Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-04-18
"INFANT DAMNATION."

The following was written to q news
paper many years ago by the late DR..
] ]. Bullock, at one time pastor OF the
Second Presbyterian Church in this
CITY:
THE doctrine of the damnation of
infants is eliminated by the assembly's
committee on revision from the Con-
fession of Faith OF the Presbyterian
Church."
Such is the announcement made by
quite q number of newspapers in their
notices of the action of the committee.
This statement is misleading, as there
is no such doctrine taught in the Con-
fession of Faith. The common belief OF
all true Presby terians is that all infant
dying 10 infancy are elect-sre chosen
of God to eternal life are regenerated
and saved by Christ through the
Spirit, according to his eternal purpose.
The expression, select infants" which
comes under the head of "effectual call
ing" does not imply "non.elect IN.
fants." That this is true is manifest
form the fact that the whole Presby-
terian Church-ministers, elders and
people--wth one accord SO interpret
1t. / have had large personal &C.
ouaintance with many distinguished
Presby tsriaps, In all parts OF the coun-
try. for more than fifty years and l
have never met with one who be-
lieved 10 the doctrine of infant damms-
ton, or that it was taught in our Con-
fession of Faith. Whatever msy have
been the views OF some persons outside
OF our ecclesiastical connection, deny
most emphatically that this repulslve
doctrine is taught in our Confession OF
Faith. or that it has bsen taught by any
minister or author of standing In con
nection with the Presbyterian Church
in these United States. 10 this broad
statement l challenge contradiction.
Until this can be done, he who makes
the statement lays himself open to the
charge of lioeling the grand old histori-
cal church, which has stood 10 the fore
front of every great battle where the
interests OF Christ's cause and kingdom
were involved. The worst that any
candid man can say OF our confession on
this subject is that it does not profess to
determine " whether all infants are saved.
II gives not the slightest intimation that
any are lost. 1t is strange spectacle
to see ministers of the Gospel who have
solemnly adopted this confession as
their confession, and who have pledged
themselves to teach its doctrines, ex-
pending their energies in trying
| to make it odious in the eyes OF men,
and even to resort to Misrepresentation
to accomplish their purpose. That
| confession is built upon the bedrock OF
| Scripture, and it cannot be overturned.
The gates of hell cannot prevail aReiDst
this church. She Is impregnable and
inyincible. Her glttering spire rise
higher and higher, and her bulwaIks
breathe defiance to all her numerous
foes. both Internal and external.
Upon my personal and official respon'
sibility as man, and as a Presbyterian
miuister of the Gospel OF more than hi'
ty years. standing, l most emphatically
deny the charge that the doctrine OF IN
fapt damuation ia taught in our Comics.
sion OF Faith or has ever been preached
bv our ministers or believed by our peo-
pie. -: DoLLooA,
Ex. Chaplain of the United States sen
ate and Moderator OF the General As
semblv of the Southern Presbvter'an
Church in the centennial year 1883.