The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-31
DR.. MGCKGY STTRS UP IOWA.
CHASSIS OUT THERE SAYS HE rs
AGAINST CHURCH DOCTRINE

And Expresses Indignation and hesret
over a Pronunciation OF "the Crude ana
Pttlless Theology" Of the Doctrine OF
Eternal Punishment-He stands rat
The Rev. DR.. Donald Sage Mackay' pastor
Of the Collegiate Church, at Firth aVenue
and Forty-eighth street, has been DTanaea
as a hereto by some Of the Western MINIS
tiers Of the Reformed Church In America
10 witch the Collegiate Church oelongs'
but a heresy trial Ia not expected
A protest against views expressed by the
Rev. DR.. Mackay has come here from the
Iowa Chassis Of the Reformed Church IN
the form Of resolution declaring that
an article in the Chrisiian Intelh0encer OF
Feb. written by DIR. Maokay Is against
Reformed Church doctrine.
sIn view Of the fact that the reading
Of such articles must necessarily bear evil
results,s saws the resolution, I'VE, a. the
Chassis Of Iowa, express our indignation
and regret 10 find such a contribution in
paper which represents our Reformed
Church, and we, as Chassis, ieel our
selves Obliged TO withdraw our moral and
financial support from said paper II We can
not recommend II to our Reformed iannl-
lies as containing solid and orthodox III
erature'
The article Is the substance Of sermon
delivered by DR.. Mackay In which ne gives
what seems to him to be reasons TOT an
apparent growing inability Of men to be-
heve in personal God. The part to which
the Iowa ministers object is this
Stul another cause which mention "A con-
tributlng 10 this lost sense OF God comes
from the crude and pitess theology OF
previous age. ! say previous age ana yet
/ cannot help remembering that IN bcotlahu
to-day 100 ministers have been rendered
legally churchless and homeless, and prop
erty Of SIS 900 900 taken from the Church
they represent, in order TO satisfy the legal
demands Of a Church Of just tWenty-iouI
ministers, whose fundamental belief Is Limited
salvation, that God saves only the elect. ana
that only to the elect can the ofer OF salNa-
ton be made. These twenty-four ministers
stand to-day, with that vast revenue behind
them, as representatives., II not eApoheh's'
OF that dreadful theology Of generation OF
two ago which pictured God as seeking His
own glory at the expense Of His creatures
welfare: as .condemning FOR bis own mere
good Measure innocent children and Ignorant
savages to an eternal torment, when pre-
supposes eternal evil; as furnishing men LOT
mistakes in doctrine; as claiming DIlhu
submission Of the conscience and intehecV'
as vindictive and cruel. and as, In fact, any
thing but the Father Of infinite love revealed
in Jesus Christ That theology, thank Goo
Ia not preached to-day, but the effects OF 1t
are felt to-day
Tae editors Of the Christidn Intelli0eHeeT
sav that the action Of the Iowa Chassis is
unjust They say:
THAT DR.. Mackay used in the sermon
OF which the article was a condensation
sorne unRuarded expressions in describing
the doctrinal attitude Of the Wee Free
Church OF Scotland may be conceded, but
the inference that he intended TO deny any
doctrine Of our standards we regard as
altogether unwurTanted.
DR.. Mackay himself said yesterday:
Il am intensely surprised at the feeling
which has been stirred up, and all the more
go because at the time the sermon In que5-
tion was preached IL received general com
mendation, so general, in fact, that in
response to numerous requests 1t was made
piblic in pamphlet form. ! have received
q number Of letters complimenting me
on H. Learning Of the action Of the Iowa
Classis quoted TO my congregation last
Sunday this extract from Scotch theo-
Logan Of the type to which l drew atten-
ton in the previous sermon:
sThe godly husband shall say Amen TO the
damnatlon Of his wife; the cody parents
ence OF death against their only child: the
godly child shall approve the damnRtion Of
his wicked parents, the father who begat
him and the mother who bore him.
If the Iowa Chassis indoTses that type
of theology as the theology OF the Reformed
Church in America to-day, / am ready TO
step out Of my pulpit tomorrow, ] would
rather break stones by the roadside than
preach such a caricature Of the love Of
God
Or. Mackay understands that the true
inWarClness Of the Iowa action il TO be found
In a church quarrel. seceder from the
Reformed Church, known as the Christian
Reformed Church, which Is fairly strong
In Iowa, is using his sermon as religious
and theological pital and practically forced
the Reformed Church Chassis 10 il action.