March 16. 1936

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March 16. 1936

-Charles Hodge "Church Polity" (Written in 1866)

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liT HAT anything contrary to the Scriptures can bind theconscience of any man, or be rightfully imposed upon

him as a rule of faith or practice, no Protestant will for amoment admit. If all the ecclesiastical bodies in the worldshould pronounce that true, which God declares to be false;or that right, which He pronounces to be wrong, their declarations would not have the weight of a feather..•• It was saidon the floor of the Assembly, in the warmth of debate, thatthe deliverances, acts, or. injunctions, of that body, are to beassumed to be within the sphere of Church power, to beconstiMional, and consistent with the word of God, andobeyed as such, until by competent authority the contraryis officially declared. This is the denial of the first principlesof Christian liberty, whether civil or religious. Every man hasnot only the right to judge for himself on all these points,but is bound by his allegiance to God to claim and exerciseit.. . The deliverances of the Assembly, therefore, bycommon consent, bind the people and lower courts onlywhen they are consistent with the constitution and the Scriptures, and of that consistency every man may and must judge,as he has to render an account to God."

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TME PRESBYTERIAN(ONSTITUTIOHAL(OVENANT UNiON

194 THE PRESBYTERIAN GUARDIAN

The Changing Scene and the UnchangingWordBy the REV. J. GRESHAM MACHEN, D.D., Lltt.D.

Dr. Machen

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Secrecy and Misrepresentation in a GeneralAssembly's Commissionand in PhiladelphiaPresbytery

O N MARCH 2,1936, there was

railroaded throughthe Presbytery ofPhiladelphia a motionapproving in principlea report of the General Assembly's Special Commission to

visit the Presbyteries of Philadelphiaand Chester.

This was accomplished by a coalition between the "middle-of-the-road"or evangelical-in-fair-weather element in the presbytery with the belligerently Modernist element.

A typical representative of themiddle-of-the-road element was theModerator, Rev. Warren R. Ward,D.D., who, despite the fact that he hasusually in the past been regarded asa member of the evangelical party inthe presbytery, actually appointed asigner of fhe Modernist "Auburn Affirmation" as a member of the allimportant committee which is tosuggest definite measures to put theprovisions of the Report into effect.

What does the Report of the Commission, thus approved by the presbytery, really stand for? Let us stripoff the superficial trappings of piety inwhich this wickedness is clothed, andlook the thing in the face.

Five ugly words give the answer.I do not like to use ugly words, butugly words must be used to describean ugly thing. Those ugly words areMisrepresentation, Unbelief, Secrecy,Tyranny, Lawlessness.I. Misrepresentation

In the first part of the Report, theCommission creates the general impression that during its sessions itgave an adequate hearing to all pointsof view and merely did not hear threeindividuals, who would not consent totake the pledge or secrecy that theCommission imposed. It does not men-

tion the fact that one of those individuals was the Rev. H. McAllisterGriffiths, representing a very distinctgroup in the Presbytery of Philadelphia. It does not mention the fact thatMr. Griffiths, after being refused ahearing except on the terms of secrecy, was not even permitted to present a written statement for the groupof which he was a member. It alsodoes not mention the fact that nomember of The Independent Boardfor Presbyterian Foreign Missions inthe Presbytery of Philadelphia washeard. Therefore the impression madeby this Report that the Commissiongave an adequate hearing to all pointsof view is a misleading impression.To make such a misleading impressionis Misrepresentation.II. Unbelief

In Philadelphia Presbytery thereare ten signers of the Modernist"Auburn Affirmation." The AuburnAffirmation is a document expressingthe point of view of unbelief. ThisReport, by the plainest implication,endorses the presence of signers ofthe Affirmation in the presbytery andthe placing of them in positions ofleadership. To endorse unbelief is itself unbelief. Therefore the Reportstands for Unbelief.III. Secrecy

The Report advocates secret sessions of the presybtery and suggestssuch a policy as would really giveonly the presbyterial machine the rightto make public its version of whattakes place in the presbytery meetings. It seeks to deprive the rank andfile of the Church of its right to knowwhat its representatives in presbyterydo. Thus it stands for Secrecy.IV. Tyranny

The Report advocates disciplinaryaction against those who exercise theright of assembly to discuss the affairsof the presbytery. It calls the exerciseof such a right of assembly "caucuses"and actually allows itself to speak ofit as "political trickery." The right ofassembly is absolutely essential to allliberty in church or in state. To denysuch a right, as well as to deny theright of free speech (see III above)is Tyranny.

V. LawlessnessThe Report advocates a rotary sys

tem of election of Commissioners tothe General Assembly. Thus it advocates the choice of Commissioners onthe ground that they have not beento the Assembly before. The principleof government embodied in the Constitution of the Church plainly contemplates their election on the groundof fitness and because they represent,in the issues before the Church, thewill of the majority of presbytery.Thus the law of the Church has atthe heart of it the principle of representative government. In discouraging representative government, aswell as in doing the other thingsthat we have already mentioned, theReport stands for Lawlessness.

Who Are Guilty?The misrepresentation, unbelief, se

crecy, tyranny, and lawlessness ofthis Report are shared in by everymember of the Commission, and alsoby every member of presbytery whovoted to railroad the action throughthe meeting on March 2, 1936. Nodoubt some were more guilty thanothers. Some may partly be excusedon the ground that they were ignorantof what was being done. But evensuch ignorance is guilt. All who engaged in this proceeding were guilty.Guilt is personal. It is not our part,or the part of any man, to judge; butif a man fears God he should fear toengage in wickedness like that whichis being practised by the ecclesiasticalmachine in the Presbyterian Churchin the U.S.A.

Some men in the presbytery do fearGod. They fear Him far more than allthe ecclesiastical threatenings breathedout by this lawless Commission of theGeneral Assembly and by the subservient Presbytery of Philadelphia.They will never consent to concealthe facts; they will never make common cause with unbelief; they willnever consent to secrecy in the affairsof the Church; they will never trample upon liberty; they will never connive at lawlessness. These men fearGod more than they fear men. Thereare such men even now iii. Philadelphia Presbytery.

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THE PRESBYTERIAN GUARDIAN

EDITORIAL

195

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ALICE IN WONDERLANDTHE Special Judicial Commission of the Synod of

New Jersey has, as reported in our news pages,affirmed the conviction of the Rev. Carl McIntire. Inso doing the Commission expressly refused to passupon the lawfulness of the "mandate" of the 146thGeneral Assembly. Said the Commission, "It is theopinion of this Judicial Commission that the GeneralAssembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.,being the supreme judicatory, is the only competentcourt to judge the constitutionality of its own deliverances."

By refusing to judge whether the action of the 146thAssembly is lawful, and yet upholding the conviction ofthe defendant, the Commission has put itself into astrangely indefensible, not to say ridiculous position. Aman is an offender only if the order he has refused toobey is lawful. If the order is not lawful, he is nooffender. If the Synod's Commission cannot saywhether the order is lawful or unlawful how can itdecide whether the one before it is innocent or anoffender? That is to say, it holds that a defendant canbe convicted and penalized without any adjudication ofthe one matter on which his guilt or innocence depends!This seems more like Alice in Wonderland than likeanything in rational, real life.

THE "COMMISSION OF NINE"

O N THE petition of the modernists and their alliesin the Presbyteries of Philadelphia and Chester,

the last General Assembly of the Presbyterian Churchin the U.S.A. appointed a Special Commission to visitand investigate these Presbyteries. The Commission,the membership of which is all from the party now incontrol of the machinery of the church, was duly appointed and has held several meetings. On March 2ndit presented a report with recommendations to thePresbytery of Philadelphia. Our news pages carry anaccount of this report, and of action taken in regardto it. In addition, Dr. Machen writes concerning thesame matter on the page facing this. We hope that ourreaders will examine this report for themselves. Whenthey do this we believe that they will see that if Dr.Machen has erred in his expression it has only been onthe side of mildness. We think the report, if anything,even worse than Dr. Machen does. To our mind it isexactly such cloaking of partisan aims and ends withpious and tender language that causes even people who

make no profession of religion at all to be disgusted withwhat they see of the Church. Every recommendationin the report is calculated to destroy the century-longindependence in action of the "mother of presbyteries"and to put it forever in the clutches of the dominantbureaucracy. Just as the old Princeton had to bestamped out because it would not conform to the driftof the times, so Philadelphia Presbytery in its turn is tobe flattened out, made into just another machine presbytery. And the basic cause for all this is the zeal forsound doctrine that has characterized that Presbyteryin the past-up until the time, that is, when officialpressure made men who formerly fought well seek thequiet of their tents or even range themselves on theother side. The human tragedies of a time like this aresaddening beyond all power of words to describe.

One particularly objectionable feature of the report(among others) is its contemptuous reference to thegatherings it calls "caucuses." In the mind of the Commission it is a wrongful act, worthy of discipline, forChristian men to gather together for prayer and consultation concerning how the Gospel may be advancedor defended in meetings of Presbytery. We take theopposite view. In our belief it is not merely the right ofChristian men to come together for these holy purposes(a right which cannot be taken away) but it is theirduty as well. This sacred duty, however, the Commission calls "political trickery." Yet, in spite of all thishard language, is there anyone so naive as to think thatthe modernist group in the Presbytery has not held itsown "caucuses" for years, and that it will not continueto do so in its own time and way? The real root objection to "caucuses" in Philadelphia is that when suchmeetings have flourished, conservatives have usuallycontrolled the Presbytery. Yet the Commission useslanguage which implies that caucuses prevent the HolySpirit's control over Presbytery meetings. So even theblessed name of the Spirit of God must be used as partof a screen to sanctify, mask and railroad through partisan, machine advantage.

This report and its origin, method, findings and recommendations are profoundly symptomatic of a diseasedcondition in the church. The conception of Presbyterianism, both as to polity and doctrine, implicit in it isas far removed from historic Presbyterianism as isRomanism on the one hand or Unitarianism on theother. When the Presbytery of Philadelphia falls underan assault like this it is evidence to all that an epochhas ended, that a once great fortress has fallen.


Westminster Theological SeminaryGoes Forward

By the REV. EDWIN H. RIANField Secretary. Westminster Theological Seminary

...

BORN in the midst of a grave crisisin 1929 when Princeton Theo

logical Seminary was reorganized soas to be complacent toward Modernism, Westminster Theological Seminary from that day forth has continued to bear testimony to the truth ofthe everlasting gospel. In spite of themost determined opposition from allsides, WestminsterSeminary has gonestraight on turningneither to the leftnor to the right butholding firmly tothe truth as it is inChrist Jesus. TheLord has seen fitto bless' the Seminary until today itstestimony reachesfrom coast to coastand around theworld.

Strict adherenceto the Christianityof the Bible astaught by a facultyof consecrated Christian scholars hasformed the basis for WestminsterSeminary. The bitterest foe of theinstitution will admit that the religiontaught within its walls is the onewhich has been the historic faith ofthe Christian Church these many centuries. No one can gainsay that. Furthermore, few, if any, will deny thatthe faculty is composed of men whogive evidence of genuine and exceptional Christian scholarship.

Why have the students come to theSeminary? Fortunately they have notcome to gain prestige, an easy positionor ecclesiastical preferment. Men havecome from many states and foreigncountries because they believed thatat Westminster Seminary they wouldhear the Word of God taught in itssimplicity and purity. Here they havelabored and studied in almost monastic-like surroundings to equip themselves for their most holy calling. N0

where will one find a group of youngmen who are more earnest in theirstudies and more convinced of their

calling. These are men whom theChurch can be proud to own as itsfuture ministers.

