Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-04
THE REVISION ISSUE
To be Taken up Once More at a
Meeting of Distinguished +
PreSbyterians
IN THIS CITY NEXT WEEK.
The Committee on Change of Greed to
Begin Work on Wednesday.
DIvINES AND LAYMEN OF NOTE
Appointed by the General Assembly for the
Difficult Task.
IN THIS CITY NEXT WEEK.
DIVINES AND LAYMEN OF NOTE
Appointed by the General Assembly for the
Difficult Task.
IMPORTANT EVENT In CHURCH CIRCLES

The most important event in Presbyterian
circles this year will be the meeting in thii
city next Wednesday of the General As
sembly Committee on the Revision of tht
Confession of Faith. The outside com
munity is watching to see what thest
modern theologians will dc with the work
of the Westminster divines. If thost
''fathers" were alive they would probably
give the committee a tussel in the argu-
ment, but they will not be able to ''rise and
explain"
The long-continued agitation on the sub
ject OF revision eliminated in the last meet
ing of the General Assembly when the COM
mittee was appointed. 1t was constituted
of 25 members Is clergymen and 10 laymen,
including many of the ablest and most
prominent gentlemen of the denomination.
The clergymen all have big titles, and
seven of them have been moderators of the
Presbyterian General Assembly, and seven
are theological professors. Two others are
college presidents.
DISTINGUISHED CoMMITTEEMEN.
Among the laymen, all of whom are ruling
elders, are some of the most prominent men
in the United States. The following are
tine members OF the committee: Ministers,
Prof. Francis L. Patton, d. D., LII. D.,
PROT. William Henry Green, D. D., Ii. D.,
President Thomas S. Hastings, D. D., LII.
D., Prof. Matthew B. Riddle, D. D., LII.
D., Prot. Willis ]. Beecher, d. D., Prof
Edward d. Morris, d. D., Ii. D., Prof.
Herrick johnson, d. D., LII. D., Prof.
William Alexander, D. D.. President Will
lam C. Roberts, D. D., Ii. D., William E.
Moore, D. D., Henry J: Van Dyke. D. D.,
Ebsnezer Erskine, d. D., James 7. Lett
wIch, D. D., Samuel J. Niccnlls, d. D.,
IL. D., Edward r. Burkhalter, D. ID.
The elders are: Elk. United States Judge
William Strong, ex-senator Samuel J. r.
Mcmillan, ex-J udge Alfred Hand, Hon. E.
Z. White, Judge Henry B. SayIor, Hon.
Winthrop S. Gilman, Hon. Barker Gum
mere, Hon. William Ernst, Charles NJ
Chanley, Esq, and George Junkin. Esq.
These men are from New York, PhiIadel-
phia, Washington, Baltimore, PIttsburg,
Cincinnati, st. Louis, Chicago, San Fran
cisco and various other parts OF the country.
One-half OF them are natives of Pennsylva-
MIA and several OF them are foreigners by
birth.
1t looks like bold thing for this commit |
tee 10 hold its first meeting in Pittsburg, as
1t will next Wednesday, in the heart of an
s,nti-reyision community. But as so many
of them are PennsylVanians, so many op-
posed to revision, and nearly all the rest
very mild reVisiOnists, they may meet here
without peril The sessions of the comm it.
tee will be held in one of the lecture rooms
of the Western Theological Seminary, which
may thus become the Jerusalem chamber"
of the institution.
THE FIRST BUSINESS
will be to elect a permanent chairman, to
which position it is very likely the Rev.
William c. Roberts, the present temporary
chairman, will be elected. The committee
will then probably proceed to draw an ex-
cathedrs distinction between supra-lap sari-
anism and sub-lap sarianism, and define the
doctrine and place oil preterition in the Cal
vanlstic system. The real work of revision
will now begin and the real difficulties ap-
pear THE DISPATCH will keep its readers
informed as to the progress OF the work. The
eminent gentlemen of this committee will
probably be in this city many DAYS and be
heard in various pulpits Sunday. October 5.
Below are brief personal sketches of
the leading members OF the committee,