The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-05
NINETY LIVES IN PERIL
Three Teeming Tenements
Break Into Flames.
THIS MORNINGS DANGEROUS FIRE
The Police Have to Club the Tenants
Out Of the Flames--0ne
Woman Burned.

terry of Jersey City to report upon the
overtures of the General Assembly in
reference to revision of the Confession
of Faith unanimously reported adversely
at yesterdays session of the Presbytery.
The Revision Committee was composed
of the Rev. G. K. Imbrie, D. D.. of Jersey
City; Rev. H. M. Boutwell,. d. D., of
Englewood Rev. j. B. Kugier, of
Hoboken; Rev. D. w. Hutchinson, of
Paterson; and Elders Watts and Cooke,
of Paterson; Ketchum, of Hoboken, and
De Witt, of Bergen.
The report given in full below embodies
a full answer TO these questions now agi-
tating the Presbyterian Churcn at large,
and sent down from the General Assem-
bly, prior to the month of September
last:-
!; Do you desire any revision of the Confession
2. If so, of what natureg and to what extent?
The proposition is not to change the doc
trines, but merely to change the express
sion of some of them in accordance with
the advanced knowledge of the Scrip
lures.
The report was received, but discus
sion of It's various features and final
action upon it were postponed till the first
Tuesday in March.
THE PREsBYTERs PRESENT.
There were present when the report
was received these ministers and laymen
of the Presbytery, which comprises all
the churches in the counties of Hudson,
Bergen and Passaic:-
Rev. F. E. Miller, of Paterson, modera-
tor; Rev. DIR. Buckley, of Rutherford,
stated clerk; Rev. A. o. Kingsbury, of
New York city, permanent clerk; Rev. G.
r. Garretson, of Jersey City. temporary
Hi.
Rev. DR.. McKelvey, Rev. Dr. Mitchell,
Rev. Mr.. Hathaway, Rev. Mr.. Herr,
of Jersey City; Rev. DR.. Shaw, Rev. DR..
Carlyle, Rev. A. E. Wanderer, Rev. Mr..
Hutchinson and Rev. Mr.. Galloway. of
Paterson; Rev. DR.. Vermilye and Rev.
Mr.. Weller, of Hackensack; Rev; Mr..
Schulter, of Arlington; Rev. DR.. Booth,
ems, Of Passaic Rev. Mr..
Hanle, of Carlstadt; Rev. Mr..
Shuler, of Newark; Rev. Mr.. George, of
Lyndhurst; Rev. Mr.. Sentz, of Norwood;
Rev. Mr.. Egbert, Rev. Mr.. Hall, of Gar
field; Rev. Mr.. Carroll, of Tenatly; Rev.
Mr.. Hascall, Of Rutherford; and Elders
j. H. Halsey, G. P. Howell, H. B. Clafiin,
of Jersey City: Ketcham. of Hoboken; Mel
son and Van Dyk, of Paterson; Cummings
of Hackensack; Wyman, Jones; Jack
son, of Rutherford; Pudney and Michels,
of Passaie; Bell, of Arlington, and DR..
Haring, of Tenafiy.
DIR. Van Cleef and the Rev. "A A.
Zabriskie, of the Bergen Chassis, were ac-
corded seats IN the session. but took no
acSiya part in the transaction of business.
DR. Ilnbrie read the report of the Com
mittee on Revision. In presenting it, he
remarked that probably no single mem
ber of the committee. had he been called
upon alone to prepare the report, would
have submitted the same report he was
now about to present in behalf of the
committee Thorough discussion had
somewhat altered the views of every
member. The report is as follows
THE REPORT.
1.-THE committee appointed to report
upon the overture of the General Assem-
bly, in reference to the revision of the
Confession of Faith have given earnest
and prayerful attention to the important
subject thus entrusted to them. 1t
has been our endeavor to reach a
conclusion which shall not only exhibit
fidelity to the truth of Revela-
ton, bu. which shall also command the
intellectual approval of our brethren in
the Presbytery. We are impressed with
the conviction that the Presbyterian
Church finds a distinct mission in adher-
ence to the evident statements of Gods
WORT, and in the endeavor to make those
statements SO plain that that the
shall not err therein There is
misunderstanding. 1t should
be met with readiness to explain, and
wherever there is a probability of secur-
ing a more effectual and useful testimony
to the essential truths of salvation there
should be no hesitation in assuming
leadership. Our attachment to the Con-
fession of Faith, sincere and reyerential
as it is, is not idolatrous.
Entering upon our deliberations in
this spirit, your committee have been led
to the conviction that the interests Of re-
ligion and our own church will be ad-
vanced it the General Assembly will pre-
pare and frame an authoritative defin-
ition of the system of doctrines taught
in the Holy Scriptures as contained in
the Confession of Faith and acceptance
required by the terms of subscription.
.'Sucha definition expressed in a simple,
popular language, will announce clearly
and emphatically the faith OF the Preshy-
terian Church, and will meet the require
ments of subscription, with an intelligent
demand; every one may then know wnat
are those things which are most surely
believed among us, while no one will feel
compelled TO burden his conscience with u
responsibility which is outside of the
terms of subscription.
Meanwhile the Confession of Faith
will continue to exhibit the historic atti-
tude of the church from which the ad-
vance has been in simplicity of definition
rather than in change of doctrine.
MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
"Having given consideration to sug-
gestions which propose revision of the
Confession of Faith, your committee fails
to find in them the satisfaction which is
to be desired. While we admit that there
might be several words and particular
expressions which might be changed for
Others, and would more precisely and
Enthusiastically express the Scriptual
truths intended in the place, and that
there are phrases on subjects which do
not at all effect the system of doctrine
which are not supported by the Scriptures
quoted, and which might be modified or
omitted; yet we fear that more harm than
good will result from an attempt to re-
wise.
THE REASONS.
s'In this view we are confirmed by the
following considerations
''1. The subject proposed to take the
place of certain statements now in the
Confession is quite as open to criticism
and as liable to misapprehensiona and per-
version and need rs much explanation
in order to be understood without any
possible mistake as are the present words
of the Confession of Faith for which
they are proposed, nor If adopted, would
they shelter the Confession of Faith
from those who are opposed to its doc
trines.
'.2 In number of cases these proposed
changes appear to be directly opposed to
the system of doctrine contained in the
confession of faith, and awaken grave
apprehension as to their tendency if
adopted