For six years a steady stream ofgraduates has been going forth intothe world to tell of that story "thatnever grows old." Today there are 112graduates in nineteen states and nineforeign countries. Many efforts have

The First Student Body

been made to keep some of these menfrom the ministry but God has madethe wrath of man to praise Him sothat every graduate but one has a fieldof labor.

Most of these men are in the pastorate but some are engaged in suchvaried kinds of service that they present a striking picture of the wideinfluence of the Seminary.

For example the Rev. John H. Skilton, although in the pastorate, is serving in such a unique situation thathis parish is almost a mission field.He is pastor of the Second ParishPresbyterian Church in Portland,Maine, which is the only PresbyterianChurch in the entire state. Everyoneis acquainted with the fact that thisarea is dominated by the deadly poison of Unitarianism, so that Mr. Skilton has the privilege of holding upthe torch of light in a truly darkenedplace.

The Rev. Harold T. Commons waspastor of a large and flourishing Baptist Church in Johnson City, New

York, but he resigned to accept thepresidency of the "Association ofBaptists for Evangelism in the Orient." This position carries him tomany parts of the country to informthe Baptist people of the work of thistruly Christian missionary agency. Atthe present time he is in the Orienton a tour of the mission fields of the

Association.The Rev. Wil

liam HarlIee Bordeaux is teachingChurch History,Public Speakingand Homiletics atthe Bible Instituteof Los Angeles.Hundreds of students come underthe influence of histeaching from yearto year.

One of the mostimportant missionfields in the worldis among the stu-dents in the col

leges and theological seminaries ofAmerica. In 1924 The League ofEvangelical Students was organizedto unite the students of the world ina testimony to the truth of historicChristianity as opposed to Modernism. The Field Secretary of thatorganization is Mr. Calvin K. Cummings who is a graduate of Westminster Seminary.

The Rev. A. Franklin Broman,pastor of the Bethany PresbyterianChurch in Minneapolis, Minnesota,is 'ministering largely to students atthe University of Minnesota. He isusing this opportunity to preach theunsearchable riches of Christ to theseyoung students. In addition, he isteaching at the Northwestern Evangelical Seminary in Minneapolis.

All of us have been reading of theheroic work of the missionaries inEthiopia during these most troublesome war days in that country. Ourhearts have taken courage as we haveread of the noble stand of those soldiers of the cross as they have refused

THE PRESBYTERIAN GUARDIAN 197

The Present Student Body

Westminster Seminary is strongly short years the gospel would go forthevangelistic and believes in sending from this institution unto the utter-out the gospel of Good News to all most parts of the earth. The promisesthe world. This becomes very evident of the Lord are sure for He "is able tofrom the fact that sixteen graduates do exceeding abundantly above allare serving on foreign mission fields. that we ask or think."Six are in China, one in Ethiopia, one The need for the unique testimonyin Nigeria, four in Japan, one in of Westminster Seminary to theKorea, one in South America and two truthfulness of historic Christianityin Mexico. is more apparent every day. We must

The graduates are serving in six- maintain and further that testimony.teen different denominations. Seventy Will you help?are in the Presbyterian Church in the Weare appealing to every Chris-U. S. A., eight in the Presbyterian tian, to everyone who loves the BibleChurch in Canada, four in the Baptist as the Word of God to aid us in thisChurch, four in the Methodist Epis- gigantic task. Even after the strictestcopal (North) Church, three in the economy is enforced thousands ofPresbyterian Church in the U. S., two dollars are required each year to main-in the Church of Christ in Japan, two tain the institution. But we believein the Christian Reformed Church, that the foregoing evidence which tellsone in the Congregational Church, something of the wonderful grace ofone in the Czechoslovak Church (U. God gives in itself abundant reasonS. A.), one in the Evangelical Con- for supporting the work.gregational Church, one in the Friends, We earnestly beseech you to prayone in the Presbyterian Church in that the Lord our God will put it upon

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to leave the country even though waris on. One of those men is the Rev.J ames Rohrbaugh who was a Westminster Seminary graduate studentand who is now working independently as a missionary right on thefiring line.

Pioneer missionary work seems tohave an appeal which no other fieldof labor can equal. Preaching thegospel to those who have never heardit is a privilege few can enjoy. At thepresent time the Rev. L. D. Hitchcockis in Peru, South America, learningthe language with the hope of ministering to the descendants of the IncaIndians who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of ourLord Jesus Christ.

Korea, one in the Reformed Churchin America, one in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, General Synod, onein the Seventh Day Baptist Church,one in the United Brethren Church,four Independent.

The great divergence in the manner of Christian testimony as well asthe widespread area covered by thesegraduates gives a graphic view of theway in which the influence of Westminster Seminary is multiplied by thethousands. Six years ago when thefounders of the Seminary stood outside of 1528 Pine Street in Philadelphia and dedicated that place asthe one for the temporary quarters ofWestminster Theological Seminary,little did they realize that in a few

the hearts of His people to send in thefunds so that the work may go on andincrease in these days of great apostasy.

Send your gifts to WestminsterTheological Seminary, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania.

And to those who are contemplating remembering institution" in theirwills we ask the question, "Wherecould your money do more for theLord than at Westminster TheologicalSeminary?"

Wh,at Is It That Hurts?By the REV. J. EDWARD BLAIR

M ANY years ago there was downin old Kentucky a quaint old

farmer, Denton Smith by' name"Uncle Denton" familiarly called.

I can barely remember seeing hima few times when I was a very smallboy. He was plain, unlettered andrather ungainly in appearance, but hehad a sense of humor and a good dealof native intelligence. Back in myearly childhood I heard my father relate this of Uncle Denton. There wasquite a group of men about: It mayhave been at a public sale. UncleDenton was somewhat under the influence of liquor-the old man, notunlike many Kentuckians, had a weakness that way. Just what occasionedhis remark, I have no idea but he isreported to have relieved himself ofthis bit of philosophy: "I don't keernothin' fer lies. Folks kin lie aboutme all they want to. The thing thathurts me is these nasty truths."

Many and many a time Uncle Denton's words come to me in these daysof upheaval in our PresbyterianChurch.

Certain allegations as to doctrinalunsoundness, theological looseness,constitutional recklessness and general unfaithfulness to trusts have beenmade concerning the management ofchurch matters. These allegations havebeen centered in the main against thework of the Foreign Board. No serious, certainly no successful, attempthas been made to prove them untrue.The men who make these allegationsare well reputed as to veracity; andthey support their charges with indisputable facts. The well-organized,well-oiled machine of the church isgreatly perturbed. In fact it is in arage against those who have dared tooppose it. It is seeking their ecclesiasticallife blood. Why all this rage?

(Concluded on page 211)


Modernism and the Board of Christian Educationof the Presbyterian Church in the U. S.A.

PART YThe Department of Social Education

By the REV. JOHN P. CLELLAND

""

TH E Boa rd 0 fChristian Educa

tion in its Twelfth Annual Report states that"it is the function ofthe Board of Christian Education to develop in the Church

Mr. Clelland a sense of individualand group responsibility for educationand action in social problems-a function which the Board has assigned tothe Department of Social Educationin cooperation with the Children's,Young People's, and Adult Age GroupCommittees." It is the purpose of thisarticle to examine the program of theDepartment of Social Education tosee whether this program is in accordwith the Scriptures and the Standardsof our Church.

At the outset let us state that wedo not oppose the idea or the necessityof a program of social education. Certainly we who call ourselves Reformedhave no desire to narrow down Christianity into a purely individualisticreligion. We believe that God is sovereign; sovereign in our soul's salvation, also sovereign in our socialrelationships. The Christian does notlive in a vacuum but in the world, andmust therefore practice his Christianity in all the realms of life. Doesnot Paul have something to say tomasters and slaves concerning theirrelationships? Does he not say, "Lethim that stole steal no more"? Withany attempt to apply Christianity toall of life we have, then, no quarrel.But with the current so-called "socialgospel" we have a very serious quarrel. This "gospel," as it is commonlypreached today, teaches that the mainfunction of the church is not to pluckindividuals as brands from the burning but rather to put out the fire. Theproponents of this "gospel" are ethicalidealists and they hope by promotingthe principles of truth and righteousness to remodel the world and, in theirown terminology, "bring in the Kingdom." They overlook the fact thatman IS dead in trespasses and sin and

must be "born again." Rouging theconsumptive's cheeks will not save hislife; neither will the external palliatives of the "social gospel" cure thissin-sick world. Does the Departmentof Social Education advocate thescriptural method of dealing withsocial problems or does it adopt theapproach of the "social gospel"?

Its ProgramIn the Twelfth Annual Report of

the Board (p. 39), we find a statementof the basic principles upon which itsprogram is based. This statement isas follows:

"A PROGRAM OF SOCIAL EDUCATION FROMTHE CHRISTIAN POINT OF VIEW

"1. Must grow out of the Christianconcept of the supreme worth of humanpersonality, of the individual as a childof God, and of the human race as abrotherhood.

"2. Must recognize the spiritual implications of every social experience andthe necessity laid upon religion to be concerned with social problems.

"3. Must rest upon facts, stated withscientific exactness and accuracy and interpreted without prej udice.

"4. Must itself have the qualties ofChristian honesty and fairness in thehandling of fact's and in the descriptionof attitudes and conduct.

"5. Must seek to develop in the individual, in the light of Christian principlesand socially tested experience, self-chosenideals and self-controlled behaviour inevery social situation, rather than to enforce arbitrary rules and regulations.

"6. Must be based upon the interests,needs, and abilities of all.

"7. Must seek to develop a socialconscience which will express itself inincreasingly effective forms of socialcontrol.

"8. Must provide materials and suggestactivities in the light of which decisionsmay be reached and attitudes formed withrespect to the Christian mode of behaviour."The Neglect of the Bible

You will note that in this programof social education no reference ismade to the Word of God. We believethe Bible to be the Word of God, theonly rn fallible rule of faith and practice. It tells us what we are to believe.It also tells us how to live. Therefore,when we frame a Confession of Faithit must be based upon the Scriptures.

It is just as important that our programs of Christian living, be theyprograms of social education or whatnot, be based squarely on the teachingsof God's Word. Neither scientific advance nor the complexities of modernlife have invalidated the full truthfulness and adequacy of the Bible, andany social program that does not follow its teachings is doomed to failure.The world does not lack for reformerstoday. They beset us on every hand.Like the Indian medicine man theyhave a cure for every pain. Thetragedy is that their reforms are notscriptural and therefore are of novalue. It is to be deplored that thisProgram of Social Education does notexplicitly state its dependence uponScripture.

Answer may be made that the teachings of Scripture are embodied in thefirst point of the Board's "program."Let us consider that point. You willnotice that there are three conceptsset forth therein: the supreme worthof human personality, the individualas a child of God, and the human raceas a brotherhood. Upon these threeconcepts the whole program is built.It is consequently important that theseconcepts be truly Christian, that is, bein accord with the teaching of Scripture.

