The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-28
DIR. VAN DYKE EXPLAINS.
The Ten Points which He Suggested
as the Basis for a New Creed.

AS the Basis for a New Greed.
From the New York Commercial Adver-
t.=er.
The Rev. DR. Henry van Dyke pastor of
the Brick Church, who was quoted yes
serday by some newspapers as having
spoken for new statement of faith for
the Presbyterian Church IN his Sunday
morning sermon on "The Progress of the
Church." said to-day that he had been
misunderstood II was stated that he adj
vocated a change from the Westminster
Confession. He explained that his ten
points, which he stated TO his congregation,
were merely a statement of what would
be satisfactory to him IL fhe evangelical
churches should write new creed, and
that he was speaking for the evangelical
churches of to-day. His sermon was meant
to show the general progress of Christian
thought and that the general statement Of
faith Of the evangelical churches, If corr
rectly written, would contain advances on
the old statements of faith.
The tame" he added lis not ripe for
proposing a new creed, If you cali IL that,
In the Presbyterian Church. l was one
among a number of ministers who dis
cussed that subject about six or seven
years ago and the church did not seem TO
be ready for the change. ! do not wish to
be understood as advocating II now. What
/ said in my sermon, as I remember it,
was that II we had a new creed should
hope IL would be shorter and richer than
the old one and IL II had ten points in II
| should like 10 see these ten points In It,"
Dr. van Dyke dictated the following ten
points from a letter which he had written
to a friend In response 10 request that
he restate the points as he made them in
his sermon: yfyettN
81. The fulness Of the Fatherhood of
God, In whose Image and likeness every
human SOU Is made.
- The eternal Sopshlp OF Christ. who is
the brightness of the Fathers glory en-
bodied IN a veritable human life.
49, The all-sufficieney OF Christs atone
merit 20 take away the sin OF the world
and reconcile us 10 God.
- The living presence OF the. Holy
Ghost as the source OF all truth and good
ness In every soul that asks for Him.
80 The sovereignty Of God dwelling in
His world and working out His will here
and now. sfa.Ssa
&c. The liberty of every human soul to
decide whether II viii work against God
and perish or with Him and live forever
az The supreme authority OF the Holy
Scriptures as the record of Gods progress
sive revelation.
49, The power OF faith In Christ to join
the soul to God who delivers 1t from sin
and makes II holy.
49, The absolute necessity of love and
good works as the proof of faith where by
every believer becomes a witness for
Christ to all men,.
10 The Immortal life of love made per-
fect-which Is heaven"
Dr. van Dyke pointed out In some Of the
separate points the advance upon the
statement In the Westminster Confession,
the Presbyterian standard. In the sixth
point he said that while the Westminster
Confession confines the opportunity Of sal
walton to "the elect the new statement
broadens IL 10 take In all who decide to be
saved.
isn't this practically an abandonment
OF Calvinism2" was asked OF DIR. van
Dyke
aWen. perhaps IL u.s." he replied, but
in another Hight u Il simply a broadening
OF the old belief. We sun hold fast 20
the belief In the salvation Of the elect,
but we widen the enclosure 10 take Ia all
who will be saved"
The first point. be eohunued. was an
advance on the Westminster standards, In
mat II makes al men children OF God in
stead, OF oonhping His Fatherhood 20 THE
elect The ninth point he considered also
an advance on the Westminster Confess
elon and the embodiment Of the active, ag-
eressiye, missionary spirit Of the Christian
world Of to-day which waf o new thing
az the beginning Of the century.