PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD. WEDNESDAY, October 29.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 6 November 1890, Page 15

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD. WEDNESDAY, October 29.

The Presbyterian Synod resumed its session at 10 a.m., the moderator (the Rev. A. M, Finlayson) presiding.

THE CONFESSION OF FAITH.

The following overture was transmitted from the Presbytery of Southland :— Whereas committees of Inquiry have been appointed by two synods, in 1888 and 1880, on the ground of there being doubt or d'ffioulty in oonneotion with parts aad passages of the Confession of ifalth; and whereas irrespectively of certain Questions as to term of office, or as to the fitness of the Confession to serve the purpose of a doctrinal testimony of this church, such inquiry so occasioned has a tendency to unsettle the minds of the Christain community with respect to revealed truth, and to produce conviction that this ohuroh no longer holds great doctrinal truths, to whioh she has hitherto testified : it is hereby overtured by the Presbytery of Southland to the venerable the Synod of Ota go and Southland, indicted to meet at Dunedin on Monday, 27th day of Ootober 1890, that the synod now declare distinctly whether, Irrespectively of questions as to term of offioe, or as to the fitness of the Confession for the particular purpose of doctrinal testimony, it has appeared in the light of the inquiry for whioh these committees were appointed that there is any part of the teaohiug of the Confession that has not scriptural warrant of its truth in accordance with the solemnly professed belief of all ministers and elders of this ohurch at their ordination.

Dr Copland, in supporting the overture, said that reports had gone forth broadcast to the public of meetings at whioh it had been stated by influential and prominent members of the church, that the Confession of Faith was on its trial, and this continual discussion and inquiry that was carried on without coming to any definite decision upon the main points— all this had a tendency to unsettle the minds of the Christian community with respect to revealed truth, particularly to those specific doctrines which had been assailed, and this 6hould be brought to an end by au authoritative declaration by the syuod. A second reason why the synod should declare its mind was that, as stated in the overture, the discussion tended to produce the conviction that the church no longer held the great doctrinal truths to which she had hitherto testified. The special point of that statement was the contradiction between the testimony and the not holding of the truthtt to whioh that testimony referred— in short, that the church was professing a thing which in many parts and in many members it had really abandoned. If such a conviction obtained to any extent, it undoubtedly damaged the church as a testifying body, and it was a most serious reflection upon their character for consistency, and for the maintenance of truth upon the part of individual members of the synod. He said that it was most desirable that as a synod and as office bearers of the church they should declare that what they professed to ho'das tbestandardof their belief was what in their inmost hearts they thoroughly believed and accepted. With these two strong reasons as he regarded them — and the strength of them must bo measured by their own feeling of conscientiousness — for giving heed to the prayer, he repeated what he had already indicated, that the synod should be asked to declare whether, in the'light of the inquiry that had gone' on, there now was any part of the teaching of the Confession that had not scriptural warrant of its truth in accordance with the solemnly expressed declaration of all ministers and elders of the church ab their ordination. They were all sworn adherents of the Confession, and if they found that there were parts of that Confession which were not warranted by Scripture they ought distinctly, authoritatively, and openly to declare so. Rev. A. H. Stobo also supported the overture.

Rev. W. Will urged that the synod could not possibly receive the overture. They were, he said, asked to decide offhand on the great qaes-' tion whether every part of the Confession of Faith was scriptural. He was prepared to say there were parts that were not scriptural, but it would take a loDg time to discuss every part of it. He claimed that he had a right to ask that every part should be considered, and that 12 months' time should be given for its consideration. He moved—' 4 That it was not competent to receive the overture."

Dr Copland submitted that any presbytery that after consideration sent up au overture, had a right to have that overture at least received, so that it might be considered by the synod.

Mr Wills' motion was not seconded, and the overture was received.

Rev. A. H. Stobo submitted the following motion — " That the synod adopt the overture, and resolve and declare that in the judgment of the synod the Confessional Calvinism of doctrinal system ought to be maintained unimpaired in its integrity in the constitution of this church." In doing so, he said that daring the last two years assaults had been openly made on the doctrine of the Confession so that he must say he would not 'bo able now to stand up anywhere and say that the church was not drifting from her old moorings, unless the synod adopted the motion he proposed.— (Applause.) Whatever the result, he was not one of the movers who produced the agitation— (hear, hear),— and he regarded those who now cried " Stop ! " as being like men who having set a stone rolling down a hill, when dangerous results were likely to be produced, cried to others who were half-way down the hill, " Stop it ! " If any said they should now stop this agitation for the sake of peace and quietness, even though they might throw out his motion, he did not think they would stop this thing now that it was started. He, for one, did not fear a discussion properly conducted. They were on tbeir test before tho world, as a synod, and they should see to it that their discussion was conducted in a brotherly spirit. — (Hear.) Matters h*d come to this point that it was a great thing that they should • calmly consider what sorb of evangel they had got to meet the wants of the masses. If they were to do anything to heal the strife between capital aud labour, if they were to do anything to elevate the masses, they had got to consider what sort of evangel they had to carry to the masses.— (Hear.) The speaker concluded a loDgthy address with an earnest appeal to the synod not to meddle with the Confession of Fiitb, which had been their flag for 200 years, ; !>d interference with which he regarded as sacrilegious.