The Value of ManThe first concept is the supreme

worth of human personality. HarryEmerson Fosdick has said that thegreatest contribution of Christianityis its teaching of reverence for personality. Many preachers are sayingthat man is so precious, of such infinite value, that God could not allowhim to go to waste. He must save him.How different it is when we go to theBible. There we read of the free graceof our God, of how, in the greatnessof His love and mercy, He providedsalvation for fallen man and restoredto him the image of God which he hadlost. The emphasis is always upon thegreatness of God and never upon theintrinsic value or worth of man. Goddid not have to save us. He does not


have to save us now and according tothe clear teaching of Jesus vast multitudes of human personalities aredoomed to eternal loss in Hell. Man isprecious because of what, by grace,he may become. Even as he is, he isof great value because of his originalcreation in the image of God. Therefore certainly we must respect andprotect human personality but this isquite another thing from saying thathuman personality, just because it ispersonality, is of supreme worth.

The Fatherhood of GodThe second concept is that of the

individual as a child of God. This ismore commonly called the doctrine ofthe Fatherhood of God. In his firstepistle John writes, "Beloved, now arewe the sons of God," Thank God,many of us have the right to call ourselves the sons of God but how didwe receive this right? In John 1:12,13we read "As many as received him,to them gave he power to become thesons of God, even to them that believeon his name: which were born, notof blood, nor of the will of the flesh,nor of the will of man, but of God."Those who believe, they are the sonsof God. In open denial of this plainteaching of the New Testament, themodernists teach that God is theFather of all men, both believing andunbelieving. AlI men everywhere, regardless of creed, have the right tolook up and pray, "Our Father." Thisanti-scriptural doctrine is adopted byour Department of Social Educationwhen they refer, without any qualification, to the individual as a child ofGod.

BrotherhoodThe third concept is that of the

human race as a brotherhood. Thereis a sense in which this is true. AlImen belong to the same species. TheyalI possess the same nature by virtueof descent from a common parent buthere again we have the setting forthof a cardinal modernistic doctrine:that alI men, Christian, Jewish andpagan, believers and unbelievers, arebrothers. We read much of brethrenand the brotherhood in the New Testament, but it is always restricted tothose who have accepted Christ andbeen baptized into His Church. Howclose and precious is that brotherhood,that communion of the saints, to ustoday and how impossible it is for us,in this high sense of the word, tobecome brothers of those who reject

Christ. If the New Testament is true,the human race is not a brotherhoodand our Board of Christian Education has departed far from the truthin making this concept one of the basicprinciples of its program for socialeducation.

PacifismLack of space prevents any detailed

examination of the activities of theDepartment of Social Education. Wemight briefly mention its attitude regarding pacifism. In accordance withan action of the General Assembly of1934 a Personal Peace Pact has beenmade available for those who maywish to sign. The signers of this pactstate that they oppose the participation of their country in any futurewar. Surely we alI long for peace andpray that it may never be necessaryfor this country again to go to war.Furthermore, we alI agree that theunprovoked use of military force iscontrary to the teachings of the Bible.But as long as this world is ruled byhatred and greed, so long wilI it benecessary for us to be prepared tofight in self-defense. This extremepacifism is just another product of a"social gospel" which fails utterly tocomprehend the depravity of the natural man.

Social ProgressEach month the Department issues

a little pamphlet calIed Social Progress. Along with much that is goodthere are many objectionable articlesand statements. Just to take the J anuary, 1936, issue as an illustration,those who have a copy should readthe editorial on "Preaching in theN ew Year," by J. A. Stevenson, headof the Department, with its attack ontheology and doctrine and completeabsence of reference to the preachingof salvation through the shed blood ofJesus Christ. In this same issue thereis an article entitled "What Does ItMean to Be a Christian?" by JohnHayes Creighton, D.D. Dr. Creightontells us that "a Christian is one whotakes seriously the Record and theMessage of the New Testament." "Bythe Message of the New Testament,"we are told, "we mean those fourgreat challenging doctrines of thefatherhood of God, the brotherhoodof man, the infinite value of personality, and the Kingdom of God onearth." Take these seriously and youare a Christian, says this writer forthe Board of Christian Education.

John 3: 36 gives the true answer, "Hethat believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth notthe Son shall not see life; but thewrath of God abideth on him."

In conclusion, while recognizing themoral passion and high idealism ofthe Department of Social Education,we must hold that this sector of theBoard of Christian Education hascompromised with unbelief, has failedto build on a Biblical foundation andis therefore unworthy of the confidence of Bible believing Presyterians.

A Book of Christian Poetry"Winter Bird Song," by Grace Buchanan

Sherwood. ($1.50. Brentano's, clo CowardMcCann, 2 West 45th Street, New York City.)

TH E fierce poet of the Middle Ageswrote, 'Abandon hope all ye who

enter here,' over the gates of the lowerworld. The emancipated poets of today have written it over the gates ofthis world. But if we are to understand what is to follow, we must erasethat apocalyptic writing, if only foran hour. We must recreate the faithof our fathers, if only as an artisticatmosphere."

Thus G. K. Chesterton introducedhis subject some years ago as he setout to prepare a study of the writingsof one who was humble enough tohave acknowledged the fact that thereis a wisdom above the wisdom of man,and wise enough to have built his hopeupon the faithfulness of Him in whomis that greater wisdom.

Such writers make up a smalI minority in any age. Today they aremore scarce than ever. Though it isabundantly true at the present timethat "of making many books thereis no end," yet it is equally true thatthose books, setting forth almost exclusively human philosophies and human achievements, are too often instruments in the hands of Satan ashe sows doubts and questions in themind of the reader and whispers withrelentless perseverance his age-old insinuation: "Yea, hath God said ... ?"

It is very rarely that one finds modern poetry or prose in which theauthor takes his stand squarely uponthe conviction that God's Word istruth. Such a book, however, is "Winter Bird Song," by Grace BuchananSherwood, and as such it is distinctiveand refreshing.

The book consists of three groups


The Reformed Faith and ModernSubstitutes

PART IVBy JOHN MURRAY. Th.M.

Mr. Murra,.

It,

of poems-a series of sonnets, a seriesof lyrics, and finally a group entitled"Songs for the Race of Man," writtenin reply to Edna St. Vincent Millay's"Epitaph for the Race of Man."

The first poem in the final groupexcellently illustrates the truth thata dreary, hopeless outlook upon lifeand upon human destiny is impossiblewhen God's Word is accepted in simple faith at its face value.

"When, from His distant height, the Lordof all

Looks down upon this little race of manWhere, atoms, on the face of earth we

crawl,.Shall we believe that under His dread

banOf punishment we all are in duress?Shall we believe there can no mercy be?Must the whole race the same defeat

confess?One man has brought us under wrath

yet he,

Limited Atonement

TH E second articleof the Arminian

Remonstrance of 1610concerned the question of the extent ofthe atonement. Itreads as follows:"Art. II. That,. agreeably thereto, Jesus

Christ, the Saviour of the world, diedfor all men and for every man, sothat he has obtained for them all, byhis death on the cross, redemptionand the forgiveness of sins; yet thatno one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except the believer, according to the word of the Gospel ofJohn 3: 16.... And in the FirstEpistle of John 2: 2...." This is anemphatic statement of what is knownas the doctrine of universal atonement, and is in its essence that Christdied for all men alike and procuredfor them equally and without distinction redemption and forgiveness ofsins. The atonement as such, it saysin effect, has as its intention the provision of salvation for all, the makingof the salvation of all men possible,the placing of all men and every manin a salvable state or condition.

In opposition to this the Reformed

That distant man who, careless, threwaway

So many happy hours upon this sphere,Did not destroy us all for on that dayWhen Adam sinned, God's promise

sounded clearThat One should come who should our

debt repay,That One should die to take our guilt

away."

Surely this little book of Mrs. Sherwood's may be introduced to the mostskeptical in the words of Mr. Chesterton: "If, then, you are a pessimist,forego for a little the pleasures ofpessimism. Dream for one mad moment that the grass is green. Unlearnthat sinister learning that you thinkso clear; deny that deadly knowledgethat you think you know. Surrenderthe very flower of your culture; giveup the very jewel of your pride;abandon hopelessness, all ye who enterhere."

Faith affirms the doctrine of what isknown as limited atonement. Whatdoes it mean? Perhaps the best answer that can be given to this question is to set forth the teaching ofthe Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.Redemption Purchased forthe Elect

"The Lord Jesus, by his perfectobedience and sacrifice of himself,which he through the eternal Spiritonce offered up unto God, hath fullysatisfied the justice of his Father;and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance inthe kingdom of heaven, for all thosewhom the Father hath given untohim." (Conf. of Faith VIII: 5.) Thisdefinitely states that reconciliation andan everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven is purchased for allthose given to the Son by the Father.Who are they? In section 1 of thissame chapter we are told that theyare the people given to Christ fromall eternity to be His seed and "to beby him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified." Thepeople given to Christ are surely thesame as the people chosen in Christthe form of expression used in chapter III: 5-and they are simply thoseof mankind predestinated unto life,

namely, the elect. With respect to themthe Confession continues: "As Godhath appointed the elect unto glory, sohath he, by the eternal and mostfree purpose of his will, foreordainedall the means thereunto. Whereforethey who are elected being fallen inAdam, are redeemed by Christ; areeffectually called unto faith in Christby his Spirit working in due season;are justified, adopted, sanctified, andkept by his power through faith untosalvation." (III: 6.) It is for the elect,therefore, for the predestinated tolife, for those given to Christ by theFather, for those chosen in Christunto everlasting glory, that reconciliation and an eternal inheritance inthe kingdom of heaven is purchased.I t is they who are redeemed by Christ.Thus teaches the Confession, and sothe difference has already becomeapparent.Purchaseand ApplicationCo-extensive

"To all those for whom Christ hathpurchased redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same." (VIII: 8.) Theimport of this cannot be controverted.It is that the extent of the purchaseof redemption is exactly the same asthe extent of actual salvation. IfChrist purchased redemption for all,then all will have that applied andcommunicated to them. If only a certain number of the human race areultimately saved, then only for thatnumber did Christ purchase redemption.

So explicit is the above statementthat it needs no confirmation. But inorder to show that this is not a random statement but a determiningprinciple of the Confessional teachingit can be shown by an entirely distinct line of argument. "Christ by hisobedience and death did fully discharge 'the debt of all those that arethus justified, and did make a proper,real, and full satisfaction to hisFather's justice in their behalf."(XI: 3.) Those for whom Christ discharged the debt and made satisfaction to justice are then the justified.But all who are justified are alsoeffectually called. "Those whom Godeffectually calleth, he also freely justifieth." (XI: L) And effectual callingexpounded in Chapter X refers usback to predestination. "All thosewhom God hath predestinated untolife, and those only, he is pleased, inhis appointed and accepted time, effec-


tually to call, by his word and Spirit,out of that state of sin and death inwhich they are by nature, to graceand salvation by Jesus Christ." (X:1.) And again: "God did from alleternity decree to justify all the elect;and Christ did, in the fulness of time,die for their sins, and rise again fortheir justification." (XI: 4.) The upshot is plain-predestination to life,redemption, effectual calling, and justification have identical extent; theyhave in their embrace exactly thesame persons.The Exclusiveness of Redemption

That the non-elect, those who donot become the actual. partakers ofsalvation and are therefore finallylost, are not included within the scopeof the redemption purchased byChrist, we may and must even fromthat which we have already quotedinfer to be the teaching of the Confession. But it is interesting to observe that not only does the Confession imply this; it also expressly statesit. "Neither are any other redeemedby Christ, effectually called, justified,adopted, sanctified, and saved, butthe elect only." (III: 6.) The Confession is using the phrases "redeemed byChrist" and "purchased redemption"synonymously. Here it is said thatredemption by Christ or the purchaseof redemption is for those who as amatter of fact are saved and for thoseonly. It is exclusive of those who arenot called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved. Redemption is definednot only extensively but exclusively.

