The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-17
REPORT SUBMITTED
. ON CHURCH'S BELIEF
Continued From r,r.. 70,

| NSohtinued from FIRST Page.)
lined In the Scriptures OF the Old and
New Testaments. It is the revelation
OF Gods will for man and OF mans
duty to God. and Is the only ,nfallible
| and authoritative rule of faith and
! life.
| Part 3-God's Purpose.
inc eternal purpose of God Includes
all events; 1T is holy and wise, and
does not deprive men of freedom nor
make God the author of sim
Part 4.-Crcntion.
| For the manifestation of His own
glory God created the world and all
things therein, whether visible or in
visible and all very good. He made
man after His own image: male and
| female created He them. with imnor-
tai souls. endowed with knowledge.
righteousness and holiness, having tho
law OF God in their hearts and power
to fulfil 1t; and yet under a possibili-
| ~ of transgression. being left to the
freedom of their own will
Part 5.-sin and the Fall.
Sin is the violation of Gods law
either by omission or commission Our
! first parents, being tempted by Satan.
disobeyed Gods command and so by
their own choice fell from their origi-
nal state of innocence and communion
with God. and came under the power
OF sin. the penalty OF which is eternal
| death. All men, by reason of their rc-
lationshtp to Adam as their represen-
.atlve mead and common ancestor. are
| born with a sinful nature, from which
| all actual transgressions proceed; and
out of this condition no one is able to
deliver himself
| Pnrt G.-Snlvation.
God. who is rich in mercy, so loved
| tho world that He gave His only be-
| gotten Son to be the Saviour OF sinners
| The salvation thus provided Is freely
| onered to all men, and Is sufficient for
all. but becomes efficacious only in
| those who believe in Jesus Christ unto
| eternal life
| Part 7.-ElcctiOn.
| Before the foundation of the world,
| God the Father those unto Himself in
Christ people whom He gave to His
Son, that they should BIO holy and with
out blame before Him in love. Those
VINO come to years of discretion receive
this salvation only through faith in
Christ, being regenerated by the Holy
Spirit. All who die in Infancy. and all
others who are incapab bio OF exercising,
choice. are regencrated and saved by
| Christ through the Spirit. who works
when and where and how He pleases
| We thus declare that Gods electing
grace has peopled heaven with a multi
tude that no man can number, and has
never sent one soul to hell
Part S.-Christ the Rcdccmer.
| Tho Lord Jesus Christ being tho
eternal Son of God, became truly man.
yet without sin: so that He Is both God
and man, and the only perfect media :
tor between God and man. by who alone
we can come unto the Father. BY a
life of perfect obedience and nv His
sacrifcial death He satisfied divine JUS
tice, made a perfect atonement for sin.
and reconciles us to God.
He rose from the dead and ascended
into heaven, where FIe makes continual
n ,fr,, Co..
right hand of God. clothed with honor
and power. subduing His people unto
Himself. ruling and defending them.
and restraining and conauering all His
and their enemies. He will come again
to receive and reward His people, and
to judge the world.
Part a.-The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit, the third person of
the Godhead. applies the redemption
purchased by Christ. He persuades and
enables mon to obey the call Of the
gospel and dwells continually In every
believer as the Spirit of truth, Of holt
ness or power and of comfort, and Is
thereby the author of all Christian ex-
pericnce.
Part Reconsideration by Faith
Every one who humbly relies upon
Christ alone for salvation and In peni-
tence confesses and forsakes his sins,
Is pardoncd and accepted as righteous
I'm Gods sight. solely on the ground of
the perfect obedience and sacrifice OF
Jesus Christ Every ono thus pardoned
and accepted is adopted into Gods fam
lily and becomes an heir OF God and
a joint heir with Jesus Christ
| Part 1.-The Christian Life.
The Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life
by tho direct operation of His power:
so that. being born from above. we are
the children of God, created In Christ
Jesus unto good works. which are not
the ground but the fruits OF salvation
Dwelling In Christs people, He puri-
fies them more and more from sin. en-
ables them to render cheerful and
| loving obedience to Gods comma nd
ments, and perseVeres in His sanctify-
ing work In their hearts until at last
they stand perfect in the presence of
Christ In glory. Believers may at
times hackslide. growing Indifferent
and cold. and even falling into griev-
Gus sins; yet God does not cast them
off, but chastens them. and restores
them through repentance to fellow sh p
| with Him.
Part 1c.--Thc Church.
we acknowledge one universal
church. the same in all ages and of
which Christ is the head. The church
invisible consists or AL the redeemed
The church visible is composed of all
those throughout the world who pro-
fess faith in Jesus Christ, together
with their children. and il is the duty
of all believers openly to profess their
faith by uniting with the church. The
church exists to bring to Christ those
whom the Father has given Him, and
to establish the Redeemer's kingdom
The mission OF the church is spiritual
and It's work is to witness TO the truth
of God to the ends Of the earth, and to
preach the gospel TO all men in every
generation. We believe in the separa-
ton of church and state. The scrip
tural form of church government Is by
elders of presbyters. chosen by the
members of the church: but We do not
regard tho form OF government Of
church as essential to Its existence We
recognize the validity of the ministry
and sacraments OF all evangelical
churches. and seek the unity OF the
Spirit in the bonds of peace. Minister'S
elders and deacons arc required to sub
scribe to the system of doctrine printed
In our standards. but the sole condi-
ton for membership In the church is
credible confession OF Christ as Saviour