The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-07
The Presbyterian struggle

The sbyterian struggle.
Last week, after an animated debate,
the Pittsburg Presbytery voted, nearly
two TO one, in favor of the revision of the
Westminster Confession made by the
committee Of the last Presbyterian Gen
eral Assembly. Ii settles the future
of the subject in the Pittsburg Presby-
terry declared one of the ministers, and
with good reason II also may be said
TO indicate the prevailing sentiment in
the Presbyterian Church. The revision
a. made amounts to very little, is evasive
rather than positive, but it will stand,
AT least for the time being.
Whether it will prove sufficient to
satisfy both rugged Presbyterian con-
viction and the demand Of less logical
school of Presbyterians for gentle and
amiabe doctrine Is more doubtful. At
present, its advocates are contending
that the revision has given new i'm
pulse To Presbyterianism, and. unques-
tionably, concerted efforts to start
forward movement In the great Church
of the Westminster Confession are now
made on an unusually large scale. Tho
removal Of the suggestion Of infant
damnation which even some Presby-
terians had found, shudderingly, in the
chapter on Election of the ancient stand
ard, relieves tender susceptibilities, more
especially. those of women; but, after
all. the stern logic of election remains
unchanged, and is Interchangeable. and
Irresistible. Intellectually, the revision
throughout shows a decline from the old
statement, and that its literary express
sion its relative fecblencss. constitutes
bemish on that document of vigorous
English so well-educated ministry as
the Presbyterian must have discovered,
If, however, the Presbyterians no
longer believe in doctrines of their Con-
fession, if il declares faith which in
their hearts they reject. they ought 10
get rid of it, sheer honesty requires
that ministers should not make pro-
fesSion of faith which Is not truly theirs
and they are not willing and are not
compelled by their consciences to preach
But how can the revision, az made, help
out ministers who SHE'D at the Original
document? 1t Is purely superficial 1t
does not go to tho root of the system of
doctrine, but IL merely literary ex-
preston artfully chosen to seem to
soften conclusions whose original sever
ity is made compulsory by the very
premises from which they are drawn.
That foundation of the Confession, Of
course, Is the authority Of Scripture, and
the entire perfection thereof rs the
whole counsel of COP concerning all
things necessary for His own glory. man >
salvation, faith and life Accordingly,
every doctrine of tho Confession is based
on proof texts from the Biblo The
only way to overthrow the doctrine Is
either to overthrow the infallible au-
thority Of the Bible or to deny that il is
riChtfully deduced from the texts cited.
Thus saith the Lord is the only test Of
the truth of religion which Presbyterian
ism and Prote-tantism generally can APP
ply; and 1t Is final; not what human sus-
capabilities want and crave for, but
what the Bible as the Word of Con says.
The underlying cause Of the move
ment for the revision of the Westminster
Confession is, inquest ionably, weaken
ing faith in this fundamental dogma Of
the infalible authority Of Scripture. But
no merely superficial polish of revision
can satisfy that pivotal doubt in honest
minds; and among tho PRESBYTERIAN
ministry, distinguished for its intellect
ua! strength, it Ia peculiarly impossible.
They will not be deceived by any decora-
ton Of the shell, no matter how pretty,
but will insist on going to the kernel
within.
That is why we have int mated that
this revision, in spite of the long agitation
which led up to il, is simply compro-
mise, truce, and has no permanent and
essential value "a n settlement Of the
great question raised by the demand for
it. Practically, it leaves the situation
unchanged, For the moment it may
have quoted controversy, and there may
be a revival of hopefulneSs in the Church
because the lOng-standing quarrel seems
to have been composed, but the issue
continues. and it will yet have to be
fought out. The Presbyterian Church
can never support life on the religious
gStheticism which is now SO fashionable.
It's vitality will be gone as soon "a it
loses courage and consistency in the
maintenance Of the system Of doctrine
on which it was founded and in the in
fallibilty Of the Bible on which alone
that system rests, II is not n religion of
pretty emotion but Of stern conviction.
Look at the Presbyterian type of face.
The Long Island Laureate.