If we may recapitulate then, theteaching of the Confession can besummed up in these three propositions. (I) Redemption is purchasedfor the elect. (2) Redemption isapplied to all for whom it is purchased. (3) Redemption is not purchased for those who finally perish,for the non-elect.

Atonement is defined therefore inthe Confession in terms of sacrifice,reconciliation, redemption, satisfaction to divine justice, discharge ofdebt, and states clearly that atonement thus defined is for those whomGod hath predestinated to life, namely,the elect. They are saved becauseChrist by his redemptive work secured their salvation. The finally lostare not within the embrace of thatsalvation secured, and therefore theyare not within the embrace of thatwhich secures it, namely, the redemption wrought by Christ. It is just here

that the difference between Arminianism and Calvinism may be mostplainly stated. Did Christ die andoffer Himself a sacrifice to God tomake the salvation of all men possible, or did He offer Himself a sacrifice to God to secure infallibly thesalvation of His people? Arminiansprofess the former and deny the latter; our Standards in accordance, aswe believe, with Holy Scripture teachthe latter.Objections Answered

The term "limited" atonement hasgiven much offense. It may not indeedbe the most fortunate terminology.It is capable of misunderstandingand misrepresentation. Some for thisreason may prefer the terms "definite" or "particular" atonement. Butwhat we are particularly insistentupon defending is that which the termhistorically used connotes, and so ifthe disuse of the term "limited" iscalculated to create the impressionthat we have renounced the doctrineof which the term is the symbol, ifin other words the disuse is calculatedto placate the enemies of our Reformed Faith, then we must resolutely refuse to refrain from its use.The atonement is limited, because inits precise intention and meaning andeffect it is for those and for thoseonly who are destined in the determinate purpose of God to eternalsalvation. We may well bless God thatthis is not a meagre company, but amultitude whom no man can numberout of every nation and kindred andpeople and tongue.

Let it not be thought that the Arminian by his doctrine escapes limitedatonement. The truth is that he professes a despicable doctrine of limitedatonement. He professes an atonement that is tragically limited in itsefficacy and power, an atonement thatdoes not secure the salvation of any.He indeed eliminates from the atonement that which makes it supremelyprecious to the Christian heart. InB. B. Warfield's words, "the substanceof the atonement is evaporated, thatit may be given a universal reference."* What we mean is, that unlesswe resort to the position of universalrestoration for all mankind-a position against which the witness ofScripture is decisive-an interpretation of the atonement in universalterms must nullify its properly substi-

*B. B. Warfield, "Plan of Salvation." Page122.

tutive and redemptive character. Wemust take our choice between a limitedextent and a limited efficacy, or ratherbetween a limited atonement and anatonement without efficacy. It eitherinfallibly saves the elect or it actuallysaves none.

It is sometimes objected that thedoctrine of limited atonement makesthe preaching of a full and free salvation impossible. This is wholly untrue. The salvation accomplished bythe death of Christ is infinitely sufficientand universally suitable, and itmay be said that its infinite sufficiencyand perfect suitability grounds a bonafide offer of salvation to all withoutdistinction. The doctrine of limitedatonement any more than the doctrineof sovereign election does not raisea fence around the offer of the gospel.The overture of the gospel offeringpeace and salvation through JesusChrist is to all without distinction,though it is truly from the heart ofsovereign election and limited atonement that this stream of grace universally proffered flows. If we maychange the figure, it is upon the crestof the wave of the divine sovereigntyand of limited atonement that the fulland free offer of the gospel breaksupon our shores. The offer of salvation to all is bona fide. All that isproclaimed is absolutely true. Everysinner believing will infallibly besaved, for the veracity and purposeof God cannot be violated.

The criticism that the doctrine oflimited atonement prevents the freeoffer of the gospel rests upon a profound misapprehension as to what thewarrant for preaching the gospel andeven of the primary act of faith itselfreally is. This warrant is not thatChrist died for all men but the universal invitation, demand and promiseof the gospel united with the perfectsufficiency and suitability of Christ asSaviour and Redeemer. What theambassador of the gospel demands inChrist's name is that the lost and helpless sinner commit himself to thatall-sufficient Saviour with the pleathat in thus receiving and resting uponChrist alone for salvation he willcertainly be saved. And what the lostsinner does on the basis of the warrant of faith is to commit himself tothat Saviour with the assurance thatas he thus trusts he will be saved.What he believes, then, in the first instance is not that he has been saved,

(Continued on Page 211)


The Young People's Own PageBy LOUISE H. RIECKE

...

TH E hearts andminds of a great

many Christians havebeen turned recentlytoward Wheaton College, where God hasbeen proving Hi sfaithfulness in fulfill-

Miss Riecke ing the promise in HisWord: "Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great andmighty things which thou knowestnot."

One of the young women in thejunior class of the College, Miss RuthA. Grimshaw, of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, has sent home this challengingaccount of what God has brought topass at Wheaton:

"Our semester evangelistic servicesbegan several weeks ago with Dr.McOuilkin, of Columbia Bible Colleg~~ as speaker. These services arealways a matter of earnest prayermonths ahead of time, yet having satthrough three of them I went homediscouraged and asked the Lord totake the coldness and indifference outof my heart. It was disappointing because with all the rest I had anticipated Dr. McQuilkin's messages withreal joy. As I was talking with Himabout it I felt a hunger really to knowGod! For some reason He seemed faraway and unreal. Then, though it wasonly through a Bible note, I remembered the promise: Jehovah, the Selfexistent One, who reveals Himself.I meditated on that, then thanked Himthat He would reveal Himself to me.

"That eve ning many were disappointed bccai se Dr. McQuilkin wassick and could, 't take the service, but.l\lr. Laird was there and I was blessedto a literal overflowing as he spoke tous on Philippians 1: 21. Never beforewas it so clear to me that 'To me tolive is Christ.' No loneliness, no sorrow, no coldness of heart when He isour life!

"As we spoke with one of the students that night he said, 'There issomething wrong. We are ready for arevival, we can almost feel it, butsomething' is hindering. That is whatwe have been praying about all evening.' A group had been in prayer all

during the service. I thanked him andpraised the Lord because I felt thatfor me their prayer was fully answered, I was so full of the joy of theLord.

"Wednesday evening Dr. McQuilkin was still sick, and our messagewas Hebrews 12:1: 'Let us lay asideevery weight.' The verse was used totypify one kind of Christian who goesto the races and sits in the grandstand,comfortably justified in weanng anovercoat, but if he were to enter therace he would have to remove his coat.So many Christians stand by and justwatch. Again I went home rejoicing.Praise the Lord, I wouldn't be in thegrandstand for anything!

"Surely our God answers prayerexceeding abundantly above all wecan ask or think. Thursday morningjust before chapel was over Mr. Hammontree read a note from a studentinquiring how a revival might bebrought to the Christians on ourcampus. I forget Mr. Hammontree'sanswer, but a senior boy, much lovedby Christians, rose and said he hadwritten the note, and confessed theburden on his heart for a real revivalon the campus. He said that becauseof our intellectuality we were afraidof emotionalism and were doing ourbest to restrain ourselves. It musthave been the 'fullness of time,' because then the barriers were brokendown. One after another confessedsins which had been committed againstpersons present. Even though the deangave an extra half hour and then triedto close the service he was unsuccessful, as students stood in their placesto give testimonies and to confess sin.This was the beginning of a revivalsuch as Wheaton College has neverbefore experienced. At least fortywere saved that morning. Scores reconsecrated themselves. The servicecontinued with testimonies until fouro'clock and then was given over toprayer until the evening service began.

"Needless to say the place wasjammed in the evening. Many morewere cleansed by the blood of Christ.We knew in the light of Isaiah 59:1-3that we would-now see the work ofGod's hand and we did. A prayer of

long months that the Lord would makean entrance into Wheaton HighSchool was answered in the salvationof a number of the high school students.

"The next morning was an addedblessing as Mr. MacPherson spoke onActs 11: 'Peter prayed, God said,Peter did.' He invited whoever wouldto receive the fullness of the Spirit.We followed him in prayer, askingthe Lord for His fullness and thanking Him. Now I know there is noprayer difficulty for a Spirit-filledChristian. My greatest sin had beenprayerlessness, but those two dayswere set aside for prayer and I hadnever before enjoyed such blessedcommunion with Him.

"What has it all meant to me? Justthis: that the Lord will satisfy thehungry heart. Never, never had Iseen this self in the light of His righteousness. As we laid our hearts opento His gaze I was shocked at the prideand selfishness, the lovelessness thatwe hide behind from day to day. HowI hate it and praise Him for deliverance! This week as never before Ihave seen the subtleties of Satan todefeat us. We put so much stock inwhat others will say and think of us!It is sure defeat unless we make ourhearts right with God through Christand make His attitude alone our concern.

"We praise God that by His gracewe have been blessed with a revivalthat is not yet over. We are prayingthat the Spirit of God will convictChristians everywhere of sin, leadthem to make it right, and receive Hisfull blessing. There is no reason whyall should not partake of Him in Hisfullness. It was the faithful prayer ofa few that led them to expect God tokeep His promise, even in this daywith its absence of revivals, In prayerHe revealed their sin, gave graceand no little was needed-to confessit. The rest was the result which wouldnaturally follow in God's plan. I dopraise Him for the faithfulness ofthose all over the country who havebeen praying for a revival. Youngpeople! God will! Will you?"

(

.J,,


The Sunday School LessonsBy the REV. L. CRAIG LONG

203

.,

April 19. The Prodiga' Son.

lUKE 15: 11-24 reI. veals: (1) Afather and son whoseactions are not natura1; (2) a father whotypifies God; (3) ason who typifies thehuman race; (4) a

Mr. Long "far country" whichtypifies the world; (5) a repentancewhich is of God; (6) a restorationwhich typifies joy in Heaven when asinner is converted.

The text further shows that thespokesman is Jesus Christ whoseteaching must be examined in thecontext of the entire Bible and' accepted as authority. Humanism maybe thwarted by teaching this parablein Bible context rather than in acontext of humanistic literature. "Twosons" typifies the father's offspring.Acts 17: 28 describes men as beingGod's offspring by creation. Our inheritance, as "God's offspring," waslost, according to I Cor. 15: 22, byour death "in Adam." Luke 15: 25-32describes the elder son as being a sinner but Christ selected the prodigal(younger son) to illustrate the blindness, depth, misery and end of sin sothat we might better analyze ourheritage from Adam. Let us understand that every man starts his lifea prodigal from God's fellowship. InAdam, all his posterity chose sinrather than righteousness and departed to a "far country" to live livesof degradation for Satan's glory.Luke 15: 11-16 is an inspired commentary upon the genesis of sin intoman's experience. We obtained oursubstance from God and we spend itin "the far country" as if it were ourown; we are not good stewards. Whenwe left God "in Adam" we took allof our baggage; it was total depravity. World disorder plus our own sincooperate to wreck us, and both areGod's instruments to bring us to ourselves. Satan only works by God'spermissive will and within boundsprescribed by God for God's glory.'INe invariahly join ourselves to prominent citizens in "the far country"

rather than keep contact with God.Verse 17 begins an illustration of thefruits of regeneration, repentance andre-birth. The prodigal "came to himself" by God's regenerating grace.Although God's Word admonishes usto draw nigh to God, we are to understand this in the light of John 6: 44:"Na man can come to me, except theFather that sent me draw him." Theregenerating grace of God is illustrated by the famine and also by theprodigal's depravity which became solow that he was ready to eat andenjoy swine food. The climax of regeneration was the refusal of mento give him even swine food; this, byGod's grace, made him consider thedifference between himself and hisfather's hired servants. God paysChristians well. Satan's servants cannot fail to observe that Romans 8: 28is true. The repentance is demonstrated by the prodigal's premeditatedconfession of his sin and guilt whichhe made and also by his true humility(verse 21). Our vanity is rebuked bythis lesson. The re-birth is illustratedby the prodigal's reinstatement in hisfather's household. Our re-birth willbe realized when we are able to buildour hopes upon God's promises thatHis house has a mansion preparedfor us who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

April 26. The Rich Man andLazarus.Luke 16: 19-31 is much abused by

many. The simple words must be examined in the light of plainer Bibleteaching on the various doctrinesmentioned in this section. Today'swarning is against losing sight of theprimary message taught here and finding ourselves teaching communism orsocialism. Jesus said, "The poor yehave always with you"; He did notinstitute the church to disseminatepropaganda of communism, socialism,slum clearance or "share the wealth"theories. He established the church towitness in this world to the only waythat sinners can be reconciled to Godand go at last to Heaven. The richman's sin (described here) is not hischief sin; it is the fruit of a corrupt,unconverted heart.

