The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-18
Basis IL Received By Two As
semblies and Consideration
Delayed for Year
UNITED CHURCH IS
!. GREATLY INTERESTED
Southern Presbyterians Also
! Filled With the Hope That
in, Time the Two Will
Get Together
nv REV. w. 8. CAMPBELL.

ny REV. w. 8. CAMPBELL.
ATLANTA, GA. May 1.-THE
most important matter that has been
before the Southern and the United
Presbyterian assemblies. now in Sea-
! SION In this city, was the presentation
this morning OF the proposed basis
Of Union" for these two churches
A year ago each assembly appointed
a committee. Through the year they
have worked together. and at the
same hour today each committee re-
ported TO It's assembly the result OF
their work. Each assembly took the
Same action unanimously. the report
being received by rising vote. ano
its consideration postponed until the
next assembly. II there was any dif-
ference. possibly more interest in the
matter was shown in the united as
sembly than in the Southern. 1t is
expected that IL will take at least
three years finally to settle this ques-
ton. II these churches are united.
they will have a membership OF nearly
half a million.
The Basis Of Onion.
Believing In the essential oneness
of the Church Of Christ. remembering
the historic lines that bind us 70 re-
vered ancestors, who witnessed vail
antIY for the truth az IL Is In Jesus.
and through whom has come to US
common heritage OF Christian faith
and doctrine; desiring to prove faith
ful In the custodianship OF this IN
heritance. and aiming only for the
glory OF God In the higher advance
ment and wider extension OF His king
dom upon earth. we. the members OF
the Presbyterian church OF North
America, do f1nd a common standing
ground In the following statements,
and upon the basis OF these funda-
mental truths WE covenant to Join our
ecclesiastical bodies in organic unity.
Il. The doctrinai standards now
held In common by these two
churches, viz; The Westminster con-
fesstnn Of faith. the larger ana short.
err catNchiems, shall be the .doctrtnal
standards Of the United church.
20. The standards to be interpreted
in their natural and obvious mean
ing, and no one shall be authorized 10
teach. or preach in the United church
who cannot give an unqualified as
sent to the doctrfnai system contained
I'm these standards.
The Essential Doctrines
IS. The United Church would bear
emphatic testimony to the following
doctrines as essential parts OF the
aforesaid system:
"The integrity of the Holy Scrip
tures--the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments are to be received
as the very word OF God. and their
authority LIS to be recognized as the
only tnfallible rule OF faith and life.
Our Lord Jesus Christ In not only the
Son Of God in respect to his natural.
necessary and eternal relation to the
Father, but also the true and Su-
preme God. being one In essence with
the Father and the Holy Spirit. Our
Lord Jesus Christ. besides the do
mfnfon which belongs to Him as God,
has a. our Goldman mediator. two
fold dominion with which he has been
invested by the Father as the reward
OF his sufferings. These are: A DO
minion over the church. OF which He
In the living head and lawgiver. and
source of all that divine influence
and authority by which she II sus-
tanned and governed. and also q DO
minion over all created persons ana
things, which IL exercised by him in
subserviency to the manifestation OF
Gods glory In the system OF redemp-
ton and the interests Of his church
A. to the constitution Of the person
Of our Redeemer. the Scriptures
BY the Holy Ghost In the womb OF
the virgin Mary and was born with
out q human father. He lived a life
OF perfect obedience. and by the
shedding Of his blood made full
atonefnent for sin and purchased re-
tiemption for his people. The Holy
Spirit. the third person Of the Trinity.
eternally proceeding from the Father
and the Son does. by q direct opera
ton accompanying the word. 80 act
on tho soul as to quicken. regenerate
and sAnctify II. 1t IL his to take OF
the things OF Christ and show them
unto men. and without his direct OPP
GRAFTON tho soul would persist In re-
jecting the truths Of Gods word and
would refuse to yield to tho motives
which IL presents In his gracious
work, the Holy Spirit is the revealer
OF Christ, the interpreter OF His word.
and tho comforter OF the believer.
The Mission Of the Church.
'.In addition to these essential doc
trines, the United Church would lift
into prominence the mission of the
church; we believe that the gospel
OF the Son Of God IL the only hope
OF q sinful. dying world. We recog-
nike In the commands Of Christ the
urgent call to the evangelixation of
the world, and we bow before the i'm
perative duty OF sending the message
OF the word for witness among all
nations.
1.-THE exclusively spiritual character
OF the church's mission. This union
Il based on the statement OF our COM
mon confession Of faith, viz: Synods
and councils are to handle or conclude
Nothing but that which Ii ecclesias-
deal; and are not to intermeddie with
civil affairs which concern the COM
monwealth. unless by way Of humble
petition In cases extraordinary, or by
way OF advice for satisfaction Of con-
science IL they be thereunto required
by the civil magistrate. The ex-
cIusiyaly spiritual character Of the
SnisGlon Of the church does not imply
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