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VOL. LXXXVn. RICH*
The Cathol
An address delivered in Aberdeen, Scotlana, .June
20, 1013, to the Council of Presbyterian and Reformed
Churches.
After the first meeting of the Alliance of the Reformed
Churches holding the Presbyterian System,
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Hlaikie wrote:
"The meeting of three hundred and thirty-three
ministers and elders, commissioned by forty-nine
Presbyterian churches, in twenty-five different
countries or colonies, representing 19,040 ministers,
with 21,443 congregations, holding creeds in harmony
with the consensus of the Reformed Confession,
was fitted to show that, at least in the more
literal sense of the word, Presbyterianism has some
claim to the adjective catholic. Certainly it has
its foot on all parts of the globe, and is especially
active and advancing wherever the English tongue
is spoken."
Today Aberdeen, "no mean city," "on the sides
of the North," where a disciple of Columba lighted
a taper which flung its light across the North
Sea, and where Presbyterianism was planted at the
very beginning of the Reformation in Scotland, and
where it is as firmly established as the granite on
which the city is built, welcomes the representatives
from more than 6,500,000 communicants, with
perhaps five times as many adherents?from all
quarters of the earth?from one hundred constituent
bodies.
Dr. Bluikie also called attention to the changed
attitude of the nineteenth century toward Calvin
and Knox.
Calvin, in his lifetime honored above all other
men, pronounced by Richard Hooker "incomparably
the wisest man that ever the French did enjoy
since the hour it enjoyed himlater, hated and impugned
as few men have ever been.
Knox, in his own time regarded a "a man of
God, the light of Scotland, the comfort of the
Church, the mirror of godliness, a pattern and example
to all true ministers in purity of life, soundness
of doctrine, and boldness in reproving wickedness."
Later he was declared to be a monster of
iniquity. Then, in a clearer light, Carlyle ranked
"im among nis greatest neroe9; ana *roude declared
that "he created a nation while he reformed
a Church."
Four years ago the ninth General Council, meeting
in New York City celebrated the four hundredth
anniversary of the birth of Calvin in a series
"i papers prepared in the blazing light of the twentieth
century. The mists of prejudice have been
driven away by the sunlight of truth. Men no longer
look upon Scotch Presbyterianism, as represented
by Knox, as a crossgrained movement due to a few
NQgular but determined men, who for personal ends
left the general policy of the Reformation and originated
a system which could not have lived if it had
not been unwisely persecuted?as some extremists
L
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'4*4 | 4,ill I
10ND, NEW ORLEANS, ATLANTA, DECEMBE
icity of Pres
?By Rev. Robert H. FleiT D. D.declared
it, "historically a provincialise 'ogically
a schism, socially a vulgarism, ecclesu ^ .y
an obstruction to unity, and spiritually a c* astacean
of the hardest shell."
The full truth regarding Presbyterianism hus
become known. The world has learned that on the
continent of Europe the greater part of the Protestant
churches were organized on the Presbyterianpolity,
and that on the ground that it was the primitive
polity of the Christian Church.
Presbyterianism stands exposed to the gaze of
the whole world. The catholic Presbyterian Church
is today one of the chief factors for Christian work
iii all the world. It is a great fact, and a great
force, second to none of the great Christian organizations
in its power for the highest good of man.
Cod has given it an honored place in the army which
is rapidly conquering every tribe and tongue for
Christ. It is one of the chief agencies for the spread
of civilization which is founded on love, not selfishness,
and which is the only civilization that can be
a blessing to mankind. It is one of the chief means
of spreadingover the globe that subtle influence by
which the society is sweetened, by which
art, sciens u^grow up in strength and
beauty. fact that Presbyteriani8n*flh4flfor+i*he
University was
iii the van, norH3?MygJ^h6lars led the people, nor
because a magistrate pilled himself at their head,
but that it sprang from the hearts of the people
themselves, with weavers and farmers, with tradesmen
and servants, with women and maidens, and
in every instance it exhibited the same characteristic?the
human heart attained unto eternal peace
with God. Strengthened by this divine fellowship,
it discovered its high and holy calling to consecrate
every department of life and every energy at its
disposal to the glory of God.
