New Series, Vol. IV, No. 18. ghttritau Drtslitjtittiait. THURSDAY, MAY 2,1867. RESPONSIBILITY: OF on BRANCH TO ITS OWN' TRINOWLES. "The regret we tenhatseeing such noble and atilia7 tole minds driven , away from evangelical. doctrines ought not surely to lie unmixed with self-reproach, when vv's . consider that such aberrations are due in• part, to- "the narrowness and bigotry of many of the teachers of .religion."—British and Foreign Evangelical Revieiv . on Robertson of 1171;q1iton. The existence of our own among the vari- OUB:branches of the Presbyterian: Church, is and has been an inealculahle- advantage to the cause of Christ at large. And the whole spirit, aims, and principles of our body as a: liberal Presbyterian Chitrch arasuch as emi nealy.deserve to be perpetuated, and such as the Head of the Church will undoubtedly take care shall never die out of the body. In'niany respects, the so-called New School Church may be regarded as the fairest out growth of the Reformation. The dying John, Calvin bequeathed one of its distinct ive.doctrines—thab of a General Atonement —in his last will and testament, and we now appear to claim that part at least of the will as °yrs. We are inclined to think that in no _other organization in the Christian world, is sound doctrine, onthe basis of the Reformation, held at greater advantages for recognition, for conservation, and for saving influence upon the characters- and interests of men for this world and for the next,:than in tbp . so-called New School Church. This body is the Americanoutgiowth and development of the best form of the Refor mation of the sixteenth century; justas nur National Institutions are the best develope .rnant of the movements for liberty which originated at the sane time and from the .same source. It was but natural that Calvinism, as one of the permanent religious forces of the world, should- show versatility in adapting itself to the widely different state of society and condition§ of success in the New World and in the_nineteenth cen tury. Possibly our Presbyterian fathers of 1729 were without consciousness of the' sig nificance of their worlf as set forth in the Adapting Act. Doubtless the sentiment of the fathers of '37 and '3B was mainly that of grief and astonishment at the magnitude of the . wrong done them, and a purpose to shield their good names and maintain their status as recti in ecclesia. But the Saviour Himself was guiding and controlling these movements in His Church, in order to a re embodiment of one of its leading forms, more thoroughly to meet the wants of a new age and a new country. Wo believe that "to-day the New School Presbyterian Church knows and accepts with humility and thankfulness its high calling. 1. That calling consists, first, in teaching and maintaining sound doctrine in the world. This function is inalienable from the very nature of a Calvinistic Church. There, can be no such Church, without a written, well-defined creed, recognized as binding, in all its essential features, upon the consciences of the affice-bearers, and as the basis of all religious instruction in the pulpits, schools, and families of the Church. Our Church regards it as ono of her solemn duties to support and propagate her own Scriptural creed, as a protest against error, as a guide to all inquirers, and as one of the great conservative moral forces of the world. With men who reject all creeds, who can render no adequate account of their own be liefs, who make religion to consist in feeling or sentiment, who would cut the common mind loose from its theological moorings, to be tossed to-and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine—with such, as a Church we have nothing to do, save in the way of instruction and warning. '_, 2. It is.' the glory of our Church that she effected this result, not at . all at the sacrifice of charity, not by that needless and superflu ous rigor, that over-wrought and morbid sen sitiveness to the jots and tittles, the forms and phrases of doctrine, which have given to the Reformed Churches the appearance of a revised form of Pharisaism and of Popery. The very simple, common-sense principle upon which we go, and from which starts the modern and American developement of Calvinism, is that if a man is at heart and by his theological system a Calvinist, he is to be cordially and fraternally recognized as such, and to be left free,to accept this or that teacher's mode of conceiving the de- :Trion %Weir tails of the system, without question or sus- It is perfectly easy to illustrate our posi-, tion. Whether .a man was , at heart loyal or disloyal during the war, was to be decided by the leading features of his conduct. In order, to : prove himself loyal, it was incum bent on him to anderse,and F aid _in. tarrying out' every measure of the, Government which was plainly needful to bring the struggle to a successful issue. But no, one thought of testing ,a man's loyalty by his approval of all the details of Congressional, Executive, or military action. Such, a requirement -would have been the suggestion of fanati cism, rather than of patriotism. Now, the essential features of Calvinism and of our. Confession of Faith are as plain as were those of patriotism, in the war. And yet, strange to tell, the liberty - which is granted to - the true patriot, has been wen with difficulty for the true Calvinist. And we claim for our Church, that, in it, a man may be a true Calvinist, without being put into a strait-jacket, without being held ac countable for agreement with every phrase of the document in which it is embodied, or with the interpretation of the document in vogue in some