Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

salvation.". .poor."this summer's graduates in nursing atBethany Hospital.Mrs. Calvin Russel passed away suddenly on Sabbath morning, May 30, asfor Church. Sheshe was getting readyhad been a life-long member of SYRACUSE CONGREGATION. She came toknow and love the Lord early inlife. She was a woman who expected tobe in her place in the House of God.She was endowed with certain rich gifts,among them a delightful sense of humorand a rare diplomacy. She will be greatlymissed by her loved ones and by herChurch. "He hath clothed me with thegarments ofMISS LENA MCFARLAND: TheJonathans Creek congregation were surprised and saddened by the death ofMiss Lena McFarland who passed toher eternal reward Tuesday, June 8,1954. She had been a lifelongmember ofthis congregation and was always faithful in church attendance. She had beena precentor for almost fifty years, andwill be greatly missed in this capacity.Miss McFarland was noted for herkind hospitality. She was a lover of rosesand during the summer the pulpit wasalmost always decorated with roses fromher beautiful rose garden.Miss McFarland suffered a strokeabout six weeks before she passed away.Funeral services were conducted in thehome on Fridayafternoon by Dr. JohnColeman of Beaver Falls, Pa.FREEDOM OF THE PRESSAs freedom-loving Americans we thinkof ourselves as standing for the Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Speech,Freedom of Worship, Freedom of Conscience, etc. But do we actually believein those things? Most of us favor theBryson bill, forbiddingthe advertisingof liquor. We would favor a law restricting printing vicious comic books. Wefavor restrictions concerning profanity,blasphemy, slander, and falsehoods; thatis, limiting freedom of speech. We arefor freedom if we may be allowed todefine the word, to confine its meaningto freedom to do right.It is probably true that the Churchof Jesus Christ is the greatest objectorto freedom in the broad sense of freedom to do and sayand think as youplease. We are members of the leagueof decency. The Word of God restrictsus and we are glad it does. We endeavor to extend some of those restrictions so that others will have thepleasure of clean livingthinking.and cleanAre there at least two sides to everyquestion? When a youngman appliesfor a license to preach the Gospel weinquire into his theology, his knowledgeJuly 7, 1954of the Bible and the teachings of ourchurch. Does he believe in the Trinity,the inspiration of the Bible, the VirginBirth of Christ, the atoning blood, andother fundamental truths? We do notexpect him to discuss both sides ofevery question, for the Church is apropaganda organization whose charterreads, "Preach the Gospel."A special committee reported on recommendation to govern its PublicationBoard to the Synod in 1948 (see Minutespp. 97, 98). We quote: "5. The Covenanter Witness shall have an EditorialCommittee of three members chosen bythe Board to aid in securing helpfulmaterial for the paper and to pass judgment on all special articles and openletters ofquestionable character anddoubtful value whether from inside oroutside our own membership. ... 7.General Editorial policy: shall involve:(a) Doctrine and standards of theReformed Presbyterian Church shall beadhered to in selection of material to bepublished.During(Unquote)AN EXPLANATIONrecent weeks.a number ofpetitions (individual and congregational)have come to the Editor asking that acertain article "The Christian Conscience and the New Covenant" bepublished. The Editor followed the instructions of Synod and referred it tothe Editorial Committee and theiranswer is given below. The Editor hadhoped that the article could be revisedby the writer of it in such a way aswould permit of its publication, but itseems that more copies of the articlehave gone out by direct mail, and thechairman of the Editorial Committeefeels that in justice to them and to theEditor their decision and the reasonstherefore would be printed in full.Topeka, KansasDear Dr. Taggart:The Editorial Committee of THECOVENANTER WITNESS has read thearticle The Christian Conscience andthe New Covenant, by Dr. R. H. Martin, and has examined the accompanyingletter and petitions.The Committee notes that Dr. Martinand others request the publication ofthis article in THE COVENANTERWITNESS.Dr. Martin's article expresses dissatisfaction with the Covenant of 1954 as itwas approved by the Synod of 1953,and urges a change in the Covenantprior to its beingsigned and sworn to.The Editorial Committee does notpropose to enter into a discussion of themerits of the questions argued by Dr.Martin in his article.The decision of the Editorial Committee is that Dr. Martin's article cannotproperly be published in THE COVENANTER WITNESS, for the followingreasons :1. The article is in effect a complaintagainst4an action of the Synod of 1953.If Dr. Martin and others have objectionsto an action of the Synod of 1953,their proper remedy is to present apetition to the Synod of 1954. TheEditorial Committee does not deem itproper to allow THE COVENANTERWITNESS to be used for publicationof criticisms of actions of the highestcourt of the church.2. The form and wordingof the newCovenant was discussed at length andin detail at the Synod of 1953.TheConstitution of the Church (page 269,par. 13) provides for the recording ofdissent and the reasons therefor, butrequires that notice of the dissent mustbe given at the time the action is taken.In view of the fact that no member ofSynod expressed dissent at the timeSynod'saction was taken, the EditorialCommittee believes it improper to openthe columns of the church paper to astatement offormulated sinceSynod.dissent which has beenthe adjournment ofThe Editorial Committee thereforefeels that Dr. Martin's article and theaccompanying papers should be returnedto him, together with a copy of thepresent letter signed by the members ofthe Editorial Committee.Very sincerely yours,THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEEOF THE COVENANTERWITNESSJ. G. Vos (Chairman)Lester E.John L. WrightKilpatrickAll in attendance at the Women'sSynodical Convention at Grinnell, Iowa,and the members of the Home and Foreign Mission Boards, are cordially invited to attend an informal tea to be givenin honor of our Home and Foreign Misat2:30 P. M.The Courtesy Committee, Mrs. FrankL. Stewart, Mrs. Will Dunn, Mrs. AlvinSmith, Mrs. Norman Spear, Mrs. AlbertFerguson."Worldly pleasures trouble us in seeking them, do not satisfy us when possessing them, and make us despair inlosing them.""The nearer you live to the world, theless power you have over it.""The consecrated missionary church isnot a cistern, but abubbling fountain.""You may give until you are rich, oryou may keep until you are15