INSPIRATION AND INERRANCY. CHAPTER I. THE SITUATION. "If two say the same thing, it is not the same." The truth of this saying has been repeatedly verified in the history of the Church. The effort to secure exact doctrinal uniformity has invariably led to schism. Every society or association develops two tendencies, and divides itself more or less distinctly into two parties. It is likely that any denomi nation of Christians will always show the same phenomenonso long, that is, as outward conformity is not secured by ecclesiastical pains and penalties. Progressives and conservatives will continue so long as thought continues. The American Presbyterian Church has not been able to exempt itself from the operation of this law of nature. The endeavor to resist it has twice resulted in division. Twice the division has been healed in an apparent willingness to submit to the law. The reunion of the Synods of New York and Philadelphia in 1758 was prefaced by the following noble declaration : "The Synods of New York and Philadelphia, taking into serious consideration the present divided state of the Presbyterian Church in this land, and being deeply sensible that the division of the Church tends to weaken its interests; to dishonor religion, and consequently its glorious Author; to render government and discipline ineffectual; and finally to dissolve its very frame; and being desirous to pursue such measures as may most tend to the glory of God and the establishment and edification of his people, do judge it to be our indispensable duty to study the things that make for peace, and to endeavor the healing of that breach which has for some time subsisted among us, that so its hurtful consequences may not extend to posterity; that all occasion of reproach upon our society may be removed; and that we may carry on the great designs of religion to better advantage than we can do in a divided state; and since both Synods continue to profess the same principles of faith, and adhere to the same form of worship, government, and discipline, there is the greater reason to endeavor the compromising those differences which were agitated many years ago with too great warmth and animosity, and unite in one body." (Presbyterian Digest of 1886, pp. 47, 48.) In a body like the Presbyterian Church, whose Confession is an elaborate one, doctrinal differences are likely to be agitated "with too great warmth and animosity." Such agitation leads to schism, and the result of schism is to produce the evil results described in the above quoted declaration. The language used at this reunion is really a confession that the division had wrought great harm. This confession again is a confession that the Church had sinned in lack of breadth and charity. For, if these had been more conspicuously present, the division need not have occurred. This is further indicated by the fifth article of this same Union:" "Plan of "It shall be esteemed as a censurable evil to accuse any member of heterodoxy, insufficiency, or immorality in a calumniating manner, or otherwise than by private brotherly admonition, or by a regular process according to our known rules of judicial trial in cases of scandal." |