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March 3, 1909. THE PRESBYTERL
ern Presbyterian church establish a sensible school for
training negro preachers, with strict reference to his
humble work, the membership of the church withhold
an adequate support of this school.
Men and brethren think on these things! Broaden
your outlook ; forget the past, and look squarely at the
present. Realize if possible, that the negro is in our
midst to stay, and that the only reason he is not welcome
is his growing criminality and his increasing hostilfty
to the white folks. Never forget that intelligent
religious instruction will cure the first, and a little fair
and gracious and Christian treatment will cure* the
second.
Then salve your conscience, and bring forth fruits
meet for repentance by mailing a liberal check to Dr.
John Little at Tuscaloosa.
The Defence of the Faith
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
Concerning Those Who Die in Infancy.
Chapter 6 of our Confession of Faith tells of sin,
?ot Adam s sin?and the ruin it hath brought upon
the whole race of men. Chapter 7 tells of the covenant
of grace, through which sinners are saved. The
next chapter describes what Jesus did for our salvation.
The ninth chapter sets forth the free will of men, by
which they act upon this offer of salvation. The next
chapter (chapter 10) tells us ho*r God, the Holy Spirit,
overcomes the love of sin in the heart of the sinner,
so that "being quickened and renewed by the Holy
Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call and
to embrace the grace" and be saved.
In this connection comes the question, What does the
Gospel do for those of infant or undeveloped minds,
who have not on earth the capacity "to answer this
call and embrace" it?
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that for the unbaptized
infant, there is no full salvation: that such
infants can never behold the face of the Father. Oth ers
do for them no better when they deliver these infants
to the "uncovenanted" mercies of God,; and
whether uncovenanted mercy can save a soul, themselves
know not.
Our Confession of Faith steps in and replies. No.
ThCy are not excluded from the presence of God; they
? ?. nui icn to uncovenantea mercy, incapables are
included in the covenant of grace, and there is full
provision for their salvation.
Its answer presents two points: (i) The Bible
teaches of a provision by which such persons "are regenerated
and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who
worketh" not only in adult hearts, but also "when and
where and how he pleaseth," and may therefore workin
the hearts of incapables. (2) The Bible teaches
that this salvation extends to all those whose names
were written in the Lamb's book of life, before the
foundation of the world."
This statement that "elect infants dying in infancy
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\N OF THE SOUTH. 7
arc saved" is attacked by some who hold that an infant
is not a sinner, and needs no salvation.
Pausing not to show the error of fancying the infant
sinless, there is need for only one remark. In
heaven, redeemed sinners have privilege as sons of God,
as heirs of glory, as sharers of Christ's honor, and of
nearness to God. This is not given to angels or sinless
beings. These critics therefore would rob these
dying children 6f their place "around the throne of
God in heaven" and give to them only the lower place
in which the angels stand.
Others attack the clause because it does not say
"all" infants. The universal hope and expectation of
Presbyterians is?and our General Assembly has formally
expressed it?that the fact of early death (prior
to "years of accountability") is a strong indication
that these are in the number of the elect. And yet
God does not allow any creature to specify the particular
individuals who are included in that number. We
dare not attempt so to specify.
Others do not attack the clause, but take such posi
tion as this: The subject is the occasion of'misunderstanding
and dispute; let us strike this clause out of
the Confession."
Suppose we strike it out. Then our Confession of
Faith would describe in full God's saving work for
adults and remain silent on the question whether God
has made provision for saving those who die in infancy.
Are we willing to strike it out and let our
creed remain silent on this subject?
Let us remember that a change by us. will not silence
our opponents. They will make use of a change
to make fresh attacks.
As it stands we understand it to .mean that those
who die in infanrv Kpinrr ot- ? r . o * - '
. ? .vy I ./V.u^ UO ?T V U UOl 111 U1C 1IUI1IUL1
of the redeemed, are saved without the conscious exercise
of faith. Can we improve on this?
THE RACE QUESTION.
Senator Frazier, of Tennessee, recently delivered an
address in the United States senate which attracted
unusual attention. A portion of this address was devoted
to a discussion of the race question and he asked
that the south be allowed to settle that question for itself.
This suggestion arouses an anxious inquiry from
one of our northern exchanges which asks: "Will it
settle it by an attitude toward the negro which forces
other millions into the north? The senator seems to
have forgotten that there are upwards of two millions
of these people in the northern states, and that therefore
the race question is here a very vital one." The
alarm lest southern adjustment should "force other millions
into the north" is apparent. Why not other millions?
And why should not the race question be a
Vital nnp omAnn- fl-?o 1-? o -?-* *1, - 1- ? ' - ?
lilt. V.iiaiupivjii3 < 11 Lllf tUlilCK mail s social
and civil rights? We agree that Christianization is
the solution of ecoliomic and social problems involved
in the relation of the races; and we therefore believe
that the advent of the black man to his newer environments
is a test of the sincerity of a generation of
theorizing and legislation on this now national question.
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