The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-09
Orthodox Rejection OF the "Fall OF
Man"

The veteran Presbyterian minister who
rejects the Westminster Confession be-
cause, in substance, it proolaims the
dogma Of the Fall of ADAM, puts himself
outside Of all Christian orthodoxy, Of
which that dogma is the foundation.
The Christian Churches, Roman Catholic,
Greek and Evangelical Protestant,
agree in the doctrine Of the original
innocence of man, his fall in ADAM
and redemption by JESUS CHRIST.
This rebel against orthodoxy does not
go 80 far as to espouse the theory Of
science, that instead of falling from q
state of innooency the human race has
advanced from the lowest stage of being
that man has gone up instead of down.
The original man, represented in Chris
tan theology by ADAM, was savage,
according to science, and only through
the tuition of the experience Of millions
Of years, it may be, has mankind devel-
oped the moral elevation to which a
great part of the race has risen.
The stumbling block in the way Of this
Presbyterian rebel is the dogma Of
eternal torment, and men in general,
he thinks, are of the same way Of feel
ing. He is Mortified at the thought that
GOD has condemned to hell, "for the
single sin of ADAM" countless millions.
IF any man could persuade me that this
is the true statement of Cons manage
ment of the human race he cries. Il
should lose my faith in GOD"
His horror at the doctrine Of such
wholesale damnation is not peculiar
to him, but extends to religious people
very generally at this time. The terrors
of hell are no longer preached in Pres
byterian churches or in any other Of the
Evangelical" stamp, though once they
were the burden Of every sermon. Among
the run of men the present disposition
is to treat the subject lightly or as an
absurdity. If this Presbyterian minister
should be arraigned for trial by his
Presbytery as a hereto because OF his
rejection of the doctrine none of his
judges themselves could affirm that in
his heart he believed in it as did the
authors of the Westminster Confession.
None of them breaches it any longer.
In the application" of the famous ser
mon of JONATHAN EDWARDS at Enfield,
in Connecticut. in 174l on Sinners in the
Hands of an Angry GoD, he warned the
impentent sinner that GODS wrath
toward you burns like fire.; you are
ten thousand times 80 abominable in His
eyes as the most hateful and venomous
serpent is in ours" 1T would be dreadful
to suffer this ferceness and wrath Of
Almighty COP one moment, but you
must suffer it to all eternity; you must
wear out long ages, millions Of millions
of ages" and then when you have done
so you will know that all is but point
to what remains; the GoD that holds
you over the pit of hell, much as one
holds a spider or some loathsome insect,
abhors you and is dreadfully provoked
In this there was no new teaching.
1t was treatment OF the theme usual in
orthodox pulpits up to a generation ago.
1t was the terrible doctrine which awed
sinners at campmeetings and in the many
religious revivals of which the Great
Awakening of 1857 was the last con-
spicuous example. 1t is substantially
doctrine which Is still taught in the
standards of all religious orthodoxy.
The Westminster Confession has been
revised of recent years, but that dogma
remains, for it could not be removed
without destroying the structure.
Will this Presbyterian minister be ar
raipned and tried for heresy because of
his indignant rejection Of it as "blasphe-
NOUS" as "monstrous'? Probably not
He represents too much the prevailing
Presbyterian and Evangelical" senti-