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April 7, igog. T
principle; self-imposed inability does
not diminish responsibility; failure to
develop talents or opportunity does
not restrain the increase of responsibility,
yet the squarely interpreted principle
remains, Opportunity Measures Responsibility.
Taking up the racial principle of ouv
being, let us note this is a manifestation
of increased oppportimity and responsibility.
Infinity alone can limit
the possibilities for weal or woe to the
coming individuals through the blessings
or curses to be handed down by racial
inheritance.
We desire now to note particularly
this principle as manifested in our two
great representatives, Adam and Christ.
The guilt of Adam's first sin involves
each individual of the race in alienation
from the life that is in God, i. e., in
death; and in the possession of the
seed of sill It l? "O'loi"
' w iw vv? kuiu uiai, III LUIS
adverse environment, the germ of sin
will take possession of the whole nature;
and every child of Adam will, on
attaining adult age, actually sin and, as
an individual, become "partlceps criminis"
in Adam's guilt.
But our principle of judgment prevents
the individual condemnation until the
individual can declare himself.
That the principle of judgment so
applies, follows not alone from the passages
above referred to, but also from
the aualogy of Adam's condemnation and
Christ's justification. See Rom. 5: 12ft.
In Rom. 5: 12-21, the above analoev
is carried through with this broad exception
(see substance of vss. 15-17):
The application of the free gift of justification
is in any given case much more
to be expected. For' example: 1. If
in any case condemnation is applied as
per Adam, we may be more certain that
in the analogous relation to Christ
grace will be applied. 2. If any circumstance,
or lack of the same, hinders or
delays the application of grace, as per
Christ, we may be more certain that the
application of the condemnation will be
hln/lorn^ J * - ~
luciEu ur ueiayeu, as per Adam. SO
as the imputation of Christ's righteousness
to those represented in him, i. e.,
the Elect, secures for each one?in God's
own time?the environment of the Holy
Spirit and the implanting of the "holy
seed"; but not until, as an individual
adult, he, by his own declaration, take3
his stand, is he actually and for all- time
justified; we may be more certain that,
in .the imputation of Adam's guilt, to
those in him, each Individual?though
?um in an evn environment and possessing
the implanted germ of sin?
will not until he individually declares
himself, reecive his condemnation.
Turning now to the imputation of
Christ's righteousness:
This intervenes at Eden's very gates.
It makes deliverance from the fatal environment
possible to all; it assures it
to the elect. And this brings us to the
point: All born into this world are either
elect or non-elect. We can ascertain
which only by certain visible signs. For
those attaining adult age, we have the
signs of their declared belief or unbelief.
For those dying in infancy, what?
Outside of Christ, we can see no hope
HE PRESBy^^TAN OF THE SOU
for them. But even outside of Christ,
considering the great principle of judgment,
and that God himself has removed
them before they could make any individual
declarations,?dare any one assert
that they perish?
This, however, is speculative; no
such conditions confront us. Christ, our
great Representative, came and the benefits
of his justification became applicable
at the very moment of guilt.
Turn again to Rom. 5: 14ff. In applying
Adam's guilt, the inspired apostle
has gone to the extreme of including
"even those who had not sinned after
the likeness of Adam's first transgression,"
i. e., as we admit, the infants.
That he does consider this as extreme,
appears in his use of the abverb
"even."
But note how, with evident relief, he
hastens, in vs. 15, to assert that the imputation
of the free gift is much more
to be expected. He makes the direct
declaration that the racial condemnation
does extend "even" to the infants; and
then adds, much more does the free
gift. Later on, with all this still iu
mind, where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. We conclude, then,
the state of infancy is a presumption of
election, and we are to assume this until
the passage into the adult stage furnishes
us with more certain evidence
pro or con. See Hodge's Syst. Theol.,
Vol. I, page 26. Was not this the idea
in David's mind f2d sam 19. oomo.