particular theological school. Holding fast by the grand anchorage, of the sovereignty of God; believing in the inher, ited fallen nature: and hopeless condition of the whole human family and dependence upon Divine grace alone •for salvation; be lieving that all whom the Father has given, to the Son will assuredly be saved, while all that perish had provided for them also a free and sufficient salvation, which they chose to reject; receiving Christ as the vicarious of fering and substitute for the sufferings of the sinner for the satisfaction of the general jus tice of God, with the other leading doctrines accepted by evangelical Christendom, he is not required to assent to any human theory of the' precise relation of Adam's sin to, his ovvin, nor to give, undue prominence to one. side'of the doctrine of human ability in order to favour the prejudices of an aspiring school, nor to tread on the verge of fatalism, nor to shut up the infinite world-embracing scheme of the Atonement—with aspects and proportions, with breadth and length and depth and height worthy of a God, to the-con tracted proportions of a commercial arrange ment, bringing.the air of the counting-house to the awful precincts of Calvary and Geth semane—all for the sake of vindicating his Calvinistic orthodoxy. In our judgment, it is one of the highest distinctions and most advantageous peaitio i ns which any branch of the Church can, attain, to be known as the sincere , guardian. 1f an orthodoxy, which nothing but open partiz anship or bigotry. will question, and ; whifh is perfectly free, from all the needless rigor and slavery to the letter with w'hith the lest human forms of truth have been , so much-burdened. To be known as conserv ing what is essential and what is best, while refusing to bind the conscience to the rem nants of scholasticism, the traces of human theory and the doubtful matters which are inwoven with the creed of the Reformed Churches, not only puts the body in an at titude of fairness and attractiveness to all thinking and candid men, but must impress them with a sense of the far greater securi ty enjoyed by the truth in such associations, than with those who, by their rigorous, ar bitrary, and repressive arrangements, are sure to bring about; sooner or later„ a ream tion disastrous to the essentials of the truth themselves. 8. New School Theology has had, and still has, its eminent succession of scientific theo logians. The philosophical teachings of what are known as New School Seminaries and Colleges, will compare favorably with those of any other branch of the Church. Yet we count it as one of our highest distinctions that philosophy has no controlling or undue weight in the formation of our Theological system. It is, we believe, a New School in stinct to shrink from the idea of bringing the facts and principles of a divine, revealed re ligion within the limits of a consistent, per fectly logical human system. Our philoso phy is warned to take up its cross and to deny itself, when it comes upon ground ap propriated to faith. We take the simple declaration of Scripture, like that of Paul, that by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, and hold ourselves subject in conscience, to no philosophical attempt to explain it. We do not admit the attempts of men ,to penetrate the mystery, to any Is,iult6l PHILADELPHIA, ' THURSDAY-7 . MAY 2 1867. binding place in, our: theologies). ,systems. The Westminster divines were , under,realis, tic Anfluence,_ when they con4o,sed their Catechisms. Dr, Hodge andyisourselves,re pudiate that, realism. Dr. Baird comes for ward in. his ;Elohim Revealed with, a, refined realism; based on identity, not of persons, but of forces. The New School, theologian, viewing the ;problem as insoluble to human reason, composedly , recognizeu the, conflict of , opinions as admissible ,within the limits of Calvinism, and adheres to the doctrine of the mystery as stated. by Paul., • In like, manner, he looks calmly on theiir reconcileable analogies which appear in dis cussing. divine decrees and, tho, free agency of :man. Thu thorough Old :, ;School man sticks to his philosophy of God, and that car ries him to thoyerge , of ,fatalism; the 'Ar minian and Pelagian, stick to their philoso phy, of man and theyhaveu ,creature indepen dent.of: the Creator. The • New School man, gets out of . .each, of these; philosophical cur rents; sees in they Bible . and .in, human con sciousness both facts,..side by denies the right of philosophy to drive him from a belief in either; says that God is truly a sovereign and man truly, free,;, speaks, in deed, of natural ability and . moral inability; but really means to say that,,,while . .13,e, be lieves both the facts, he cloes,no,t consider their reconciliation as a theological noces-,- sity, as he does not believe it- to be a philo sophical possibility. The truth ,is, the thorough New School man is one who has had the, fever of philo sophic , theology and has - outlived it. • He may still • philosophize, but no longer as a matter •of life and death.•• With him, the making and teaching of systems are valua ble processes : for training the mind and for giving clearness to the' thoughts, but he is prepared_ to see every human system fail in its, application to,some of the ,deeper mys teries of divine truth, and he denies the right of ; any ,system..w4ick k yaefs b 9 yond the clear teachings of holy writ", • -4 -clizii'd the con science and claim authority in the Church. The world, and especially the thinking part of the world, needs such a Church which uses philosophy faithfnllyns a hand-maid, but whicih rejects her as a tyrant. And we be lieve such a position is . suited to the common mind in its normal condition, somewhat as Christianity - itself is, far letter than a theo logical system proclaiming its completeness and authority, or, far better on the other hand than a crude, unphilosophical set of notions by which the sovereignty of Jehovah is impeached and His .kingdom put at the gtercy of contingencies. . 