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.,16 THE
Contributed
SOUTHERN STUDENT CONFERENCE
OF YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATIONS.
Rev. Henry H. Sweets, Secretary of Ministerial
Education.
One of the most remarkable movements
in the history of the Christian
Church, is the uprising of Christian students
for the bringing in of the Kingdom.
This movement is remarkable not
only for the large number of men enlisted,
but for the great latent power
embodied in its membership. It is also
remarkable for its thoroughness of work
and careful methods of training.
Probably no other factor has had such
a prominent place in training college men
for Christian work as the summer and
winter conferences. The first of these
' conferences was established at Northfield,
Mass., just twenty years ago. There
two hundred and fifty-one men gathered
at the invitation of Mr. Moody, to study
the Bible, to study the problems of missions,
and discuss methods and plans for
Christian work in the colleges. Since
that time the number of conferences for
college men has grown to eight, with
more than two thousand and five hundred
of the choicest students from the
colleges attending each year. These two
thousand, five hundred men are given
ten days of careful training and are inspired
to go back into their colleges to
lead other men to know a richer and
fuller moral and Christian life.
The problems of these conferences
have become very comprehensive. An
hour each day is given to Bible study, under
the leadership of capable Bible students.
An hour is set aside for the
study of missions. During one hour of
the day the conference is divided into
a number of groups, one group studying
the problems of the Christian ministry,
the call, the qualifications, the need; another
group gives itself to the study of
the need and preparation for missionary
candidates; still another group studies
the problems of the city, the church, the
churchless multitudes, and the City
Young Men's Christian Association. One
hour each da? is given over to a discussion
of methods, and two hours each
day to inspirational addresses.
These Conferences have marked an
epoch in the lives of thousands of college
men. It is here that many a college
man has more clearly learned the
value of the Bible in the building of hi3
character. It is here that the vision
of what can be done in Christian work
for students is brought before men; and
here also hundreds of college, men have
dedicated their lives to the service of
God, in the Christian ministry, in the
mission fiel/t in (ho wnrb nf (ho Vmincv
Men's Christian Association.
So prominent and helpful have these
Conferences become that many Christian
students are beginning to feel that
their college education is not complete
until they have attended one or more of
these gatherings.
At the present time there are two of
these Conferences held in the south, one
at Asheville, N. C.. during the summer,
and one at Ruston, La., during the
: PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU!
Christmas vacation. The Southern Conference
meets this summer at Montreal,
' N. C. (fifteen miles from Asheville in
the very heart of the lilue Ridge Mountains,
at an altitude of 2,300 feet).
The speakers and leaders are more
numerous and probably stronger than'
at any previous session. Such men as
Dr. Edward I. Bosworth, of Oberlin College,
one of the most noted Bible scholars
in America; Dr. S. M. Zwemer, the
greatest authority in America on Mohammedan
world; Dr. O. E. Brown and
Dr. J. H. Stevenson, of Vanderbilt University;
Dr. W. H. Marquess, of the
Presbyterian Theological Seminary,
Louisville; Dr. J. Watt Raine, of Berea,
Ky; Dr. George Fisher, John F.
Moore and F. P. Turner, all of New
York, and many others, make one certain
that this will be a most notable
gathering. Louisville, Ky.
CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY'S
QUESTION.
By T. S. Knox.
The Assembly sends this question to
the Presbyteries: "Shall any change be
made in Confession of Faith, Chap. 10,
Sec. 3?"
. On the question of the Elect Infant
Clause there are practically but three
different views. First, there are those
who favor no change in the wording or
the meaning of the clause. Second, there
are those who would change the wording
if the meaning would not be altered?
that is, if language could be found to express
the same thought, but give less
occasion for misconstruction. Then, in
the third place, there are those who want
to change the wording in order to change
the meaning. In fact they want to get
the doctrine of election out of the way.
Thpv want tn niolro PolvlnUm nft1o*?Klrt
to all the critics of Calvinism. Judged
by the history of our Church and the
past decisions of the Assembly, there are
but few of this class?but they are extremely
radical. They welcome any
change that promises to weaken our
standards and thus popularize our faith.
In the coming meetings of the Presbyteries
it is clear how those holding the
first and those holding the third opinions
expressed will vote. But there may
be many who favor the second opinion
referred to. If so, they will doubtless
hold the balance of power. It is to them
that these remarks are earnestly submitted.
In the coming vote of the Presbyteries,
I contend that those who hold to the
meaning of the clause as it is, but would
welcome a better wordine if it conlft ho
found, can at the present time most
safely and consistently vote with the
negative. The following reasons are
given for this statement:
In tne first place, your vote in the
anirmative would be misunderstood.
When all the votes are counted there will
be but two classes?those "for" or
"against" a change. Your change might 1
not impair the present meaning of the *
clause. But if you express at this time <
your desired change?and the affirmative
carries?your vote, as counted, would <
give weight to any radical change that I
might be suggested. You would rather i
have the clause as it is than to surrender I
'H. April 14, 1909.
its meaning, yet your vote would be
counted with those who want to repudiate
the doctrine itself. For instance,
you might favor so slight a change as to
merely have the words "infants dying in
infancy" written in italics?which would
place the stress In the reading as follows:
"Elect infants, dying in infancy, are
regenerated and saved by Christ through
the Spirit, who worketh when, and where,
and how he pleaseth." This would
clearly put the emphasis on infants who
die in infancy as opposed to those who
live to maturity. The italics might more
clearly show tnat the contrast was be
tween elect infants dying in infancy and
mose living to reach maturity?and not
any contrast between .the elect infant as
such and any implied non-elect infants.
This slight change in the type that would
not impair the integrity of the clause
might possibly relieve it of some misconstruction.
But if you should vote in the
affirmative with even such restriction,
the restriction would not stand in the
counting of the vote. Your vote would
go with those who might favor any radical
change whatever, and you would thus
strengthen a cause with which you have
no sympathy.
Then the method suggested is irregular
and extremely radical. It does violence
to the Presbyterian standards. Though
coming fromjthe Assembly it practically
violates the spirit of the constitution.
The Book of Church Order makes ample
provision for any desired changes. If ,
there is any dissatisfaction the right of
such expression through the method of
overture to the Assembly is clearly
granted. It is a privilege given any Individual
or group of individuals, any Session,
Presbytery, or Synod. What need
was there then for the Assemblv tn QPn/1
down such a question to the Presbyteries?
Were "three overtures" for changes
enough to alarm the Assembly? Could
it not, like a swie physician, have waited
for other patients to arrive when it had
already set its office hours and opened
wide its doors? When we remember that
there are more than eighty Presbyteries
and over twenty-five thousand members
of our Church, the fact that three "patients"
were clamoring for a change
would hardly justify the Assemoly in
concluding that the malady was dangerously
contagious. On the other hand, if
the Assembly had decided that the question
of a change was to be even indirectly
considered, its course was clear.
The Assembly is the highest court of the
nu *
i/uuruii. lis runctlons are clearly defined
as "receiving and issuing appeals"?
"bearing testimony against error in doctrine"?"deciding
in all controversies
respecting doctrine and discipline"?"advising
and instructing in conformity with
the constitution in all cases submitted to
it"?"in general to recommend measures,"
etc. Book of Church Order, Sec. 6,
Par. 90. The book makes the Assembly
the arbiter of all controversy?the de?
fender of the faith and the final authority
5f th? Church on earth. In soleqpn council
it "bears testimony to the truth?advises?decides
and recommends." Its
constitution can be changed "only upon
:he recommendation of one General As
icujuiy, me concurrence of at least three'ourths
of the Presbyteries, and the en