West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-04-12
PREsByTERIANIsM.
Rev. Dr. Hills. The Eloquent Divine
Causes TrcabIe In The Church Aud
Resigns.

Our Presbyterian brethren seem TO be fol.
lowing In troublous lines these times, The
ministers of that faith arc passing through a
stage of unrest, and some Of them have bolt
ed from the orthodox creed of the church.
First We had Rev. Dr. Briggs, who is now
an ordained Episcopal clergyman, and the
other day Prof McGiaeu withdrew from
the Presbyterian communion, and is now
affiliated with the congregatioualists. Per
haps the heaviest blow to the church comes
from the Rev. DIR. Newell Dwight Hills,
who IS now occupying the pulpi, once filed
10y the celebrated Henry Ward Beecher.
Rev. Hills oaense against Presbyterianism
Is very grave one. 1t consisted of an at
tack on one of the strongest tene,s of the
church, but one which has always been re-.
pulsive to lberal.minded men-the doctrine
of predestinauon--in sermon he delivered
from the Plymouth church pulpit ON March
20 In the course Of that sermon he said
"rhe day the scholastics wrote that chap
ter in the Confession of Faith they got the
devil confessed with God. would rather
shake my fist in the face Of the Eternal, and
fling every vile cpilhet toward Ills stainless
throne, where Eternal Mercy sits with the
worlds atoning Saviour, than lift my hand
with that creed toward Gods throne and
affirm that taught or believed H."
In another part of his sermon Dr. Hills
said "rhc Confession of Faith says that
certain men and angels are foreordained to
everlasting death, being particularly and
unchaugeably designed, and their number is
50 certain aud definite that II cannot hc
either increased or diminished ard every
young man who enters the PRESBYTERIAN
church has 10 solemnly swear and teach this
frghtful view. Every attempt to revise aud
eNpel that statement from the creed has
been comhatied 10y majority that wishes to
retain the doctrine. Il would seem as
though man would prefer to be burned at
the stake rather than assert or hold or charge
such infinite cruelty upon the all merciful
and all loving Cod"
II is small wonder that this language
made the cold shiyes run down the backs
of the doctrnaires of the church. There
can be no doubt or question as to the inn
preston Dr. Hills sought To convey, and
We are not surprised that the church authori.
ties at once set to work to bring DR.. Hills
TO book for his rank hcresy. But the Offend
ing minister, with lingering regard for the
church that authorized him to preach the
Gospel, and with a delicate consideration
for the prophecies, has not waited to be
brought before a church tribunal whose
proceedings would more or less scandalize
the parties concerned, bat has requested that
bis name be dropped from the Presbyterian
rolls, and that he may be allowed to depart
in peace. Whether that will be done is
question that will not he decided for a couple
of weeks. On this poin, we fail to see how
the Presbyterian church can dis ipline Dr.
Hills de has accepted the call of the Ply
mouth church, and is now Congregations
list, and il would seem strange to a layman
If one church could have jurisdiction over
the utterances and belief of a minister of
another church, even though he was formerly
affiliated with one or the other. II the
Presbyterian church is wise IL will allow Dr.
Hills 90 depart from the faith without in
ilicting upon him OF the church at large any
unnecessary notorely H. has shown him.
self TO be an honest man in refusing TO
preach a doctiinc that was not approved by
his conscience. The only criticism of DR..
Hills that suggests itself, and it is one en-
tirely of good taste, is that it would have
been better for him to have disassociated
himself from The Presbyterian church before
making such bitter attack on its creed.
The aricts Of faith npon which DR.. iii.
lis stumbled are very plain in their meaning.
and are found in the Westminster Confession
Of Faith, in its chapter "Of Gods Eternal
Decree, which in part says
BY the decree Of God, for the manifesto.
tions of Ills glory, some men and angels are
predestincd unto everlasting life and Others
ioreordained 20 everlasting DEATH These
angels and men. thus predcstinc1 and fofor.
daincd, arc particularly and unchangeahly
designed, and their number is so certain aud
definite that IL cannot be either increased or
diminished.
IS God hath appointed The elect unto
glory, so hath lie, BY the eternal and most
free purpose Of Ills will, foreordaincd ali
the means thereunio Wherefore they who
are elected being fallen iu Adam, arc re-
deemed 10y Christ, are chcclually called un-
60 iaith 80 Christ by Ills Spirit working 10
due season, are justified, adopted, sanctihed
aud kept by Ills power through faith unto
salvation. Neither are any other redeemed
by Christ, etcciaally called. justified, adopt
cd, saucuhcd and saved but the cic.t only.
These pronouncemcnts afford very pleas
ant reflections for those who arc assured Of
being among ihc elect, bul 10 those who arc
classed as among The ineldeyably damned
ihe prospect is something uncomfortable to
contemplate