The witnessing church...

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE

Contents

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I. Church Drift 7

II. The Witnessing Church 23

Chapter I. The Attainments Of The Reforma- Tion Are In Danger

SHALL THEY BE GIVEN UP?

In no age and in no nation has the church had such advantages as in this age and in this land. Her privileges and opportunities are marvelous. The wealth, in learning and experience, reaching back through six thousand years, is laid at her feet. Nearly every foot of Bible lands has been overturned, and the hidden treasures revealed. The most exhaustive research, the keenest investigation, have greatly multiplied the church's resources. It would be expected that the church would rise to clearer statement of doctrine and duty than ever before ; that she would hold the "truth as it is in Jesus " with more invincible determination, and with less " doubtful disputation" than in any period of the past. Such being expected, the tendencies to greater liberality and latitudinarian views ; the willingness to surrender the " blood-bought" truths, and give up positions

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formerly held ; the jeopardy in which the attainments of the Reformation are now put, should produce more serious consideration and alarm. It is plain, even to the superficial observer, that there is " drift " in all the churches. Some move more rapidly, and plunge from heights to others beneath as they sweep down with the current. Others, more conservative, move more cautiously and plant themselves on the lower position, as they begin again to survey the one just beneath. Perhaps the Presbyterian family of churches is most marked, just now, in the liberality with which they construe doctrine, and in undisguised effort to be rid of honorable and venerable standards. It is in place here to speak of the common possessions, the Confession of Faith, the Catechisms, Larger and Shorter, before there be particular reference to new tendencies in our own beloved Zion.

EFFORTS AT REVISION.

The reader is well aware of the movement, popularly known as " Revision. " This was authoritatively set forth by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, at the meeting in May, 1889. This Assembly represents a body of Christians seven hundred thousand strong. The questions which the Assembly submitted to their two hundred Presbyteries are these two: 1st. "Do you desire a revision of the Confession

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of Faith ?" 2d. " If so, in what respects and to what extent ? "

This transferred the battle-ground to the floor of Presbyteries. The second question puts the whole of the Confession into the crucible. The debates in the various Presbyteries are as sad as they are interesting. Some wish the Confession to be retired; that it be venerated as a relic of the past, but no longer of binding obligation. These would supply its place by a shorter Statement as a "working creed. " Some of the most influential men, such as Drs. Hastings and Schaff, of Union Seminary, and others equally celebrated, wish the Confession to be left as it is, and an abbreviated Confession, up with the times, put in its room. The old Confession is, by many, denounced in severe terms. We stand amazed at the language used. You would suppose that the Westminster Assembly, in setting forth certain Chapters, were the foes alike of God and man, utterly ignorant of Scripture and the laws of Interpretation. That the Presbytery of New York voted for revising the Confession by a majority of 67 to 15 is significant. It shows the force of opposition to the Standards. A high authority in the Presbyterian Church says of Revision:

"Whether it carry at the next Assembly or not, the end is inevitable. Of this I myself have no

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doubt. If it carry now, we shall have a conservative revision. If not, we shall have later on a radical one."

The Presbyterian Church of England has preceded its American sister in the matter of Revision. They have been working at it for six years. Final action has not yet been taken, but will probably be taken at their next Assembly. The matter stands thus: " The Committee, as the result of their labors, have submitted to the church: First, Modified formulas of adhesion to Confession: Next, a Declaratory Statement in explanation of it; and lastly, a compendium of doctrine, entitled, ' The Articles of the Faith/ These 6 Articles of the Faith ' are twenty-four in number." A critical examination of these Articles shows that they are seriously defective; that they cast doubts on Inspiration, and compromise many truths of the Word of God.

The Free Church of Scotland is also keeping abreast with the latitudinarian views and tendencies of the times. Its first marked step was the election of Dr. Marcus Dods to the Chair of New Testament Exegesis in the New College, Edinburgh. He is a man of notoriously unsound views on inspiration. At the last General Presbyterian Council, London, 1888, his paper was understood to deny the infallibility of the Bible, and was severely criticised by the sound men in

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1 1 the Council who had opportunity to speak. Dr. Dods has repeatedly proclaimed his belief that the Bible is not an infallible book; that there are "mistakes and immoralities " in the Old Testament; that " there are inaccuracies in the Gospels and elsewhere — inaccuracies such as occur in ordinary writings through imperfect information or lapse of memory," and that "these are . . . . sufficient entirely to explode the averment of literal infallibility. ,, Notwithstanding these views, Dr. Dods was elected to the Chair of New Testament Exegesis, the last place where such unsound views should be found.

