The record-union., 1899-07-16

these distressing circumstances strong
er. more pure, and better prepared for
the great work it has to. do in common
with other Christian organizations.
%w#
Perhaps it is not to be wondered att
says the "Interior'' (Pres.) of Chicago.
that there are persons whose eager
ness to criticise the actions of the Gem
eral Assembly far exceeds their. knowl-
edge of the constitutional rights and
duties of that body, and of the force
and authority of it's various decisions
Thus, the Independent in its issue OF
June 10Th, commenting editorially on
the New Presbyterian Confession Of
Faith seems to believe that the
preamble of four articles pretixed to
the finding of the Minneapolis Assembly
in the McGiffert case is new creed
AS against such views, whether ex
plicitly put or surreptitiously intro
duced into editorial comments on the
Assembly's action, it may be well to
call attention to the fact that the Gem
eral Assembly of the PRESBYTERIAN
Church in the United States of America
is not legislative body in the strict
sense of the word 1t cannot enact a
new confession, nor even give an inter-
probation of the standards in thesi that
should be regarded as authoritative
The enactment of any change in the
doctrinal standards of the Presbyterian
Church is regarded matter of so grea,
Importance that the ministry of the
whole church Gncluding in that term
the eldership) must approve It before
it can have the force of law. In view
of these facts, it is absurd for our dog
matte editors on one side, and for the
critics of the Assembly on the other.
to ascribe to the resolutions above men,
toned the force of authoritative articles
of belief. They are mere obiter dicta.
1T will not do for the church to put
on righteous and authoritative airs, and
insist on the duty which men owe to
it" says the Christian Register CUnit.)
of Boston. 'They acknowledge no obli-
cations to it simply because it exists.
The church is for man, not man for the
church; and the burden of proof lies
upon the institution to prove that it is
doing man so much good that to neglect
it is placing his soul in peril. 1t must
meet frankly his frank verdict that 1t
is of no serious advantage to him that
it seems to him a survival of outgrown
conditions, that in the economy of time
and strength which the pressure of
modern life forces upon him it does not
justify its claims, especially by the side
of the charities and duties of good cit
izens in time of public corruption.
The foul weather Christian may thus
prove to the churches O. friend in dis
<r,,i- ;t; ,I,A hut,
of the criticised. Judgment must be-
gin at the house of Cod Let the
churches ask themselves whether the
unquestioning loyalty of the past has
not made them idle and irresponsible,
slow to adopt themselves to modern
wants and ways. The decay of the old
superstitious fear has left men free to
ask what, then, the church does stand
for. The very awalzing of the moral
sense and of spiritual instincts which
drove out that fear now demands to be
fed and guided. Wherever that de-
mand is met, there the people will be;
and where it is not met-nor any other
want-there they will not be slow to
find reasons for absence"
"The responsibility for maintaining
LIN Se1iNeies VI maj Ale'SO i'fSbo ~ -
large extent with ministers" says the
'Congregationalist' of Boston. IF they
call on God to bless unions which they
know that he cannot bless, they de-
grade the institution on which more
than on any other the integrity of the
state depends If they consent to join
in marriage persons of whose history
and fitness for marriage they know
nothing and take no pains to find out,
they make themselves liable to dis
honor the church they represent and TO
do violence to public morality. Last
week, for example, Congregational
minister united in marriage to stu
dent of Harvard University a young
woman who was publicly pledged to
marry another man on The same day.
No minister, We are confident, would
willingly have a share in bringing the
shame and sorrow certain to come on
all those concerned in an act SO foolish
and wicked. We have been informed
that clergymen have sometimes been
persuaded to continue in ignorance of
facts they ought to know, and to Off
ciate in doubtful cases by the offer
of large fee. Any man who thus
prostitutes his office for bribe ought
to be deprived of his ministerial stand
ing"