Mr David Dunn seconded the motion. He said the members of the synod had given their adherence to the standards of the church as contained in the Confession of Faith when they took their ordination vows. If they considered them scriptural th°n, why did they not do so now ? He thought) they could come to a decision on the standards without waiting for the decision of other chnrches. There was no part of the standards that any ordinary man could not understand who gave his mind to understand it. He would therefore give his voice to the maintenance of th" standards, as set forth in the Confession of Faitb, in their integrity.

The Rev. Mr Will said the whole question of importance turned upon this : What was the (Jalvinistic system that was taught in the Confession of Faith ? He pointed out that there were different kinds of Calvinism, and that the doctrines of the Confession of Faith were inter* preted in different ways by (hose who belonged

to different schools. The scholastic, polemic, dogmatic Calvinism had done immense mischiei to the Church, but the practical, Biblical Calvinism had done immense good. The latter declared a free and full salvation for all ; but the former withheld grace from all but those that were termed the elect. He was a true - blue Calvinist, and believed with his whole heart and sottl in the sovereignty of God's grace exercised freely for all. He believed thoroughly that every man, woman, and child who was regenerated through faith and the power of the Spirit of God would infallibly reach heaven, and he did not want a single alteration of one of the essential doctrines of the Confession. He, however, held that prseterition and reprobation were not essential doctrines of the Confession, and that although the church removed them altogether, they would not imping* upon the great system of Calvinism as understood generally by the evangelical churches that professed Calvinism. As regarded Mr Stobo's motion, it left no room for saying that Christ died for the sins of all men, but only for the elect. Now, with all his reverence for the grand old men who drew up the Confession of Faith, he must say he was sorry that there was a blank, dismal aspect throughout it all, inasmuch as there was, according to it, no Saviour for any ontside of the elect. He thought the sovereignty of God wonld not have been denied if the Confession had said that His grace extended to every human soul, and would ultimately rescue all ; but the church had no light, in the Confession, to lead it to that conclusion. They, however, rested satisfied in the belief that the God of all the earth will do right ; that Jesus Christ will, if it be possible, in accordance with His wisdom and holiness, save the fallen and raise them up. They believed that Christ had done all that He could consistently do, and when He wept over Jerusalem He had the purpose of saving all who would accept His salvation. What thfy then wanted was to have a fuller and freer Gospel pr< claimed than was proclaimed by theologians 250 years ago. As regarded the Confession, it was not properly a rule of faith ; but was not Mr Stobo making it a rule of faith P Ministers were not bound to square their interpretations of Scripture by the Articles of Confession, but the church bound every minister to make the Bible his only rule of faith. He found that the dominant principle running through the Confession was that it was subordinate to the Scriptures, and if Mr Stobo could see bis way to accept the following addition to bis motion, he believed the church wonld have thorough peace throughout nil her borders: — "It being understood that there is nothing contained in the articles now on the table of the synod inconsistent with the Calvinistic system as this church holds it."

The Rev. Mr Stobo said Mr Will's remarks had made him look with more suspicion on the articles of the Confession than he ever entertained before with regard to them. He would therefore like time to think about the matter.

Mr A. C. Begg asked if Mr Will's amendment was competent. It appeared to him that if the synod adopted the amendment it would, by a side-wind, be adopting the Declaratory Act of the United Presbyterian Church, which the synod had already refused to adopt.

The Modebatob admitted that he experienced a difficulty in connection with the point, as the synod had on the previous night dealt with these matters

Rev, J. Ferguson thonghb that the discussion should be adjourned to give Mr Will an opportunity of framing his amendment differently.

Dr Copland suggested that Mr Will would serve the purpose of eliciting the mind of the synod if he simply moved that the overture be not adopted.

Rev. W. Will said he did not choose to take Dr Copland's advice.

Dr Copland then submitted that the amend* pent was not competent, inasmuch as it introduced articles which were not in their standards.

On the motion of the Rev. J. Fbhguson, seconded by the Rev. Dr Macgeegob, the discussion was then adjourned, and, after some formal business had been transacted, the synod rose at 1 p.m.