New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-25
rs A REVISION DES{REDf
THE PRESBYTERIEs MUST TAKE THE RE
SPONSIBILITY.
THE ASSEMBLY SIMPLY ASKS THEN TO TELL
WHETHER CHANGE IS NECESSARY IN THE
STANDARDS, AND IF so. WHAT is DE-

WHETHER A CHANGE IS NECESSARY IN THE
STANDARDS AND IF so. WHAT IS De.
Street.-The DEBATE
After a discussion which lhstcd an hour anu "
half. and was Of intense interest, the Assembly,
took action yesterday afternoon on the overture
,rom fifteen I,resbyterics on the question OF the
revision of the Confession Of Faith Inc AZ,
semtGv decided, with only few dissenting
r,ices 20 throw the responsibility OF reNlSlon Oh
the prcsbytercs by referring the question ." those
h,dias for action. The large vote which paceu
,h,. ir,portant matter in the hands OF the frcSOy
tories illustrates the confidence that the Assembly
has in those bodies, and the expressions "hlch
were heard in debate showed that there "ere IT"
fears that il was misplaced Ihs opl"s'"o"
YVES. nevertheless, ably championed' b't ,"'
desire 20 submit the question to tie fr'SoS 'c'''"
v,s unrnistakable at the outset, anu the OPP
ponents fought losing light from the start
m, Rpv. DR., Charles L. Thompson, as chair
man ~ the Committee on Bills aud Overtuf'S'
read the resolutions adopted by the committee,
Other rsports OF the committee had oons''''"
some time, and when this momentonS overture WIS
reached O hush fell on the house. " N'"'",
quickly sized the opportunity, ana mHue ono %
tho most incIsve and cearcst sPoecheS Vi ''''
afternoon. The resolutions read
hprp n =
and nennl. some forms Of statement In our Confession
are liable 70 misunderstanding and expose oui S''
" WSss EefoTs any definite step should be taken
for revision Of our standards, IL Is aoNIAoo W
whether thore ans general desire Tor such r''o"
the nernSsa rha, this General Assembly overufr 70
the PresbytCries the following questions ,,, -
| desire revision OF the Confession OF tG'n' - -
| 90 in what respects and TO what extent
GOOD ExPoNENTs OF THE SCRIPTURES
| Dr Crosby told OF his bringing up under the
Heidelberg and Westminster cat"chiSms' ana
| hor he thought them the best exponent" OF Tue
| sc,ip,ures extant lie touched on the dnng'fS
threatening the Church. ritualiSm, with satufhih'
and music, and inhdclity. He advised thht II
any action was taken with the standards oil inc
| church T. should be with the utmost cahuoh'
Ru, he knew that those fifteen PrcshytereH i'oin
| whom the overtures came were in''4''u'' Ivy" E'
h,.thrcn and true PresbytcFianS' inc
| question now said lac, Simply
one Of courtesy " honored iresoS t''''H'
| n we gay 70 these PfesDyterians: lake O'CN '0''
oyprtures., the Church al large won" h''e
| right 20 soy that our action was uhs'N Wv W.
-s.dtoo Therefore, we ask these two qucs'
| -. IN ,ou v,ant reyisonY II 80, how far :
H. this 81, stand fast, and yet show that we arc
| ready TO meet any queSuon'
| seconded the resolutions.
n. picb.ra. ssid that he hoped that the queS
tim would not 20 prcjudiced down TO the ffes"y
torie. II, thought That some things Shouu !"
changed because some young men III the coIrb''
ort .emin,fies could not take the Confession
| The Moderator called the Doctor to oF"et AM
laid that prejudice on one side was ~ Rnd az
m,eIudice Oh the otheT, ond he fcmlhdeu tuc ~
| an,bly that the question was SIMPLY Wh''m ~ Nv
| 100 question should be referred 10 the ffcsDy
| tories There were cries Of Question, Dut tl'
Hey J. 1. Duhield, Of Princeton, took the hOot
lie caused q httle laughter by saying .,Ia' y" wa
| nre;udiced against taxing the platform, Dnt ~
| nd in him seven generations OF ireSDyleraI
| bIuod and the love OF Tree speech. 10 ne W9ul.
Spcak. lie came Us tie i.e,p,nisn lie wouM cal
| attention TO the fact that only one ,ffcspytery
NATION, out Of the fifteen, had hskLd ZOE an en-
tire. unqualified revision. Inc o nd sections re-
yised. the majority indicating Sections ., . my
OF Charter 8. lie himself was coiiS,ItalmTIdd -
| cav that the declaration on rcpfoDauoh hnouIu "
| ,aSSised The reason WAS that the doctrine 0
| onfessIon IN regard to TcprObatiUn was hoC al
essential statement by the Calviulsuc system
VOTING DOWN THE SUBSTITUTE.
The house WAS intensely quiet at this poln'
| A member tried to call the Doctor TO Oru"r' pA
he continued lie WIS going TO offer suO''ltu'
for the report DR.. Thompson interected S'a'e
| ment TINT the Committee on Bi Ills ana overture
| diI mot advise a revision IL only asked the ffcS
| hvteries whether they wanted q revision ana,
so. 10 what extent. DR. Duiheid, however, though
, his substitute WIS the better plan, ana, hite
More arguments read IL. His substitute, who
wos n rSpIy 20 the Prcsbyterics, declared that ]
the opinion of the Assembly II was nnwlse an
inex ned icnt at the present time TO revise the d0t
| ir|ncs and provided for asking the Presbytefle
whether they desired committee 10 be appolnte
| which should consider the language In reeHru !
| the doctrine OF the non.elect, ana report VIVA
; alterations amendments and az missions Were az
, yisabe. -, ,,..o ,t,o,
DR. Dufirh mentioned the cases Of thrce e ts
1 With a reservation, and in connection Win an
. said that Il ~ member 81! o. the ne. ire
l did not believe In the doctrine OF IN
!, elect, there would be trial for heresi
: d.. Thompson said that hc wanted 70 bring II
: question back 10 the main point we nav
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EarN rrvoua INses