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THE PRESBYTERL
VOL. I. ATLANTA, G
-This Weekpage
A New Catechism Proposed 4
Fraternity 4
"Rightfulness" or "Prudence" 5
L.iving With God 6
John Witherspoon . 6
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Eightieth Psalm 8
Predestination Not Fatalism 9
The Surrendered Life 10
Hope Thou in God 11
Report on Publication 16
The Presbyteries ' 20
Editorial Notes
The right and vigorous us of 'the "Evangelistic
Arm" t>f the church is a matter of absorbing interest
to the whole church; and one to which the General
Assembly may well afford to give grave consideration.
We publish on another page some resolutions pending
before Winchester Presbytery, which are full of interest.
There is a growing demand for increased activity
to reach the great unsaved mass. How shall it be
done?
The question of amending the Confession of Faith,
or of taking steps thereto, as the famous "elect infant'"
clause, excited far less attention in our church than was
confidently expected. Especially did a part of the
Northern Presbyterian press rather glory in the fact
that the project was launched. It evoked almost no
attention and was acted upon and set aside by most of
the Presbyteries with a quiet which was significant.
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in at least some if not all the Presbyteries, was one
looking to the modification of our ruling eldership's
term of office, and seeking to make it limited and
"rotary." The rotation did not rotate quite as smoothly
as was expected. The wheel found some stones in the
load. The project was swiftly discountenanced in
some of the Presbyteries. The church does not seem
to be in the humor of modifying its fundamental law.
Homes for tuberculosis patients are to be constructed
on an extensive scale in New York City. Mrs.
YV. K. Vanderbilt has (riven one million dollars tr> k<?
used for this purpose. Several model tenement houses
are to be constructed with a view to meeting the requirements
of patients, especially in the way of furnishing
abundance of air and light. The families of patients
are to occupy the home with the patients as in normal
family life. Moderate charges are to be made for
rent. The apparent design is to provide Tor those who,
because of business occupation or limited means, can
not receive the advantages of a sanatarium in the open
high country. It is wisely provided that the management
of the enterprise is assigned to the tuberculosis
clinic of the Presbyterian Hospital of New York City.
i I * ^ %
UN OF THE SOUTH
A., MAY 5, 1909. NO. 18.
The present situation in Turkey is one of great
interest to the Church of God. In recent years, Turkey
and Russia have been the two greatest antagonists of
the Gospel. Now Russia, under the action of the
Duma, has some what mitigated its antagonism, and
Turkey is moving in the same direction.
About the year 1S79, a constitution was proclaimed in
Turkey; but the Sultan soon ignored it, and proceeded
to reign as absolute tyrant. Three or lour months ago
the "Young Turks" seized upon the reins of power,
and the Sultan promised to observe the constitution.
But shortly with the aid of insurgents, he began to
ignore its provisions. Then (a fortnight ago) the Constitutional
party asserted the rights of the people,
captured Constantinople and have deposed and imprisoned
the old Sultan Abdul Hamid, crowning his
brother Mehemid V., as Sultan.
This of course does not change the religious belief
of the people of Turkey, who are Mohometans, and
intensely bigoted. But we apprehend that the new
Sultan, Mehemid V., will be governed by the provisions
of the Constitution, and that under his rule religious
liberty will prevail in Turkey. And this is all that the
Lhurch asks of the State.
The attitude of the Cumberland law suits is very
painful to the followers of Christ. In the State of
Tennessee, the unionists appealed two years ago to the
courts of the State of Tennessee, asking for an injunction
against the loyalists, to prevent them from using
the name or privileges of the Cumberland Presbyterian
church. The Supreme Court of Tennessee has decided
in favor of the loyalists. And now, behold, the unionists
arc trying to take the issue into the Federal courts.
They are beginning suits in the name of some
church member who happens to be a resident of some
other State, so as to enable a Federal judge to hear the
cases. In all honor, after a party has selected his tri
bunal, let him abide by the decision of the arbiter which
himself has selected.
In our notes on the recent meeting of the Council
of the Reformed Churches, we said, "Dr. Alexander
made an ideal host, and his introductions, albeit a little
fulsome, were taking and most sincere." We take back
all but the very manifest desire to say a pleasant thing
ourselves which the note displays. And especially do
we apologize for that word "fulsome," to the more generally
acc<y)ted meaning of which we hereby confess
our profound ignorance. We used it solely and entirely
ir the sense of "full, abundant, plenteous, not shriveled,"
which we thought was the usual and accepted
meaning of the word, but which we find is obsolete,
and not at all in the sense of "offensive or disgusting
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especially oflfensivc from excess of praise," which we
find to 1 ?e the present more general use of the word.