4. Finally, we claim• that in the so-called New School Presbyterian body, is •- to be found the broadest and clearest platform for the union of all the Evangelical Churches. Reunion between the twb branches of our Church or between the various Presbyterian bodies on the platform of 1729 and 1758, would be a blessed -work. But if a union were now brought. about at the sacrifice of that platform, we should have two griefs : first, for the - dissolution that would inevita bly follow ; and secondly, for .the loss or obsthiration of the most promising arrange ment for Christian union in general, in the whole range of the evangelical Church. We are not in a boasting mood. We would sit humbly at the feet of wiser and better men than we, in. all denominations. But we cannot avoid - cherishing the belief that just here, in this New-World develope ment of the Reformed Church, God has been providing a rallying-point for the now di vided hosts of Zion. The intermediate posi tion of Presbytery as a form of government between Independency and Prelacy is well understood. But . Presbytery associated with a hard and rigorous creed, is without that genial, attractive force, necessary to true union. The other denominations shrink from it, as something dark, tyrannical, fatal istic. Junkin and Breckenridge, Princeton and Allegheny, names honorable enough in their own sphere, are without talismanic or ma,gneVe power among other denominations. On the contrary, Union Seminary more than justifies its name by the varied theological characters of its professors and by the free dom with which students of every evan gelical denomination frequent its halls; while the names of Albert Barnes, of Thomas Brainerd, and, we may add, of Gardiner Spring, are recognized as the rightful pot. session of all evangelical Christendom ; they are without a grain of - repulsive influ ence, save to the bigoted and intolerant but,draw all hearts with the magnetism of a Christianity, which, like that of its Author, is exalted above ,the petty distinctions and Pharisaic scrupulosities of a mere scholastic theology, and, which puts 'the great essen tials of truth, judgment, and mercyfar above the tithing of the mint, anise, and cummin of, human doctrine. ALBERT BARN.ES—name crystal clear; best name among the evangelical Churches, of America; name whose, sure immortality is the only guarantee for the immortality of his detractors; name borne upon more than a million , title-pacfes of works scattered through hamlet, hall, and 'library' on both continents. and in half-a-dozen , languages, whose evangelic sweetness, ~ purity, and fervor. win them. easy- entrance into every pious, heart Propitious is the theological atmosphere in which , such , a nature has grown up. Happy is the Church, which, em braces in itself the influences , calculated to develope such .characters. I No man has shown less ambition to be an ecclesiastical leader than. Mr. Barnes. Nevertheless our branch of the Church shows itself conscious of its mission, conscious of its privilege and of its responsibility in making common cause with him when assailed by the bigoted few, and in turning from all proposals de rogatory to herself because derogatory to him. , • The New School Church has kept its honor in its weakness; it is not likely to sacrifice it in its hour of strength and pros perity. LEE AND HIS LITURGY.- It will be re membered by our readers that the Assembly of . the Established Church of Scotland at its last meeting,' enjoined Dr. Lee of Grey-. Friars, to obstain from " reading prayers from a printed book." Dr. Lee construed the direction literally, and substituted a manuscript. March 13th, Presbytery met and enjoined him to 'step 'reading. Next Sabbath he not only read, but did so with the assistance of anOther ritUalistie Presby terian; Rev. Mr, Story of Roseneath. On the 27th Presbytery met again, and Dr. L. was asked if he had complied with the in junction. Dr. Lee refused to answer, as the matter having gone before the higher courts, prevented any further action, and said that the law requiring a member of Presby tery to answer Presbytery's questions, was unconstitutional. Presbytery appointed, a committee ofinvestigation. Dr. Lee warned them to be cautious how they proceeded, making it ahundantly plain that he intends to contest every inch of the ground he, at present occupies; and that if matters arc driven to extremities with him, in all pro bability the case will be lauded in the law courts. He has also given notice that at next meeting he will propose that the Gene ral Assembly should be requested to repeal the act which has been directed against him and those who sympathise with him. A FOREIGN MISSION TO PENNSYLVANIA.- Rev. J. R. MeElewee writes to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian, of South Carolina, from Washington county, in this State : "I am here: in compliance with an earnest request extended by some parties who were formerly in connexion with the U. P. Church ' but now with the Associate Re formed Presbytery of Ohio, recently organ ized. This Presbytery comprises three Ministers, and five or six congregations, some of which lie in Eastern Ohio, and others in Western Pennsylvania,,and in the Pan-han dle of Virginia. The congregations are Democrats and anti-abolitionists, and' were either forcibly ejected, or compelled by per secution for political opinion to withdraw, from the Churches with which they were in connexion at the commencement of the late unhappy war. In many, if not all the Churches in these parts, political opinion was made a term of communion, and those who were opposed to the measures of .the Government as to the subjugation of the Southern states, and the emancipation of the slaves, were debarred from communion in the Church. 