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

n
gelical churches
14-Death and Resurrection.
The souls OF believers are. at their
death. made perfect L., holiness. and
DO Immediately pass into glory. and
their bodies. being st.ll united to
Christ. do rest In the grave TIL the
resurrection. At the resurrection. be-
iievers being raised UP In glory, shall
be openly acknowledge and acquitted
In the day OF judgment. and made per-
fectly blessed In tho full enjoyment OF
God to all eternity; but tho wicked
snail go away into everlasting punish
ment. There are but two states OF
future existence-heaven, the home of
tho redeemed. and hell, the abode OF
tho finally impenitent. There Is no
purgatory. nor Is there any probation
after death. Man retains his identity
after death, and there will be recog-
milton In the future life We believe
In the ultimate and complete triumph
OF the Saviour's kingdom and with all
His followers In all ages we toll and
pray for tho speedy coming of tho day
when our glorious Lord shall see OF
the travail OF His soul. and shall be
satisfied.
Discussion OF Report.
The discussion on the floor began as
soon as the report had been read, some
OF tho commissioners referring to tho
statement as much desired express
sion Of the belief OF the church. and
others affirming that II II were adopt.
ed II would prove dangerous rather
than helpful. and that II would ne
considered In tho light OF Il com
promise OF the teachings o? the Pres
byterian Church as contained In tbs
Confession Of Faith. The discussion
continued until the close of the morn
ing session, and the hour for taking
recess having arrived. It was ordered
that the discussion be continued i'm
mediatcly upon the opening OF the az
ternoon session.
Special request was made that Row.
ca B. Strickler. D. u. Of Richmond. a
commissioner of this assembly. the
moderator of n former assembly, and
one of tho most honored ministers in
the church, be requested to speak on
this subject Immediately upon the
taking UP OF tho question at the after
noon session.
The moderator has a number OF
times during this assembly referred
TO the value of the service DR. Strick-
Ter has given the church. and OF the
value OF his opinion on any subject
relating to the church. and in view OF
this fact he has placed Or. Stricklcr
on every standing committee OF this
assembly. He made the request that
DIR. Stricken speak on the subject OF
tho brief statement made TO the as
sembly and he consented to do SO.
DIR. StrickIer Speaks.
When the assembly met for the after
noon session Dr. Strickler was the
first speaker. He opposed the adop-
ton Of the report OF the standing COM
mittee on brief statement o! belief,
and said that he could not accept the
brief statement under srn sideratipn
as expressing the doctrine OF the
church. His points of special empha-
sis were that nothing but truth Is OF
value anywhere in science or secular
things and that certainly nothing but
truth is o. any value lin the teaching
OF the church, and he could not accept
this statement as embodying the truth
OF the teaching of the church. In
connection with his opposition to It's
acceptance, DIR. Strickler expressed his
apprccia ton OF the request of the as
| sembly for him TO speak on the sub
ject
A motion was made that tho repor,
| be recommitted TO the ad interim com
mittee for another year, and that ad-
| ditional members be placed on the COM
mittee and another report he sub
| mitted to the next assembly in the
| form OF another brief statement OF
! belief. Opposition to recommit came
| in utter.sSes from different parts OF
the assembly floor, and the question
| to recomm!t was not put to the body
! at that time
| The privilege of the floor was grant
! ed 10 Rev. JAncs l. Vance, chairman of
the ad lnieriru- commi Tee, and he spoke
| in support of the amended brief state
! ment DR. Vance said that he had no
! desire for the brief statement TO take
| the place or the standards of the
| church. but that he did want a state
ment OF the belief of the church that
would be disable, that the Confession
OF Faith was too long TO offer to a
man who desired TO know briefly the
teaching OF Presbyterianism. and that
| such a man would not read II.
| He made reference to the fact that
David chose five smooth stones with
which he killed Goliath, and that he
had an object in selecting smooth In
stead OF rough stones. Then he eK-
| pressed the hope that the brief state
ment of belief" would be adopted and
would prove 10 be fine smooth stones
in the hands OF the church in meeting
! opposition in helping men. Our work
in the world" he said, is not so much
TO defend dogma it is to save a
| soul Our chief work is TO help men.
| We want O. statement of our belief in
| brief form that Will help US 10 do this"
! Oppose Adoption.
/ Rsv. w NJ. McPhceters. OF Columbia.
and Rev. r. f. Campbell. OF Ashcville.
I opposed he adoption Of the report. the
brief statement
DR.. McPheeters made the statemen:
| that this brief statement could not
prove 10 be an in thesi deliverance of the
| teaching of the church. When he was
asked for definition OF an in thesi de-
! livcrancc. his prompt reply was "A
firecracNer without a fuse"
Rev. ". McF. Alexander. OF New
| Orleans, spoke in favor of the brief
statement, and said that whether the
assembly adopted 1t or not he was
| going to have it printed AID use II
in his work pastor He said fur
Their that he had expected 20 lgEa the
adoption OF brief statement, but that
his opposition has heen withdrawn.
| 'Typer- Calvinism.' no said. is not
milk for babes, but 1t is meat for strong
| men When we adopt this statement
we will get something that will be
| good for us to use with our people
before using tho catechism. the Con-