The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-09-10

saw one casting out devils In thy name
and we forbade him. because he follow
eth not u.s., Mark tx. 49, This discourse
was delivered before the Charleston pres
bytery at its spring session. Those who
heard It have been exceedingly anxious
to see It I'm print and we are glad to be
able to reproduce 1t this week. Says Dr.
Smith:
This man was doing the work OF Christ.
and doing II in the name of Christ. NO
fault is found with the character or the
work or with It's spirit; the sole objection
was "he followeth not us" but this OBJ
lection is deemed declsive; the man who
is not of our following cannot be recog-
niZed as a servant of Christ, Ii matters
not how many devils he casts out or now
reverent his regard for Christs name or
how supreme his reliance upon ChIist >
grace. The matter of ecclesiastical ailgh-
ment is paramount; even the most lnuu-
bitable evidences of the divine favor can
not compensate the lack of 1t. ana inc
most blessed and glorious results are
neutralized by the want OF II, SO tho
worker that speaks not our shlpoolelh
must be discredited and the work panhcu.
Master, we saw one casting out oesHS
In Thy name. and we forbade MN, pe-
cause he followeth not u.s.. Here we
have the very essence of bigotry ana our
Lord distinctly rebukes 1t. enjoining, on
the contrary, a disposition TO bid good
speed TO every one who does Christ's work
In Christ's name. or what In this age we
would call a catholic spirit.
There have been of late many charges
of narrowness brought against the Pres
byterian church, and some very od1ouS
comparisons In the matter of liberallty
have been instituted between 1t ana other
churches. In any discussion of the mat
ter. however, 1t is of flrstrate Importance
to Inquire in what field the hberality
finds its exercise; very much depends
upon what q church Is liberal with. 1t
requires no excessive generosity to be lib
eral with that on which one sets little
value. and the scheme of values thus in
dicated may serve a decisive test of
character. For example. 1t Is possible to
be very liberal with the person of the
Redeemer and permit one to believe ev-
erything or nothing with reference to HIS
character and offices. and yet allow very
scant liberty of view as to the character
and offices of His earthly ministers. A
man may be utterly Indifferent TO the
doctrine of the three persons In the
Trinity, and at the same time be as
sensitive as a touch-me-not on the three
orders in the clergy. One may be very,
very broad as to the nature and author
itv of the Word Of God. but narrower
than a razor's edge when the word Of
an ecclesiastical council is in question.
You have all doubtless seen much stress
put upon the fact that certain eminent
men who have found their position I'M
comfortable in the Presbyterian church
have been welcomed cordially into an
other great communion, and TINS mas
been much emphasized as indicating how
narrow the former is and how liberal the
latter. But none of the writer's for the
prcss seem to have deemed 1t worth their
while to inquire into tho conditions OF
reception accorded the new conner. one
would suppose that having been eminent
as preacher of the gospel Tor n score
OF years ne would be received upon the
simple acceptance of the doctrines or MS
new utilization and the enrolment OF ms
name among its ministers. This would
be In strict accord with his acknowledged
character and his previous record. ana
such one would suppose had been the
case were we to judge from the praise be
slowed upon his liberal reception.
SIT suppose. on the other hand that
this eminent minister, apparently 50
highly esteemed ana ostensibly so cor
daily welcomed. be required to enter
the ministry Of his new connection
through exactly the same probationary
stages that lie before the callowest youth
in school stages corresponding TO our
receiving a candidate under the care OF
the presbytery, then licensure then Ordl-
nation-in other words, an utter ignoring
Of twenty years eminence in the gospel
ministry; If such be the condition OF ms
reception. we certainly would not feel
that IAN entrance had been ministered
unto him very abundantly" into his new
ecclesiastical fold.
But moro than this: Suppose that even
before thus conditioned, this man, for
twenty years eminent in the gospel min
istrv. had been required 60 join the
church afresh just as though he had
baen never at all even church members
required to come just as the verlest our
cast or pariah OF the street must come,
and be received. as we would caLl IT,
.'upon profession Of faith IN CHRIST INTO
the communion of the church w QUA
Won think such reception remarkable Tor
80, great uberality and breadth OF
view?
] may need pardon for the opinion. but
7 must say that if there be any liberauLy
In such reception l utterly fail 10 dlscoF-
er IT, That such treatment shou'd be
trunpeted through the land as liberal Is
only one of the many marVeis OF moueih
journalism. That il should be used as
an occasion to rebuke the alleged mar
rovvness and illberality of Presbyterian-
ism affords effective Illustration OF dense
IGNORANCE or Of perverse malice.
So far from there being any justice In
such charges, l maintain on the con
trary that u very good showing for
broad, GNaNStiltdi NeiAtApiANAN9 N-'i' ~
made In behalf Of the Presbyterian
church. In Justification of this claim l
invite attention to the following partic-
ulars:
/. / would mention it's wide and gen
eral distribution.
There seems TO be nothing provincial
about it. OF churches generally 1t may
be noted that they are largely local in
character; their strength is limited IN
range their influence circumscribed;
sometimes very strong. even dominant,
i'm some one country, but much weaker
I'm others. They may be said to have
almost a national character. Where
they are strong, they are predominant,
but everywhere else they are very weak.
The contrary Is remarkably the case
with Presbyterianism. 1t seems as well
suited to one nation as to another, to
one form of government as to another
fIourishing equally everywhere, Ii is al
lowed free presentation and untram-
meled propagation. The sainted DIR. w.
S. Plumer Is reported to have said that
any country will raise Presbyterians
that will grow cornfeld peas. Ii IS very
strong in republican America, having
n little over two millions of communi-
cants on this continent: but It is almost
equally strong I'm monarchical Great
Britain, having a million and half
members in the British islands. 1t is
also strong I'm the continent and has
nearly n half million representa- ives in
every continent and its missionaries in
II ar tsr-