But the Free Church took another step. No fewer than thirty overtures were sent up to their Assembly, looking to changes in the Confession of Faith, or the adoption of " a new working Confession, a shorter Confession which would adequately meet the needs of the church/' Those on the ground, therefore in position to know, state without hesitation, that " the real thing that lies at the root of the agitation is hostility to the Calvinism of the Confession." It is not difficult to conjecture results in the Free Church of Scotland.

The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland has solved the problem of Revision, by "adopting a Declaratory Act, defining the sense in which the Standards are to be subscribed." Dr.

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William Taylor, in his Yale Lectures, says, "This is the earliest attempt on the part of any Presbyterian Church to define the sense in which the Westminster Standards are understood to be subscribed by its office bearers/' The Declaratory Act contains seven specifications, more or less sweeping in their character, and commands that this formula be put to the office bearer: this acknowledgment (of the Confession) being made in view of the explanations contained in the Declaratory Act of the Synod thereanent."

The efforts at Revision in the various branches of the Presbyterian family show that the venerable Standards are being dethroned. Just where will be the final resting place is not clear. Dr. John Hall uses these forceful words: "I have never known more decided and pronounced gypsies, in an ecclesiastical sense, than those have proved themselves to be who turned their backs on the Standards of our Presbyterian Church." {Reception to General Assembly, New York, i88p.)

The United Presbyterian Church of United States has seriously corrupted its doctrine and worship by the introduction of instrumental music. This is especially remarkable because of the high position this denomination formerly held. This denomination of one hundred and ten thousand has thrown all its weight, and the far-

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reaching effect of its teaching and example, against God's voice in this matter, and against its own past glorious history. They have practically revised the faith with which former United Presbyterians found no fault, and in which they denied that there is error, whenever the allegation was made by the enemies of the faith. The present position of that church is an impeachment of their intelligence and doctrinal soundness. But the character of the impeached, their holy life and saintly walk, their commanding intellect, their understanding of the Scriptures, lose nothing by comparison with those who have pronounced the condemnation. But their testimony has been set aside, and the United Presbyterian Church becomes a witness before the world against its former self, against the churches which are yet pure in worship, and has openly avowed a most dangerous principle which is making the worship of God in fashionable churches a mockery, viz.: God may be worshiped in other ways not commanded in His Word. This action on the part of the United Presbyterian denomination introduces another element of disharmony. That open communion is getting a strong hold, cannot be successfully contradict-, ed. And fears are entertained, by those in position to know, that hymn singing is looked upon with comparative indifference. Thus the tide

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rolls on, and gives unquestionable evidence of "drift.".

LINES OF ASSAULT.

The field in which Progressive Theology is now distinguishing itself, and where it is fortifying to the best of its ability, and against the attainments of the Reformation, is, ist : Its assaults on " verbal inspiration." It insists that " the holy men of God, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," used such words as they pleased, without direction of the Spirit.

2d. It claims to have destroyed the authority of the old textus receptus of the New, and to have undermined the Masoretic text of the Old, Testaments These are the texts in Greek and Hebrew, whence come our present version of the Bible.

3d. It disputes the authorship of certain books of the Bible, as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, part of the Psalms, parts of Isaiah, Matthew, Luke, John, Hebrews, etc. It takes stronger grounds on some of these than others. But after Progressive Theology has done what it could to destroy faith in the authorship, saying Moses did not write the first five books — the Pentateuch, it appropriates the doubt by questioning the inspiration of those books ; and suggests that parts of these have been compiled by ordinary men, guided by nothing but their ordinary intelligence.

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4th. Progressive Theology dethrones miracles as one of the infallible evidences. It says: "To many minds it would be easier to believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures and the divinity of Christ if there were no such things as miracles and predictions in the sacred Scriptures." "It has been easier to prove the divinity of Christ without miracles. "

5th. It exalts contemporary history of the Bible as a fixed standard by which the records of the Bible are to be examined and tried, and to which it must in many respects yield.

These liberal tendencies are led by men of advanced views on inspiration ; men accepting the teachings and investigations of higher criticism ; men who are tainted with the theories of second probation ; men befogged in their study of the attributes of God, and confuse justice and love. The high-water-mark of these advanced theories, and to which is the trend of the great Presbyterian Church, is set by Dr. Briggs, Professor in the Presbyterian Union Theological Seminary, New York, in his last work, entitled, " Whither." The reader will realize the startling character and the far-reaching possibilities of the theories advanced. That they should be held, allowed, and taught in the Presbyterian Seminary is one of the significant signs of the times.