It has ever been the faith of the common people
inwrought by the Spirit of God. It finds its utter
ance in the liberty of the people, it rests not until
every man, simply because he is a man, is recognized,
respected, and dealt with as a creature made
in the image and likeness of God.
Presbyterianism is catholic not only in its interpretation
of the relation of man to God, but also in
its interpretation of the relation of man to man.
Presbyterianism is catholic in that it is fitted to be
the rallying point of other systems.
In 1843 there was a celebration of the bi-centenary
of the Westminster Assembly in Edinburgh. In
an address of great eloquence. Dr. Chalmers asked:
"How could the Congregationalist expect the Episcopalian
at one leap to descend to his level, or the
Episcopalian expect by one pull to drag the Congregationalist
to his lofty eminence ? Presbytery was
the meeting point, a midway station given for happy
spirits to alight betwixt heaven and earth." This
idea presented humorously by one whose name will
ever be writ large, we have seen parried into accomplishment.
Episcopacy has assimilated more and
'
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rPVfSTERN PRESBYTEPMM
?AL PRESBYTERIAN A
TMEfW PRESGYTEPfAN
1R 10, 1913. No. 9?^t?o
U?
x4~ ^ VI
>vy lci idi 115*111
more of Presbyterian usage. Congregationalism has
its unions and its conferences. Methodism crowns
its great achievements in the field of evangelism by
many approaches to Presbyterian government and
doctrine.
Christian is our name, Presbyterian is our surname.
We are Christians because we belong to
Christ; Presbyterians, because we believe that the
trite original apostolic episcopacy was presbytery.
Our principles and polity and methods of operation
are all catholic and may be reduced to practice with
a wonderful facility under any circumstance and in
any nationality.
Catholic is our idea of the Church. "The Church
consists of all those throughout the world who profess
the true religion with their children." This is
a definition as universal as the Church itself. It
unchurches no one, but comprehends the whole
world of believers in its charitable embrace. Presbyterianism
is catholic in its polity. It is not
founded like papacy and prelacy upon the narrow
and exclusive model of the Jewish temple, but
upon the free, popular and catholic system of the
synagogue worship. Its first principle is the rights
of the people. Church power does not rest in the
elererv. 'The r>pnnl?? ?re? nnf onkinn* J
- j r-w 4*vw ouujviVyi tu pupca ana
prelates, but have a Tight to a substantive part in
ihe government of the Church. It affirms the universal
priesthood of believers, and makes them all
equal; it holds also the parity of the ministry?
that all stand upon an equal footing. Upon the
bases of free and equal rights the ruling elder?
the representative of the people?joins with the
minister or teaching elder in alk acts of judicial
authority.
These are principles of far-reaching and catholic
sweep. They are capable of an application to people
of all classes. It is catholic in co-operation
with evangelical churches of every name. We dig
no chasm, we have no r?penlinritv ?
r _ |/?cjuuacj iiu
polity to separate us from the servants of the Lord.
We open our hearts to all who love Christ. We recognize
the ordination of the Episcopalian and the
baptism of the Baptist. We join in the amen of
the Methodist, and unite with heart and voice in
singing David's psalms with all who put the crown
on David's Lord.
We are catholic in our intimate connection with
civil as well as religious liberty. They are always
linked together. If there is liberty in the Church,
there will be liberty in the State. Civil liberty
sorincs from t.ho vprv V?no-r+ r\f ? J
, J "? u VI X ICOUJICUUII UUCtrine
and polity. We hold to the kingship of all
believers. They are all equal and they are all
kings. Settle the question where church power
resides, in the people or in the clergy, and you
have decided the question of the civil liberty of
the nation. Dr. Philip Schaff said of his adopted
country: "The inalienable rights of an American
citizen are nothing but the Protestant idea of the
general priesthood of believers applied to the civil