The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-06
THE pREsBrTERIAN CnURCH.
Its Activities, Its Distinctive Doctrine, and
ItS Decline in Now York.

Its Activities. Its Distinctive Doctrine, and
Its Decline in Now York.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Misappre-
tensions as to tho Presbyterian Church, ex-
pressed by y. NJ. b." in recent letter to THE
Bun need correction.
There ia no published document which gives
the amount contributed by the Presbyterian
Church to tho cause OF domestic missions. or
from which the proportion between tho sums
1t eXpends in foreign and home work can be
learned. The reason OF this. without entering
into mnutT. is that congregations, Prcsby-
teries and Synods are free to have each Its own
missionary enterprises and to dispense its own
collections directly. and that many Of these in
tegral parts of the great organization avail
themselves OF this liberty. Accordingly the
full amount contributed to any cause does not
appear in the report Of our Assembly commit
tee. But for Obvious reasons the report OF tho
Committee OF Foreign Missions comes nearer
giving the whole amount OF the thurchs liher-
atty In that department. There are many
Church. therefore. in domestic missions be-
sides those accounted for in the report to which
comparatively neglected is really greatly pre-
ferred 50 far as the expenditure OF money indi-
For the same reason nc published report tells
what the Church in New York city Is doing for
the temporal and spiritual welfare OF our fellow
citizens. Tho missionary and benevolent works
carr led on by many Of its congregations. indie
pondently OF tho higher courts. are vast in
their aggregate. | cannot give the exact num,
| churches in the presbytery but | know the
amount expended in home missionary work
| has been in every year large multiple OF what
| the lresbytery manages tor the same general
| purpose. or this. whoever is Interested may
| B.," moreover. has made a gross mistake In
| giving the sums dispensed bv the two mis- sion
Of the ForesS c" or s is not 81 w 6s ~
| but SsOS.b5O 81 He evidently put the schedule
| Of assets for that Of appropriations.
wn the GHuch b. as to
| bend an important distinction. for that NAV be
| an evil when regarded only rs an end. Tho
| Scriptures. both by precept and examrle. teach
the, duty OF controversy as u means Of purity
regarded as the evidence OF a contentious.
spr Is d to say h nat s
Himself jew. 1t was with those who in eur
Churchmen that He was constantly in open
N They re ThS sat IN
adorned the tombs Of the prophets. Christ
| never preached to any but the Church see Acts.
VI rs will not stop now how'Tsr, t2 con
and the SaMartnns are not executions TO this
statement; Paul preached to;the heather and
troversy in which his Epistics abound is d.
rected not against the errors Of the heather.
| rejecting the Saviour. but against some who
| held mem bership in the Christian Church. and
ali his "nd m that
to tho Galatians he labors u, defend the truth,
| not so much against unmaskcd assaults from
Il teachers within the visible Church. Perhaps.
| had the Prcsbytery Of New York more Ohedent.
would not now be compelled to face the I'M
pleasant task Of hercsy trial.
lions SbS@ cola GSFi rem %R HnF
would be- as reasonable to say that man Is but
a ieatheress biped as it Is to say that CALVIN
tho result OF an effort to state systematically
all the elements of the plan Of Redemption. and
show how they limit and modify one another
their interre latons on our minds and con
duct, and tn proof which the matches.
they constitute affords of it's Divine author
ship sf It does not deny that Ghriit died f2'
Sns IN s %ScR HH nan
,6. W"q 81 6S to ToTn wnln n,
Ing persnicacity. 70 be a full and, abb cYro.i.
it cannot be stated in separate, INDEPENDENT
simple propositions. but only in such way
ify another. Take the doctrine Of the Trinity
| No simple proposition can he uttered that
would not misrehnroscnt It and seem To- dnn'
trincs must he aprrehcndod as L, whole, i
and mighty rivers: It makes us rxciaim IL
wonder at tho depth Of the riches Of the knowl
Gse and wsnom Of G%a sna m"y y us t." S9n
them that weep and rejoice, with them hat
rejoice, o. NO. Cav9tsm dG"s not ell t.
ship and sympathy and good works.
The, editorial in TIT SrN OF June 80 gives
INJURY c"niron,ing Freebyterinns IN our Gil,
lit is simply dcclin" Of faith in, tho pulpit
and in n" peTs" Francis +, MrLLALlY.