The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-16
PRESBYTERIAN DOCTRINE.
An Experience That Proves the Lay Menu
Der Il Fast BOund by ~.

vs. - N@
To the EDIToR or u sUN-Sir: How
ever true IL may be that q layman In the Pres
byterlan Church Is not required to subscribe
70 Its creed. those OF other denominations
know and Judge hin by IL. II Is the distin-
gushing feature: one cannot get away from
II. While II Is quite possible. even probable.
that under one pastor but little stress II Alo
on the doctrines OF the Church. under another
they may be taught as vital truths. As an
illustration Of the effect Of them upon the
position OF a lay member allow me TO relate
a true story.
An active member In q thrifty Presby-
terrain church for a number OF years, its creed
did not disturb me until we took 70 ourselves
a new minister. a graduate fresh from .
Presbyterian theological seminary, who
was fired with the enthusiasm OF youth and
believed In the blue blood Of his Church and
the soundness of lts doctrines.
Forced into a path OF thought by his preach
ing. many times limited at by outsiders but
never before travelled. ] became convinced
that l was not q very good Presbyterian ana
began to think of resigning my membership.
Law Of every sort, Calvinistio and Mosaic.
Numbered from the pulpit and taught In the
GLASS room, drew 90 itself some ardent ad-
herents. Such tenets are luscious truths 70
some people. and among others they were
20 10 my next door neighbors. The man OF
my house did not share them, nor was he q
member of any church. He was, however,
Interested In the identifying OF his suburban
home. Receiving four shrubs late one Satur-
day night from a distant nursery. he planted
them on Sunday morning.
Our good neighbor, a ruling elder In the
church. was Mortified at the desecration Of
the day and closed all Of his shutters on the
side Of the house next to ours.
A month later, when the weather, was
ONCE on week days. ssssyed one SUNDAY morn.
paper on the front porch a bookcase which
demonstrated with them on account Of posi-
PIE onsnSe TO our Pious nelsapors Lney
onIea' so bS wOfie x sS,nT NV u wa aunt A'ep
also attended. our pastor walked home with
me as far as our netghbor's house, discoursinE
all the way upon the Importance Of living
in ha rmony with the doctrines OF the Church,
especially % those relating 20 the keeping Of
great seriousness that he was to conduct q
little praye meeting next door to us.
thought it rather odd hat he didn't invite
The next Thursday evening the pastor
waived the regularly assigned PRAYER meeting
Of his talk, With his eyes fixed in my direc-
ton he said In solemn tones: 1T makes me
members OF my congregation break The sab.
bath. lest their fate be like that Of Nadab and
Abihu. Who were Instantly killed by using
The man Of my house. I thought. and |
get the blame" Twas ever so. Adam still
lived. and Eve is always the major partner
in his guilt.
Isuddeniy felt my religious opinions matur-
ing rapidly and found them greatly at vart-
ance with those OF the pastor and session.
especially as knew. that my good neighbours
the ruling elder and his wife, who occupied
the same pew. had not spoken to each other
The next evening the friend OF the man Of
my house called.
"Pardner." he said, Il can't possibly asso-
cists with you any longer
Why" IN great conformation
We'll IN ten you When 2 man gets 80
hold a special prayer meeting for his beneht
can't AFFORD TO have anything more to do
"Ohl" said the man Of my house. that's
For six months thought and thought
deeply and finally came to a definite determi-
nation to resign. II seemed the only honorable
found the Presbyterian Church government
more rigid than its creed.
Once in a Presbyterian church with its
cept upon two conditions: Willingness TO, join
another evangelical Church, or expulsion
on account Of misdemeanor.
In the pastors desire to accede to my re-
quest TO have my name taken from the rolls
he suggested my joining another Church.
! could not follow him in this, He then
pointed out 70 me with an unmistakable man
ner the misdemeanor exit.
am still a member. on the retired list, I
believe-a position mitiRated somewhat by
the fact that l am no longer a resident in the
In the face Of this experience my ad vice to
Inquirer" is that unless he Is ready to join
some other Church he had better cease
stru ggling, for It will avail nothing.
WASHINGTON. d. C.. October rs.