Calvinism - pagina 22

Calvinism and

664

[Oct.

ence from the confession of God's sovereignty, consider for a

moment the Calvinistic "Cor ecclesiae," the doctrine of election. At all times ofpublic action, heroism, and national glory, the Calvinistic nations have confessed their faith in this doctrine,

and only

in

days of spiritual decadence has

foundest thought of moral Election

is

life

been

derived from the sovereighty of God.

tion, the Calvinist

this pro-

forgotten or denied.

By

elec-

has never meant an exaltation of self on

the part of any one, but merely to emphasize that

honor

all

belongs to God, even the honor of moral greatness and heroism of faith. It needs no repetition that from this, Calvin derived

all

nots this

Of our

his strength.

known from

and of the Hugue-

fathers

and

their confession

petitions. Mrs. Hutchinson, whose memoirs were quoted above, wrote conis

cerning the Puritan troubles:

"At

this period this

doctrine of election began to be abandoned prelates, but all persons

themselves to

it

more

with ardor."

important

by the Anglican

serious and saint-like, attached

Of

the founders of the

Amer-

ican Union, Bancroft testifies, that the secret of their strength

Almighty was banished

lay in their firm belief in the wonderful council of

God who had

elected them.

Hence

from their hearts, and they could as of a priestcraft as of a despot.

all

little

And

fear

become the slaves more witnesses,

for

take Professor Maurice, in his brilliant " Lectures on Social Morality." is

He

immovable,

Calvin,

and

his word.

"The foundation on which we stand we stand upon the election, spake John

writes:

for

France, Holland, and Scotland attended to That word furnished muscular vigor for the

all

French religious wars. Holland's emancipation from Spain was the fruit of this confession. The moulding of Scotland's nationality was wrought by this spiritual principle. Yes: this incisive principle works still so mightily that social morality cannot interpret

life

unless

it

reckon with this doctrine."

And

no wonder. "A living God," he writes, "higher than all dogmas and systems, was heard not by the schoolman, but

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