The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-05-21
Presbyterian General
Assembly at Denver
ry AssooIated Press

/
Denver, Colo May 20-The ON,
0 hundred and twenty.hrst general as
: sembly Of the Presbyterian church
convened here today The chief worl
of the day IS election Of moderator
Indications are that Rev. George +
Hill OF Chicago viii be elected
Rev. b. p Fullerton. of St Louis
retiring moderator Of the Presbyter
ian general assembly, delivered his
address at todays session lie sale
In part
1T Is important at time like this
in the life OF the church that we con
slider with care some things about
which there is need Of a larger and
clearer vision. When accredited min.
listers of the church deliberately cast
suspicion upon truth so mndament.
al as the Deity of Christ is the time
not ripe for the church 70 declare IL.
Iself? Aranism is not so bold now
nor so blatant as In the past It
would be less dangerous II II were.
Its approach is subtle now. II con.
ceals itself behind plausible theories
and to the uninitiated appears as we'll
established truth. The hurt, however,
to the cause comes rather from a lack
OF positive conviction In the church
upon this great doctrine. lack Of
well defined notions concerning 1t
which do not hesitate to defend them.
selves.
First of all the church needs today,
as It has needed in all days, a cor
rect vision of the nature of Christ and
his relations to It, II He is its head,
its foundation, the source OF its life.
then Il Is important that the vision
Of Him be accurate, FOR, If the fouuda.
tion be impaired by inadequate con.
ceptions of its strength, on what can
we build hope?
First, as to His nature. The church
needs to rediscoyer His Deity. for so
long as we question His Deity we will
necessarily be timid and hesitate when
He commands and will doubt the nc.
complishment Of the tasks lie imposes
but when the church can say with
Thomas, as its doubts depart My
Lord and My God, nothing is impos-
sible to t.
Again Inadequate conceptions OF
Chirst's Deity becomes the source of
a multitude of evils too dreadful with
which to trihe Among these are in
adequate views OF human depraylty. !
the impotency Of man toward good.
the imperative need of an adequate
sacrifice for sin and the all suficien-
cy of the atonement made by Jesus
Christ for the worlds sin.
I'm the second place, we need to |
rediscover Jesus Christ as our re-
deemer Not only does Christ sus
tain TO the church the relationship Of
redeemer, but it is well for us TO get
a vision Of Him as It's head
THE church also needs a view Of
its own character. functions and
resources. What Is the church but the
company of the redeemed. the body of
which He is the head, the branch of
which lie Is the vine. The church is.
therefore, a unit There are different
but one body. Spiritual I'm.
ity, do we say Yes. redeemed by the
same blood deriving rs life from the
same vine guided by the same head
and resting on the same foundation
and yet engaging In outward denomin.
ational struggle for supremacy that
pays poor homage 10 Him whom 1t
calls head and Lord Is that the way
spiritual unity expresses itself? Does
not spiritual unity express itself rath.
er In organic unity or some kind Of
organic federation which gives proof
Of the existence Of that deeper and
more significant unity which we call
spiritual?
THE denominatlonal contentious of
today can but Impress the world most
What a waste OF man
and money, and what for? To bring
Christ 20 the world2 Alas. too often
to build up our particular sect. and
yet there stll comes rinine down the
centuries that prayer of our Lord
which He offered IN the very shadow
of the cross. That they all may be
one Can We expect our Lord and the
head of the church to answer our
prayer for more and better men for
the ministry so long as we make such
a poor use Of those He has given us
and can we expect His stewards,
faithful 10 great trust TO furnish
us more money SO long as we waste
what they give us in unseemly strife