The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-08-04

y%g<------AA EA4@x luei, from Tue
| ttANQ& RGSSdt1 text, Elise were
- - = ---7 your children IN
holy. but now are they hOly."-l Co
Iinthians T:lI.
which differentiated between holy and
not holy infants. was probably the ba.
Ills for much Of the confusion which
has prevailed In nil denominations on
the subject OF infant salvation and in
FAINT damnatiOn. Before discussing his
text. he wished TO call the attention
OF bis hearers to the fact that about
two months ago the Presbyterian Gen.
eral Assembly In the United States
had taken very advanced theological
step on this subject. According TO
photographic dispatches. II has altered
the Presbyterian Confession OF Faith
SO rs 10 save the non.elect infants us
well rs the elect ones.
The thought that God had arranged
Plan by which some infants would go
TO Heaven ut death, and other infants
would so TO eternal torture. has for
centuries greatly troubled the minds
of all Christian people-CathOlic and
Protestant. Some said that the elect
infants would be saved and the non.
elect infants would he tortured. 9th.
crs had II that any infant by baptism
would be brought into the Church and
be saved. while infants not thus bap-
| tIzaI mr. epri nj. taI yynuI1 s,n O., otarnot
torture. Others had 1t that none could
be saved without regeneration. and
these were perplexed TO know how In
fants could lie said TO he rcsenerated.
/ Therefore how could they hope TINT
, any Infants would be saved? The
hearts and the heads OF all good people
have suffered terribly for many cen;u.
rics because Of these confused ideas.
! Il Is gratifying. the Pastor declared.
to see that with the Presbyterians. at
lenst. love and sympathy have triumph
ed: and that. SO far as they are con-
ccrncd. thirty thousand infants daily
20 10 Heaven. instead or going TO Hell.
Certainly this is II missionary project
OF 10 mean proportions. At this rate
they no doubt believe that Heaven will
soon begin 10 have reasonable proper.
tons. rs compared with Hell. We re-
greet that the brethren did not take any
measures looking toward the relief OF
the non.elect infants Of the past who
now must number thousands Of mil.
lions. II Is worthy OF consideration.
and we trust win have their attention.
And since the matter is so easily ad-
justed, why would II not be the proper
thing for all Christian denominations
10 follow the lead and example Of the
rreSbyterians? We fear that not many
OF the other denominations will join
the presbyterians In their generous
work OF helping the infants. The.
might reason that II att Infants dying
In infancy are saved, 1t might be the
safest thing that parents could do 70
their children to insure their eternal
salvation by killing them In infancy.
Then baby lncubators and various de.
rices-tnedicines. foods. etc.-lHteHdea
for the preservation Of infants lives
might come to be considered detriment-
al 10 the eternal interests Of the chill.
lren,
But how foolish all such theories
seem. How beautiful by contrast is
the simple teaching OF the Bible. that
the salvation for .all-old and young.
OF heather lands as well MS OF Chris
tian lands-is through the resurrection
power of Messiah's Kingdom-through
its enighteninG and uplifting. or res.
directing Influences. Why should we
longer. trouble with the errors OF the
Dark Ages when Gods Message. the
Bible. Is now opening up for His peO-
pie. shining rs an electric lamp. In con-
trast with the tIllow.candIe darkness
OF the creeds?
Unable to Agree.
Pastor Russell declared that he felt
great sympathy for the move made by
ttc Presbyterian brethren. but. never
theless. he was unable 10 agree with
their conclu iOns. believing that the
Bible teaches otherwise. lie realizeu
that the Presbyterian view OF Election
made It difficult for them to deal with
the non-elec:. both adults and infants.
He found TIL Scriptures declaring that
God Is selecting. or eiecting. the
Church from amongst the world. He
conceded that those not elected would
he properly termed non-elect. But he
found nothing in the Bible to indicate
that non-eiection TO joint-heirship In
Messiah's Kingdom would mean pre-.
destination to an eternity OF torture.
The Pastor realized, TOO. that the