The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-11-16

ghe word Christ by the person VINO
utterS 1t, and understood by him who
hears, it means nothing more to the one
or the other than word Of an unknown
tongue, or ejaculation Of an idiot.
The minister who utters these words
says it Is enough "that q man believes
In God the Father Almighty, Maker o.
heaven and earth, and In Jesus Christ
His Son." and thanks God that hi
church has no creed.
But there are many creed statements
in that: /. "GOd," as against Atheism
2. One God, as against Polytheism.'
8. A Father" as against impersOna
Pantheism. A. almighty" intimate al
against finite. 8. The Creator >
6. Two realms, 'fheaven and earth. .
z. "Jesus, has one meaning Saviour
8. "Christ," "the Messiah" 8. "His
Son" either means the Son Of Mary ant
Joseph, or the Son Of Mary and the sOr
Of God in a sense unparalleled.
To make q test that man shall believe
Gin God the Father Almighty, Maker Ol
heaven and earth, and In Jesus Christ
His Son." Is to require a most tremend
ous creed; a creed that would exclude
the whole pagan world however sincere
all deists who believe in the Father but
not in the Son, all philosophical panthe
lists who deny the personality Of God
II this minister believes that 1t is un
scriptural and absurd to require belief
in extra scriptural, man-made, meta
physical distinctions, or to thrust them
in the face Of an applicant for admission
to the Church, with him we fully concur
But should there be reason to suppose
that the applicant for membership has
views Of God and Of Christ contradict
ory to what is taught in the bible, in tht
Judgement Of those who have associated
themselves in the common belief in God
the Father and In Jesus Christ His Son,
1t would then be necessary, on the yer.
authority Of Christ Himself, to submit
a creed test.
METHoDIsM AND A CREED TEST.
II the word "creed" be used in thi
sense Of a list Of drawn-out, authorized
statements which must be believed X
secure admission, the Methodist Episco
pal church has no creed which Is test
of membership. 1t has general princi
pies or doctrines scattered through the
sermons Of Wesley, and his ''Notes up
on the New Testament" and some othel
publications, and, in part, stated in the
Articles Of Religion.
The liturgical form for the reception
Of members contains one question incom'
prehensible by most, much miSunder.
stood by many, and 1t should certainly
be enlarged, diminished, or eliminated.
1t is, 'Do you believe in the doctrines
Of Holy Scripture as set forth in the
Articles Of Religion Of the Methodist
church," II this means the
twenty-five articles entitled "Articles Of
Religion" in the Dicipline, they are not
suited to the purpose; for their very
phraseology Is incomprehensible by
ninety-nine hundredths Of all members
Of the church at the time Of their
reception. If they say they be-
lieve them, they know not what they say.
Nor are those articles COMPREHENSIVE
by the minister who propounds the ques-
tion, without a long reading and study.
Besides, the phraseOlOgy is antiquated.
and in some cases deceptive. Moreover,
they do not contain one Of the dis
tinctive features Of MethOdism.
Again, the Restrictive Rules explicitly
state that we have "other existing and
standards OF doctrine" The
question as propounded, in view Of these
circumstances, Is little better than a SOL
emn farce. We have seen 1t propOunded
10 children eight years Of age, and to
men who could not read. They sOlemnly
declared by their answer that they un-
lerstoOd that 'the Pelagians do vainly
talk," that the Romish doctrine concern
Ing purgatory is "a fond thing" that
The sacraments ''are not to be gazed
npon," and that "the Holy Ghost pro-
,eedeth from the Father and Son."
That question we never prOpOunded
without adding 80 far as you under
stand them," and we never received
person into Church membership to whom
We had not stated In the simplest Ian
yuage the substance of those articles.
The Methodist Episcopal Church has q
moral, a scriptural, and constitutional
right to impose a dOctrinsl test sufl-
,iently clear and simple to determine
whether the person is a believer in
Christ, and in sympathy with the views
)f the Church concerning the teachings
of Holy Scripture, to make 1t possible fol
him to cooperate intelligently, and alb
stain from promoting "dissentiOn." +"
But anything beyond this, as applied tO
the laity, Is q violation Of the original
spirit Of MethOdism and the General
Rules.
But those who claim that the Church
has no right to require 80 much as this
are themselves confuted by the general
rules, which say, ''There is only one con-
iitiOn previously required Of those who