The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-05-25

When the call to arms came they Joined
the army in immense numbers, and. like
their progenitors of old. took their Bibles
along with them to the battlefield. No
better soldiers ever fought. In their
breasts with the fire of the patriot burn
ed the enthusiastic spirit of the religious
devotee They were a gallant race, in
nured to hardship and toll. Thousands OF
them were pioneers from the wilderness,
men who had carried civilization to the
farthest lines 1t had yet reached on this
continent. Indian attacks and the ne
cessity of defending themselves against
the wild animals of the forest had made
them experts in the use of arms. for
these were the days when no one dared
go short distance from home without
his rifle, when indeed, he carried 1t slung
across his shoulder while he drove the
pillow through the furrow
With the attainment of independence
and the consequent separation of Church
and State, the Presbyterian Church made
rapid increase everywhere particularly
In the large cities, in many of which they
exceeded in members all other denomina-
TONS Under the royal regime nearly all
the important offices were held by the
adherents of the church established by
law. Members of the Presbyterian
Church swept fast to the young Repub-
lie and exerted an enormous influence in
all the departments of governmental adj
ministration. Broad-minded men of lib
eral views, earnest in their love of lber-
ty, both civil and religious. their imnress
on early legislation and the DEVELOPMENT
OF the national character had been pro-
found and farreaching. The PRINCIPLES Of
their church government were congenial
with Republican institutions and by a
| curious coincidence the first General As
sembly, which adopted the "Westminster
Confession of Faith" was held in the
same year that the first Congress under
the present Federal Constitution came TO-
gether. A Presbyterian held a seat In the
Cabinet of Washington, and from that
day onward his co-religionists have held
the highest offices of State. from the
Presidency down, to a larger extent than
perhaps those of any other creed In the
domain OF education they have ever been
foremost, yielding place to none in utera-
ry culture and scholarship. If their theol-
ogy mas been in some respects cold, stern
and uncompromising. their humanity has
found expression In innumerable benefae-
tons unconfined to race, class or creed.
In the industrial building of the Repub-
lie and the development of its resources
Presbyterians have been pre-eminent in
every line of endeavor.
Not the Presbyterian Church alone. but
an christian churches are now confront
ed with problems which will have To he
met sooner or later. We are living in an
age of scepticism, where the most cher
ished of sacred traditions are boldly as
sailed and the foundations on which thew
rest are undermined For nearly every
thing is solid reason demanded and the
voice of inquiry cannot be stifled Science
may be a sort of devils advocate but
there are two questions What is the re-
ply TO them? They are the most moments
Gus ever propounded in any age. of such
supreme moment that all else sinks into
insignihcance in the comparison. Presby-
terianism stands the first burst of the
storm. What the issue. no man can tell.
but issue there must be and then?