Publication date
6/15/01
Volume
22
Number
12
The WatchTower
Views From the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1901/12/1901-12-1.html
 
 
 
VOL. 
XXII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JUNE 
15, 
1901 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
12 
FAMISHING 
FOR 
THE 
BREAD 
OF 
LIFE 
Some 
who 
are 
awaking 
are 
crying 
out 
for 
bread--the 
bread 
of 
truth, 
instead 
of 
the 
stones 
of 
error 
offered 
by 
the 
various 
crepds. 
The 
Rev. 
T. 
Chalmers 
voicfld 
the 
sentiments 
of 
an 
increasing 
number, 
whfln, 
not 
long 
since, 
he 
said:- 
"We 
cannot 
resist 
the 
inevitable. 
The 
creed 
of 
Calvin· 
ism 
is 
like 
a 
coat 
which 
is 
becoming 
too 
small 
for 
the 
rapid 
growth 
of 
human 
thought. 
With 
every 
movement 
of 
the 
arms 
it 
will 
be 
sure 
to 
rip 
somewhere, 
unless 
we 
refrain 
from 
all 
vigorous 
exercise. 
We 
do 
not 
want 
any 
coat 
which 
binds 
us 
so 
tightly 
that 
we 
cannot 
act 
with 
freedom. 
It 
i!'l 
folly 
to 
attempt 
to 
keep 
pace 
with 
the 
ripping 
of 
the 
coat 
by 
a 
little 
sewing 
here 
and 
there. 
It 
is 
too 
small, 
and 
no 
amount 
of 
sewing 
and 
patching 
will 
help 
it 
any. 
It 
may 
have 
a 
good 
deal 
of 
goot} 
material 
which 
may 
be 
kept 
and 
still 
used, 
but 
the 
system 
of 
Oalvinism, 
as 
a 
system, 
has 
done 
its 
service 
for 
humanity. 
We 
don't 
want 
systems 
any 
more. 
We 
want 
lib­ 
erty 
and 
truth 
and 
love 
and 
righteousness. 
We 
want 
more 
of 
Christ 
and 
less 
of 
creed. 
We 
want 
still 
to 
grow-to 
grow 
until 
we 
come 
into 
the 
unity 
of 
the 
faith 
and 
of 
the 
knowl· 
edge 
of 
the 
Son 
of 
God 
unto 
the 
perfect 
man, 
unto 
the 
ful­ 
ness 
of 
the 
measure 
of 
the 
stature 
of 
Christ." 
stitions 
of 
the 
"dark 
ages," 
is 
an 
infalltble 
statement 
of 
the 
truth, 
and 
therefore 
unalterable, 
unchangeable. 
Neither 
their 
own 
nor 
other 
hands 
must 
shatter 
their 
idol. 
Neither 
will 
they 
admit 
that 
It 
has 
!tn 
ugly 
and 
a. 
repulsive 
look, 
and 
if 
not 
broken 
up 
and 
burned 
should 
at 
least 
be 
veiled 
from 
public 
view. 
The 
resolution 
wInch 
now 
comforts 
and 
rejoices 
the 
Assembly 
and 
the 
large 
and 
intelligent, 
but 
blindly 
stub­ 
born 
body 
of 
Presbyterians, 
is 
that 
therr 
idol 
shall 
not 
be 
harmed, 
nor 
covered 
nor 
veiled 
i-it 
will 
be 
merely 
set 
back 
in 
the 
rear, 
so 
as 
not 
to 
be 
so 
conspicuous 
to 
outsiders 
and 
new 
beginners, 
and 
it 
will 
be 
represented 
at 
the 
front 
door 
by 
a 
more 
lovable-looking, 
a 
more 
angl'lic 
idol. 
In 
other 
words, 
Doctor 
Moffat 
tells 
the 
"orld 
and 
the 
maSg 
of 
Presbyt~rians 
and 
the 
vast 
majority 
of 
the 
Assembly, 
that 
the 
Westmmster 
Confe3slOn 
is 
so 
"deep" 
that 
few 
but 
himself 
can 
really 
undcrstand 
and 
interpret 
it. 
