confronted. It does mean, however, that the Bible itself, all of which is profitable for doctrine, contains enough information to show that action and volition by man are not inconsistent with foreordination by God. God decreed the peculiar status of the Jews, and he decreed to bring it about by Abraham's journey to Palestine. God decreed that Joseph would be sold as a slave in Egypt in order to preserve the family from famine. God decreed the death of Christ from before the foundation of the world, and therefore Christ steadfastly set His face toward Jerusalem. It was by means of, not in spite of, these volitions and actions that God had determined to accomplish his purpose.
The Christian should always remember that God is the potter and man is the clay; of the same lump God can make a vessel of honor and a vessel of dishonor. The Christian should also remember that God works in us, of His own good pleasure, both to will and to do. So remembering, the Christian will be a Calvinist and will praise God that his servants at Westminster constructed our Confession as a standard against error and as a bulwark of truth.
CHURCH PROPERTY
Does Anyone Have The Legal Right To Vote For Anything That Will Affect A Church's Property Without Permission From The Congregation?
Paul D. Hastings
Is it legal under the Standards of the Presbyterian Church U. S. for a minister, elder, or anyone else to vote for anything that will affect the ownership or control of a local church's property without having first obtained permission to do so by a vote of the congregation?
Under Chapter XI, Par. 45 of our Book of Church Order in which is outlined the duties of the Deacons, they are given responsibilities among others: "They shall have the care of the PROPERTY OF THE CONGREGATION, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings BELONGING TO THE CONGREGATION." Then follows this restriction: "In matters of special importance affecting the property of the church, THEY CANNOT TAKE FINAL ACTION WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE CONGREGATION."
When anyone votes for the proposed Plan of Union they are voting for a change in the status of a local church's property in that the CONTROL of the property is taken away from the congregation and given to the Presbytery.
At the present time a local congregation has the right to buy, sell, mortgage, manage, lease or dispose of its property as it may see fit, without reference to any other ecclesiastical authority or agency. This is changed under the Plan of Union as follows: Chapter 34, Sec. 12, "A particular Church SHALL NOT sell, mortgage or lease any of its real property used in connection with the work of the church, EXCEPT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PRESBYTERY OF JURISDICTION."
We have asked lawyers what that phrase, "except in consultation with the Presbytery of Jurisdiction," means. Without exception they say that a local congregation, UNLESS IT FIRST GETS PERMISSION FROM THE PRESBYTERY, would not be able to give a clear deed of trust if they wanted to borrow money on their property or a clear title if they wanted to sell it.
Local congregations in our Southern Presbyterian Church at the present time both OWN AND CONTROL their property. Under the Plan of Union, although they retain the deed, the control is taken from them and given to the Presbytery. Again we ask, does any individual or group in our Church have the LEGAL RIGHT to vote for such an important change affecting the property of a local Church without HAVING FIRST OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM THEIR LOCAL CONGREGATION? Does it not leave the ones who do take the responsibility of so voting, without the permission of the congregation, open to any legal action which a local congregation might decide to take against them?
Another important fact which each of us should consider long and carefully before we vote to give the control of a local church's property to someone else is that in the merger of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Northern Presbyterian Church some years ago, local congregations of some Cumberland Presbyterian churches who didn't want to go into the merger were put out of their own church which they had built and paid for themselves and these buildings were locked up and allowed to rot down unused by anyone. Would it not be wise for us to profit by what happened to these Cumberland churches and protect our local congregations and their property in every way possible?
PRESCRIPTION FOR HAPPINESS
By Willard D. Crunkilton
Moody Bible Institute
Over in England, many years ago, a little man was working on the highways with pick and shovel. Gipsy Smith has related that "he was happy as a saved man knows how to be, his face glowing like a quarter of an acre of sunshine."
Not far off was a gypsy camp, and among the many tents was one in which lived a miserably unhappy man, one who knew he needed something, but did not know what he needed. In his tent, the only home he had, there lived with him five motherless children, dependent alone on their father for love and care.