Jesus Christ here contrasts theearthly conditions of two men: theone was rich and selfish; the otherwas a sick and hungry beggar who,without avail, desired even the crumbswhich fell from the rich man's table.Verse 21b contrasts kind dumb animals with the rich man; they lickedhis sores. Part three describes thealtered conditions of these same menafter death: the rich man has gone toHell (or Hades) ; the beggar went to"Abraham's Bosom." Eternal Helland Heaven begin after the judgmentday but places of waiting are similarto their respective eternal counterparts. The place called Hell impressedthe rich man unfavorably. Let noman opinionate the true meaning ofthe words with which God describesHell. To explain away Hell is to minimize Calvary. To use this lesson todescribe Hell may lead a soul to prepare rightly for Heaven. Our curiosity concerning the transfer of soulsfrom earth to other places is answeredby verse 22a (by angels). All thespiritual seed of Abraham were borneto Abraham's Bosom for a fellowship,in the Messiah, to await the incarnation. Before Christ's incarnation, theelect passed from earth to Abraham,the father of their faith whom theykncw; since the incarnation, the elect(together with pre-incarnation saints)are gathered unto the Lord (II Cor.S : 8). Both places described in Luke16: 19-31 are waiting places: the oneis pleasant; the other is unpleasant.Verses 24-31 teach: (I) Hell is merciless punishment for earthly sin; (2)Hell and Heaven are distinct andseparate places; (3) The messages ofMoses and the Prophets are sufficientto convert God's elect. In Matthew12: 38-41 Jesus Christ upholds the OldTestament in this same wonderfulway. Observe the harmony.

EDITOR'S NOTE :-TYe are haPPY to announce that the Rev. L. Craig Long will,in the future, write the Sunday SchoolLesson. studies in each issue of THE PRESBYTERIAN GUARDIAN. We wish to extendour thanks to Mr. R. Laird Harris, whoso admirably conducted this page duringthe emergency created by the tragicdeath of the Rev. Gerard H. Snell•


Mr. Freeman

even if it has

we lay hold upon the treasures ofthe Word as the very truth of God.Then we believe them, rely on themand rejoice in them. This is faith.Thank God for a trust that hangs onthe Word of Divine faithfulness.

Holiness should be the chief desireof every Christian. Shall we thenshrink from the very means by whichGod promotes our sanctification?Trials strengthen faith so that itrests on the promises and looks tothe Lord Jesus Christ.

When a soul tastes of the sweetness of the Saviour's promises, it sayswith David, "It is good for me that Iha ve been afflicted."

It is so easy to confess belief inGod's sovereignty and admit that allbelievers should submit to His holyand wise providences. Yes, it is notdifficult to accede to this truth so longas our self-love is not interferedwith, nor our present happiness invaded, but when the Sovereign Godtakes from us our most precious possessions and delights, does not ourweakness betray itself? Not many insuffering still say, "The Lord gave andthe Lord hath taken away, blessed bethe name of the Lord."

The soul which is indeed convincedof God's justice and goodness laysdown every thought of rebellion anddiscontent. The truly repentant onedoes not impose terms on the LordGod but yields to His sovereign discretion. There is wonderful peace insuch a surrender.

Chastisement leads the believer tolook for complete happiness in heavenonly. If our refuge is here in thisworld, then we look heavenward onlyfor the supply of what is deficienthere. But when all expectation ofworldly peace and satisfaction is cutoff then the released soul rejoices tosay, "My soul, wait thou only uponGod, for my expectation is from him."

He is the happy man who dwellsmost on the thoughts of heaven. Sucha mind is not often found amongthose who have more than heart couldwish and are free from care. But inthe home of mourning and along thepathway of trial and affliction anddistress you will find them. Here youwill find the trophies of God's sufficient grace. Here things unseen areevidenced to faith.

There is no disappointment in ahope that can say, "My soul, wait thouonly upon God, for 111y expectation isfrom him."By PHIL SAINT

far. Will it stand in the greatest ofall trials-death? But if we are readyto sink under ordinary afflictions, howcan we even hope to bear successfullythe ordeal of death? "If thou hastrun with the footmen, and they havewearied thee, then how canst thoucontend with horses? and if in theland of peace, wherein thou trustedst,they wearied thee, then how wilt thoudo in the swelling of Jordan?"

Is it not that our faith might standon that day that trials are sent to usby a kind heavenly Father? Havingpassed through hardships it will besweet to remember how through trialsthe Lord sealed us with His Spirit.

To many the most precious portions of Scripture are altogether adead letter. They have to do withsuffering, but if we have never passedthrough the fire how can we knowthem to be precious? Oh, how in trial

LIFT UP YOUR HEART

By the REV. DAVID FREEMAN

Still Waving the Cross

"Most gladly therefore will I ratherglory in my infirmities, that the powerof Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, inreproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:for when I am weak, then am Istrong." 2 Cor. 12: 9,10.

TH E faith wehave,-is it dross

or gold? Adversitywill test it. If ourfaith can support usin times of trial it isgenuine.

Some day faithmust endure trial

not undergone trial so

204·A

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FOR TNEHALL} WHILE"~OD PREPARES ~TO FOllOW....


Reception Committee!

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By Phil Saint

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Special Commission Drives ProgramThrough in Philadelphia

...

TH E Special Commission of the1935 General Assembly, appointed

to visit the Presbyteries of Chesterand Philadelphia, on March 2nd metwith the second-named Presbytery,succeeded in getting it to adopt "inprinciple" a series of recommendations the effect of which will be toflatten it out to conform with theecclesiastical machine. Couched inloving and honied words, the reportof the Commission left no realists indoubt of the iron hand under thevelvet glove. The report was adoptedafter debate by a vote of perhapsmore than three to one, the modernistbloc voting for it with obvious joy,others voting for it with equally obvious discomfort. Those who stood outto the end against it did so in spiteof the more or less common knowledge that all who oppose the Commission are slated for beheading in May.

What the Commission's report didnot reveal was the fact that a largegroup in the Presbytery had beenrefused a hearing through their representative because that representative refused to pledge secrecy. Thusthe impression given by the reportthat all parties had been consulted wasfalse, the conservative group havingin this way been left out. Nor did theCommission make known what defense had been made on behalf ofthe Presbytery, which informationhad been withheld from the Presbytery itself because of the pledge ofsecrecy extracted by the Commission."Findings" of the Commission included the following, not originallybound with the mimeographed report:

"We have found:"1. The records of Presbytery unusu

ally well kept and no just grounds forcriticism.

"2. No evidence of any theologicalheresy that could in justice be called unPresbyterian or that could justify suspicion, criticism of a brother or refusalto work with him.

"3. A goodly body of men of goodwill, as able and patient and Christlike incharacter as can be found in any Presbytery of the Church, and who, in ourjudgment, are the real majority here towhom we make our first appeal forwholehearted co-operation and united,courageous and firm endeavor to take control in rectifying the wrongs that arehere."

The recommendations included ma-

chine grip over vacant Churches bythe erection of a Committee on Vacancy and Supply, erection of a "General Council" for the Presbytery(involving further centralization andabolition of the non-conservativecontrolled Business Committee) andthe abolition of all "caucuses" of likeminded persons. The Commissiondeclared caucuses to be "politicaltrickery" and declared that those participating in them should be "disciplined" for "inciting to schism inthe body of Christ."

The Commission "whitewashed"the modernist party in the Presbytery,including ten Auburn Affirmationists,by saying that it found "no evidenceof any theological heresy that couldin justice be called un-Presbyterianor that could justify suspicion, criticism of a brother or refusal to workwith him."

The Commission also recommendedthat serious attention should be paidto the proposal for the erection of agreat metropolitan presbytery to bemade up of Philadelphia and portionsof the Presbyteries of PhiladelphiaNorth and Chester. This has been forsome time regarded as the aim of theecclesiastical machine in its effort todestroy the Presbytery of Philadelphia as a conservative stronghold.

The report as originally mimeographed for distribution at Presbyteryis as follows:

The Special Commission of Nine to Visitthe Presbyteries of Philadelphia

and ChesterIn appointing this Commission the As

sembly of 1935 ordered the Commissionto do four things, upon two of which wereport as follows:

1. To visit in a friendly and cooperative way the Presbyteries of Philadelphiaand Chester, and to make necessary inquiries and investigations.

This we have done as follows:1. Conferences: In July of 1935 the

Chairman held a preliminary conferencein Philadelphia with the Moderators ofthe two Presbyteries to secure theircounsel and cooperation and to agree ona method of procedure.

A three day conference was heldOctober 1, 2 and 3, every member of theCommission being present throughout thethree days and sitting continuously from9 A. M. to near midnight Tuesday andWednesday and until 1 P. M. on Thursday. In much prayer and patience welistened to at least eighty individuals,

singly and in groups, notice having beengiven to every member of both Presbyteries for any member who desired toappear before us by appointment.

2. The Committee unanimously laiddown the following general principles:

(a) That we did not consider ourselves a court, but rather a group ofbrethren in Christ seeking to resolvedifferences among brethren by friendlycounsel. The prayer of all was for theunderstanding mind of Christ rather thanthe contentious legalistic mind.

(b) That all meetings of the Commission should be in executive session andthat during the hearings no publicityshould be given to any matters comingbefore the Commission.

(c) In presenting testimony eachofficial group or individual should appearalone. All of the one hundred or moredifferent individuals appearing before us,representing all sides and viewpoints,agreed to those conditions with the exception of three individuals. To our greatregret these three could not in conscienceagree to refrain from giving publicity to'what went on in the sessions and therefore these three we could not hear atlength, though two of them appeared before us and at some length interpretedto us their conscientious scruples in thismatter.

3. Your Committee proceeded asfollows:

The three days in October we heardalternately the Memorialists and thenthe groups of Presbytery officially appointed to answer the Memorials andinterpret to us the differences and divisions. In addition to these officialgroups we heard many individuals fromboth Presbyteries, ministers and elders,whom we asked to appear before us, orwhom we felt it helpful to call.

At the second sitting of the Commission, November 19, 20 and 21, for themost part we heard twenty or more additional individuals whom our first session indicated we ought to hear at length-a few from outside of the Presbyteriesof Philadelphia and Chester. We did notcompel any reluctant witnesses to appearor to conform, feeling that in the atmosphere of liberty and mutual trust wewould make the better progress.