He 
assures 
them 
that 
what 
appears 
to 
them 
to 
be 
black 
is 
really 
the 
purest 
of 
white, 
and 
that 
men 
of 
sufficient 
ability 
to 
demonstrate 
this 
to 
the 
Christian 
world, 
have 
been 
put 
upon 
the 
committee 
which 
is 
to 
report 
such 
a 
modernized 
explanation 
of 
the 
\Vest­ 
minster 
Confession. 
No 
wonder 
thl're 
was 
applause 
at 
such 
a 
suggestion 
;-that 
the 
Idol 
need 
not 
be 
destroyed 
nor 
even 
maimed. 
Moreover, 
it 
was 
not 
merely 
the 
idol 
that 
they 
eared 
for, 
but 
more 
especially 
themselves, 
the 
priests 
of 
that 
idol; 
for 
whatever 
would 
discredit 
it, 
would 
discretlit 
them. 
If 
it 
were 
provl'n 
faulty, 
fallible, 
the 
same 
would 
be 
true 
of 
them; 
for 
had 
they 
not 
sworn 
them~elves 
and 
each 
other 
to 
the 
reliability 
of 
this 
idel? 
And 
if 
they 
now 
well' 
to 
admit 
error, 
falsehood, 
misrepresentation 
of 
the 
divine 
character 
and 
Word 
and 
plan, 
who 
would 
receive 
their 
testimony 
as 
in­ 
fallible 
hereafter? 
Would 
there 
not 
be 
great 
danger 
that 
some 
of 
the 
best 
of 
the 
"sheep" 
would 
cease 
to 
follow 
tra· 
ditions 
of 
men 
and 
seek 
instead 
the 
voice 
of 
the 
Good 
Shep­ 
herd 
Jesus 
and 
his 
leading 
into 
the 
green 
pa'3tures 
and 
by 
the 
still 
waters 
of 
his 
Word? 
Later 
Dr. 
Moffat 
put 
his 
thought 
into 
the 
following 
words 
which 
were 
adopted 
as 
a 
part 
of 
the 
Assembly's 
instructions 
to 
its 
committee, 
which 
has 
a 
year 
in 
which 
to 
fix 
up 
the 
substitute 
idol 
and 
see 
how 
lovely 
it 
can 
be 
made, 
and 
yet 
bear 
some 
faint 
traces 
ot 
family 
likeness 
to 
its 
still-to·live 
parent, 
the 
Westminster 
Confession, 
to 
which 
it 
will 
bear 
the 
relationship 
of 
representative, 
but 
not 
of 
substitute. 
The 
resolution 
follows:- 
"We 
recommend 
that 
this 
committee 
be 
instructed 
to 
pre­ 
pare 
and 
submit 
to 
the 
next 
General 
Assembly 
for 
such 
dis­ 
position 
as 
may 
be 
judged 
to 
be 
wise, 
a 
brief 
statement 
of 
the 
reformed 
faith, 
in 
untechnical 
terms, 
the 
said 
statement 
to 
be 
prepared 
with 
a 
view 
to 
its 
being 
employed 
to 
give 
in­ 
formation 
and 
a 
better 
understanding 
of 
our 
doctrinal 
be­ 
liefs, 
and 
not 
with 
a 
view 
to 
its 
becoming 
a 
substitute 
or 
an 
alternative 
of 
our 
Confession 
of 
Faith." 
PRESBYTERIAN 
CREED 
REVISION 
The 
Gener~1 
Assembly 
of 
the 
Church 
of 
the 
Presbyterians, 
who~e 
name" 
are 
wllttcn 
on 
earth 
(compare 
Heb. 
