Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-15
An Important Meeting To-Day, the
Results of Which Will Interest
CHRISTIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Changes Proposed in the Westminster Con-
E. fession of Faith.
PREsBYTERIANIsM TO BE MODERNIzED

will culminate in the General Assembly OF
the Church to meet at Saratoga to-day.
There are two reasons for the widespread In
terest in this question. In the first place,
the Presbyterian Church is, Of all the Prot
estant denominations. perhaps, the most
conservative in clinging to its old beliefs
and old traditions. This is SO much the
case that the present general movement in
favor of revising and possible dropping
some of the old beliefs comes on the public
as a surprise. In the second place the revi-
sion agitation has become something more
than UNCONVENTIONAL question, because 1t
indicates an unsettling OF old ideas and old
beliefs in all the churches.
The remarkable and unsuspected growth
of the desire for revision in the Presbyterian
Church is not sporadic fact; much less Is
it an accident. It is most intimately re-
lated to the whole onward movement of
modern civilized life. Conservative as the
Presbyterian Church is, it has found itself
compelled to go with the mighty and resist
less current of modern thought. 1t is, in
deed, true that it has not gone down this
current as swiftly as have some other bodies.
But that its movement has been considera-
all Christians and, indeed, all intelligent
men, follow the movement with such inter-
est. If conservatism itself has slipped from
its moorings, they say, what is to be the
ultimate resting place of those churches
which long ago bade goodby to conserva-
tism?
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED.
But widespread as il the interest In the
coming debate on revision, there are large
numbers of people who have only q vague
idea as to what Is to be revised and just how
the present revision movement orig gnated. A
brief explanation as TO both these points
will therefore be In order.
First, 10 TO what TO be revised. The an
swer ~, the Confession OF Faith adopted by
tho WestmiHsts Assembly oil Dlvnes, on
the 4th Of December tG46. This famous
Synod Of Ga1vihistie theelegians was called
together by the Long Parliament on July 1,
1645, and remained In session I'LL February
~, 164D Some OF the members belonged 10
the Church Of England, but most OF them
were PresbyteriaRs and nearly oil were
strong Cslyinists. 1t approved Of the "sols
emn League and Covenant" already
adopted In Scotland, and put forth Dirse-
tory for Public Worship, But irs most i'm
portsnt work WAS the Confession of Faith,
which has had such profound influence on
Presbyterianism throughout the world, and
which may almost be said to have created
distinct type Of religious life. This conies-
sion was finally adopted in August, 1647,
and the two oatechisms In July, 1913
These formularies have been adopted with
slight notifications by all the Presbyterian
churches In the world. The Shorter Cate
chism was introduced into New England by
the Puritans, and formed the basis of the Gel
hJa.fr D.tn To-.
nearly two centuries was the only recognized
book Of instruction for the young.
A BULwARK OF CALvINIsM.
It has been said that the Westminster
Confession is not formally q Calvinistic
creed This is true. But as q matter OF
fact, its trainers were SO deeply tinctured
with Calvinism that they could not help
putting good deal Of it into their creed;
and, as q matter of fact, the Westminster
confession has always stood as the bulwark
Of Calvinism. No one who holds Arminian
views could conscientiously subscribe to 1t.
1t is also true that there is nothing in the
confession indicating that it is the final ut
terance on the subject of Christian belief.
But whether rightly or wrongly, 1t has been
so regarded by vast number of Presbyte-
rians, who have explained their reverence
for it BY saying that 1t is simply q statement
in briet OF the teaching Of Scripture. Even
to-day there are Presbyterisns who take this
view OF il, and 80 believing, they naturally
look upon those who desire to revise or
modify the confession as enemies Of the
faith.
The propriety Of making some revision of
the con lession in order to bring it more in
harmony with modern ideas, especially on
the questions of election, the salvation OF
unbaptized infants, and the fate Of the
heather to whom Christ was never preached,
has for many years been discussed in other
Presbyterian churches. But up to 1888 it
was not for moment suspected that there
was any desire for revision in the Presby-
terian Church in this country. But in that
wear an overture was presented to the Gen.
eral Assembly from the Presbytery OF Mas
sau, L. l., asking that proper steps be
taken for revision OF the third chapter (Of
Gods Eternal Decree) of the Confession of
Faith, with special references to sections 8,
4, 6 and T."
ASKING FOR AN OVERTURE.
But the Assembly was preoccupied with
its centennial celebration, and did not take
much interest in the matter. In fact, it
came very near being shelved, and it was
only by accident, SO to speak, that the
friends of the overture secured reference
of the question to the next General Assem-
bly,. During the intervening year the
Nassau Presbytery, by circular letters,
sought to interest other Presbyteries in the
question, and Us q result of this 10 of the 211
Presbyteries sent up an overture on the
question. OF these 15 4 were from New
York, from Texas, 1 each from Colorado,
Nebraska and Iowa, and the remainder
from the older West. The really influential
80 called, were not found