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THE CREED TROUBLE

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 8, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 32.

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THE CREED TROUBLE.

MAN-MADE creeds give the churches a great deal of trouble, and are the cause of many heresy trials. Yet those churches that depend upon them do not know how to exist without them. They deem it essential to church existence to have some formal statement of belief to which all must subscribe, as a nucleus of promulgated doctrine. In late years the Presbyterians have had more creed trouble than any other denomination, and more ecclesiastical discussion on account of theological disagreement. Yet the effort to formulate a new creed causes even more dissension than the dissatisfaction with the old.
The Presbyterian says:—
"The more the new creed is discussed, the more the difficulties in its way multiply. It means so many changes, and the harmonizing of so many conflicting views, that it seems neither wise nor politic to commit our church to its preparation, especially when we are in the midst of agitation, and when so much work is to be done by our ministers and members at home and abroad."
Then Professor Putnam, of Princeton, says in the Evangelist:—
"It is rapidly ceasing to be a question of expediency and becoming the imperative duty of the church to provide herself and give to the world an entirely new statement of her faith. Under our present terms of subscription I have, personally, no trouble whatever with our confession as it is. It is only when I come to its use with others that I find my difficulty, and if a creed is not for use, I can not conceive its right to exist."
Sure enough, what is its use, if it can not be used to draw men to Christ? And for this purpose the Lord has given us His Word. When Christ, on the last night of His earthly ministry before His offering, reported His work to His Father, He said, "I have given them Thy Word." When Paul gave charge to Timothy regarding the work of the Gospel, he said: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the Word." The commission of the Master is, "Preach the Gospel to every creature." No wonder men find difficulty in trying to work for the salvation of others with human creeds. There is no greater hindrance to Gospel work than the Babel of creeds.
G.
THE Sahara Desert is not a barren waste, as is popularly supposed. Not long ago there were 9,000,000 sheep, 2,000,000 goats, and 260,000 camels in the Algerian Sahara alone; and the oases furnish a million and a half of date palms.
WHILE Chinese officials continue to declare that all the ministers in Peking are safe with the exception of the German minister, little credence is placed in the declaration. Chinese runners who have reached coast cities, bring details of the massacre of all foreigners in Peking. The Chinese minister at Washington proposes to deliver the United States Minister safely into the hands of the Americans; and Li Hung Chang declares that, tho the ministers are now safe, an advance of the foreigners on Peking would be their death-knell. The powers have severally demanded communication with the Chinese capital, and this the Chinese officials propose to comply with. In the meantime all the nations interested are preparing for the descent on China. In view of the Chinese invasion of Russian territory and their attack on the town of Blagovestchenk, Russia has declared a state of war along her Chinese border, and is hurrying troops into this region. Her Siberian railroad is now closed to all but military travel and military freight. Fighting is now in progress along the border, and the Russians are advancing southward into China. France will soon have 13,000 troops in the field, and the forces of Germany, England, Japan, the United States, and Italy continue to go forward. According to the present plans of the powers, there will be in China by the first of September 123,170 soldiers of all nationalities, with 211 cannon and 36 machine guns.
The Chinese have developed unexpected strength in all directions. Along the northern border, where little opposition was looked for, an army of 120,000 is reported to have intrenched itself so as to command the Amoor River, preventing the transportation of 78,000 Russian soldiers.
The first Boxer proclamation has made its appearance in Shanghai. It declares that the war god, Kwan, desires the blood of foreigners and threatens ten plagues if the Boxer tenets are not followed and spread. The governors of Hunan, Hupeh, and Honan are reported to have openly joined the anti-foreign movement, and are marching with their armies to Peking. Russian re-enforcements are being pushed into Manchuria, and a Russian descent upon Peking from that quarter is expected. German reports seem to indicate that the Germans may join the Russians in this movement on account of the large German interests in that region. A commander for the international forces in China has not yet been decided upon, and more or less friction is reported between the different interests there. It is not expected that the advance of the allies upon Peking can begin before the middle of August or the first of September. The allies are now in complete possession of the city of Tien-tsin, the last of the Chinese defenders having fled.
An appeal, purporting to come from the emperor of China, has been made to both France and the United States to intervene between China and the powers. Both the republics have signified their willingness to mediate on certain conditions, but the conditions demanded by France are impossible for China to meet at present.
IT is a patriotic duty to place before the public a list of the entries in the presidential race of 1900, so far as it is now made up. There is every disposition manifested in the United States to afford the voter a wide range of choice, as the list amply proves. The candidates thus far named, with their parties, are:— Republican, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Democratic, William J. Bryan and A. E. Stevenson. Populist, William J. Bryan and Charles A. Towne. Silver Republican, William J. Bryan and A. E. Stevenson. Prohibition, John G. Wooley, of Illinois, and H. B. Metcalf, of Rhode Island. Populist (middle-of-the-road), Wharton Barker, of Pennsylvania, and Ignatius Donnelly, of Minnesota. United Christian, Rev. F. E. Clark, of Massachusetts, and Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, of Kansas. Socialist Labor, Job Harriman, of California, and Max S. Hayes, of Ohio. Social Democrat, Eugene V. Debs, of Indiana, and Job Harriman, of California. De Leon Socialist, J. F. Malony, of Massachusetts, and Valentine Remmill, of Pennsylvania.
It is too early to say that the list is now complete. On almost any street-car men can be heard saying that there is no candidate up whom they want to vote for. There are two more possible entries, from the Gold Democrats and the Anti-Imperialistic Gold Standard Republicans.—Springfield Republican.
MRS. HETTY GREEN, worth $60,000,000, gives as the principal cause of her success, "I do everything with all my mind." This rule, applied in the right way, will secure an heirship in the kingdom of Christ—worth more than all this world. It is a good rule when the aim is right; but when perverted, it is sure to bring disaster in the end. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." Isa. 26:3.
SERIOUS conditions exist on the Fraser River in British Columbia, where several thousand fishermen have struck, and are determined to prevent the Japanese fishermen from continuing at work. Both sides are armed, and 500 white fishermen, with the moral support of 3,500 whites and Indians, are virtually holding up 3,000 Japanese at the points of their rifles.
OAKLAND, July 22.—The Rev. H. W. Fraser, formerly a missionary in Tien-tsin, delivered an address in East Oakland to-night in which he laid the blame for the present trouble jointly in the foreign commercial invasion, with its railroads, desecrating the graves of the Chinamen's ancestors; the missionaries themselves and the diplomats of foreign governments, for their dilatory methods. Of the missionaries he says: "In my judgment it would be much better for the missionaries never to appeal to the Yamens for the protection of the law. If such a thing is necessary, it is better for them to withdraw, or to take the consequences, as their Master did. So far as I know, no American missionary has ever made any appeal on his own behalf for protection. They try to protect their converts, and no Yamen dares to do this fully, for those converts are guilty, in their fellow-countrymen's eyes, of the infamous crime of deserting the worship of their ancestors. The third cause leading to the present conditions in China is the laxity of the diplomats. For ten years past missionaries have been writing to their several ministers, giving them facts concerning the conditions existing among the lower masses which were pregnant of evil, and yet our ministers would receive the communications and refer them to the Tsung Li Yamen."—S. F. Examiner.
THE increased cost of coal in Great Britain has caused a general rise in the price of transportation on the railroads of Scotland. The increasing cost of extricating coal from the British mines is beginning to make itself felt in all the industrial and commercial operations of the kingdom. In certain parts of the United States the flow of natural gas has so far diminished that manufactories dependent upon it have been compelled to move to other localities. All this goes to show that the earth is waxing old, its natural resources are failing. Its mountain forests are being consumed to build up large cities, and the unshaded mountain snows send down their floods to scourge the plains; its coal supply is being depleted to heat cities and drive the ships and cars to transport our freight; beds of guano are scraped bare to stimulate the waning powers of the soil. It is difficult to picture the condition of men on the earth if the world were to stand for a few more centuries. Sin has girdled the earth, and every branch of its fertility is withering. The earth, like the race upon it, is waiting for the redemption of the purchased possession.
Famine in America among Americans.—It is not known to all, but we have mentioned it once before, that seven thousand Indians of the Pima and Papago tribes, of Arizona, are in great need of help. They depend on the Gila River for water, having used it for centuries to irrigate their lands. They are peaceable, well-advanced in civilization, one thousand of them having abandoned savage customs and are members of Christian churches; and in all wars of this government with the Apaches have been the friends and allies of the United States. But "Christian" white men have cut off their supply of water, and their lands have become a desert. The government has preliminary surveys in hand for water relief, but surveys will not feed the destitute. It is said that $40,000 is needed to keep them from extreme suffering during the year. The government in April appropriated $20,000, but made no provision for its disbursement, and that is tied up. And these few wards of this great, rich nation are starving.
"ZEAL" is a new monthly magazine, the official organ of the Young People's Temperance Federation of America, published in Chicago. It is original and novel. The fold is similar to that used by railroad folders, and is printed in colors. Dr. Wallace R. Struble, national vice-president of the federation, is editor in chief. Miss Lucy Page Gaston, superintendent of the Anti-Cigaret League, is an associate editor. The society is a federation of all young people's societies, irrespective of creed. Price, $1.00 per year; or, single copy, 10 cents. Christian Press, Chicago. Will this magazine steer clear of Church-and-State union?
THE Paris Exposition is said to be quite disappointing in many ways, especially to those who paid enormous prices for concessions. But the greatest disappointment of all comes on the city at large, because it was expected that all the crowned heads of Europe, with immense retinues, would visit the city sometime during the exposition, and spend large sums of money. It is now said that none of them is expected, save the king of Sweden. The Shah of Persia is to be there, but he is not a very welcome guest at European courts—at least has not been in the past, on account of his "manners."
THE New Voice tells us that both of the great conventions were drunken orgies. For instance, it tells us that the Tammany people took with them for liquid supplies of the trip, the following: a dozen cases Scotch whisky; ditto assorted brandies; ditto American Rye whisky; ditto Moselle and Rhine wines; 10,000 bottles of beer; 500 bottles of ale; 1,000 quart bottles champagne; 1,000 pint bottles champagne. And the writer tells that, "as a matter of fact, I saw fewer drunken men wearing 'Tammany' badge than of almost any other aggregation." But what must the others have been?
DURING the first eleven days of July the amount of Alaska and Klondike gold received at the U. S. assay office at Seattle amounted to $4,400,000.
INDIANS who have been hunting for the Hudson Bay Company far up on the east coast of the bay bring back to civilization a story which seems to indicate that they have found the wreckage of Andree's balloon, and the bodies of the occupants. Officials of the Hudson Bay Company have sent out a party guided by these same Indians to find and bring back evidence to establish the identity of the party. The Indians being regular visitors at the various posts of the company, their story is not doubted.
THE forces of Lord Roberts and the Boers are reported to be in close contact not far from Pretoria, and the report of a decisive battle is looked for at any time. Several small engagements have taken place during the week, which show that the Boers are still very active altho scattered and decreased in numbers. President Kruger is with the force that is now opposing Lord Roberts, and is doing all in his power to keep his forces intact and in fighting mood.
THE foreign consuls in the city of Panama, Colombia, forbade either the rebels or the government troops engaging in battle within the city, threatening to call upon the foreign war ships in the harbor if their wishes were not complied with. Both sides thereupon agreed to fight outside the city; and the reports now state that the rebels have been successful and are in possession of the city of Panama, and have also captured Colon.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. R. CHAFFEE, who recently sailed for China, is to be notified, on his arrival at Nagasaki, that he has been promoted to the rank of Major-General. This step was taken in order that America's standing in affairs in the Orient should be on an equality with that of the other nations now involved in this great international quarrel.
THE English relief column into the Ashanti country in Africa has entered Coomassie and relieved the garrison, after severe fighting. The commander of the expedition describes his entrance into Coomassie as presenting a scene of horror and desolation, burned houses and putrid bodies being visible on all sides.
THE London Times' Lourenzo Marquez correspondent says, under date of July 7: "A general movement of Boer settlers into Gazaland, Portuguese territory, seems to be in contemplation. Already large herds of cattle have been driven across the border. The Portuguese welcome the movement."
THROUGHOUT Germany a house-to-house search is going on to secure evidence against the Polish leaders on the charge of high treason, especially as to whether they contribute to the so-called national treasury. This is owing to general instructions from the Leipsic Imperial Court.
THE outlook for next year's crop in India seems, on the whole, rather encouraging. In most of the provinces the rainfall has been sufficient to insure good returns from the seed planted; but until the crops are grown and harvested, the same distressed conditions must continue.
THE total cost of the Spanish war and its consequences up to the present time is placed at $14,000,000, which includes the $20,000,000 paid for the Philippines and the increased expenditures for shipbuilding and fortifications over those of the years immediately preceding.
ON July 19 the State Department made public the text of a reciprocity treaty between Italy and the United States, by the provisions of which many articles produced in the two countries are to be admitted into either country free of duty or the duties thereon reduced.
AN unusually oppressive rise in temperature is reported from many parts of the world, and in the large cities the hospitals are kept busy attending to the victims of heat prostration. The large sun spots are held by some to be the cause of the excessive heat.
REPORTS from Cape Nome state that smallpox is epidemic there, and that about 100 cases had been reported at the time of the sailing of the last steamer. Claim jumping is rife, and the consequent murders many.
THERE is no imperialism so terribly cruel, which holds its victims in such absolute power, as does the imperialism of alcohol. And it looks as tho the country were hopelessly in its power.
A LONDON report of July 18 states that fully 50,000 persons were in attendance at the meeting of the world's convention of Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor.
KOGORO TAKAHIRA, the newly-appointed minister plenipotentiary from Japan to the United States, arrived in San Francisco on July 23, on his way to Washington.
THE Korean Government continues to send troops to the frontier, a collision with intruding Chinese having already occurred.
THE governor of Shantung declares that the whole empire will rise if the powers intend the partition of China.