Year: 1877

that practical hold which they once did.
And should not honest and earnest ef-
forts DO put forth to have the theoretical
aud practical faiths fully harmonize2
When they do not harmonize, and in
proportion as they do not harmonic,
are there not crooks shead2 TT is an
evil thing" says Dr.. Fairbairn, himself
Scotch Presbyterian, "for any Church
to fall behind the intellect of country,
or to float out OF sympathy with it in its
most earnest and religious endeavors
To- discover whatever of Gods
truth q ,nsture or man, scripture or
science may reveal. 1t is thing 20 less
evil for any church to swear by the
standards of the past when its faith has
bsen permeated and simost transformed
by the thought of the present. MANY
signs warn u.s." says Principal Tulloch
of st. Andrews University, and one Of
the greatest and best of modern Presby-
terian divines, "thst we must no longer ss
schurch repose in mere blind tradition
slism, under the impression that our
fathers have, settled the sum OF Chris
tian knowledge for US, and LETT US only
TO follow In their steps Ny own
deep conviction is that religious
thought in Scotland no less than in
England has already, (this was in 1869,
entered upon movement which is des-
tined to remould dogmstic be-
lies more largely than any previous
movement in the history of the church,
and that it is we'll nigh impossible that the
old rela ion of our church to the West.
minister Confession can continue.


And when could there be presented to
the Presbyterian church finer opportu.
nifty for making an lnitiatory movement
toward such an object than that which
will be presented by the ensuing Fan
Assembly, l do not plead for reve.
luton, but only for reform, NOT
for an overthrow of the confession
but for a modification and softening
down of some of its doctrines in hsrmo-
nv with the best thought of the age, and
for an elimination of those doctrines
which are to-day practically and heartily
believed by no one; or which, ut least,
should be regarded and treated as mere
theological opinions as contrsdistin-
guished from Articles of Catholic Faith.
Such movement emsnating from 80
learned and respectable body would
unquestionably have vast weight. 1t
would evince a disposition on the
part of the leading men of
the Presbyterian church to bring
their church into closer and more sym


pathetic contact with the living thought
and heart of the age, and if carried out
in due form would give that church an
influence sndsutilizing power over the
intellectual and moral forces which are
now largely militant against her, while
At the same time it would remove q
heavy burden from the consciences of
many of her worthiest and most loyal
sons and daughters, and who "with all
her faults love her still"


I do not belieSe in church SET
ting her sails to catch every breeze
that may arise. I do not plead that
church should modify her
standards for the sake Of popular smiles;
not that. Yet do l say that when the
currents OF the best thought and of the
thought of the best have been flowing
against many Of her creed.ststements for
wears, and are constantly increasing in
volume, while keeping in the same chan
mel and the same direction-and especially
when the warm flow of her own inner
and living thought is in one direction,
aud many of her most unbending fingers
of creed. statements are IN the directly
opposite; then she should set about mod


tying, softening or expurgating accord.
ingly. A church should adapt her modes
of thought and speech to the present, not
te the past-to living world, not to q
dead one. This she must do if she herself
would not become dead, and fail COM
pletely of her great mission to enllghten,
elevate and save men. And il she have
not in herent hexibility enough for such
self fadaptstion-if she be 80 iron-msde
that she cannot adjust herself to all cir.
cumstances, all m ,des of thought, and all
times; then ought she to die without the
hope of resurrection. May the great
leaders of ell religious bodies throughout
the world Pan. Presbyterian Assem-.
bly included-be endued with wisdom
to discern the signs of the times" and
with moral courage to govern themselves
accordingly. u.