Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-08-11

tlAolNlk-k -kO21LLLyI tSAti Hihe nSAV
your children un-
holy. but now are they holy."-1 Co
rinthians TIA.
The Pastor declared that his text,
which differentiated between holy and
mot holy Infants, was probably the ba-
sis for much Of the confusion which
has prevailed in all denominations on
the subject of infant salvation and In
fant damnaton. Before discussing his
text, he wished to call the attention
Of his 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
telegraphic dispatches, 1t has altered
the Presbyterian Confession Of Faith
so as to save the non-elect infants as
well as the elect ones.
The thought that God had arranged n
Plan by which some infants would go
ITO Heaven at death, and other infants
would 90 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 be tortured. 9th
ers had It that any infant by baptism
would be brought into the Church and
be saved, while infants not thus bap-
tized or sprlnkled would go to eternal
torture. Others had 1t that none could
be saved without regeneration, and
these were perpexed to know how In
fants could be said to be regenerated.
Therefore how could they hope that
any infants would be savedl The
hearts and the heads Of all good people
have suffered terribly for many centu-
rles because of these confused Ideas.
II is gratifying, the Pastor declared,
to see that with the Presbyterians, at
least, love and sympathy have triumph
ed; and that so far as they are con-
cerned thirty thousand infants daily
20 to Heaven, instead Of going to He'll
Certainly this is Il missionary project
Of no mean proportions! At this rate
they no doubt believe that Heaven will
soon begin to have reasonable proper
tions, as compared with Hell, We re-
gret that the brethren did not take any
measures looking toward the relief Of
the non-elect infants of the past who
youy ,nuut nun,hnv Vhopenp1g 40 mil
lions Il is worthy Of consideration,
and we trust will have their attention
And since the matter is so easily ad-
tusted, why would It not be the proper
thing for all Christian denominations
TO follow the lead and example Of the
Presbyterlansy We fear that not many
Of the other denominations win join
the presbyterlans In their generous
work OF helping the infants, They
might reason that II all Infants dying
IN infancy are saved, Il might be the
safest thing that Parents could do for
their children to insure their eternal
salvation by killing them In infancy,
Then baby lncubators aud various de-
vices-medlcines, foods, etc,-intended
for the preservation OF infants lives
might come to be considered detrlment.
nj TO the eternal interests Of the chill.
drenl
But how foolish all such theories
seem! How beautiful by contrast is
the simple teaching OF the Bible, that
the salvation for Hll-old aud young,
of heather lands MS well as Of Chris
tlan lands-ls through the resurrection
power Of Messiahs Kingdom through
its enlightenng and uplifting, or res
nrrectlng 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 as an electric lamp, In con.
trast with the tallow.candle darkness
OF the creedsg
Unable 20 Agree,
Pastor Russell declared that he felt
great sympathy for the move made by
the Presbyterian brethren, but, never
theless, ho was unable to agree with
their conclusions believing that the
Bible teaches otherwise, He realized
that tho Presbyterian view OF Election
made 1t dlflcult for them to deal with
tho non-elect, both adults and infants
Ito found the Scriptures declaring that
God Is selecting, or electing, the
Church from amongst the world. He
conceded that those not elected would
hc properly termed non-elect But he
found nothing in the Bible to indicate
that non.election to Ioint.heirship In
Moeslah's Kingdom would mean pre-
destination TO an eternity Of torture
The Pastor realized, too, that the