A Revised Creed.

Thames Star, 24 November 1902, Page 4

A Revised Creed.

j A NEW POINT OF VIEW.

I The committee appointed by.the General Assembly of the Presbyterian , Church of Australia '"to consider the principles on which the Church is prepared to consider the question, of a larger union" have form.u'a.ted the following statement: — ■ DOCTRINE. 1. That the Supreme Authority in Doctrine and in duty is the Holy , Spirit speaking in the Old and New . Testaments. 2. That God is personal, transceni dent, aud immanent. 3. That the Godhe.id is essential y triune, - . 4. That Jesus Christ is, God man:- , fest in the flesh, and is truly God and truly man. j 5. That God ; is,love, and that His | , love is holy and soveieign. | 6. That *ths. Divine Fatheihood expresses an eternal relationship, which , has been revealed most e'early by Jesus Christ, through whom the ch'ldren of men come into the posses 6ion of the Spirit and the privileges of son^h'p. 7. That sin is universal in the human race, and, implies lawlessness and a'ienation from God, ;',nd unless repented of artyl forgiven, involves death eternal. | £. Tliat. sa.lvat : on is wholly of God, having the Father as its source, j Jesus Christ as it' Mediator, the j Holy Ghost a® its agent, and is apprised by faith. 0. That the active and passive obedience in the life a>nd death of Christ is vicarious and prcp : tiatory. THE CHURCH. 1. That Crist instituted a Church upon the earth .of which His pcop'e are the members* I 2. That Jesus Christ is the Supreme Head of the Church, and that He calls men to the ministry of teaching and ruling. 3 That the people under the guidance of the Spirit of Christ, recognise and choose those whom He, calls, and who are thereupon, in Churches already constituted, officiary set apart by tbore in office. 4. That the Saciaments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are effectual mwns of »race appointed by Chr'st, and should be leguhirly and orderly celebrated. 5. That the efficacy of 'the Sacra ments "does not proceed from any virtue, in the mere administration of the elements, or in him. who administers them, but depends upon the Sp : ritual presence of Christ with believing participants. I 6. That those who administer the Sacraments have no priestly function, save that which is si sired" in by all believers. In view of the interest that attaches to the q'-e«tion, the Rev. Dr. Meiklejohn, convener of the Committee, was approached by a Melbourne Argus representative for an cxpresson. : of his views on the subject- es- , peoia'ly in relation-to tiie doctrinal aspect of the proposed- ''larger union -or tlse federation of the Protestant Churches. He said :—"Tlie articles contained in our. report; it should be under-stood,-.are not-meant iis a. new creed, either for: our own-church or for a church that wtou'd lie formed by a union with other churches. We are not 1 .approaching other churches with | these articles in our hand w : th the ■ view of saying to them we are prepared to enter into negotiotions for union with you, and this- is what we expect you to accept as the doctrinal basis. They are intended merely as the basis on which our church wo'^d • agree to enter into auch negotiations. - They cypress," as we think, -what the

| Presbyerian Church holds in relation Ito matters which would have, and should .have, a first plate in any con ference that might be arranged for between representatives of our own church and those of other churolies or union. A*-doing.so they, indicate of ' course, the lines on which we think a, doctrinal basis for union might be formed. As to your question, how far this, if accomplished, would affect the> relation of our church to the Confession of Faith, well, in the first place, it is not quite correct to say that the subordinate standard of our church is the jConfession ,;of .Faith. It is that Confession received in the light of a declaratory statement adopted by the church which'helps both to interpret and* modify it. Unfortuniaite'y," this '"statement'is not well known, and ■ the relation "of'"the Presbyterian Church of-Austra,!ia to"doctrine is not widely understood. Tlie articlesi our communitte'e 'have framed are in perfect harmony with our present creed. They contain, as., we think, all that is essential in it, and nothing that is not .essentia'. Now, hp: doubt these, articles and. the willingness they show oh the part 1 of our committee to make arr.angem.eonts with other churches that may lead to a change' in. the d.cicft'i.naili basis w'a. have in our united church do,'as you suggest, indicate some change on the part of the Presbyterian Church in relation to doctrine. But tho is hardly of the kind,, and is cer'taini'y not of the mea .lire, th at most peep'e outside .the church; are'/ likely' to suppose. Tlie •change'that has come since the-days of our fathers is not. as I think, so ■much a change of view with regard to .the truth oi*.falsity of ; particular ' doctrines as'to' the comparative value of the doctrines ■ he'd. Our fathers, if. drawing out a statement of this kind, would not have left out anything we have put' in' though no doubt they ! wouid have expressed some things lifj i"erently, ; bub they. > certainly would in doctrines we have 'eft out. The point of view ha,S' been, somebwat changed since their-day, and i the perspective is different. Matters which loomed largely in the vision of J the Presbyterians of a past age,: such [as the doctrines,of election and the ! eternal buffering of the lost, have not the same significance for their children, and have not, the same signifiaamce. from' 'tile fact 'that irteveiafed truth.which was formely viewed from ; the standpoint "of the Divine Sovereignty is .now viewed, fronii .that of Divine love. As,to the legal, aspect of such a change.of creed a : s our articles 'may lead to, it has not" any that'concerns us. I would further say that we do not, of couirSe know that the Federal Assembly of..the. Church will approve of pur,;workv but, .inasmuch as our committee was a large and' fairly representiaitive one, we are Hopeful that it will." -