At the second session one member ofthe Commission was compelled to beabsent during the three days, one wascalled home by illness, and a third couldattend only the third day of the session.

At this session the sub-committees ofthe Commission made their reports.

Messrs. Vale.. Frantz and Jackson on"How did the Presbyteries get into theirpresent state?" reported informally, theChairman being absent.

Messrs. Herrmann, Odell and Stonereported on "Why do these conditionspersist ?"

Messrs. Buschman, Brown and Timberman on "How can we help them to getout of the present situation?"

Our lawyers, Messrs. Jackson andStone, reported on the constitutionalquestions involved.


During this second session of the Commission, the legal situation was somewhatclarified by the decisions rendered onWednesday, November 20, by theJudicial Commission of the Synod ofPennsylvania, in every case sustainingthe complainants in both Presbyteries,and clearly suggesting in their judgmentwherein both Presbyteries had made mistakes in acts and orders.

II. Remedial suggestions and effortswithin the Presbyteries themselves.

Gather together in each Presbyterysuggested leaders from the two opposinggroups and the center, and persuade themto unite with us in carrying out thefollowing program:

FOR PHILADELPHIA PRESBYTERY

1. "Putting away falsehood, speak yetruth, each one with his neighbor; forwe are members one of another. Let nodisintegrating speech proceed out of yourmouth, but such as is good for buildingup, as the need may be, that it may givegrace to them that hear. And grieve notthe Holy Spirit of God in whom ye were

. sealed unto the day of redemption. Letall bitterness, and wrath, and anger, andclamor, and railing be put away fromyou, with all malice; and be ye kind oneto another, tender-hearted, forgiving eachother, even as God also in Christ forgaveyou."

2. Conduct all sessions of Presbyterywith such decorum and Christian courtesyas becometh brethren who sit and deliberate in a court of Jesus Christ. "Letall things be done decently and in order."

3. Refrain from running to the publicpress and making a public scandal ofyour differences; and henceforth discipline according to the book those whopersistently and disloyally continue thepractice. Whether by enforcement of rulesrespecting private sessions or in someother effective manner, every effort shouldbe made to prevent perverted accounts ofPresbytery's affairs from being given tothe press.

4. Discourage all caucuses and anyother associations organized for politicalpurposes to force through the Presbyterythe will of this group or that group, andtrust more in the Holy Spirit dwellingin the body of believers and making Hiswill known in the corporate life of theChurch. If any groups of ministers orelders persist in such political trickerythey should be disciplined according tothe book for inciting to schism in thebody of Christ'.

5. Respect the rights of minorities andsee that they are represented in places oftrust on committees and in the highercourts of the Church. The light of truthhas many colors in its spectrum andneeds them all under the fusing power ofthe Holy Spirit. Institute forthwith theprinciple of rotary representation inSynod and General Assembly wherebychurches as a general rule shall be represented in turn. This principle shall applyboth to ministers and lay commissioners.The local church should be given theprivilege of nominating the elder candidate or commissioner.

6. Create a general council after the

pattern laid down in the Constitution ofour Church. This should absorb the functions now exercised by any executive orbusiness committee.

7. Dignify the sacred office of theministry by allowing ample time to elapsebetween licensure and ordination; pass arule providing that the service of ordination shall always be held in the churchto which the licentiate has been called,exception to the rule to be made only bya three-fourths vote of Presbytery; passa further rule to prohibit licensure andordination to take place at the same meeting of Presbytery. In the examination ofcandidates for licensure or ordinationthe right of al! members to ask any pertinent question of the candidate thattends to satisfy Presbytery as to thequalifications of the candidate for thegospel ministry in the PresbyterianChurch in the U.S.A., shall be sustained.

8. Develop, perfect and trust more astrong Vacancy and Supply Committeethat will watch over your vacant pulpitsand counsel pastoral committees.

9. Now that our pension system operatesso satisfactorily, the General Assemblyand the four boards having adopted arule fixing seventy years as the age ofretirement, Presbytery should seriouslyconsider the adoption of a similar rule.

10. The Commission has been profoundly moved by the vision of tremendous opportunity in this metropolitan areaof our Church and nation. We are mindful of the outstanding leadership given toour great Church for so many generations from the Philadelphia area, the placeof our beginnings. It is not primarilywith the purpose of healing division, butwith the ardent desire to see the greatneeds of the metropolitan area met, theglorious opportunities realized, and thePhiladelphia center reclaim its rightfulplace in the leadership of our Churchthat we make the following sugggestion,namely, entertain with open minds andprayerful hearts the proposal that theproblem is so vast it demands and oughtto command the resources of every individual Christian in this region. Fromthis situation has sprung the suggestionfor the realignment of the Presbyteries, inthis region, and the formation of ametropolitan presbytery, in connectionwith which suggestion a Committee ofSynod has already been appointed. Mostparties are agreed that some such realignment will eventual!y be consummated. When all the facts are considered,we are forced to the conclusion that sucha metropolitan presbytery would enablethe Presbyterian forces in a much moreadequate way to cope with the Kingdomtask in this strategic center.

11. The Commission requests that aspecial meeting of Presbytery be called,at which time the Commission will present this program for consideration andappropriate action.

12. Following the meeting of Presbytery transmit in writing to every ministerand elder in the Presbyteries of Philadelphia and Chester this program, requesting their full cooperation in makingit effective in both letter and spirit.

Moderator Appoints Committee

The Rev. Warren R. Ward, D.D.,elected nearly a year ago as conservative candidate for Moderator of thePresbytery, joined, it is said, in thegroup favoring the report. Afteradoption of the report, he appointed acommittee to put the recommendationsinto effect. The Committee: Ministers: Vincent Dee Beery, GeorgeEmerson Barnes, 1. Sturger Shultz;Elders: Edward F. Hitchcock, AllanSutherland. Dr. Barnes is an AuburnAffirmationist.

Prominent in speaking for the report: Dr. Burleigh Cruikshank (nearrebel against the Machine up untilthe last General Assembly, but whosecave-in to the organization after heperceived himself in such a minoritywas one of the high-lights of 1935),the Rev. Hilko de Beer, the Rev. Alexander MacColl and Dr. Edwin YatesHill (both Drs. MacColl and Hill areAuburn Affirmationists).

Overture on ChristianEducation Oiferedin Philadelphia

AT THE meeting of the Presbytery of Philadelphia held on

March 2nd, the Rev. Ned B. Stonehouse, Th.D., of the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary, gavenotice of a proposed overture to theGeneral Assembly. The overture hasto do with the Board of ChristianEducation, in view of the examples ofModernism now being uncovered in itsprogram and policies. The text of theproposed overture, which will bevoted on at the April 6th meeting ofthe Presbytery, is as follows:

The Presbytery of Philadelphiarespectfully overtures the GeneralAssembly of 1936

1. To take care to elect to the Boardof Christian Education only personswho are aware of the danger in whichthe church stands of losing its historicChristian witness, and who are determined to insist upon such verities asthe full truthfulness of Scripture, thevirgin birth of our Lord, His substitutionary death as a sacrifice to satisfy Divine justice, His bodily resurrection and His miracles as being


Dr. Buswell Convicted. OrderedAdmonished

Dr. BuswelI

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essential to the system of doctrine towhich the Presbyterian Church iscommitted by its Constitution,

2. To instruct the Board of Christian Education that no one who deniesthe absolute necessity of such loyaltyto the Bible, and to the Confessionof Faith, shall serve on its staff,

3. To instruct the Board of Christian Education to publish only literature that is true to the historic witness

O N FEBRUARY 27th, by decision of the Special Judicial

Commission of the Presbytery ofChicago, Dr. J. Oliver Buswell, Jr.,President of Wheaton College, tookhis place with others who have beenpronounced "guilty" by the ecclesiastical authorities of the PresbyterianChurch in the U.S.A., but who havebeen truly faithful in upholding the

Word of God andthe Standards of theChurch, in word andin action. The sentence pronounced bythe Commission isthe mildest form ofcensure provided bythe Book of Discipline; namely, "ad

monition" to "desist from his course."On March 2d the Presbytery of

Chicago received the decision of theCommission, thereby making this itsown decision. Immediate notice wasgiven of an appeal to the Synod ofIllinois and from there the case willno doubt go to the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly along with those of otherIndependent Board members.

The conduct of Dr. Buswell's trialhas been different from that of thetrials of other Board members inmany ways: It has been long drawnout, beginning originally on June 14thof last year, discontinued and returned to Presbytery on July 21st because of irregularities, started anewon October 7th, and completed almostfive months later.

The charges against Dr. Buswellwere couched in language more severe than those in the other trials,including not only the usual mentionof disobedience, breaking his ordina-

of the Church, and to cease the publication of literature that departs fromthis witness,

4. To instruct the Board of Christian Education to cease co-operationwith organizations or individuals thatshow by their publications or otheractivities that they are not insistingupon the full truthfulness of the Bibleand upon the other evangelical verities.

tion VOWS, disturbing the peace, unity,and purity of the church, and so on,but alleging conduct contrary to ethical standards, diversion of funds, andconspiracy to injure and hinder thework of the official Board of ForeignMissions.

In contrast to the severity of thecharges, the case as presented againstDr. Buswell was unusually feeble andflimsy, the Prosecution contenting itself simply with filing a number ofdocuments such as pamphlets of theIndependent Board, correspondence ofPresbytery's Commission with Dr.Buswell, and minutes of the GeneralAssembly, and calling two witnesseswho testified only to the fact that theyhad labored with Dr. Buswell and thathe still refused to resign. Thus not ascintilla of first-hand evidence wasintroduced to prove most serious allegations. When challenged to produceproof, the Prosecution stated thatthese were "inherent" in the case andcould be deduced from the evidencein general!

The Judicial Commission showedunusual consideration and courtesyin making its sessions at dates convenient to all concerned and in allowing the introduction of the variouslines of evidence offered, includingthe doctrinal angle in a discussion ofModernism in the policies and actionsof the official Board, and permittingargument regarding the unconstitutionality of the mandate of the General Assembly against the IndependentBoard.

However, in the face of all thistestimony and the total absence ofopposing proof from the Prosecution,the Commission while dismissing certain portions of the specifications asnot proven---notably those alleging

conspiracy and diversion of fundsnevertheless, pronounced Dr. Buswellguilty on all charges.

The Commission set aside the evidence regarding Modernism in theofficial Board as not pertinent, andproclaimed the General Assembly supreme.

The Commission attempted a fulldiscussion of the elements of the case,but in addition to refusing to considerthe vital doctrinal aspect as valid, itdisregarded such important mattersas a consideration of the respecti velegislative and judicial powers of theGeneral Assembly, upon which thewhole question of the constitutionalityor lawfulness of its mandate-andconsequently the guilt or innocence ofthe accused-rests; and made no reference to that vital concurrent resolution number 6 which was one of thebases of union of the old and newschool Presbyterians into our presentPresbyterian Church in the U.S.A.nor of Section 3 of Chapter 6 of theDirectory of Worship, both of whichmake it plain that churches and individuals in our Presbyterian Churchare free to give to what objects andorganizations they choose; and itpassed lightly over sections regardingfreedom of conscience and obedienceto the Word of God, contending fororganization regularity.

