Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-02
UNITY IN CHURCH EFFORTS.
IDr 8HiIli, 4

DIR. Hills
Unique men and colossal men were
these disciples. Nor was their unity
simply outer and mechanical. They
We're not driven together by exterior
persecution. but Were drawn together by
Interior affection. Their union was or
ganic and vital.
In that hour when the disciples We're
met in that room. imagine some reli-s
gious editor or secular one or bishop or
elder rising up and urging some consid-.
creations that are presented every day in
religious gatherings. such as: Human
nature !s human nature. and organic
unity is a dream. Therefore let US agree
to disagree and each disciple found a.
sect and denomination of his own. Let
the rule be You keep away from my
field and l VIII keep away from yours
And orce a year We will meet together
and celebrate our brotherly love.
Had the denom!national leader of to-
day appeared in the upper room and
urged these considerations and others
that are said not only to excuse Tut to
demand sects, the disciples would have
looked upon the intruder as they would
have looked upon Satan appearing to
debauch their souls, to lure them from
the path of duty. to rob them of their
influence and to destroy their Masters
life and work.
PRESBYTERIANISa AND UNFAIR
I.ANISM.
1.-THE orthodox New York Sun pub
lished the following sermon previous
Ito the meeting at st. Louis. 1t will be
noticed the secular editor we'll sized up
the religious situation.
The genera. assembly of the Presby.
lterian church will meet at ST. Louis
next Thursday, and the question of the
revision of the Westminster confession
will come before it,. That anything
definite Will result from tbs discussion.
however. is not probable. for the real
cause of the demand for such revision
lilies far deeper. or in the authority of
the Scriptures. on which alone the Pres
byterian confession of faith is based.
Eventually that essential and funda-
mental issue will have to be met and
decided squarely by every church in
lChristendom, but the supreme Presby-
Iiterian judicature is not vet ready to
| face 1t, or rather the school of criticism
which practically denies supernatural
Biblical authority is still too timid to
force it.
| The general ssembly is likely to end.
Therefore. without having taken any
measures for the revision of its standard
of faith. Here in New York and in some
other large urban communities doubts
| engendered by the sOcalled higher crit
icism' have affected some of the clergy
land perhaps many of them, but the
great body of PresbyterianisHn remains
steadfast in its allegiance to the West
minister confession and finds in the
1proofteXts with which the articles OF
4 that standard are sustained absolutely
Divine authority for their enunciation.
Moreover, the acuter minds among
Presbyterian theologians see very clear
lily that any attempt to revisa a single
article like that "Of Gods Eternal De
alcree," in order to satisfy contemporary
aversion to everlasting punishment
would involve the surrender OF a prin-
ciple vital to the whole confession. Prac.
4 tically, opposition to this doctrine OF
/ election implies opposition to the whole
: system Of redemption and salvation
taught by orthodox theology, and the
Presbyterian church could not slrrendel
Ito 1t without surrendering to the Uni.
|tarianism of the present day.
Next sunday, or three days after the
meeting Of the General Assembly at st
Louis. the American Unitarian Associa
ton will begin at Boston the celebration
of Its seventy-fifth Anniversary, tho TIL
active Unitarian movement in THU
country has proceeded since the begin
ming OF the present century. The fna
rupture between the Unitarian and
,lTrinitarisn consregationaiists tool