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" The study of the future state in recent times, " says Dr. Briggs, " has exposed the faults of the older dogmaticians. It has shown that the doctrine of a private judgment at death has no support in the Scriptures or the creeds, and that it obstructed and obscured the doctrines of the dies irae, the ultimate judgment of the world.

" It has shown that the current theology confuses and confounds the hell and heaven of the middle state, and the hell and heaven of the ultimate state after the day of judgment, and it has accordingly made the middle state more of a reality to many minds.

" It has held up the light of Christian ethics, and shown that the doctrine of immediate sanctification at death is contrary to the Scripture and the creeds, and has filled the middle state with ethical contents, as a place for Christian sanctification.

" It has called attention to the fact that Jesus Christ knows of but one unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Spirit ; and asks what is its significance in view of the middle state ?

" It has revived the doctrine of the Apostles' Creed, of the descent of Jesus into hades, His preaching to the imprisoned spirits and His redemption of souls from the ancient abode of the dead.

" It has called attention to the inconsistency

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into which the church has drifted in the newdoctrine of the universal salvation of infants, and has demanded that this doctrine shall be considered in some way, so as to correspond with the Protestant doctrine of the order of salvation-

" It has so pressed the awfulness of the doctrine of the eternal damnation of the heathen world, exceeding the Christian world by hundreds of millions, that the older doctrine of the damnation of all the heathen has been abandoned, and efforts have been made to find some mode of relief by which some or many of the heathen may be saved by the grace of God."

Rev. Phillip Schaff, D. D., Professor in Union Seminary, says:

" The Westminster Confession of Faith . . . . contains certain supralapsarian or hyper-Calvinistic features. . . . These are the connected doctrines of reprobation, pretention, limited atonement, and the damnation of the whole non- Christian world. . . . Foreordination of some men to everlasting life, and of others to everlasting death, and pretention of all the non-elect (including the whole heathen world) are equally inconsistent with a proper conception of Divine justice, pervert it into an arbitrary partiality for a small circle of the elect, and an arbitrary neglect of the great mass of men." {Paper before Presbytery of New York, Nov., 1889?)

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These are startling theories to receive shelter in the formerly orthodox Presbyterian Church. They suggest a deeply-seated malady, which will yield to nothing but heroic treatment. It is claimed that the demand for revision is because some few doctrines are stated too strongly, as election and predestination ; while other doctrines are not sufficiently emphasized, as the love of God. But this is a superficial explanation, and overlooks the strong under-current setting in, in favor of the most advanced and heterodox theories. Revision is but the breaking out of a sore, indicating decline in spiritual health. These new theories are: (a) Always in the interests of liberal thinking; (b) They never encroach on loose morals ; (c) They trench on the jurisdiction of God. The Higher or Literary Criticism of the Scriptures ; the questioning of the testimony of miracles ; the rejection of verbal inspiration, etc., have introduced new elements of doubt, which have weakened the faith of many.

CHURCH WORLDLINESS.

A further evidence of decline in spirituality is set forth by the authority above quoted. " The people object," says Dr. Briggs, " to doctrinal preaching, and even expositions of the Scriptures. The teacher retires into the background, and the preacher who exhorts and applies the Word is in demand and is popular. Rhetorical

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I 9 qualifications are required, and the question is not asked whether the minister has the Scriptural qualification, 6 apt to teach,' but whether he will be popular. As a result, there is a surprising ignorance among intelligent Christians as to the history and doctrines of the church, the theories of government and worship, and even the Scriptures themselves. They know about literature and science, but they know not the Bible and Christian doctrine."

The Rev. Dr. J. M. Buckley, one of the noted Methodist ministers of New York, in an address before the American Evangelical Alliance, Boston, Dec. 5th, '89, said : a Get rid of extravagance and ostentation in church and private expenditure, WHICH OFTEN MAKES A MINISTER THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES IN AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB. The next

need is improvement in our methods of attracting the young. They are largely social, to a

LESS DEGREE INTELLECTUAL, AND VERY LITTLE OF THE SPIRITUAL."