Extracts From DecisionImportant sections of the Commis

sion's nine-page decision follow:"The accused admits his participa

tion in the conduct of the IndependentBoard and his refusal to desist. Thecharges contain additional elementswhich the accused denies, namely:that funds contributed to the churchand intended for the Official Boardhave been diverted to the IndependentBoard, and that the name of the independent board is calculated to misleadmembers of Presbyterian churchesinto believing that it is an agency ofthe Presbyterian Church in the UnitedStates of America, and that fundscontributed to it will be used for thework of the Presbyterian Church mthe United States of America.

No Diversion of Funds"The accused and his associates in

the Independent Board who testifiedin his behalf, said that it was thepolicy of the Independent Board notto accept any contributions whichmight be regarded as intended by the


I.

donors for the Official Board. Theaccused said that he did not know ofany such diversion and also said inthe strongest terms that he would notcountenance it. There is no first-handevidence that funds actually given forthe use of the Official Board have beendiverted to the Independent Board,certainly none that the officers of theIndependent Board have so intended,and the Commission acquits the accused of any diversion of that nature.This is apart from the questionwhether the existence of the Independent Board conducting foreignmissions and appealing for contributions from the same constituency,does not tend to divert funds, and byits operation does not necessarily divert funds which would go otherwiseto the Official Board.Name Not Misleading

"The name 'The Independent Boardfor Presbyterian Foreign Missions,'might suggest to an uninformed person some connection with the Presbyterian Church in the United Statesof America, but no more than withany of the other churches having theterm 'Presbyterian' in their titles. Theaccused said that the term 'Presbyterian,' was included in the namebecause of the attachment of the organizers to the system of religiousbelief and practice contained in thePresbyterian confession of faith andcatechisms, and to the representativesystem of government characteristicof the Presbyterian church. The sameidea is expressed in the charter ofthe Independent Board (Prosecution'sExhibit II). It may be said with somereason that the term 'Independent' inthe name indicates that the Independent Board is not an official board ofthe church. Giving effect in any caseto the presumption of innocence, thecommission is not prepared to saythat the name chosen for the board,would make the conduct of the accused an offence if it was otherwisesuitable., "What remains of the charges, is

that the accused is insisting upon continuing to further the enterprise ofThe Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions, and as faras he can, to secure for it the financialand moral support of members of thePresbyterian Church in the UnitedStates of America, without howeverdiverting funds actually given orpledged to the Official Board. Thecharter of the Independent Board,

(Prosecution's Exhibit 11), recitesthat it is formed for the' purposesamong others, 'of establishing andconducting truly Biblical missionsamong all nations,' and 'to encouragePresbyterian churches and individualsto support this board.' This policy ofthe Independent Board and the participation in it by the accused areadmitted. The narrow question is presented whether they are compatiblewith the duty of a member and aminister of the Presbyterian Churchin the United States of America.The Official "Setup"

"For effective action of the churchtoward the attainment of its ends,some form of organization, a direction of effort, is necessary. Such aform of organization is provided bythe constitution of the church. SectionV of Chapter XII of the Form ofGovernment, vests in the General Assembly the power of 'superintendingthe concerns of the whole church.'Chapter XVIII authorizes the General Assembly to 'send missions toany part to plant churches.' Underthis authority the General Assemblyhas created the Board of ForeignMissions as the agency by which theforeign missionary work of the churchshould be conducted. Chapter XXIIIof the Form of Government providesthat the members of churches mayassociate themselves for the conductof special work for missionary purposes. But Section II of the chapterprovides that where such special organizations cover territory greaterthan a synod, they shall be responsibleto the General Assembly. Section IV,provides that when the functions ofspecial organizations include the collecting and distributing of moneys forbenevolent work, it shall be done subject to the power of oversight anddirection vested by the constitution inthe session and the higher judicatories(in the case of foreign missions, theGeneral Assembly).

"It is clearly necessary to the efficient conduct of foreign missions bythe church, that the power to determine the means by which it shall bedone, shall be lodged somewhere. Thepower is lodged in the General Assembly and the General Assembly hasexercised it by establishing the Boardof Foreign Missions. It follows thatministers of the church owe a dutynot to hinder or obstruct that agency.If any minister who disagrees withthe policy may join others in setting

up another agency for the same task,the unity of the church will be lost.The way is opened not for two agencies but for as many as there aredifferences in judgment, with the result that conflict will succeed cooperation and the power of the church willbe weakened or even destroyed bydivision.

"Nor is the threat of a divisivepolicy limited to foreign missions. Aswell might a disaffected member setup a competing Sunday-school in anindividual church or organize an outside preaching service and seek todraw the attendance of members ofthe church. The accused contends thatas the Independent Board does notpurport to be an agency of the church,the provisions of Chapter XXIII ofthe Form of Government that specialorganizations for missionary purposesshall be under the direction of theappropriate church authorities, do notapply. The test, however, is what anorganization seeks to do rather thanits name or form. The IndependentBoard seeks to carryon foreign missionary work of a Presbyterian character, and to draw support for it fromPresbyterian churches without however being subject to the Presbyterianchurch government. Unless the General Assembly can safeguard thechurch against division of this kind,unity is impossible.Accused Pleads Rightsof Conscience

"The accused pleads that he haswithdrawn support from the OfficialBoard and aided in establishing theIndependent Board, because he believes in his inmost heart that theOfficial Board is countenancing teaching contrary to the word of God. Inthis situation he conceives that hemust obey God rather than man. Insupport of his position he offeredevidence of witnesses who testifiedthat in their opinion, the teaching ofmissionaries and other persons actingunder the general sanction of the Official Board, was not consonant withthe Bible. The prosecution objectedthat the evidence was inadmissibleinasmuch as the General Assemblyhad approved the work of the OfficialBoard, and the evidence was receivedsubject to objection.

"Manifestly it would be unfair toform a judgment concerning the policies of the Official Board upon thebasis of unfavorable testimony of afew persons without hearing from the

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supporters of the board. An investigation comprehensive enough to be ofany value would be impossible for thiscommission even if allowable. In anyevent it is not competent for this commission to review the action of theGeneral Assembly in giving its approval to the Official Board. In theface of that approval the commissioncannot consider the criticisms of theboard by the accused and the witnesses in his behalf, as any condemnation. The commission admitted theevidence subject to the objection, inorder that it might know as fully aspossible the considerations that ledthe accused to his action, and thathe might be deprived of nothing whichseemed to him a defence.Defense Not Adequate

"Even so it is the conclusion of thecommission, after long and earnestreflection, that the defence of theaccused is not an adequate justification of his conduct. It is not onlythe right but the duty of every manto follow his conscience and to dothe will of God as he understands it.But it is not right for a man both tostay in the church and to resist thechurch acting through one of its chosen agencies at the same time.

"If the accused should consider thatin upholding the Official Board, thechurch represented in the GeneralAssembly, was acting contrary to thewill of God, so that his consciencewould not permit him to remain in itand he must withdraw, we should regret his action but we should considerit unexceptionable. As far as criticismis concerned, even though vigorous,the widest liberty must be given, because out of discussion truth appears.But in the matter of action, directionis essential. Otherwise there is nolimit to the dissipation of energy individed efforts. When a decision hasbeen made by the duly constitutedauthorities, it must be obeyed untilchanged in the orderly course, or thechurch will be powerless to carryonits great mission.

"The commission concludes thatthe conduct of the accused is inconsistent with the government and aimsof the church and destructive in tendency. Accordingly it is the judgmentof the commission that the accused isguilty on Charge I, and SpecificationI, guilty on Charge II and the Specifications thereunder, and guilty onCharge III, and the Specificationsthereunder.

"In the matter of sentence, the commission has decided upon admonitionto the accused to desist from hiscourse, admonition being the mildestform of censure provided by the Bookof Discipline. The commission hasdone this because of its belief that theaccused although clearly misguided inthe opmion of the commission, hasacted sincerely and without consciouswrong. It is a serious step to cut thetie that binds a man to the church,and the commission would retain forthe church the ability and zeal whichthe accused can give in large measure.

"The commission realizes that theaccused has maintained his positionwith great determination. But thecommission hopes that if its judgmentshall ultimately be affirmed by thehighest judicatory to which the caseon appeal may be taken, and the judgment here expressed shall become thesolemn judgment of the whole church,the accused will heed its voice. In anyevent the commission would maintainthe bond of fellowship as long asthere is the slightest chance of preserving it. We pray that the love ofa common Master and a common devotion to the advancement of Hiskingdom may prove stronger than differences. We would keep the dooropen for loyal cooperation of the accused with the church which he stillholds dear, and which yearns forhim...."

The sentence is light and the rebukeis phrased in kindly fashion. However, it is not the mildness of the sentence nor the friendliness of theadmonition that are the vital factorsin this case; it is a great principleobedience to the Word of God-thatis at stake.

New Jersey SynodCommission AffirmsMcintire COllviction

O N MARCH 3rd the Special Ju. dicial Commission of the Synodof New Jersey handed down its decision on the appeal of the Rev. CarlMcIntire, who had been convicted bya commission of the Presbytery ofWest Jersey of charges growing outof his membership in The IndependentBoard for Presbyterian Foreign Missions,

In affirming the conviction, theCommission, however, sustainedtwenty specifications of error in thelower court as alleged by the defense

including most of the "personal"charges against Mr. McIntire and

also the attempt ofthe Presbytery'sCommission to holda sword over Mr.McIntire's head bythe provision thatthe sentence of suspension could be putinto effect at any

Mr. McIntire time selected by thePresbytery.

The Commission ran rough-shodover the defense contention that allproceedings before the trial had beenstayed by a complaint, not even mentioning the complaint in its judgment.

Refuse to Pass on "Mandate"Categorically, the Commission re

fused to pass on the constitutionalityof the "Mandate" of 1934 against theIndependent Board, declaring that theAssembly alone could pass upon itsown deliverances. Yet it affirmed theconviction of Mr. Mclntire for notobeying the "mandate" when it hadalready declared that its force andlegality could only be settled by theGeneral Assembly!

The decision will, in course, be appealed to the General Assembly. Textof the Synod's decision is as follows:

"This case grew out of a Deliverance of the General Assembly whichdirected Presbyteries to proceed todiscipline ministers and others withintheir respective jurisdictions whowere known to be members of TheIndependent Board for PresbyterianForeign Missions.

"The appellant in this case, the Rev.Carl McIntire, dissenting from theJudgment rendered against him bythe Presbytery of West Jersey, setsforth as one ground of appeal theunconstitutionality of· this Deliverance.

"This Judicial Commission hasheard at length arguments upon thisground of appeal, and it is the opinionof this Judicial Commission that theGeneral Assembly of the PresbyterianChurch in the U.S.A., being theSupreme Judicatory, is the only competent court to judge the constitutionality of its own deliverances. Theground of appeal, based upon theunconstitutionality of the said Deliverance, is therefore denied, andthe appellant, if he so elects may inaccordance with his Constitutionalrights appeal to the General Assembly.

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"case"-or a part of it. Opening forthe prosecution, Dr. MacLeod said, inpart, "Upon your decision in this casedepends the future welfare of thePresbyterian Church. We contend thedefendant, the Rev. Harold S. Laird,while continuing as a member of thePresbyterian Church is conspiringagainst it and doing it harm. Whileclaiming and securing the protectionof the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church, he is seeking, wittinglyor unwittingly, to nullify it; whilepaying lip service to the governmentof the Church, he is seeking to createa condition not of orderly government,but of anarchy.

"The very first principle of Presbyterian law is majority rule. This is thechief cornerstone of the PresbyterianChurch. Calvinism is not peculiar toPresbyterianism, but majority ruleis distinctive of the PresbyterianChurch."

