Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-06-07
Recent Church Changes.

The recent dcnominational con
vcntions have attracted unusually
wide attention and their proceedings
have been significant of certain char
actcristic influences and changes.
The General Assembly of the
Presbyterian church held at st. Louis
gave an opportunity for testing Tho
strength of the movement to revise
the Calvinistic creed, a movemc cnt
that is backed by some of the most
eloquent and influential men in the
church. While their efforts did not
succeed they were recognized to the
extent that committee of fifteen
was appointed "to consider the
whole question and to make recon-
mcndations to the next Assembly
after an ascertainmcnt of the wishes
Of al the Prcsbytcrics." The sta
tus { thc matter as disclosed at ST.
Lou is thus stated by the Chicago
Tin ,s-IIcrald
Gas a matter Of fact, only 81 out
of tota, Of l95 Prcsbytcrics asked
for any change in the creed, and
none Of the 81 presented any iormu
lated plan regarding revision or re :
statement OF belief. 1t was obviously
unfair and illogical to accept the
demands of onc-Sxth Of the Prcsby-
tcrics rs the expressed wish of the
church. OF this number it is also
significant that only eight ask for Il
revision, while 70 ask for a new and
shorter creed, one asks for a dcclara
tory statement OF belief, while nine
ask for 4 committee to consider the
whole subject and report to the next
General Assembly,"
1t is evident that the PRESBYTERIAN
church is not ready for any change,
no matter how loud may be the
clamOr Of those who so earnestly de-
sire it, and unless there is a rcvolu-
ton of sentiment, it will be some
time before the church gives up the
stcrndo ctrinc of prcdcstinalion, if
ever. The appointment OF the com :
mlttcc was an amiablc concession
that will have a good effect inrrcon-
cling conflicting elements whose
differences might cndahgcr the use
fulncss Of the church,
1t is noteworthy that there was no
demand for revision at the Assembly y
OF the Southern Presbyterian church
in Atlanta. An individual overture
was presented requesting an amend
mcnt declaring that infants are not
damned to eternal punishmcnl-that
is, infants who die in infancy. We
take it that the sentiment Of prcsby-
tcrans in the South is very acCu-
ratcly represented by their able and
vigorous paper, the Southern Prcsby-
tcran, which says on this point in
its last issue: eve note that the
individual overture to the Assembly
asks an amendment declaring that
all infants dying in infancy are elect.
While it is true the general opinion
OF our church runs that way. still to
make such declaration would be to
Introduce an element into the con
fcsSlon which would be difficult of
biblical proof. Extra biblical clc-
mcntS are not an advantage to any
creed. Thc confession does not
declare that any infants are damned
and we suppose the Southern Assem-
bly, will hardly think it necessary a,
this late date to explain to the world
that we do not believe in the damna.
ton Of iniants.'
The Assembly expressed itself to
this effect in its action on the over
turc and there does not appear to be
any such demand for change in the
creed as exist in the northern Assem-.
bly,, under the leadership Of DR.. Hill
lis. The situation admits Of the
observation that orthodoxy is more
general among Prcsbytcrians in the
South than anywhere else and that
the same condition prevails in other
denominations The conservatism
OF the Southern people is shown in
their religion as in all other spheres
OF life. There is now GOOD exam.
pie Of this 20 be found in the con.
dhtlons in the tw" great Methodist
conferences.
The General Conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal church held in
Chicago has made two radical
changes and has considered others
not less radical. This conference
represents the largest Protestant