Furthermore, the church as the body of Christ organized for work, is well-nigh buried beneath the multiplicity of societies. These societies do good. But they are not an unmixed good. The church, officered and equipped in the name and by the authority of Christ, is all but hidden away, and lost sight of, by these societies. Being independent of the church, they often run to ex-

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tremes, force the members into positions inconsistent with their profession, make them join hands with that against which they testify, and, therefore, along with the good accomplished, they teach error, and are spiritually demoralizing. In all the popular societies, such as the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor in their General Meetings, Young Men's Christian Associations, etc., a corrupt worship is used. But there is still a greater harm : The church, as Christ's organized society, has virtually surrendered the field, in reforms, and in departments of Christian work, to these irresponsible agencies, going so far at times as to raise means through Christ's organized channels, and then turning over the moneys to irresponsible organizations. The bad effects are seen nowhere so much as in the church. The world loses sight of the organized CHURCH AS A WORKING FORCE. We COn-

ceive that this is : (a) A great dishonor to the church's Head, the Lord Christ ; (b) Instills error into the minds of the young ; (c) Defeats the purposes for which denominations have solemnly separated from their brethren ; (d) measurably nullifies their testimony ; (e) And produces a spirit of independence of the authority which Christ lodged in the church. This is the era of societies. It is also the era of the decline of doctrine

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and conscientious regard for God's law. It is the era of Sabbath breaking, and Sabbath papers in the church. There is a surrender to this part of the devil's infernal artillery. One of the most noted ministers in New York, a pastor of one of the largest churches in one of the orthodox denominations, preached to his people on Sabbath, Nov. 3d, '89, these words : " If you must have a Sabbath paper, do get one that an intelligent Christian man need not be ashamed to have left at his door." Thus the tide rolls on. It is not believed that hope lies in societies. They compromise God's truth in the hope of greater advantage resulting from co-operation, and thus become the incipient stage of error. But hope does lie in bringing the church of God once more

TO THE FRONT AS AN ORGANIZED WORKING FORCE.

This will honor the church's Head ; will exalt His truth and doctrine to their proper place ; will purify the church of immoralities, and will call down His Spirit, which will produce a revival and reformation.

Furthermore, this is the age in which Reason receives distinguished consideration. Reason is exalted. It unseats Jehovah and usurps His prerogatives. This may serve to illustrate : Reason says it cannot be that a merciful God will damn little children — infants. Then it grapples with the problem of the damnation of the heathen,

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and concludes that a holy God cannot damn ihem forever, and that there must be opportunity for them to repent after death. To be consistent, Reason should take these positions also : God did wrong in permitting the entrance of sin ; He does wrong in every infliction of punishment ; He should be condemned, and is worthy of reprobation, for the awful judgments and scourges by which He has judged the race, and He should provide for the devil's opportunity to be saved. Thus Reason goes up and God goes down. This is one of the significant signs of the times. Men ask themselves, not God, what is right and what is wrong. They conclude what they want, and then affirm that the justice and mercy of God demand that He give it. Thus Satan to-day reproduces the scene in the Garden, and is causing some of national reputation, and many but less distinguished, to say to the unsanctified in Christian lands and to the heathen world, " Thou shalt not die."

Many other things should be referred to in this connection, and with direct bearing on the subject in hand, and which show the " drift " from the "truth as it is in Jesus," but space forbids.

" This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come " (2 Tim. iii : 1).

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Chapter II. The Witnessing Church

The term u witnessing" is used advisedly, but not to draw invidious distinctions. God has a witnessing church. The measurements by which this body is determined are not the popular ones, such as size, worldly honor, wealth, great institutions, world-wide fame, etc.; but the measurements of the Word of God. The term " witnessing " suggests gradation. And with this gradation, size, wealth, fame, have nothing to do: no more so than the size, the wealth, the fame of a witness in court. The whole question is one of knowledge and willingness to tell. In atrial before a jury there are principal witnesses. Some may know much about the cause in dispute. But if it be a question of murder, those who know even much are not sufficient. There must be witnesses who know the exact facts. These last are the principal witnesses, and may be properly spoken of as the witnesses who secured the condemnation or the release of the accused. The term " Witnessing Church " is used in this sense. Such church is the principal witness for the truth, and the whole truth, " Ye are my wit-

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nesses." " Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem." ... " We are his witnesses unto the people/' This enables us to better understand that passage in Rev. xi : 3 : " And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. . . . And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. . . . And after three days and a half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet ; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud ; and their enemies beheld them."

