The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
CALrISIsM AND INFANT sALyArIoN.
A Defence of tho westminster Confession
Against a Unitarian Minister.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-sir: I notice
in yesterdays issue OF THE SUN that Mlnot J.
Savage, a Unitarian preacher. In an interview
on the late Col. lngersoll. reterates his erro-
neous and groundess statement that the West
minister Confession teaches the damnation
OF non elect infants" This gentleman has been
repeatedly corrected In this matter. but such is
his zeal against the Cross that he seems to
forget the fact
The only passage In the Confession that can
even remotely be tortured into u suggestion OF
any such teaching as Mr.. Savage alleges Is to
BIO found in the tenth chapter. entitled. OF
Efrectual Calling" and there 1t Is stated that
elect infants dying in infancy are regen-
Grated and saved by Christ through the Spirit
who worketh when and where and how He
rleaseth." Prof. A.. F. Mitchell. In his Com
mentary on the Confession. remarks:
This statement. II has been ayerred. necessarily
implies that there are non.eleet infants dying IL
infancy who are not "resenerated and saved" 1t
does not seem to me. when fairly Interpreted to
eeptele of such an interpretation had it been al
h.yo borne IN the draft mt submitted e the
But the Very fact thu. the form Of expression was
chsnged shows how anxious the diyines ntrusted
guard against pronodncing doTinaticaily on ques
tons on which neither Scripture nor the Reformed
ment occurs it is important to notice not in the
chapter treating Of predestination but in the chap
define the proportion of infants dying IN infancy
who shall be saved but to assert the great truths
that even they are not exempt from the conse.
quences Of tho fall but are by nature. every one
of them in tho md,sd perdtionis that they only
be separated from and saved by the electing love
of the Father the atoning work Of the Son and the
renewing of the Holy Ghost.
DIR. Charles Hodge. in his Systematic The
oloRy. asserts that the, salvation OF all , In :
fants who die in infancy" Is the common dog
trine OF Evangelical piotestants." und tho
same Is asserted by other theologians OF equal
promi nence and authority
contrary by certain Puritan divines. notably
Michael WiRglesworth who EN- bodied the idea
OF non election OF certain infants In his famous
poem, The Day OF Doom" but II may be con-
fdently asserted that no authoritative state
ment Of Calvinistic theology has ever been sim
iarly taught.
II is n prime characteristic OF Calvinism that.
more than any other system 1t begets a sense
OF awful humility before God Thus the As
mbly divines. while quoting as their Scrip
OF Christ. Suffer little children to come unto
me. for OF such IL the kingdom OF heaven"
luke, xviii. 49, are so fearful OF seeming to
assume familiarity With tho secret counsel and
good, pleasure Of His will that they do not
Finally. Mr. Editor. would say that il there
are no better arguments against Calvinism
than the stock Unitarian accusations we may
be assured that 1t will embody tho truth OF
Christ TO the future as TO the past. As has
other "evolntionists" have postuated as the
basis Of their theorizings what is, in reality
'Calvinistic universe" and / can see no
loophole of escape from the conclusions Of
this most highly organized Of all Christian
trate beyond the empirical to ultimate and in
finite facts and principles
NEW YORK, July %. ROBERT LAWRENCE.