New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-07
DIR. SCHAFF ON THE CREED.
VIGOROUS ARGUMENT ADVANCED FOR
ITS REVISION.
A BIBLE REvIsER TELLS WHY THE GENERAL
FEssIoN OF FAITH TO MEET PRESENT
EEEDs-DEFECEs IN THE PRES.
BYTERIAN STANDARDS.

BYTERIAN STANDARDS.
Tho General Assembly Of the Presbyterian Church
az Its meeting in this city May received overtures
from fifteen Presby eres asking for some revision Of
'he confession Of Faith. A slight discussion arose
over the form Of the answer be sent to the Presby
.ories which seemed dissatisfied with the symbols as
'ney were prepared b. the Westminster divines in the
seventeenth century, and a resolution adopted,
INC enect that, since In the opinion of many Of the
ministers and people. forms OF statement in the
confession are liable TO mIsunders andns, and expose
the Presbyterian system OF doctrine unmerited criti
clsm 1t would DO we'll hear the voice OF the Pres
oyteres as whole, and therefore, these questions
were submitted:
W Do you desire n revision Of the Confession Of
Fairhs
WI III so, In what respects and TO what extentf
Since the Assembly adjourned It has been manifest
mat no question submitted 10 the Church many years
had interested its members so deeply as the one now
before them. Tho UNCONVENTIONAL papers have con-
tanned earnest and forcibe pleas for tho revision,
while the defenders Of the Book OF Faith have rallied
with equal ardor the support OF the Standards In
the more than 200 Presbyteries in the Northern As.
sembly, there have bcon there will be- spir-
tied debates on this important question. Last week
the Presbytery of New Brunswick, " j., I'm whose
bounds arc the College and Seminary Of Princeton,
with their traditional allegiance to the doctrines Of
calvin, returned TO the Assembly I'm which
ny vote Of two to It declared against revision.
ana added paper telling why the proposed changes.
should not be made The advocates of a revision Of
the creed were not disappointed in the result Of the
vote; favorable answer would have surprised them.
On the contrary, they exceedingly encouraged by
me attitude taken by the venerable ex-presdent Of
Princeton College who came out squarely and de-
cidedly In favor Of a revision, and gave his reasons
In clear and expressive terms
The NewYOrk Presbytery meets to-day, for the first
time since the Asscmblys question has been received
and 1t IS probable that action will be taken,
possibly, more than to submit the resolution to a
committee for report in November. Ono of the men
best qualified to speak the subject of revision, is
Professor Philip Schaf, of the Union Theological Sem
mary, because Of his long and faithful study Of all the
creeds OF Chrstendom, well HIS official position
as president Of the Americas Committee for the Re
vision OF the Scriptures Or. Schar has prepared an
exhaustive article The Revision Of tho Westminster
Confession" which will appear IN the October number
OF The Presbyterian Quarterly within a day two
In tbs paper he treats the question from its hlsor
ca theological and practical points Of view.
CoMMEYDING DR.. MCOsH'S POSITION.
To Tribune reporter who called upon him on
Saturday DR.. Schaf said that he was in favor Of a
revision Of tho creed, and willing to state his
reasons for his belief that the time had come for a
change In the standards Of tho Church. In the main
he agrees with Dr. McCosh
81 glad,7 he said. " that The Tribune published
the testimony OF this venerable scholar I'm favor Of a
revision. His testimony will have great weight
owing to his long experience and representative posi-
ton. Not only for Princeton University, but also for
Ireland and Scotland he speak. lie is certainly
right when he asserts that revision must sooner
| or later He touches the vital point In
! the Westminster Confession when he says
There Is want in our Confession Of a clear and
bs,tro IN a
everywhere Of the love Of God to all men, and the
free gift Of Jesus Christ and Of salvation to all men,
not 10 the elect alone"
"What are the special parts of the Confession that
need reylslon?o
"Tbe charters that relate to predestlnaton and the
loss Of nonecct infants specially under fire now.
| but am I'm favor Of dropping the reference to the
Pune as 'antC Christ and the two hundred millions OF
communicates I'm the Roman Catholic Church as idol
atcls, such judgment Is untrue unjust. unchar
table and unsuitable in any Confession Of Faith. But
that is not the special point to which attention j.
called let us keep TO the text Take the subject
Of elect and nonclect' Infants. You cannot escape
the logical conclusion that II there are elect infants
there must BE- .non-clect infants that may be Lust
Now # IS the general belief Of the Presbyterian Churh
! to-day that all infants dying in infancy are saved
| while in the seventeenth century all CayinSt dvlhe'
believed that some Of them lost forever But
J the opponents Oh IcNlsloH w NV '|NN' W
doctrine now; why. then, have 1t in the CONFESSION
THE WONDERFUL LOVE OF GOD.
Is not the Westminster Confession broad enough
to include all men p
at is a Confession framed for the benefit OF The
elect WHILE al the same time. the most prominent
and the most cheering doctrine which may be- read OF
every page of tn, New Testament IS this: Goa loVc
all men; God made absolute provision for the saliva
ton Of all men; God wishes no man to be lost Du
would have every one como to knowledge OF lh'
trutb, scarcely need to quote verse to prove
this though many might be given, which arc not use
as prooftcxts in the Confession, because that doc'
IS not contained in the text
..IIow often said the saviour. would l have gath
cred thy children together, as hen gathcr'h mo-
chickens under her wings and go would not inc Gu
phass is on the would not Of tho people. Goa 81
loved the world the whole world. not the elec
merely that He gave His only b'gottcn son. ina
whosocvor' embracing all mon, 'bcleveth on lin
| sbouId NOT pcrisb. but have eternal life. Cod ON
saviour wlcth that all men should be saved IL"
Lord is long suffering to yOu-wsm not wishing t"'
any should perish. bnt that all should come to re
pcntance' and so | m ght 70 on
=" But II this doctrine is emphasized. docs u ho
destroy PTesbytcrianism, and make us all Me'hous'S'
| By no means. The doctrine Of divine sovereignty
| IS SIN maintained the doctrine OF election Is MOI
destroyed, but alongside of these impor'a"
doctrines IS placed that oihcr' inc RIouI'""oi" -
our religion, namely, the doctrine oil the univ
love Of Cod The Calvinst to-day, whatever % Ms
| theory as a theological stands on this basis lie
breaches and work, a, II salvation depended on man :
| he pray, as II all depended on Cod The Ca'l"iS.
breaches like an Armlnan, and the Armlnlan pray
| like a Calvinist.'
But is this not Inconsistent" 49,,
"If it be logically Inconsistent IL mas ,"o ~"
support Of the great Apostle TO the Gentne,' VIM
| Kids men work ont their own salvation with fear
and trembling adding. For II IS God who worhetn
in YOU both TO Will and TO work. for Ills sooa-
pleasure That seems Inconsistent. but ID Is
| Scripture"
! CHILLED BY PREDESTINATION'
| " Do you believe that God ioreoruaneu SUNNI ~
and angel, to everlasting death"
al sympathize deeply with that PresDyterA" cur
and director Of Princeton Theological seminary "uo
! IS quoted TO have said recently II di""s' o.
| %