'This amounted to the ex cision of all who remained firm to the prin ciples of the Democratic party. A most inviting field for Church-extension is here opened to our Synod; and all that is want ed, is the presence of a few Ministers of popular gifts from the South, who shall es chew politics, and preach the Gospel, and multitudes will gather around the standard of our Church. Many who have not yet openly espoused the cause, strongly favor it, and will give in their adherence as soon as they are satisfied that it is to be a per manency, and that the Synod intends to sustain it. Having experienced for some time a famine of the word, the people have sharpened appetites, and are willing to give Genesee EvangeliSt; No. 1093. liberally for the privileges of a Gospel min istry. I expect to remain here a few weeks, and then visit some congregations over in Ohio." We always thought the Democrats of this State were' in need of the Gospel, and we rejoice that they are to have it in some form. What an opening, for. Nasby I ANOTHER SCOTTISH DELEGATE. Dr. Guth rie's place upon the delegation from the Free Church of Septland to the Presbyteri an Churches of Anierica will be filled by the Rey. Wm. Arnbt, formerly of Glasgow, and now Of Edinburgh. Mr. Arnot is one of the ablest platform-speakers in the Brit ish Islands, and is well known in America by his popular writings, "Laws from Hea ven for Life on Earth," &c. ' He is a firm friend of this country, and a welcome dele gate to our Churches. The three Scottish delegates, Fairbairn, Wells, and Arnot, were to sail by the Inman, which left England April 17; and will pro bably be in'America before this reaches our readers. Rev. Dr. Denham, of Londonderry, is'to sail on the 24th, and will arrive about the 6th. Rev. Dr. Hall, of Dublin, having just made a flying trip to Italy, will sail May Ist, and arrive about the. 12th. UNION IN ScoTLA.Nn.—In the Free'Presby tery 'of Glasgow Dr. Gibson has added another to the list of his defeats in the re jection of his overture, "that the Assembly should agree to no union in which the whole of the principles of the Free Church were not maintained in their integrity!' An amendment, proposed by the Rev. Dr. Bu chanan, declaring that the Union Commit tee had done nothing to call for the inter ference of the Presbytery, and that they de cline to agree to. the motion, was carried by a vote of 34 to 16. In the Free Presbytery of Edinburgh a. motion was submitted by the Rev. Dr. Begg to the effect that no de cision should be come to by next Assembly On any branch of the question of union with other Churches, until the existing inquiries under all the heads of the programe are laid before the Church, and the Assembly is en abled to take a conjunct view of the whole question. He has strong fears that the use of organs and even liturgies, may have to be faced if the union of the four negotiating Churches takes place. On a division Dr. Begg's motion was carried by a majority of twenty-six to nineteen. In the meantime the advocates of union are broadening their ground. The IVeekly Review asks if there is no way - I°f union between Presbyterians and Con gregationalists, and. hints that Dr. Begg's overture will be tossed on the table of As sembly as an impertnence. THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE seems disposed to exult in the fact, that the rowdy and in fidel majority of Baltimore have their way in the running of the street cars in that city on Sunday. It undertakes to assert of Phila delphia, also, that there is no doubt a large majority of the city are in favor of legaliz ing the same practice. Hence, it should be allowed here also. The Tribune's argument is entirely too good, and applications may be made of it to which that journal would be the last to submit. Let the question, whether The Tribune itself shall be tolerated upon Man hattan Island be submitted to the vote of the immense Democratic majority of the city, with their fierce indignation against its course on temperance, negro equality and the exposure of political corruption. Let it be understood that what the mob of 1863 undertook to do by violence, can be done by perfectly lawful measures; how long would The Tribune, how long would the blacks, whose cause' it so nobly and powerfully upholds, be tolerated in that great and wicked city? The fact that there is a "New • York" Tribune, is, to use its own words in `this article, " singular proof of the power of minorities." Or, rather, it is a proof that the good influences and agencies, which are, it seems, tolerably eertain to be in the minority in our large cities, have be hind them in the less corrupt ~towns and rural . districts, the support of a powerful majority, to which,, under God, they owe their existence. The rebel legislature of Maryland, those to give the rebel majority of Baltimore—a very small majority—the right to decide this question; the Republican legislature of of Pennsylvania refused to put a great fun damental law of the State at the mercy Up. local vote. That is the real difference be tween them.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers