Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

accessible."perfection,"The Editor's PageWe are giving herewith a part of the report ofthe Publication Board of the Synod of 1955. It waswritten by the Editor and so no plagiarism is involved in putting it on the "EDITOR'S PAGE." Thequotation from one of our contemporaries is dulyacknowledged, and is an excellent statement of aplea that we have frequently urged in previous reports to Synod, but on a voluntary basis. In this report we aimed to put the authority of the Synodbehind the requests and to lay the responsibility forthe accomplishing of the task on particular individuals. The report follows :EXPEDITING THE WORK OF SYNODCommittees have been appointed in past yearsto bring in plans for expediting the work of Synod,the purpose being to shorten the time of our meetings by one or two days. Important though that maybe, it is not so important as perpetuating the workof Synod by implementing, activating, and bringinghome to the grass roots the results of our deliberations here. Is not the most effective result of ourmeetings, the social contacts, the handshaking, andrenewing our faith in our cause because we have metothers who believe as we do ? As for the reports, thestatistics, the recommendations, do they reallyregister permanently, or are they as a vapor whichappeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away ?Like the hydrogen bomb, they are about one-tenthof one per cent effective. "Oh, but they are printedin the minutes of Synod and are alwaysLess than 600 copies of the minutes are purchased,less than one person per copy gives them even a cursory going over. How many pastors and elders reallymake an honest attempt to carry out the recommendations of the Synod ? How many of the membershipget an impact from our meetings here?Is There A Remedy?Allow us to digress here to quote a brief suggestion from The United Presbyterian."THINGS WHICH BECOME SOUND DOCTRINE"It is the Christian's duty and privilege to "go onunto that is, to maturity in Christianknowledge and development in the spiritual life.It is the consensus of opinion among seriousChristian thinkers that there is a crying need fora reemphasis of the great truths of the Christianfaith.There is a very decided tendency today for professors of Christianity to revert to virtual atheism, or to sink into gross immorality, or to degenerate into worldliness. As a writer in The UnitedPresbyterian says, "The business-wise emphasis276on church organization has let the importance ofaway."doctrine slipThis writer is not far off base when he suggeststhat church boards be organized on the basis ofdoctrine. "Then the General (United Presbyterian)Assemblywould contain reports from the Boardof Judgment and Salvation, the Commission on theAttributes of God, the Board on Scriptural Authority and Revelation, the Board of the Person ofChrist and the Atonement, the Permanent Committee on the Nature of Man, the Assembly Authorized Committee on Sin (with an annual budgetand staff). Then let us have bimonthly mailingsfrom each of these board offices and a 'real cultivation by these board secretaries.Would not this at least give Annual Conferenceprogram committees a real lift in assigning topicsfor addresses, papers, panel discussions and symposiums ?It would perhap very definitely conform toGod's admonition to the people of Israel in pointing to the cause of evil among them: "Hear theword of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for thewith the inhabitants ofLord hath a controversythe land, because there is no truth, nor mercy,nor knowledge of God in the land."The advice of Paul to young Timothy also applies to our situation today : "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, andthem that hear thee" (I Tim. 4:16).We have a number of Committees of the SynodSigns of the Times, Temperance, Christian Education, Psalmody, Secret Societies, etc. The chairman ofeach of these committees studies his subject as timepermits, writes an excellent report to which the other(nominal) members sign their names, usually afterthey come to Synod, and the report is read, withrecommendations, criticized and amended and approved. But the passing shower seldom reaches thegrass roots ; and little fruit is harvested.Let us suppose that wTe follow the suggestions ofthe Editorial quoted above and appoint the committees mentioned. But they are to report by sendingarticles to the Witness a minimum number duringthe year. That would take care of keeping our peoplefed the milk and strong meat of doctrine. Let us addother committees to take care of our distinctives, acappella singing of the Psalms, anti-secrecy, theKingship of Christ over the Nation, etc. A thirdgroup would emphasize Total Abstinence, Bible Reading, the Christian Home, and other practical matters.Most of our work here at Synod (which generallyconcerns the year just past) could be greatly facilitated if we functioned through the Witness duringthe year. Note what the Stewardship Committee didduring the past year.RECOMMENDATIONS1. That a special committee be appointed to reportat this Synod, to nominate Publicity Committeesthat are to supply copy to the Witness as outlinedabove, and that as near as expedient the wholework of the Church shall be kept before the wholemembership.2. That each department of the church give attention to their public relations obligations, and aimto make their reports graphic with photographs,etc.A special committee was appointed and whiletheir report was not just what the Editor had inmind, perhaps their idea was better. Their report isgiven below. It is not to be understood that each ofthe persons named for the various departments hasto do all the work himself; he has the authority todistribute the work as he sees fit, and tocomman-COVENANTER WITNESS