The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-05-18
what 10 ths Use?

The nrst impression produced by the
proposed revision OF the Westminst"
Confession, with its substitute creed. or
" brief statement Of the Reformed faith.
IL Of a sharp literary decline from the
original standard Relatively, h prod
uct Of the Committee Of Revision Ia a
feeble piece Of literary and intellectual
work.
The NEXT impression Ia of its utter
tutility a. q means Of a~ppeasine h con-
temporary revolt against the Confession
formulated BY the Assembly Of Divines
at Westminster, moro than thru hundred
wears ago. a. an expression OF the Re-
formed faith at a m 81 positive ana
devout religious belief and consequent
bitter religious controversy.
The purpose Of the revision In IN satsfy.
or. at least. plsca;e the scepticai senti-
ment induced by the modern scientific
theory Of evolution. With TIA postulaie OF
mans gradual elevation from the low
eat beginnings In the scale Of nature a.
a su bstitute for the theological poetulate
Of the precipita,e fall Of man from : orig
inal righteousness and communion with
COD
Our whole theolo gicai system procceds
primarily from this Fall 10 the scheme
Of Redemption by the sacrifice Of JESUS.
The theory Of evolution, by its substitu-
ton Of natural progress, eliminates the
Redemption.
The conflict bet ween the two In, there
fore. radical and irreconcilable. yet II Ia
to this conflict that the demand for tho
revision Of the Westminster Confession
is attributable. II In q demand that the
very cornerstone Of the system ~ Chris
tian theology shall be rejected and natural
causes he substituted for supernatural
agencies.
A tho revision which has been 70
ported to the General Assembly could
not satisfy the scientific theory without
the complete surrender Of the theological
position. without leaving Christian faith
with nothing upon which 10 stand, the
effort Of the revisers was To conciliate II
by seeming 10 rub on the rough edges
of tho inevitable conclusions from the
premise Of an omnipotent and omnisctent
sovereignty by a personal COP. With
feeble hands they sought to ear away
from man the faculty ~ logical reason,
or, at least, TO anrsthetize IL by means
Of rhetorical soporifics Of strictly : up
to-date compromising.
Accordingly. they have satisfied neither
fashionable evolutionism nor old-time
c~restionlsm. The violence Of the ire
prcssible conflict between these two Ia
mo- Modified In the least measure by
their transparent literary trickery. BY
retaining Creation, the Fall and tho
Atonement. a. they must do necessarily
or give up the whole system OF theology
on which the Church Is founded, they
commit themselves 10 the very conse-
auences, and all the consequences, 40
bravely accepted by tho ancient Con-
fc~sion: while the scepticism they would
appease proceeds with like courage
to all the necessary conclusions from
the contrary theory Of evolution.
What. then. was the use Of the COM
mi,iae'a extending 40 long and 30 great
labor on "A revision which leaves I'M
touched the very question in disputef
Why should the ripc and strong intellect
81 the General Assembly waste itself in
the discussion Of so fimsy a construc-
ton, By the side OF the Westminster
Confession the fabric " as weak philo-
sophically Ms il il in literary form. II Ia
a r~efreshment To pass from the dainty
prcttiness Of the new TO the severe and
stately dignity Of the old.