of the latter two. Dr. Schaff remarks rather sadly upon the fact that these Reformed writings are now little better than reminiscences. The Wesleyan Methodist Church in England has itself furnished an example of the inevitably abortive extra-historical effort at statement-making. The Conference held at Leeds, in 1806, appointed Dr. Adam Clarke, Mr. Joseph Benson, and Dr. Thomas Coke "to draw up a Digest or Form, expressive of the Methodist doctrine." These were names to conjure with! Dr. Coke, not being able to meet with the other members of the small committee, made an independent draft. Dr. Clarke and Mr. Benson also made a draft. Both these Digests have been printed by the Wesley Historical Society, London, and through the courtesy of Dr. Collins Denny, of Vanderbilt University, the publication is before me.10 These Digests-one of them certainly, and both as it is believed-were "sent to the chairmen of each district, when the several districts took the various Articles into serious consideration." But though this was done, the Digests never reached the Conference in any official way, or if so, were never acted upon. Mr. Benson, in an issue of the Methodist Magazine, in 1807, says that these Articles of Religion, as he then styled the document, or documents, were not considered by the Conference because of a multitude of weighty matters," and "a press of business." That, no doubt, was accepted by Mr. Benson as the real reason for nonaction, but to anybody who 10 1o See an Article by Dr. Denny on this subject in the Methodist Quarterly Review (Nashville), for April, 1907. reads these Digests to-day another reason will appear, and one accentuated by the history of exactly one hundred years. Evidently the framers of these Digests understood that they were to have respect to the Twenty-Five Articles of Wesley. But Dr. Coke's Articles were expanded to the number of Twenty-Nine. They contain very much that is in the Twenty-Five Articles, but also very much that is not in them; and it was no doubt that which was taken from without that gave them their quietus. Amongst other things, the great Doctor must needs bring in the "five points" of Calvinism, contra, of course; and for this there was a show of excuse in his day. And what with particular statements on the doctrines of "The Witness of the Spirit" and "Perfect Love" he produced a document that might well bring a twentieth century enterprise of similar purpose to despair. But it availed nothing, except to feed the cobweb looms of the archives. The Digest credited to Clarke and Benson is still more diffuse, containing thirty-eight Articles, all generously phrased. It reveals a modicum of the matter contained in the Twenty-Five Articles, but overflows with outside theological generalities. It also encompasses the "quinquarticulars." Of necessity it shared the fate of the other Digest. Wesleyan Methodism had "weightier matters" before it. Great as were these men-and there have not arisen greater amongst us-they could not do that for which there existed no historical warrant. Had Wesleyan Methodism adopted these Articles (one set or the other), it had been hampered and embarrassed through all its after history. The au thor of the pamphlet from which I have gleaned these facts says: "It is perhaps not unwise that no subsequent attempt has been made officially to cast the doctrines of Methodism into such a form." The reason why the diffuse and arbitrary Confession has failed to make historical connection is not far to seek. It is in the nature of things. Confessions, like constitutions, are the results of revolutions. To be sure, these revolutions may be purely intellectual; but if so, they will be marked by a ripening and fullness of thought-issues, and attested by an explosiveness that will take the stead of war. Moreover, dogmas in an age of freedom of thought are like cathedrals in an age of freedom of worship, anachronistic. What has already been created, if answering to law, faith, or the inner sense, is very well, and can never lack for reverence; but there will be reluctance to enter upon such enterprises again. The world has had its teachers; it is now concerned to work out its lessons to their uttermost syllables. |