The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-21

IdE IlMES5DlSFAICE:
docs not deprive nan Of freedom. nor
make God the autlor of ain.
4--tfcation.
For tho manifestation OF His own
glory. God creaed ,ne 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 immor-
tai souls. enSowed with knowledge.
Righteousness and holiness. having the
law Of God IL their hearts. and power
to. fulfill 1t. and yet under n poasibil-
ity of transtression, boing left to tho
freedom OF their own Will.
5-Sin and tho Fnll.
Sin Is tic violation OF Gods law,
either by mission or commission. Our
first pareits. being tempted by Satan.
disobeyed Gods command. and so by
their owr choice fell from their original
state of innocence and communion
with Coz and came under the power OF
sin. the penalty OF which is eternal
death. All men. by reason of their re-
lationslip to Adam as their represent
tative hoad and common ancestor, are
born With a sinful nature, from which
all actual transgressions proceed: and
out ef this condition no one Is able to
den'er himself
8-Salvation.
Cod, who Is rich in mercy, go loved
world that lie gave His only begot-
tel Son to be the Saviour Of sinners.
Tie salvation thus provided Is freely
ofered TO AL men. and is sufficient for
al, but becomes enicacious only in
those who believe in Jesus Christ unto
eternal life.
7-Eiection.
Z Before the fnnndafin Of tho world
God the Father chose unto Himself in
Christ n people whom He gave to His
Son. that they should be holy and
without blame before Him In love.
Those who como TO years of discretion
receive this salvation only through
the Holy Spirit Those who die in in
fancy and those others who are in
capable OF exercising choice, are re-
generated and saved by Christ through
the Spirit. who works when and where
and how He plea We thus declare
that Gods electing grace has peopled
heaven with multitude that no man
can number. and has never sent one
soul to hell.
S.-Christ the Redeemer.
The Lord Jesus Christ, being the eter-
nal Son Of God. became truly man, be-
ing conceived by the Holy Ghost and
born of the Virgin Mary yet without
and the only perfect mediator between
God and man, by whom alone we can
come unto the Father. BY a life OF
perfect obedience and by His sacri
fetal death, He satisfied divine justice.
made a perfect atonemcnt for sin, and
reconciles us to God. lie rose from the
dead and ascendcd iAro heaven, where
He makes continual intercession for
us; and He sits at the right hand of
God. clothed with honor and power
subduing His people unto Himself
ruling and defending them, and re-
their enemies He will come again to
receive and reward His people, and to
judge the world.
0-The Holy Spirit.
The Third Person Of the Godhead
applies to the redemption purchased by
Christ He persuades and enables men
TO obey the call Of the gospel, and
dwells continually In every believer as
the spirit OF truth, OF holiness, of
power. and OF comfort, and Is thereby
the author of all Christian experience,
Dissatisfaction by Faith.
Every one who humbly relies upon
Christ alone for SALVATION and in re-
pentance confesses and forsakes his
sins. is pardoned and accepted as right
eous in Gods sight. solely on the
ground OF the perfect obedience and
sacrifice OF Jesus Christ Every one
thus pardoned and accepted is adopted
Into Gods family and becomes an heir
OF God and a joint heir with Jesus
Christ.
1.-THE Christian Life.
The Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life
by the direct operation of His power:
so that, being born Rom above. we are
the children of God. created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which are not
the ground. but the fruits of saliva
ton. Dwelling in Christs people, He
purthes them more and more from sin,
enables them TO render a cheerful and
loving obedience to Gods command
ments. and perseveres In His sanotifv-
ing work in their hearts until at Ia st
they stand perfect in the presence OF
Christ in glory. Believers may at times
Dacksihe, growing indifferent and
coio' and even falling into grievous
but chastens them and restores them
through repentance to fellowship with
Him.
1.-THE Church.
we acknowledge one universal
church, the same In all ages, of which
onrist Is the head. The church invis-
IDLE consists of all the redeemed The
church visible is composed OF ali those
thoroughout the world who profess
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. to-
gether with their children. and IT Is
the duty OF all believers openly to nro-
TESS 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 Its 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 genera
ton. We believe in the separation of
church and state. The scriptual form
Of church government is by elders or
presbyters chosen by the members. of
the church; but we do not regard the
form OF government OF a church rs
essential to it's existence We recog
nize the validity of the ministry and
sacraments OF all evangelical churches
and seek the unity OF the Spirit in the
bonds OF peace. Ministers, elders and
deacons, at their ordination, are re-
quired to subscribe to the system of
doctrine contained in our standards
but the sole condition for mem bership
in the church is u credible confession
of Christ as Saviour
l3.-The Sacraments
There are two sacraments baptism
tt lzIs