This much debated passage cannot mean the destruction of the church, even for the brief space of three years and a half. It is believed that it is properly explained when it is made to refer to the decline of orthodoxy, decline in doctrinal soundness the " slaying of the witnesses " that stand for the whole truth, leaving all others. These witnesses, having been corrupted, and thus figuratively slain, are, by the

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Spirit of God, after " three days and a half — " supposed to refer to years — raised again to their former position. This is set forth in these words: " They ascended up to heaven in a cloud ; and their enemies beheld them." They are brought back to the position of great influence and power. Whether the slaying of the witnesses is past, present, or to come, it is not the province of these pages to determine. But it is confidently believed that the Covenanter denomination can justly claim, above all others, to witness for the whole truth, in doctrine, worship, discipline and government ; in purity of conduct required ; in spirituality in the membership. It roots in the conflicts for truth in Scotland, where the bones of the fathers and martyrs mingle with the dust. It stands upon that same truth to-day which God blessed in rich abundance, and proclaims it to the world. No denomination witnesses for the kingly office of Christ as does the Covenanter. Others have the doctrine in their declaration of principles, and preach it in a modified form. But the Reformed Presbyterian Church preaches it and practices it. This last is the test of value. Covenanters witness for the absolute supremacy of Christ in church and state. The United States reject Christ and His authority. The Covenanter Church, alone from all other denominations, takes the witness stand, and gives testi-

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mony before this nation that that is wrong ; that it will call down His judgments ; that war with the Son of God for possession of these dominions will be disastrous, and, in the end, destructive. The Covenanter Church is the principal witness, and can justly receive the title, "Witnessing Church." Sister denominations, especially of the Presbyterian family, have made departures from the attainments of Reformation. They have given up truth. They have accepted error. The amount, in either department, is witnessed by the chasm between them and the old stock, Covenanters. If the term " witnesses " is rightly interpreted above, viz., those who hold the whole truth, these sister denominations can no longer claim the title, in that there is acknowledged and manifest departure in doctrine, worship and practice from the high attainments of the Reformation. But the Covenanter Church conserves these truths for which the martyrs died. It holds them amid some reproach and public condemnation. But this is only additional evidence to the truth held : " Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."

But the " Witnessing Church " is not without its dangers. The tide of liberalism, the latitudinarian views, the opinions and doctrines contrary to the established standards of faith, the heterodox theology , the sophistry of error, are causing

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2 7 the tide to set hard against the old foundations. From the days of the Revolution Settlement, the little, staunch bark, which kept aloft the Blue Banner of the Covenant, has been buffeted by storm and tempest. Oft they have thought her sinking, but she rises above the roll of waters, and her voice is still heard above the angry billows, u for Christ's crown and covenant!"

She crossed the seas and planted the standard of the Mediatorial Dominion of Christ, and the purity of His worship. The varied experiences through which the denomination has passed in this land have been honorable, and reflect credit upon the descendants of a martyred ancestry. The trials of '33, when one-half the ministry and membership laid down their arms and ingloriously surrendered to the infidel State, were severe and searching. It left only the Gideon band of " three hundred." But men whose " hearts God had touched," they were like " the men of Judah, who clave to their king." They closed up the broken ranks; gave the work of the church thorough and systematic reorganization ; and in unbounded confidence in the Most High and in Jesus their Redeemer and Lord, began, by the grace of God, converting, comforting and building up. The Head of the church greatly blessed their labors. So long as all eyes were fixed on the Son of God as the Supreme in church and

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state, there was a peaceful and happy people. But of late years, especially during the last decade, there has been undisguised unrest. Questions settled long ago are again opened. By sophistry, and a political philosophy which can mean nothing if necessary, and yet be summoned to support the most heretical conclusions, these questions are again pressed.

The " Witnessing Church " is being, or is about to be, tried on these three among other lines : The temperance question in its political aspects ; dissent as a term of communion ; church union. These shall be considered, in the following pages, in the inverse order as named here. The denomination is already in the crucible in its political relations to the constitution in the matter of temperance. That " dissent " should be dethroned as a term of communion has been put forth in undisguised and open declaration. A new basis of church union, shrewedly discussed and with no little sophistry, has been repeatedly put before the church. " Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls" (Jer. vi: 16). " That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craft-

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2 9 iness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. iv : 14). " For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears ; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables " (2 Tim. iv : 3, 4).

Chapter III. Church Union— The State Of The Question

At the present time, church union is exciting more or less attention. It is being discussed from many points of view. Church courts give deliverances. Ministers preach sermons. Editors write editorials. Views somewhat visionary and more or less impracticable are now and then put forth. For the most part, " church drift " is left out of calculation, but it is believed to be of serious importance in the final solution of the question of church union. Meantime, as showing the practical state of the question, let the following points be considered and remembered : First. Congregations in the same denomination' still divide, and on trivial grounds.