The Topeka state journal., 1900-04-18
PREsBYTERIANs STIRRED.
Divines Discuss DR.. Parkhurst's
Easter Sermon.

Easter Sermon
New York. April 1S.-Doctor Park
bursts Easter sermon. in which he
spoke Of the Westminster Confession Of
Faith as AN incubus strapped upon
PresbyterianS, has stirred the clergy
and laity of the Presbyterian church IN
this city. While many of the members
Of the doctors own church. the Nadi-
son Square Presbyterian, as well as
many members of the clergy, agree with
his views. in the main. it is generally
considered that his criticism Of the con-
fession is really the first shot in & de-
termined attack upon this central bull
wark OF PTesbyteriansism. It is con-
sidered as especially significant because
II follows soon upon the withdrawal OF
many prominent ministers from the
communion of that denomination
Doctor Parkhurst- however, bases his
criticism entirely upon the confession
and has not word TO say about the
higher criticism Of the Scriptures, which
led to the censuring Of Doctor Briggs,
Doctor McG1nerr and Doctor David
Swing and ultimately to their with
drawal from the church.
Doctor Hills alone OF those who have
officially withdrawn from the Presby-
terian communion, based his action up
on his inability TO subscribe longer 10
the Westminster Confession.
Several Presbyterian ministers, in
speaking today of Doctor Parkhurst'S $
views as expressed in his Easter ser
with him as to the portion of the con-
feSsion relating to the fate of children
who die in infancy Not one of them
took the ground that such infants,
ed
Doctor Parkhurst said that his ser
mon. as it had been published only in
part had been somewhat misunder-
stood.
My chief point" said he. was that
Christianity centers in the heart, and
not in the head Christianity. for this
reason, is the most personal of all
things My next point was that only
heart can educate heart Mere truth,
mere power, cannot do this. But for
some reason the brain has been largely
substituted for the heart in matters of
I Christianity The tendency of the time
is toward scholarship and the substitu-
tton Of brain for heart
As TO the Westminster Confession,
I Doctor Parkhurst said:
/ There is no possibility in my judg-
ment of revising the Confession of
/ Faith But I do not believe that it
/ would be possible to revise the confess
/ sion, because it has become a great ira
/ dition and deeply rooted in the adrnira-
/ tion and respect Of the church We
/ tried once, and failed. and any further
/ effort would, am assured, result in like
/ failure
But we need simpler statement of
some OF the main truths that Christ
/
/ plain and so simple that all may clear
I " understand it and accept it as q
| statement Of our Christian belief
I 7 believe that If such a statement
/ could be arrived al. it would gradually
1 replace the confession The yVestrnfn-
/ ster Confession would then sink into
/ tnnocuOuS desuetude'-stfI valuable for
/ what it was and valuable for what It is
| but no longer valuable as a practical
statement of faith for all classes OF
! Christian believers -
Doctor David G. WyIie, pastor Of the
Scotch Presbyterian church in this city
said:
7 strongly deprecate all fnhammato.
~ statements in regard to the West
| Minister Confession. whether from ON
puIpIts or from any of our scholars Ny
| reason is that such statements are quite
| apt TO alarm the church and in the euf
the effort to revise or modify the con.
! fessIOn would result in failure Haf
| Ihere been more temperate discussion
during the last attempt at revision. !
might have succeeded but it is too LAT,
now to hope for success
I do not agree with Doctor Park
hurst that the confession is keepins
men out Of the church. or that it i
driving them out OF the church. I sa1
this as the result of my observation,
during Is years experience as Tno.lara
tor IN which received LOO member
into the Presbyterian communion.
Inlnk that an honest man NAV Re
7 -i-1--A- IL tA-C ESDy -CE1sLu pulpit and We
not subscribe TO every statement of N
confession 1t is only expected that n
shaI subscribe to the substance of it
as agreeable to holy Scripture. Tn
Bible is placed above the Confession.
consider Doctor Parkhurst as al
extremely able man and if he vii
Wrlte statement OF the essential be
llefs OF the church I am sure il vii
receive due consideration from tn
Presbyterian church We will discus
It and We VIII adopt whatever parts q
II we can hope the statement he pre
pares viii be temperate
TDrTIrD IN -