The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-13
LETTERS TO EDITOR
The presbyterian Point of View

 To the Editor of The Age-Herald
 There are people in the world today obsessed by an ambition to be Up -to-date in everything. from their hosiery to their philosophy of life" Some of these ultra broad-minded ones' have recently seen fit to publicly arraign the Presbyterian church, her clergy and her church courts, for certain so-called religious dogmas.'
 It would be undignified to attempt a de- fense of so large and influential an organ ization as that of the Presbyterian would emphasize the fact that while pri- marily aimed at the Presbyterian faith, this is direct attack upon the whole sys- tenn of Christian belief, as adopted by all evangelical churches. For Presbyterians do not stand alone in their interpretation of these doctrines.
 This system of the Christian doctrine is 8 consistent whole, each part involving the existence of every other. It was con- formed by the greatest thinkers of the world, not in a day, but after deep and profound thought and study and prayer. It was built not upon human theories and speculation, not upon half truths. but upon the whole truth, as clearly revealed and firmly grounded in the inspired Word of God
 Though no question has arisen in our Presbyterian church courts as to the or thodox interpretation of the doctrine of predestinaton, in view of tie suddenly awakened interest long this line, it Is well to know certain facts. Statistics show that three-f fourths of the Christian world have embodied in their creed free-agency and predestination Every soldier in Eu- rope today who is praying Thy will be done" believes that he is an instrument in Gods hands to accomplish Gods eter- nal purpose.
 The doctrine in dispute, however, of vital importance in it's relation to the whole system of Christian belief is that of the atonement. All Christian denom- nations (with perhaps one exception) hold to one and the same version, that of the complete atonement, in which Christ offers himself, a willing sacrifice, to reconcile us to God, a substitutional sacrifice, to satisfy the demand of jus tice Let us not for a moment consider. that 1t was to placate an angry God, for God is love-" In the beginning, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have ever lasting life"
 Dr. Francis l.. Patton, former president of Princeton seminary, is type of those scholarly men, who are agreed that "neu- tralizing of faith in the atonement tends to undermine and weaken all religious belief" There is no middle ground. The theory of the atonement, that denies the substitutional sacrifice of our Savior upon the cross, is an old one, which we had long since looked upon as anti quated and antedated. It is slight mod ifcation of thar theory of the atonement which was introduced by Pelagius in the fourth or fifth century. So insidious was this doctrine, so ambiguous the words in which 1t was couched, that even St. Au- gustine began to doubt whether his mean- Ing was not after all orthodox. It was only after analysing his system as a whole that the fallacy of this doctrine was exposed and easily exterminated by St. Augustine.
 I have been informed that Dr. Lyman Abbott has recently expressed his beliel in this theory of what we must look upon as an incomplete atonement I car readily believe this to be. true. since il seems naturally to link itself with the ev- olution of man. a cause that Dr. Lymar Abbott has openly espoused for man, years Indeed after careful thought ant consideration of this subject, 1t seems tt my mind eventually to evolve itself into that most dangerous form or evolution. Is it then surprising that the represen tatives of so progressive and intelligent { body as that of the Presbyterian church should decline to accept so elusive a doc Urine in lieu of principles and beliefs . . well-grounded and sustained. which oul fathers fought. bled and died to main tain? Is it just? Is it Christ-like to ac cuse and denounce them for having beer true to their VOWS? For having beer loyal to what they profess to believe? Fol
 having done their ruty, as they so plainly see it?
 l Our grand old Presbyterian church ha! been attacked again and again by tn, enemy from without. and by those sh, has loved and nurtured from within. Ye she remains intact ever foremost in bat 1 tie for the right. never tagging. but eve foremost in every forward movement fol the advancement of Christ's kingdon upon earth.
 MRS. THOMAS M BRADLEY.