12 
:23), 
has 
agaIn 
been 
forced 
to 
di~cu~s 
It" 
creed 
in 
response 
to 
the 
gen­ 
eral 
clamor 
of 
its 
pcople, 
who 
want 
to 
be 
told 
whether 
or 
not 
they 
stl 
II 
belIeve 
it; 
or 
whether 
or 
not 
they 
may 
do 
just 
a 
little 
thinking 
for 
themselves. 
"'hell 
the 
Assf'mbly 
con 
H'ned 
in 
Philadelphia, 
Pa., 
its 
conullittee 
f('ported 
:-A 
majority 
favoring 
some 
sort 
of 
an 
ulIll'n,llllent 
or 
rCV1Rion, 
and 
a 
nllnonty 
favonng 
no 
revision, 
no 
ehange. 
The 
Assembly 
sided 
with 
the 
majority, 
and 
the 
Ihseu~~i(J1l 
pro 
and 
eon 
~ho\\ 
cd 
considerable 
warmth 
at 
times. 
TIcv. 
D. 
S. 
Kennedv 
was 
the 
bravest 
of 
the 
brave 
in 
de­ 
fending 
the 
creed 
whl~h 
has 
so 
nauseated 
the 
tender-hearted, 
and 
/'0 
severely 
tned 
their 
faIth's 
unreason. 
He 
repudiated 
the 
sbtement 
that 
"minister::; 
of 
the 
Gospel 
and 
elders 
in 
the 
church 
do 
not 
believe 
the 
oath 
of 
onlination 
they 
have 
taken." 
He 
challenged 
any 
man 
on 
the 
11001' 
to 
dispute 
his 
statement! 
And, 
strange 
(?) 
to 
say, 
not 
onc 
of 
the 
Assembly 
was 
will­ 
ing 
to 
saenflce 
himself 
by 
admitting 
himself 
to 
be 
a 
violator 
of 
his 
eon~eien('e 
amI 
of 
his 
oath 
of 
consecration 
;-by 
admit­ 
ting 
that 
he 
neither 
believed 
the 
\Vestmmster 
Confession, 
nor 
taught 
it. 
Judge 
J. 
K. 
Ewing 
took 
the 
same 
stand 
against 
all 
]l" 
vi~ion, 
IS~Ylng:- 
"I 
prote"t 
against 
changing 
the 
Confession 
for 
the 
sake 
of 
popularIty; 
tor 
a'3 
the 
dHUdl 
go('::; 
up 
in 
popularity. 
it 
usually 
goe" 
down 
in 
spirituality. 
When 
the 
church 
flirts 
WIth 
this 
i,lea 
it 
falls 
into 
a 
ditch. 
You 
will 
never 
convert 
the 
\\orlfl 
hy 
populanzing 
the 
doctrine 
of 
the 
church. 
The 
ConfeSSIOn 
in 
its 
present 
form 
is 
popular 
enough 
for 
me." 
But 
the 
majority, 
wit]lout, 
perhaps, 
being 
more 
consci· 
entious, 
\\ 
ere 
le'3s 
brave. 
1f 
their 
consciences 
could 
have 
a 
lIttle 
relid 
thl'y 
wanted 
It. 
It 
was 
at 
this 
time, 
after 
several 
days 
of 
discussion, 
that 
Rev. 
Moffat, 
D. 
D., 
brought 
order 
out 
of 
confn~ion, 
and 
a 
rainbow 
in 
the 
Assembly's 
clouds 
by 
some 
skillful 
word-strategy. 
He 
is 
reported 
to 
have 
said:- 
"What 
i'3 
this 
whole 
matter 
about? 
Is 
it 
revision? 
There 
is 
no 
revision 
before 
this 
Assembly. 
I 
don't 
know 
what 
I 
am, 
a 
revisionist, 
or 
an 
anti-revisionist, 
for 
revision 
is 
not 
before 
us 
at 
all. 
This 
majority 
report 
only 
asks 
for 
mol'€' 
time 
and 
authority. 
