The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-03-22
BEFORE
CALVIN'S DAY
Discussed by Rev. DR.. Erdman,
Veteran Pastor and Preacher.
Presbyterian PoIity Wide-Its Cow
ernment a Representative One
Faith of the PVritons and Watch-
some of Days EevoIutionary-25
rliIliOns of Communicates.

| This series of denominational lee
lures began very properly with the
youngest of the great evangelical COM
munions-the Methodist Episcopal
and a mighty force for good it is.
Tonight we have to do with one of
the oldest-if / were to speak as an
ardent Presbyterian, l would say the
oldest of them all 70 And right here
let me add, if anything | shall say
might seem to reflect on the polity or
doctrine of any sister denomination,
let me assure you it will not be with
the least intention to criticize
or disparage, but only the very pos
sible influence for setting forth as
fairly and fully as / may be able the
position of Presbyterianism. The
Presbyterian Church has never been
sectarian in it's treatment of other
denominations, but has acknowledged
the churchship of all bodies which
hold the fundamental doctrines of
the Christ in faith, offering fellow
ship even to those who may not hold
fellowship with it, receiving their
members at it's communion table. and
their ministers into it's pulpits.
Admission to membership in the
Presbyterian church is perfectly free
and untrammeled. Holding. as it
does, that the church of Christ, i. e.,
the visible church Consists of those
throughout the world who profess the
true religion, together with their
children, the Presbyterian Church
requires of those seeking membership
in it simply these two things, viz. faith
in Jesus Christ as Saviour and hord
and credible evidence of Christ's
life.
The standards of the Presbyterian
Church consist of five documents, viz.
The Westminster Confession of Faith !;
the Longer and Shorter Catechisms ;
Form of Government and Directory
of Worship.
The Presbyterian communion in
Guiding all its branches, is the largest
Protestant body in the world. The
number OF its communicates and ad
herents is about twenty-five millions,
formed into some 90 organizations,
called by different names, but all
maintaining the principles of re-
preventative government. In point of
intelligence, wealth and influence, the
Presbyterian church is exceeded by
none among the great Christian COM
IuuA1Ollcy WAllO III OOlONOAOhSp Az
stands in the forefront.
The history of Presbyterianism is
wider than the history of the Presby-
terian Church distinctively SO. called.
Presbyterianism is both polity (i.e
form of church government and a
doctrine ii. e. system of doctrinal
bellef).
Its polity is the fruit of It's doctrine.
That doctrine asserts the sovereignty
of God over all men and affirms the
personal responsibility of every man
to God, who alone is Lord of the con-
science. 1t recognizes no authority
in spiritual things that does not rest
for its sanction upon the revealed
word of God, which it holds to be the
only infallible rule of faith and
conduct. While in some sense these
principles both of doctrine and polity
are true of all Protestant commun-
ions, there are certain peculiarities
that distinctively mark the Presbyter-
ian system, which may be described
as Ecclesiastical Republicanism, COM
bined with Calvinistic theology. In
other words, so far as its polity is
Continued on Eighth Page.