Ten pieces of "evidence" wereentered over defense objections. Objection was that the "evidence" andwitnesses were not specified in theoriginal charges. Some of the evidence entered was not mentioned evenin the charge given by the Commission. The moderator ruled that theprosecution could present anything itdesired, even if it was not mentionedin the charge or specifications thereunder. Mr. Bennet inquired: "How farwill the Commission let the prosecution go in this case! The sky is thelimit; there is no bottom either."

First witness was the Rev. H. Everett Hallman, former stated clerk ofthe Presbytery of New Castle. Overdefense objection a series of lettersbetween Mr. Laird, Mr. Hallman, andthe Rev. Dr. Lewis S. Mudge, statedclerk of the General Assembly, wasoffered in evidence.

Under cross-examination, Mr. Hallman admitted he had not receivedauthorization from the Presbytery ofNew Castle to notify Mr. Laird concerning the Assembly mandate ordering him to resign from the Independent Board. Mr. Hallman said hewrote to Mr. Laird on instructionsfrom Dr. Mudge. Mr. Bennet contended it was unofficial, that a clerktook orders only from the body heserved, not from Dr. Mudge.

The Rev. William Gibson, of NewCastle, former moderator of the Presbytery of New Castle, said the SpecialJudicial Committee appointed by thePresbytery to investigate the charges

HERBERT K. ENGLAND.

"Moderator.FELMETH,

"Clerk."

New Record ofIrregularities Establishedat Laird Trial

BE FORE a Judicial Commissionwhose continued jugglery of

charges and specifications seemed toprove that the hand is faster than theeye, the "trial" of the Rev. Harold S.Laird continued on February 28th andMarch 4th. On the first of these datesthe Commission substituted for thealready presented but illegal threecharges one new charge. This chargehad been prepared by the Commissionitself, complete with "evidence" andwitnesses, and then delivered by theCommission to the prosecution. Vainlydid the defense object that if theoriginal charges were full of irregularities in form and pedigree, the onenew charge was even more irregular.Motion after motion, based upon theConstitution of the church, made bythe defense, was overruled by themoderator of the Commission as amatter of course. Observers indignantly declared that never before inany trial had they seen the "court" soobviously acting as prosecutor.

At the March 4th session, beforepleading to the one "charge," Mr.James E. Bennet, Counsel for Mr.Laird, offered twenty-four motions todismiss, all of which also were overruled with alacrity. Motion fifteen referred to the statement in the deliverance of the Assembly that disobediencewould be considered "a disorderly anddisloyal act." Mr. Bennet inquired:"Is it disorderly to send missionariesto China? Is it disorderly to criticisea body because of its Modernism?Would Jesus Christ give money to aboard that dishonored Him?" TheRev. Donald C. MacLeod, Prosecutorsaid at once: "We don't know r Th~moderator arose from his seat andhastily ruled: "We do not permit anycriticism of the Board of ForeignMissions. Motion number fifteen isdismissed."

Following the denial of all defensemotions, the defendant, under protest,pleaded "not guilty" to the one charge.Then the prosecution presented its

"THE SPECIAL JUDICIAL COMMISSION

OF THE SYNOD OF NEW JERSEY.

"By"(Signed)

"Attest:"(Signed) W. G.

"This Judicial Commission has examined the entire record in the case,the judgment, the notice of appeal,the Appeal, and the specifications ofthe errors alleged. In addition it hasheard prolonged arguments of counselin behalf of both parties. After careful deliberation this Judicial Commission would render the following opinion and judgment:

I"The alleged specifications of er

rors numbered 1-21; 23-25; 38, 41-46;48-51; 53-63; 67-69; 71-80 are not sustained and therefore should be andare hereby dismissed.

"In explanation of the dismissal ofcertain of these specifications of error, it should be noted that the claimof the defendant that he was foundnot guilty on Charge I is hereby dismissed as being without merit. Although the finding of the JudicialCommission of the West Jersey Presbytery on this particular charge mighthave been more clearly expressed,there is no doubt in the mind of thisJudicial Commission as to its meaning that the defendant was adjudgedguilty on this particular charge. Thisis confirmed by the record of the voteof the members of the Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of WestJersey.

II"The specifications of error sus

tainedby this Judicial Commission,numbers 22; 26-37; 39, 40, 47, 52, 64,65, 66, 70; are in the judgment ofthis Judicial Commission insufficientin content and legal effect to warrantremanding the case to the Presbyteryof West Jersey for a new trial.

III"It is the decision of this Judicial

Commission that the Judgment of thePresbytery of West Jersey on ChargesI, II and VI be and hereby is affirmed.

"It is the further judgment of thisCommission that the execution ofJudgment of suspension set forth inthe decision of the Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of West Jerseybe modified by the elimination of thefollowing words 'Provided however,that the Presbytery of West Jersey

. shall, through its Stated Clerk, notifythe Rev. Carl McIntire that the Presbytery reserves the right to executethe sentence of suspension at anytime, if, in its judgment the honor ofreligion and the Peace of the Presbytery shall require it.'

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The Presbyterian GuardianVol. I MARCH 16. 1936 No. 12

EditorH. McALLISTER GRIFFITHS

Circulation ManagerTHOMAS R. BIRCH

The Presbyterian Guardian is publishedtwice a month by The Presbyteria n Constitutional Covenant Union. at the followingrates. payable in advance. for either oldor new subscribers in any part of the world.postage prepaid: $1.50 per year; $1.00 forseven months; 10c per copy. IntroductoryRate : Two a nd a ha If months for 25c.

Editorial and Business Offices: 1209 Commonwealth Building. Philadelphia. Penna.

against Mr. Laird conferred with himlast fall, asking him if he would resignfrom the Independent Board. Mr.Laird had answered that he "couldnot" resign as he felt he was "in thewill of the Lord" in the matter andwould violate his conscience by resigning.

The Commission adjourned to meetat 9 A. M., March 20th, when the"case" is expected to be completed.

Moderator VanceAddresses New JerseyGathering

O N Thursday evening, March 5th,the First Presbyterian Church

in Haddonfield, New Jersey, wascrowded almost to capacity, the occasion being a special service in commemoration of the visit of the Moderator of the General Assembly, theRev. Joseph A. Vance, D.D., LL.D.,Pastor, First Presbyterian Church,Detroit. The service was in charge ofthe pastor of the Haddonfield Church,the Rev. Robert Hugh Morris, D.D.,LL.D., who set his seal of approvalupon the ecclesiastical machine by including in the program for the evening as well as the Moderator of theGeneral Assembly the Rev. ThurlowFraser, Ph.D., Moderator of the Presbytery of West Jersey, and the Rev.Lewis S. Mudge, D.D., LL.D., StatedClerk of the General Assembly.

The service was marked by muchpomp and ceremony and by a generousexchange of compliments among thosetaking part.

Moderator Vance, the speaker ofthe evening, was introduced by Dr'.

Mudge as "a profound preacher, ameticulous pastor, and a power forGod." As Dr. Vance came forwardtoward the pulpit the entire audiencearose, stood on its feet to honor thehighest official in Presbyterian officialdom.

In introducing his subject, Moderator Vance stated that one of themost alarming factors in the presentday situation is that the church is nowlooked upon as a negligible quantity,a back number. Yet, he said, it is theonly means ordained by God Himselffor "the building of a better orderand the bringing in of the Kingdom ofHeaven." That we may meet the situation which confronts the world today "we, like Mary, whom God askedto furnish her body that He might inthe baby who would be born provideHimself with a personality which Hecould use, are asked, each one of us,to furnish Him with a complete personality through which He can re-liveHis life."

First of all, said the Moderator, wemust furnish God with a mind that Hecan use. "The Presbyterian Churchhas always had its great theologiansand thinkers. It has always had itscreeds, and having framed them it hasturned and quarreled about them. Buttruth is the correspondence of faithto life. A creed written down becomesa dead thing. Only as it is lived outcan it be a living thing. The greattask facing the world today requiresthat we give our mentality to God.We must do the thinking for our ownday. We must not rest upon the laurelsof the theologians of the past."

Secondly, we must furnish God witha will that He can use, since it is "notjust true thinking, but well doing"that counts. We must practice theteachings of Christ. Here by way ofillustration the speaker told the storyof an atheist of long standing whowas some time ago converted inMaine. A great public meeting washeld at which the former atheist toldthe story of his conversion, gave details as to how it was brought about.Dr. Vance stated clearly, pointedly,that the man put great emphasis uponhaving been converted-not in anysense through the teaching of the infallibility of the Scriptures, the Deityof Christ, or any of these things-butsimply through the life of a neighborwho was a Christian. We do not goto church in order that the preacher

may make us to understand somethingwe had not understood before, butthat "all truth may get down into oursystem, making us better men." Itworship services are not helpful andimpressive, if things are not accomplished in the church, it is only because we do not will to make it so.

Lastly, said Moderator Vance, wemust furnish God with a heart thatHe can use. Christ had a great heart;He was filled with compassion. Wehave grown callous to others' pain.But Jesus felt every man's pain. Hewas driven to the cross by the hurtsof the world, and God used Him forthe world's redemption. We must feelthe hurts of mankind as Christ did.In concluding, Moderator Vance madethe startling statement: "When youand I get back to that, possibly wecan help God redeem the world."

The audience was extremely attentive, seemed much impressed by thedignity of the occasion, not at allalarmed by Moderator Vance's brashModernism.

The Reformed Faith andModern Substitutes

(Con tin-wed from Page 201)

but that believing in Christ salvationbecomes his. The conviction thatChrist died for him, or in other wordsthat he is an object of God's redeeming love in Christ, is not the primaryact of faith. It is often in the consciousness of the believer so closelybound up with the primary act offaith that he may not be able to beconscious of the logical and psychological distinction. But neverthelessthe primary act of faith is self-committal to the all-sufficient 'and suitableSaviour, and the only warrant for thattrust is the indiscriminate, full andfree offer of grace and salvation inChrist Jesus.

What Is It That Hurts?(Continued from page 197)

Why this determination to crush toecclesiastical death men who have thetemerity to speak out? The leaders ofthe church are proclaiming from thehousetops their guilt as charged andconfessing before the world that theyare false to the trust reposed in themby a confiding church. "It Is ThemNasty Truths That Hurts."

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A Christian Friend and a Dollar Bill

That's all you need to promote your personal program offurthering the cause of Christ among the Bible-believers of youracquaintance. Somewhere among your friends is at least one Chris.tian who does not know the true picture of the appalling Modernism in official high places in the Church. He would probablystand boldly opposed to it were he aware of its existence. Is thepower and effect of his testimony worth your investment of adollar bill?

One Dollar Brings Fourteen Issues

Here's a partial list of what he will receive during the nextseven months if that dollar bill is invested in a subscription toThe Presbyterian Guardian:

? ~At least 220 columns of terse news

fact;A complete, detailed report of the

proceedings of the next General Assembly, probably a history-making event;

A full account of the annual convention of the Covenant Union;

More than 70 special features bywell-known writers;

About 50 pages of unusual articlesof timely and inspirational appeal, including the rest of the present serieson "Modernism and the Boards";

And loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christand His Word in every line.

~ UIf the blessing that your Christian friend would receive from

such an unexcelled program of Christian journalism is worth thesacrifice of a dollar bill, send his subscription today to

The Presbyterian Guardian

HATHAWAY a BROTHERSPHILADELPHIA

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Documents

March 16. 1936