century, CONVEX
sion and regeneration were synony-
nous terms" Of course Dr. Hodge
goes on to show that in a restricted
sense" there is a difference. But the
point here argued is that in general
way the word conversion may be used
legitimately to describe the new
birth Turning also to our Westmin-
ster Conversion Of Faith, in chapter
TX, section w, we read: when God
converts a sinner, and translates him
into a state of grace, he freeth him
from his natural bondage under SIN,
and by his grace alone enables HIM
freely to will and to do that which is
spiritually good" etc. The index OF
the Confession refers TO this as speak
ing of conversion" And notice It
saws, when God converts evidently
using the word convert rather in the
sense of regenerate, for in the re
stricted sense conversion is what
man is called upon to do" (hodge, ?.
4. vol. 81 Therefore. this is another
authority which permits these words to
be used Interchangeable Again, Rev.
Herrick Johnson, D. D., of Mccormick
Theological Seminary, says: Converts
should be enrolled as members Of the
church upon satisfactory evidence OF
their conversion" (Revivals, p. 3D.
nd GfrnnO'G Ilh-
lical Theological Cyclopedia, under the
article regeneration we read: Al
though the inspired writer's use various
terms and modes of speech to describe
this change of mind, styling it CONVEX
sion. REGENERATION, a new creation, etc,
vet it is all effected by the word OF
truth or the Gospel OF Salvation gam
inc an entrance into the mind through
divine teaching so as to possess the
understanding, subdue the Will alo
reign of the affections. You VIII op-
serve that this authority goes SO far
as to say that the "inspired writer's
sneak of the change" as conversion
AS we'll as regeneration. Also, Dr.
Hodge speaks of the Scripture taking
tha word Regeneration in a wide sense
as including conversion" (vol. 3, 81.
have said enough to show you that
while in the restricted sense" there
is a difference in the two terms, there
;e also n sense in which not only the
leading theological writer's but even the
Scriptures have used the word con
version" 10 describe the subjective
change wrought in the soul by the
GRACE of Cod" Therefore, the IRE
Iigious" have no more ground for
making conversion" synonymous with
cant and hypocrisy than they have for
making the words Christian" be
lever" new BIRTH or ''regenera-
ton" synonymous with cant and hy-
nocrisv. The common use" of the
term does not condemn it. The same
logic would make the common use OF
the word Christian" condemn it also
Are we to throw away the words
Christian" and believer simply be-
cause the 'irreligious" may look upon
Christians and believers as hypocrltes?
Are we to be governed by the judgment
If the irreligious? There may be in
stances where the term conversion IS
misapplied. but to imply that 1t IS
generally so in connection with re-
yiyals is a position which cannot be
maintained. And as for common
sense seeing shat conversions during
REVEALS are more the result Of a SEN
timentality aroused for the time imam
real change of heart, ! reply that "