From an organized group of Presbyterian laymen in the Southern Presbyterian Church I received an interesting and very important pamphlet which all our readers ought to read because it reveals that there are others, outside of our churches, that still fight for the truth of Scripture and the Confessions. The reader may secure a copy of this pamphlet by writing to the following address: Presbyterian Laymen, Inc., Box 396, Selma, Alabama. 

On the title page of this pamphlet there is the following statement, printed in capital letters: 

“Every member of the Southern Presbyterian Church should read this factual account of how a small group of liberal ministers have gained control of the organized leadership of our church, and are fast destroying it as a spiritual organization by turning it into a political and social organization.” 

The chief contents of this pamphlet consist in a protest against Dr. E. T. Thompson, professor in the Union Theological Seminary, by Mr. Tom Glasgow, elder of the church in Charlotte, N.C. 

In an introductory statement to the whole pamphlet, however, we read that Dr. Thompson C.S. also made a direct attack, through the General Assembly, upon the Confessional Standards of the Southern Presbyterian Church, particularly (as might be expected) upon the doctrine of predestination. We quote: 

” . . . . They are openly attacking, on the floor of the General Assembly, the Standards of our Church, which they avow they believed, such as the doctrine of predestination. The recent General Assembly authorized the Moderator (Dr. Thompson) to appoint an Ad-Interim committee to study the matter and report its findings to the next General Assembly. This Ad-Interim committee, as were all the appointments by Dr. Thompson, is composed of all liberals, so that we can be assured that their report to next year’s Assembly will weaken our Standards from what they are now concerning the doctrine of predestination.” 

Of this there can be no doubt. If liberals get their hands on the Confessions of the Church, particularly with respect to the doctrine of predestination, they certainly will “‘weaken” them. And it stands to reason that the only possible way they can “weaken” them is to deny the true doctrine and to adopt the Arminian conception instead. 

One thing I do not understand and that is how so many liberal ministers can occupy pulpits in the Southern Presbyterian Church that they, together with Dr. Thompson, control the entire General Assembly. Two things, it seems to me are apparent. The first is that these liberal ministers are dishonest and wholly disregard the vow they took at their ordination. And the second is that it reveals a woeful lack of discipline both by the local churches and by the broader gatherings. If discipline had been exercised properly and in time, a situation as now exists in the Southern Presbyterian Church could never have arisen. 

About the protest by Mr. Glasgow I hope to write next time, D.V. 

H.H.