Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-04-14
REVISE THE CREED.

The somewhat numerous OBJECTIONS
from the Presbyterian church lately
have started an agitation for a revision
OF the creed Of that denomination, and
even prominent clergymen are joining
the movement. A newer and shorter
creed AZ wanted-one that fills the re-
qulrements Of modern times and meets
modern thought on common ground
The desire for a better creed Is per-
fectly natural. Il IS difficult to under
stand how any intelligent being In our
enlightened age can subscribe TO the
Presbyterian faith without mental re-
servation. The wonder is that In this
country the creed has not been modified
long ago.
DR.. Hills, in his recent arralgnment
Of Calvinism, gave a vigorous state
ment Of what Christians are still re-
quired to believe. RE said in part
Another partial and hideous view
was taught and Is by Jonathan Ed
wards and the Calviniatic theoloslans.
They took the words of solomon, where
brain and nerve and stomach speak
saving To- the glutton ana the drunkard.
II win laugh at your calamity. ] VIII
nock when your fear cometh. ana cou-
structed "a form of future punishment
therefron, Adam and Eve represented
tbe race. For their sin an mankind
were doomed 20 eternal punishment;
Christ came In with a lifeboat TO save
"a few OF the lost wretches as EDWARDS
said. The bigger part of men who have
died heretofore have gone to hell tne
whole heather world Is hQpelessly
doomed. against the non-elect the
wrath OF God Is burning, the furnace
hot the flames rage and glow, ana dew
ms are waiting for their coming Ike
lions restrained and greedy for their
prey on one page Edwards writes
Cod holds the unconverted over the pit
Of hell. as much as one holds spider
or a loathsomo insect over the hre ana
from time 10 dime the generations In
darkened lands. without temple, with
ont bible without religious teacher, are
swept into he'll as the housewife litts
the lids from the glowing Goals and
sweeps flies into the flames. And today
one of our greatest denominations still
includes that awful statement ln its
confession OF faith. saying that certain
men and angels are toreordaIned TO
everlasting death. being particularly
and unchangeably designed, and their
number Is so certain and definite that
III can not be either increased or de
minished' And every young man VINO
enters the Presbyterian church has 20
solomnly swear 90 believe ana teach this
friehtful view. Yet every attempt tO rec
wise and compel that statement from
the creed has been successfully combat
ed by q majority that wishes TO retain
the doctrine.
Surely a creed that represents Him,
who Is infinite In mercy and the foun-
tain OF love, as treating His children
as a fran man may treat a loathsome
insect. needs revision A body Of
"Chrisuans' who solemnly swear 20 be-
lleye such revolving fancies OF fever
heated theologlans. should be careful
not to stamp others with different views
as 'blasphemers" and "heretiCs.' 4
revision Of the creed would. Of course.
be equivalent 70 an admission that Il
Is 'man-made." and not necessarily
true. but even such an admission would
be less damaging TO the Presbyterian
church than the retention among it's ar
tlcles Of faith of a doctrine. which re-
Gently made a secular newspaper ex-
claim
"Now. does anybody out OF a mad-
house really believe thIs3 DO the pres-
Ident and faculty of the Mccormick
theological seminary believe 10? That
God created men and deliberately. bee
fore their creation. deCrecd that they
should be damned through an eternity
and then with a discrimination worthy
of Satan sent His own Son INTO the
world to redeem the world. that through
Him AN men might De saved? Who. To-
his senses can accept such gclf-con-
Trajectory nonsense"
By an means change the creed. And
may a change Of heart so with the pro-