Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-05-20
IS ONE HUNDRED AND
TWENTY FIRST SESSION
Able Annual Address Was Deliver
ed by the Retiring Moderator
Rev. B. P. Fullerton
at Morning
Session.

NhNiNh anu tWtlty -iISl ktHtTal dS-
sembly of the Presbyterian churcn
convened at the Central Presbyterian
church in this city at IL o'clock this
morning, and the chief work to be
disposed of during the day is the cleo
tion of moderator after the formal
morning session at which time the
retiring moderator delivered his an
nual address.
The commissioners as the delegates
are called then adjourned until q
o'clock, at which time the ballotfng
for the moderator viii begin with the
indications that there will be but one
ballot necessary as the withdrawn %
DR.. Robert Mackenzie, of New York,
and Dr. Howard Agnew johnson, of
Colorado Springs, have greatly en-
hanced the chances of the election .Jf
Rev George T.. Hill, of Chicago.
The only opposition TO the election
now will be DIR. VIM. L. McEwan, Of
Pittsburg, and DIR. James Morrison
Barkley, of. Detroit Mich, and il is
the general belief that the followers
of the candidates who have with
drawn will go TO Rev Hill.
Rev. Eullerton's Address.
Rev. B. u. Fullerton. of st. Louis.
retiring moderator of the Presbyter-
ian general assembly. delivered his
address at today's session. He said in
| part:
1T is important at a time like ours
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 "A truth so fundament-
al as the Deity of Christ. is the time
not ripe for the church to declare it.
| self? Arianism is not so bold now
nor so blatant as in the past. 1t would
be less dangerous if it were. Its APP
! proach is subtle now, 1t conceals it
self behind plausible theories and to
the uninitiated appears as we'll estab-
lished truth, The hurt, however, u
cause comes rather from a lack OF
positive conviction in the church lp-
on this great doctrine, a lack Of well
| defined notions concerning Il which
do not hesitate to defend themselves.
First Of all, the church needs to-
day, as 1t has needed in all days. a
| correct vision of the nature Of Christ
and His relations to it. If he is Is
head, its foundation, the source of
it's life. then it is important that the
vision of Him be accurated for If
the foundation be impaired by made
| quate conception of its strength, cn
what can we build hope?
First, as to His nature. Tne
| church needs to rediscover His Deity
for so long as we question
His Deity we win necessarily be
timed and hesitate when He COM
mands and will doubt the accom-
| plishment of the tasks He imposes,
but when the church can say with
Thomas, as its doubts depart, My
Lord and My God, nothing is inn
| possible to it,
Again. Inadequate conceptions Of
Christ's Deity becomes the source Il
multitude of evils too dreadful vita
which to trifle. Among these are in
adequate views of human depravity.
the impotency of man toward good.
the imperative need of an adequate
sacrifice for sin and the all sufncieu-
cy of the atonement made by Jesus
Christ for the worlds sin.
"In the second place, we need 10
rediscover Jesus Christ as our Re-
deemed Not only does Christ su3-
tain to the church the relationship of
Redeemer, but it is well for US TO get
a vision of Him as its head.
The denominational contentious Z
today can but impress the world
most unfavorably What a waste II
man and money, and what for? 10
bring Christ To the world? Alas too
often to build up our particular sect
and yet there still comes ringing
down the centuries that prayer Of our
Lord which He offered I'm 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 poor use of those He has Civ
en- us; and can We expect His stew
ards faithful To "a great trust, TO fur
nish us more money so long as we
waste what they give US in unseemly
strife and unholy rivalry for place
and numbers
1T may be that the church, like
truth, has its periods Of analysis be-