The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-17
PARKHURST NEXT.
Distinguished New York Preach
er Falls in Line
With Hills, Briggs, McGiffert
and Others
Il.
IN THE CONDEMNATION
OF the Presbyterian Confession
of Faith.
Says 1t is an Incubus and Should
Be Removed.
N THE CONDEMNATION

New York, April 17.-If Rev. DR.. c.
H. Parkhurst's sermon in which he as
sailed the confession of faith of the
Presbyterian church has occasioned
establishment among his fellow mem
bers of New York Presbytery, they de-
cline to admit it, and it is considered
improbable that any action will be
taken by that body.
DR.. Parkhurst said today that he had
nothing to add to what he had preached
Sunday, and Rev. DR.. George B. Birch
stated clerk of the Presbytery, " no
personally prosecuted the charges of
heresy against DR.. Charles A Briggs
and Prof. A. C. McGiffert, spoke hest
tatingly of DR.. Parkhurst.
TT is not new for Dr. Parkhurst to
talk that way" DR.. Birch said. He
has ever since can remember, but he
is a good Presbyterian, just the same.
He does not believe what he said, and
1 don't seem to be calling him insln-
cere, either, He belongs to that class of
men who have existed since the church
was founded, who want the confession
of faith abolished for a short creed. 1t
amounts to the same thing, but the
change can't be made, for the Preshy-
terrain church and declares he is not in
it,
DIR Parkhurst is a good Presby te-
rian, because he really believes that the
confession is Biblical utterance. The
confession is merely a statement of
faith, and he lives by it. Predestina-
| ton was what he talked about and it
| always has been debated, but nobody
knows anything about it; but what is
in the Bible is good enough for Pres
| byterian, and I do not care to discuss it.
But, as DR.. Parkhurst said things
| which are antagonistic to the Presby-
| terrain churcr and declares he is not in
| sympathy, can he still be Presby-
| terian?" was asked.
HE is, because he has not been tried
| or asked to resign DR.. Birch said.
'Then you still regard him as a good
| Presbyterian and no action will be Ia
ken by the Presbytery?'
LAS far as I know none will be, and I
don't see why any should. 1t does not
matter what he said. He's a smart
man-many persons call him a great
| one. Certainly he is a friend of mine,
and I dislike to discuss him.
In his sermon Sunday DR.. ParkhurSt
spoke in part as follows:
I'VE ought to have a new confession
of faith. It is surprising that the Pres
! byterian church is able to do as much
as it is doing with such an incubus
strapped upon US as we are tottering
under in our present confession. In the
first place, the thing needed is not a sys-
! tenn of theology, for that is what our
! present confession is, but a simple, brief
! Saxon statement of a half dozen or SO
/ of the vital ingredients of Jesus Christ
message to the world could get along
with a confession of faith containing but
the little that Jesus said when He was
| trying tomake a Christian of Nicodemus:
| God SO loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whatsoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but
4 have eternal life That gives to us
the doctrine of Gods unlimited love
human guilt, the divinity of Christ, sal
walton through Christ, faith in Christ
| Immortality; every word Saxon, three