He is comforted with the assurance that
where the departed spirit of the child
has gone, there he will go. If now the
providence of God removes a child during
this period of infancy, what does it
signify?
I see a little child sitting upon the railroad
track; the great freight train is
rushing down upon it. The consequences
of such an environment will be iatal. But
before the train can reach the child, a
man seizes it and removes it to safety.
Can I not legitimately conclude that he
had chosen to do so?
And if our little infants are placed
where the train of events will bring certain
death; but we see God in his providence?maybe
bv the siinomutinn /-.f ?
heathen mother throwing the child 10 the
alligators?remove the child from the
impending danger, and rob sin of . its
spoil; can we not similarly conclude
that God had chosen to do so? And have
we not the evidence beyond a reasonable
doubt, of the election of the child?
A Corollary. The environment produced
by sin through* its violation of sanitary
and hygienic principles:. induces a high
rate of infant mortality. Thus sin to a
degree over-reaches itself, and where sin
abounded grace is made the more to
abound. Christ's declaration is thus verified,
"Of such is the kingdom of heaven."
So great is the number of children in
neaven, mat It is theirs?they give character
to it.
Summing up:
First. God's great principle of judgment
renders it impossible for any one
to believe that infants dying in infancy
are lost.
Second. 'Such passages as Mt. 18: 1-14,
19: 13-15. 2d. Sam. 12: 22-23, Jonah 4: 11
make it clear that our Father desires
the salvation of infants to a degree sur
*
TH. 17
passing his desire for the salvation o*
any others. They will be saved if there
be any possible way.
Third. The possibility of his imputing
to them the righteousness of Christ,
and the regenerating gift of the Spirit,
no one will deny. (Can there be a reasonable
doubt?)
Fourth. Rom. 5: 14ff declares the
likelihood so great, that the state of infancy
becomes a presumption of election.
Fifth. His own providential removal
during infancy removes all reasonable
doubt, and leaves the assurance that the
free grace in Christ has triumphed.
So we conclude beyond a reasonable
doubt, "Infants dying in infancy are included
in the election o'f grace, and are
regenerated and saved by Christ and
through the Holy Spirit."
I believe that the "Elect Infant" clause
should be so revised.
ANNUAL SUBSPRibtiau -
iwii ur M
MILLION DOLLARS.
The most important of the series of
resolutions adopted by the great Laymen's
missionary conference at Birmingham
is the following:
"We recommend the thoroughly organized
canvass of the entire membership
of each- church for individual subscriptions
on the weekly basis for tlie
work of missions."
Why may not this result be reached
by the meeting of the General Assembly
in May, so that it may be reported to
that body as an accomplished fact? We
feel assured that the result of such c
vuuvass, carried out in the spirit of the
Birmingham Conference, would be a
subscription of not less than a million
dollars for our work. If all the men who
attend that great Conference, with the
co-operation of the pastors, the missionary
committees of the Laymen's movement
and the Women's and Young People's
missionary societies, set themselves
resolutely (o the task, every member of
every church in our Assembly can be
reached and an individual subscription
secured from practically every member
witnin the next sixty days.
The four representatives of theForward
Movement, Messrs. F. A. Brown,
J. H. Gruvor, A. P. Hassell and Robert
McMullen, will render all the assistance
within their power in organizing anc*
conducting this canvass. It will only be
possible for them, however, to reach a
comparatively small number of our
3,200 churches, and if the work is to be
done it must be done by the churches
themselves. We earnestly suggest that
whenever the work is complete in any
church, that church shall immediately
come to the assistance of its nearest
neighbor. An euthusiam in the workwill
thus be generated and spread whiclr
will carry it to a triumphant success.
instead or making these subscriptions
to Individual special objects, which
would require correspondence and involve
delay, it is suggested that they be
made directly to the Annual Million
Dollar Fund asked for by the General*
Assembly to enable us to discharge the
whole responsibility that has been
devolved upon our Church as its share
in the World Evangelization.