The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-10

clean birds, his face marred all over
Wit, With the footprints OF appetite and lust,
The Spirit of God has taken hold of him.
and ne Is asking what we have in our
SSo co T5 OF faith for sinner such as
ne: You tell him of Christ the mediator
0Gftering up the sacrifice Of Himself to
COO. Did He die for ne?" he asks The
answer sUna is Is on your lips. "ae tasted death
d poor Old week like me?" You answer
i ir every man." But can God care for
COO SO loved the world that whatsoever
peleveth shall not perish" But you go
TO your Bible for your answers: not 70
your articles of faith Think Of III a
confession of faith, and not an article in
II FOR poor slnitten, weary, heavy laden.
awful sinner like that
faith? ii0iiu our
But how? My contention is that a re-
statement OF our ooctrinal system, brief
anu clear,W Will tit into accepted standards
with a marvellous adaptation. For it Will
give these great truths of God an order
ana proportion and perspective and en-
phaSis born Of the better knowledge we
have today of the word of God Eternal
truths do not change but their relations
ana proportions and emphasis do More
Ilght changes the appearance Of a land
Scape, throws some things IN shadow,
brings other things more fully in view:
but 1t does not take away a single essen
tlai or the landscape. Now, neither re-
touch these splendid possibilities Of doc
tr1nal Encouragement Proportion and
perspective are beyond their reach Ex-
planatory statement can give us the force
of foot note" An additional chapter
or two can give us the benefit of an "an-
mex But brief doctrinaI restatement
VIII be to the old confession something
IKE what the shorter catechism is to the
longer. 1t will go alongside the old creed.
its exponent and simplifier.
SUMMARY OF HIS REASONS.
Here. then, are my reasons for brief
supplemental restatement of our aoctrinal
system:
old confession.
q 1t secures what revision secures
without altering the text to secure It,
s. 1T secures what explanatory state
ment secures by simply letting the truth
so tell it's own story that no explanation
is needed
a. 1t keeps the old and fine form of
subscription which does not now and win
not then tie us to the ipsiss1ma verba Of
the confession
.. In common with the other proposed
methods of credal change, but with better
opportunities Tor arrangement, it pro-
vldes for the doctrine Of the Holy Spirit
and Of missions
s. 1t makes inviting room for Gods
love for a lost world and allows a color
ing and proportion and perspective and
emphasis more in accord with the tone
and impress Of Scripture without sur
render Of single essential feature of an
accepted confessional system of doctrine.
T., And finally. it puts our system in
such form, so briefly SO simply, so clear
~, that any ''wayfaring man. may read
1t, and learn what Presbyterians believe,
and that which we believe will be more
widely not only known and read but
: loved of men
This restatement will have in 1t all the
massive supporting pillars of our price
ness temple Of truth. It's foundation
stones will be the same old foundation
stones, upon which all superstructure of
evangelical and reformed faith is built
Unconditional absolute sovereignty pre-
destination, gracious eternal election, eff
fectual calling, final glorifcation. they
will all be there and side by side with
Spirit and the inspiring, eager word Of
worldwide evangel, all put in scriptural
proportion and perspective. and bathed
throughout as they are bathed in scrip
ture with Gods ineffable and immeas-
urable love.