The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-04-24
CAlViNISM FOR ALL TIME
It is the Spirit That Revolts Against
Untruth.
HILLS AND PARKHURST SEVERITY SCORED
these Agitations Have Little Effect on the
Southern Presbyterian Church Which is
Solidly United on the West
minister Standard.
To the Editor:

TO the Editor:
At the beginning of the present century.
IN many parts of the North, Presbyterians
and Congregationalists were found in
large numbers upon the same soil.
IN 1851 the e two bodies OF Christ ans
IN New England came together under
what was known as the plan of Union"
Presbyterian ministers might have pas
toral charge of Congregational churches,
and vice versa. Matters of difference
under certain conditions might be brought
before the Presbytery: under others, be-
fore the Congregational Conference.
The able DR.. Palmer has clearly shown
that olt OF this .lnion has emerge. a
Presbyterianism very much modified, both
IN It's Form o. Government and in its Doc
'rlnal Belief To this source, largely,
may be trlcer the lack of unity resulting
in the disruption of 1887, and in the for
nation Of he twJ great branches known
rs the Old School and the New School in
the Presbyterian Church in the United
States.
Each Of these bodies retained a pro-
foun reopCct for the other. After thirty
three years o: separation, they were re-
united in 1871, With mutual rejoicing. The
dOctrlnal basis Of union was a subscrip-
ton to the Westminster standards (the
Confession Of Faith, the Larger and
Shorter Catechisms). Every minister, at
his ordination, publicly declared that he
sincerely believes and adopts" these
symbols as Containing the system of doc
trine taught in the Holy Scriptures"
Very soon it became evident that the
old diversity Of view as to the sense in
which the SJhScrinti0; was made and &c
to it's binding obligations, still existed.
Some claim that the language quoted
above gives them great liberty. others
seem to retain their old Congregational
notions and hold that they owe to church
courts only a very attenuated obedience.
The large element of conservatives hold
that inasmuch as the subscription is
voluntary, the language is to be accept
Bible; and hat this in turn, has reacted
ed in it's plain and natural import, and
puts the preacher under an obligation of
honesty to surrender the church's name
and authority if he changes the basis upon
which she ordained him. 1t is urged that
this surrender of credentials, %candidly
and voluntarily made, is honorable to him
and but just to the church, infringing
upon the religious liberty of neither.
1t is at least significant that this grow
ing diversity as to accepting the Con-
fession of Faith has been quickly followed
by a corresponding restlessness as to the
Bible: and that is, in turn, has reacted
upon the Confession. The conservatives
believe that the same spirit is at the bot
tom of both.
To many minds it is at least suggestive
that pari pussu With the disaffectiOn as
to the Confession has been the progress
Of destructive criticism as to the Scrip
lures.
These two forces were found united in
the powerful attempt to revise the Con-
fesSiOn of Faith made by many in the
Northern Presbyterian Church a few years
ago. he moeement was begun in 1889
and, after broad and deliberate considera-
ton was brought to an end in 1898. The
Genern Assembly meeting in Washington
City that year found that not one of the
proposed amendments had received the
requisite vote of two-thirds of the Pres
byteries, and, therefore,, not one was
adopted.
The present agitation is the old at
tempt, revised and urged by a new i'm
pulse. 1t is not easy to estimate its
strength or to forecast its success. One
may be pardoned, however, for not repos-
ing unbOunded confidence either in its
most active organ, the New York Journal,
or it's most conspicuous leaders.
All who nave followed the career of DR..
Hills must have seen that pulpit lectures
pen current liter lture have left him
but little time and less taste for either
tie Confe ion or tn, Gible. "A1l the
world WCndered' when it recently be-
Known that Ir. Iarkhurst could for
s. Ike the police regulation of Greater New
York.
The editor cf the Chicago Interior is
not a Presbyterian Minister, or a minis
ter at III. md the edito. of the New York
Gva .gelist is a ecnan; highly respected
and talented, but, it is said, not even a
communicate of the Presbyterian Church.
1t may we'll be questioned whether the
authors of the sensational and political
~harangues N our country's two largest
cities will ever give us a symbol OF falth
comparable to the one for which their
undoubtedly different taste prompts them
to utter such fine contempt.
1t is not to be denied, however, that
there may arise in the Northern Church a
strong sentiment in favor of revision,
springing not from any admission that the
Confession is guilty as charged, but from
a spirit of Cancellation, and from a desire
to remove all uncertainty of expression.
1t is extremely doubtful whether any re
vision can be made that will be satisfac-
tory to those now clamoring for change. 1t
be that a brief supplementary state
ment will be adopted.
These agitations have but little effect
upon the Southern Presbyterian church,
which is solidly united upon the West
Standards just as they are. Any
change in those standards, or the adop-
ton of any substitute for them, viii
widen and deepen the organic separation
of these two bodies. The Southern Church
denies that there is a syllable in the Con
fession of Faith which either makes God
the author Of sin o. teaches that anything
but sin can ruin the soul. The charge