The Washington herald., 1909-05-24

! John Calvin. who set Europe by the
ears. theologicaEy and socially, when
hardly out OF his teens: who inspired the
reformation in Scotland. sti6ened the
backbone OF the Dutch against the span
iards. tempered the resolve Of the Iron
sides under Cromwell. sent the Puritans
To- unknown shores In search OF religious
/ freedom, and left his stamp on the Con
stitgticn OF the United States. was hon
cred yesterday by the Presbyterlans Of
Washington
At the suggestion Of the presbytery
the four hundredtb anniversary Of his
[ birth was celebrated IN a number of the
! churches OF the faith he founded The
/ date OF his birth was July 1o 15os. Some
Of the churches OF the city have already
celebrated the anniversary. and some are
planning 20 hold special services next
Sunday
/ The most general observance, however,
was held yesterday. Rev Dr. Wallace
/ Radcliffe al the New York avenue
/ Presbyterian Church, devoted his SER
mons at both the morning and evening
/ services to the lie and influence OF
/ Calvin II the morning service the choir
sang the only hymn known 10 have been
written by Calvin. Il was discovered IN
l an old prayer book. and translated and
/ published in 1S5s
WitherspOOn Is Landed.
At the evening service the pastor took
( for his subject "Calvinlsn. W!therspoon
and America" Speaking OF the time
I liness OF the recent unveiling Of a mon
unent in Washington 10 John WIther-
spoon. Dr. Radcliffe declared the sturdy
! Presbyterian clergyman and signer Of the
I Constitution was a distinctive e&sup.e
/ OF the inspiration the great thinker of
I Geneva left behind him after his death.
/ for ether generations and for other men.
I John Witherspoon.' said the pastor.
was saturated with the thoughts OF
/ Calvin He was free IN the most. con-
/ pIete freedom-the freedom OF religious
/ 6elief-and vas fearless IN the face ot
/ kings. armies. and overwhelming odds
+ It was such men as he taat made Valley
I Forge possible. and that drew the adrai-
L
/ soldiers under Washington
Referring 10 the influence Of Calvin
/ on American institutions. Or. Radcliffe
said that the wind which carried the
Mayfower 10 TIE shores Of tais country
came from Geneva. and the resolve that
drew up the Constitguoh as & model for
I all nations could be traced 20 the teach
/ iags of Calvin.
Z Refuting the impression entertained b.
Z Calvins deuacIOrs. thaJ he carried the
4 doctrine OF Predestination 20 the point OF
Oppressiveness. DR.. RadciiTe declared he
was the intellectual genius OF his age
and the enunciatOr OF the common scao5i
/ the free church. the open Bie2e and the
I democratic form Of government. He said
in part
II I were to ask the passing man IN
( the street about John Calvin. BE- would
/ tell ne Re was q lean. lank. sour-visaged
man. who lived long ago = Geneva. who
wrote a book teaching that God created
al neu in order 10 save a few and de-
Stroy au Others. who burned Serretus. and
1 believed al infants on dying are lost
Nan sent from God.
He was a man sent from God He
was the Intellectual genius of his age.
He was the theologiau OF civ. and re-
/ EsIous liberty % tie world He Illus
trated all his life the 6oninsncy Of an
/ imperative mind over a feeble body.
We are told that he burned Se-vetus.
IN his generation Protestant and Catho-
lie believed death WAS The right sentence
for he-esy. The civil authorities sen
tenced Servetus 10 the stake. and Calvin
pleaded in vain for the simpler, easier
punishment by the sword
He emphasized the authority % the
Bible. He gave system the theological
thought, disciplirs 20 the church. and
dignity 10 the individual He made
Geneva a Christian city and model re
public He gave the germ for the common
school system OF to-day. in placing over
his university the words. The fear Of the.
Lord Is the beginning OF wisdom.
Speaking Of the word "CalvinisE" n
connection with the doctrines of the
Genevan. Dr.. Radcliffe said:
Two lines OF thought control all re-
liglous thinking One announces grace
absolute the other grace relative. One
speaks OF man dead n sin. the other
OF man III in sin. One says God and man,
The other man and God
The former is the UnCOmprOuisinE
call OF Calvin. Much that men csIl
Calvinlsm has passed away. but the
true Calvi1ism is not dead. and cannot
die TIE central. commanding, neces-
sary idea OF Calvinism IS not predestina-
ton. but divine authority. Pagsaisn
seeks God in :ae. creat ture; Islam isOIates
God from the creature. ROmauism inter
poses the medium Of a church. with
priests and hierarchy. between the crea-
ture and the God. Calvinism presents
the immediate uninterrupted fellowship
between God and creature.
As no other system, Calvinism has
taught the supremacy OF the individual.
Il has digniied man Il has diSin-
thralled conscience. It endows with mas
terful energy. Il has put iron into the
blood Il has made the soul humble
before God. res0uTCeful among men. bold
before kings. Il Fas given the priest
hood OF believers the common school.
the free church. the ballot. Protestant
ism. the open Bible, the Mayfower. the
American republic. and the glory Of is
imperial star 20 ali the west"
At the GUrley Memorial Presbyterian
Church Rev. DR.. J. Russell Terbrycke
SPOKE at the morning service on The
life. character, work. and influence OF
Calvin" He said Calvin was the orig
inator Of three distinct doctrines. the sys-
ternstizing Of theological ideas, the sep
nration OF church and state, and the par
ticipation OF the lsity with the clergy IN