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452
THE NIGHT-MARE C
Conservative has had a c
character, llefore his fancy
hideous mien, a "Presbytei
tration of power for the b
1 . ? _ . ? " ??
cuus, a trust, a college
Lords of the Southern Pros
many-headed "pope." Sad
casion of this night-mare,
we have been nothing more
that its springs lie elsewhe
if the identity of Conservati
Having, however, been th
vision upon his bed. and of
wish to say a soothing wore
Accordingly, we remark i
sued his warning against c
Commission for all the Asse
apparent probability of the
posal at an early day. We w
some months ago, when a]
the committee "on Co-ordii
eral Executive Committees,
cd and insufficient expressic
of explanation declared tha
such a sort that our Church
and not until it had had la
prepared the terrorizing pap
courteous, urgent, and tin
Presbyterian ministers in tl
subject. When we publisl
cause a good many of their
Church, asked the publicatii
hope of the Church's adopt
majority of the presbyters
there are factors and forces
to array themselves determi
It is, indeed, possible tha
ol night-mares should be ot
that if the sufferers should b
our proposed Executive Cor
be led to study the whole s
elders, ruling and teaching,
the forces to the contrary n<
passing.
2nd. We- remark that C
stood the nature of this E
gether. He fears it as a "tr
concentration of power for
selfish ends if you please."
define for himself the "few"
proposed Executive Comrr
thinking, he can hardly say
largement of the power of th
Educational Cause, or of the
01 the Home Mission Cause,
Suppose our present Secret?
each be severally made the
present cause in the propo:
would he find his powers e
would find himself in a bod;
whole ronrlitton nporlc nnn
? ?'" ?
Church. He would not be t
His abilities to sway that 1
than they are to sway his pr
THE PRESBYTERS
)F "CONSERVATIVE.''
Ircam of a most frightening
has come a monster of truly
rian Oligarchy," "a concenetterment
of a few?selfish
of bishops," "the House of
jbyterian Church." a sort of
t kj oa > ' \\ v: ua\c i;v:cii iiiv: ikWe
are happy to think that
than the bare occasion of it;
re and might he discovered
ve could be ascertained,
e occasion of Conservative's
his consequent distress, we
i.
First, that even before he is nr
proposed one Executive
mbly's Causes, there was no
Church's adopting that pro
V.1 V. OU V.UII11UC1U U1 llll^ lllcll,
pproached by a member of
lating the work of the Sevwe
gave only a half-heart>n
of our views, and by way
t the change needed was of
would not make it for years,
rger experience. When we
>er, it was only after a most
expected request from the
his city for a paper on this
led it, we published it bei,
whoSe praise is in all the
dii ; not because we had any
ing this scheme now. If a
in the Church favored it,
i which may be counted on
nedly against it.
t? if a considerable number
:casioned by our paper, and
e moved to call attention to
nmission. the Church mio-ht
' O
ubject and our hard-headed
might determine to have it,
Jtwithstanding. But this in
'onservative has misunderIxecutive
Commission altoust,"
which he defines as "a
the betterment of a few?
Now, Conservative should
for whose "betterment" the
littee would work. After
that it will work for the ene
chief representative of the
: Foreign Mission Cause, or
or of the Publication Cause,
iries of those causes should
chief representative of his
?ed Executive Commission,
nlarged? I trow not. He
ir Kotfpr infr?rtvio/l o 4
J WVI.VVI 11I1U1 II1VU auuui m V
ortunities, and work of the
he only expert in the body,
body unduly would be less
esent Commission.
lN of the south.
J Jut if the secretaries we
may be thought that the si>
become oligarchs. In reply
that the thing to be feared 1
ficulty of commanding the
needed for the work. Two,
be ministers. The very bes
frequently already the bus
should be ruling elders, and
tally, morally, and spiritiu
not always command the
serve her with the greates
feared. But that these me
you will find thm rushing, t
Commission ! On second tl
fear that! What is in it 1
service to the Lord? Xo 1
plated. The work would b<
ers suoject to much criticis
do their work. The whole
mere creature of the Assc
annual. W e have never se
electing our Executive Cor
stead of one. And if they arc
garchs, as Conservative see
bly should cut down the offi
not wish oligarchs. We ai
on that point.
It will perhaps relieve C
ther to reflect a little on th<
Commission. It is for the
cute the will of the Assent
ecclesiastical functions of
strictly defined and made
than those alreadv exerri^p
Commission of Foreign Mi:
Our aim in the paper \va
thoroughly Presbyterian ii
the greatest efficiency with
by which the Assembly con
gacious business man, an el
not long ago in our heari
Church might be carried on
a saving in running expens
Suppose he exaggerated, su
sible proper saving in expe
dollars are worth saving.
Commission would not tak<
session, nor from any presl:
nor would it diminish one w
bly. It takes from no one (
ber that in the
* ? voujicilcl]
one iota of function or pow<
fore torturing himself witl
bishops," '-a House of Lord
rian Church? "a concentrat
ment of a few," construe d(
could come about. It is difl
turnings of his dream, of tl
a "trust," a "House of Bis]
real attitude of the Commiss
,, V,U1U u De tl
Would it not rather he that
sion. which had been appo
(Continued c
April 13, 1910.
>uld not grow in powers, it
c non-officio members would
to this fear it may be said,
eally at this i)oint, is the dif
time of such men as are
or three, of these six should
t and ablest men are not invest.
Three? perhaps four,
1 of the greatest mould men
illy. That the Church can
service of those who could
t efficiency is greatly to be
n will become a trust; that
hrough selfsecking. into this
lought Conservative can not
:o them except self-denying
>ig pay per diem is contem:
burdensome and the workin.
however well they might
; Commission would be the
mbly. It may be made an
en any real good coming of
amission for three years in:
turning themselves into dims
to fear, then the Assemcial
tenure to a year. We do
*e at one with Conservative
Conservative somewhat fure
nature of the power of the
most part the power to exeblv
already expressed. The
the Commission should be
no larger, to say the least,
d by the present Executive
ssions.
is to sutrcest an instrument.
rt character and combining
the least running expense,
Id carry on its work. A saIder
of our communion, said
ing that the causes of our
with equal efficiency and at
cs of $50,000.00 per annum,
ppose he multiplied the posnse
five times, ten thousand
The device of one Executive
z away any powec from any
>ytery, nor from any synod ;
rhit the power of the Assem}f
these courts (and remem
n Church rule is by courts)
?r. Conservative should, bell
the fear of a "House of
Is of the Southern Presbyteion
of power for the bettersfinitely
to himself how this
lcult to follow the vagarious
liis Executive Committee as
hops." What would be the
don while the Assembly was
hut of ? XJ *
w? a i luuse 01 liisnops r
: of a committee or commisinted
by the Parliament to
>n Page 457.)