Probably 
revision 
will 
be 
before 
us 
next 
year; 
if 
it 
is, 
then 
thfl 
speech 
Dr. 
Kennedy 
made 
this 
morn· 
ing 
will 
be 
right 
in 
place. 
How 
do 
these 
men 
know 
that 
a 
new 
crl'Cd 
\\ 
ill 
be 
the 
outcome 
of 
the 
adoption 
of 
the 
rna· 
jority 
report? 
I 
admire 
their 
imagination, 
but 
I 
do 
not 
ad· 
mire 
their 
exegetical 
ability. 
"I 
will 
guarantee 
that 
if 
there 
is 
any 
heresy 
in 
the 
re­ 
port 
they 
bring 
in 
next 
year, 
the 
Assembly 
of 
1902 
will 
burn 
the 
whole 
document. 
This 
new 
creed 
proposed 
is 
to 
sustain 
the 
same 
relation 
to 
the 
Confession 
of 
Faith 
that 
the 
Shorter 
Catechism 
sustains 
to 
the 
Larger 
Catechi~m. 
The 
West· 
minster 
divines 
maintained 
that 
the 
Shorter 
Catechism 
was 
b2tter 
suited 
to 
the 
wants 
of 
the 
common 
people 
than 
the 
larger 
one, 
then 
why 
be 
afraid 
to 
go 
on 
with 
this 
subject? 
The 
whole 
thing 
is 
under 
proper 
ecclesiastical 
supervision. 
The 
presbyteries 
asked 
for 
it. 
The 
last 
Assembly 
discussed 
it 
and 
appointed 
the 
committee 
and 
they 
have 
done 
their 
work 
well. 
I 
am 
sorry 
to 
see 
men 
belittle 
this 
work. 
One 
hun­ 
dred 
and 
fifty 
presbyter 
ies 
asked 
for 
some 
change. 
What 
would 
be 
your 
attitude 
if 
that 
number 
asked 
for 
the 
dismis­ 
sal 
of 
the 
whole 
subject? 
"I 
claim 
it 
is 
not 
wise 
for 
this 
Assembly 
to 
disregard 
the 
voice 
of 
the 
church 
in 
this 
matter, 
and 
we 
should 
hesitate 
long 
before 
we 
say 
to 
them, 
Be 
still. 
Preachers 
who 
come 
to 
the 
Ccncral 
AS~l'mbly 
ou~ht 
to 
practice 
what 
they 
preach. 
I 
have 
s~ 
mpathy 
with 
the 
common 
people, 
and 
they 
are 
demand­ 
ing 
~ome 
changes. 
Theologians 
can 
get 
along 
with 
the 
creed 
a'3 
it 
IS; 
hut 
the 
('ommon 
people 
cannot, 
and 
I 
only 
want 
our 
belief 
statl'll 
so 
they 
can 
understand 
it, 
and 
when 
it 
is 
thus 
statp!l. 
a 
III 
I 
not 
till 
then, 
will 
all 
denominations 
say: 
'Why, 
they 
bellCt:e 
just 
1chat 
we 
do 
I' 
"The 
saddest 
declaration 
I 
have 
ever 
heard 
was: 
'We 
simp­ 
lv 
cannot 
tell 
the 
world 
what 
we 
believe.' 
This 
is 
not 
true. 
Allopt 
the 
rna 
jority 
report 
and 
we 
will 
then 
get 
a 
statement 
RELIGIOUS 
FEDERATIONS 
AND 
TRUSTS 
of 
what 
we 
believe, 
and 
all 
the 
world 
will 
bfllieve 
it.' 
Long 
ago 
we 
pointed 
out 
that 
combination 
would 
be 
the 
"Trem€'ndous 
applause 
followed 
the 
address." 
order 
of 
the 
churches 
and 
the 
world 
for 
the 
new 
century;- 
The 
di~-ease 
affecting 
Presbyterianism, 
the 
Assembly 
would 
that 
these 
will 
be 
the 
great 
giants 
of 
the 
end 
of 
this 
age, 
have 
U'3 
think 
l\ 
l'ery 
peculwr 
one. 
