El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-03
government only in the Presbyte-
First PresbNferIan Church.

First Presbyterian Church
The first Presbyterian church was
founded by John calvin. in Geneva
about 1871 The constitution and doc
trines were adopted with small mOdi-
ficatiOn by John Knox in Scotland.
few years later, although the PreSby-
terrain form of worship was not legally
recognized il that country until 1892
For nearly a century more there was
conflict and struggle in Scotland be
tween PreSbyterlanlSm and the EplScO-
paCy, until by the treaty of Union, IN
1907. il was agreed that the Presbyte-
rian form Of church government should
be regarded as the national ecClesiasti-
cal government in Scotland and the only
one which should be supported by law.
Charged With Revolutionary War.
In America the progress Of PreSby-
terianism has been comparatively
smooth. The Presbyterians who came
here had lied from the persecu tons Of
nesses Of the torture there. The Amer
lean PreSby terianS have been restless
under all yOkeS. both ecclesiastical and
political The Revolutionary war itself
was accredited If England largely to
Presbyterian influence, as was demon
stTated by WalpOles'S witty speech in
the British parliament. in which he
said Cousin America has run off
with a Presbyterian parSOn." Thirteen
months before the signing of the dec
laratiOn Of Independence, the Presby-
terians of Mecklenburg North CarOli-
IA, had drawn up and signed a. decla-
ration OF independence from England
and established a system of local gov
ernment- The Scotch Irish Presbyte-
rians of Maryland declared for indie
pendence in May Of 1875.
The historian Bancroft credits the
American form Of government to "Pla-
siarized Presbyterianism-" It is a gov
eminent Of the people through repre-
Sentatives chosen by the people and the
only clergyman signing the declaration
of independence was Rev. John Wither-
spoon, Of the Philadelphia assembly. 1t
was a Presbyterian clergyman in New
Jersey who, when the american forces
were running snort ot Waddlng for
their guns went into his church and
collected tt< slymnboOks. He tore out
the printed pages with his own hands
oII-rSB<ated order, Give the redcOats
Watts, boys. give them Watts" became
the slogan which saved the day fO- the
patriots
The DOetrInaI Standards.
The dOctrinal standards Of the Pres
byterian church are the shorter cate
confession Of faith. all three of which
were compiled by the Westminster as
Sembly held in England in I64S. The
Westminster assembly included 10
lords. 20 cOmmOners and 120 ministers.
The confession of faith ana both cate
chiSmS were sanctioned by parliament
and their publication and adoption au-
thOrized- An attempt was made then
to make Presbyterianism the estab-
lished religion Of England. but it was
never generally adopted The Westmin-
authorized English assembly still re-
main the basis Of faith in all Of the
Presbyterian churches.
Two Articles Added
A number of times consideration has
been given to a revision Of the con-
fessiOn Of faith, and in 1901. the North
ern Presbyterian church overturned its
Presbyteries upon the subject The re-
Spouse indicated that while THE church
desired some change in its credal state
ment, either by revision on supplement
tai statement. yet no change is desired
which would in any way impair the doc
trine contained in the confession Of
faith" A deClaratOry statement was
therefore added in 1908 containing two
articles. The first. dealing with chap
ter III. of the confession. says: Con
corning those who perish, the doctrine
Of Gods eternal decree is held in har-
mony with the doctrine that God desir-
eth not the death of any sinner but
has provided in Christ a salvation suf-
ficient for all; that men are response
bic for their treatment Of Gods generous
offer, that His decree binders no man
from accepting that offer and that no
man is condemned except on the ground
of sin" The second article refers to
chapter X, section 3. which IF not to
be regarded as teaching that any who
die in infancy are lost We believe
that all dying in infancy are included
in the election of grace and are regen-
Grated and saved by Christ through the
spirit who works when and v here and
how He pleases.