They 
wish 
their 
Christiau 
and 
make 
necessary 
the 
symbolic 
fire 
which 
will 
destroy 
neiglibors 
and 
friends 
to 
think 
that 
thp 
Westminster 
Confes· 
present 
systems, 
corre'lponding 
to 
the 
giants, 
whose 
wisdom 
sion 
of 
Faith, 
framed 
shortly 
after 
emergence 
from 
the 
super· 
and 
super-ability 
and 
tyranny 
preceeded 
the 
literal 
destruc 
(195-196) 
[2830] 
Vou. XXII ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 15, 1901 No. 12 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER PRESBYTERIAN CREED REVISION The General Assembly of the Church of the Presbyterians, whose names are wiitten on earth (compare Heb. 12:23), has again been forced to discuss its creed in response to the general clamor of its people, who want to be told whether or not they still beheve it; or whether or not they may do just a little thinking for themselves. When the Assembly convened in Philadelphia, Pa., its committee reported:—A majority favoring some sort of an amendment or revision, and a minority favoring no revision, no change. The Assembly sided with the majority, and the discussion pro and con showed considerable warmth at times. Rev. D. S. Kennedy was the bravest of the brave in defending the creed which has so nauseated the tender-hearted, and so severely tried their faith’s unreason. He repudiated the statement that “ministers of the Gospel and elders in the church do not believe the oath of ordination they have taken.” He challenged any man on the floor to dispute his statement! And, strange (2?) to say, not one of the Assembly was willing to sacrifice himself by admitting himself to be a violator of his conscience and of his oath of consecration ;—by admitting that he neither believed the Westminster Confession, nor taught it. Judge J. K. Ewing took the same stand against all 1evision, saying :— “J protest against changing the Confession for the sake of popularity; tor as the church goes up in popularity. it usually goes down in spirituality. When the church flirts with this idea it falls into a ditch. You will never convert the world by popularizing the doctrine of the church. The Confession in its present form is popular enough for me.” But the majority, without, perhaps, being more conscientious, were less brave. if their consciences could have a little relief they wanted it. It was at this time, after several days of discussion, that Rev. Moffat, D. D., brought order out of confusion, and a rainbow in the Assembly’s clouds by some skillful word-strategy. He is reported to have said:— “What is this whole matter about? Is it revision? There is no revision before this Assembly. I don’t know what I am, a revisionist, or an anti-revisionist, for revision is not before us at all. This majority report only asks for more time and authority. Probably revision will be before us neat year; if it is, then the speech Dr. Kennedy made this morning will be right in place. How do these men know that a new creed will be the outcome of the adoption of the majority report? I admire their imagination, but I do not admire their exegetical ability. “I will guarantee that if there is any heresy in the report they bring in next year, the Assembly of 1902 will burn the whole document. This new creed proposed is to sustain the same relation to the Confession of Faith that the Shorter Catechism sustains to the Larger Catechism. The Westminster divines maintained that the Shorter Catechism was better suited to the wants of the common people than the larger one, then why be afraid to go on with this subject? The whole thing is under proper ecclesiastical supervision. The presbyteries asked for it. The last Assembly discussed it and appointed the committee and they have done their work well. I am sorry to see men belittle this work. One hundred and fifty presbyteries asked for some change. What would be your attitude if that number asked for the dismissal of the whole subject? “T claim it is not wise for this Assembly to disregard the voice of the church in this matter, and we should hesitate long before we say to them, Be still, Preachers who come to the General Assembly ought to practice what they preach. I have s\mpathy with the common people, and they are demanding some changes. Theologians can get along with the creed as it 1s; but the common people cannot, and I only want our belief stated so they can understand it, and when it is thus stated, and not till then, will all denominations say: ‘Why, they believe just what we do!’ “The saddest declaration I have ever heard was: ‘We simply cannot tell the world what we believe.’ This is not true. Adopt the majority report and we will then get a statement of what we believe, and all the world will believe it.’ “Tremendous applause followed the address.” The dis-ease affecting Presbyterianism, the Assembly would have us think a very peculiar one. They wish their Christian neighbors and friends to think that the Westminster Confession of Faith, framed shortly after emergence from the super (195-196) stitions of the “dark ages,” is an infallible statement of the truth, and therefore unalterable, unchangeable. Neither their own nor other hands must shatter their idol. Neither will they admit that it has an ugly and a repulsive look, and if not broken up and burned should at least be veiled from public view. ‘The resolution which now comforts and rejoices the Assembly and the large and intelligent, but blindly stubborn body of Presbyterians, is that their idol shall not be harmed, nor covered nor veiled;—it will be merely set back in the rear, so as not to be so conspicuous to outsiders and new beginners, and it will be represented at the front door by a more lovable-looking, a more angelic idol. In other words, Doctor Moffat tells the world and the mass of Presbyterians and the vast majority of the Assembly, that the Westminster Confession is so “deep” that few but himself can really understand and interpret it. He assures them that what appears to them to be black is really the purest of white, and that men of sufficient ability to demonstrate this to the Christian world, have been put upon the committee which is to report such a modernized explanation of the Westminster Confession. No wonder there was applause at such a suggestion;—that the idol need not be destroyed nor even maimed. Moreover, it was not merely the idol that they cared for, but more especially themselves, the priests of that idol; for whatever would discredit it, would discredit them. If it were proven faulty, fallible, the same would be true of them; for had they not sworn themselves and each other to the reliability of this idcl? And if they now were to admit error, falsehood, misrepresentation of the divine character and Word and plan, who would receive their testimony as infallible hereafter? Would there not be great danger that some of the best of the “sheep” would cease to follow traditions of men and seek instead the voice of the Good Shepherd Jesus and his leading into the green pastures and by the still waters of his Word? Later Dr. Moffat put his thought into the following words which were adopted as a part of the Assembly’s instructions to its committee, which has a year in which to fix up the substitute idol and see how lovely it can be made, and yet bear some faint traces ot family likeness to its still-to-live parent, the Westminster Confession, to which it will bear the relationship of representative, but not of substitute. The resolution follows :— “We recommend that this committee be instructed to pre pare and submit to the next General Assembly for such disposition as may be judged to be wise, a brief statement of the reformed faith, in untechnical terms, the said statement to be prepared with a view to its being employed to give information and a better understanding of our doctrinal beliefs, and not with a view to its becoming a substitute or an alternative of our Confession of Faith.” FAMISHING FOR THE BREAD OF LIFE Some who are awaking are crying out for bread—the bread of truth, instead of the stones of error offered by the various creeds, The Rev. T. Chalmers veiced the sentiments of an increasing number, when, not long since, he said:— “We cannot resist the inevitable. The creed of Calvinism is like a coat which is becoming too small for the rapid growth of human thought. With every movement of the arms it will be sure to rip somewhere, unless we refrain from all vigorous exercise. We do not want any coat which binds us so tightly that we cannot act with freedom. It is folly to attempt to keep pace with the ripping of the coat by a little sewing here and there. It is too small, and no amount of sewing and patching will help it any. It may have a good deal of good material which may be kept and still used, but the system of Calvinism, as a system, has done its service for humanity. We don’t want systems any more. We want liberty and truth and love and righteousness. We want more of Christ and less of creed. We want still to grow—to grow until we come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto the perfect man, unto the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ.” RELIGIOUS FEDERATIONS AND TRUSTS Long ago we pointed out that combination would be the order of the churches and the world for the new century ;— that these will be the greut giants of the end of this age, and make necessary the symbolic fire which will destroy present systems, corresponding to the giants, whose wisdom and super-ability and tyranny preceeded the literal destruc [2830]

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