New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-20

hut in my individual capacity a member, o. I T
Assembly I am sure that my beloved brother Dr.
Roberts. the chairman Of the conhHluS5S' ~ ,,non
have been in conference through cur ,hngbt
This question will not attribute to me any lilonEne
OF trying 81 prevent his MAKING spco We havc
Ms views in fun in regard 10 thus mater; ,h ,d ~
offered this resolution this juncture' beie, is r"
is wise and hest TO offer IL now, ~, ~ {,oortsnt
reasons First It j. 10 save the mo,' IiIpor'a w
time of this Assembly from being frlttered away We
have had two DAYS Of discussion upon ,1 + %
pojnts before u.s. about which we in measure oIlcI
surely have enjoyed TINS ac9 S MI wrcr,.inr
match and rejoice that it has been flee IRON aerl,
mony Now my whole belief IS tat we @oe ~, NO
rinno~,inr nroccss If we continue the debate now,
with amendments 10 be brought m a. ny prU, d NO
snend fbree dav, more in debating questions some
Of them perhaps OF rcsT in any good do not
wish TO take too optimistic view where; perhslps
the wish father to the ,o nS e PM Set
in he committee and talk over the differences which
now exist between them they won ca ma nite u o
report that we can adopt almost NAV say. unan'
mousiy and send it down from this General Assem- sem
~ think bv concedng little here and little there
We Shall arrive at nnanmSqs Moderator Fathers
and brethren. This motion IS made, ana ! sec r'n
it. in and in rh 6ehaf Of 9 Gx and n
me- s S5 trt WIN tss Sar of &
opinion Committee snch as the Moderator will
anSont in the exercise of his wisdom will be able
amer due elaboration and without mucn laPSc W.
approval Of this body and pass trust with a ALSO
lite unanmity Applanse) And woIld ian reeom n0P
ms resolution to the committee without debate nt
woud say one thing ana 1t seems 10 vac on ht wa
have not heard the chairman of the committee up n
this subject and trust that the ASsemDH W Of this
commi,fee and then. when have heard him. let
us pass this resolution tApplause)
AT hal:-past II O'Clock the discussion of the report
of the committee of which Dr. Roberts was chairman
was resumed.
tary, said
Mr. Moderator and Brethren: do not intend TO %,
sneak 10 the resolution Of reference ! intend TO
speak 10 my report. leaving the Assembly, "l. IT. H
trr,her remarks of mine TO the advlSdbty OF inc
reference of this matter second time 10 inc com
mittec. That is in your hands ana snouiu Dc t,cIv
without further influence from me as chairman OF
The committee What l desire 10 do Is, rs nave
stated 10 address YOU directly upon the repnrt 'nst
you ste anT The nrs is this that revision issue
did not enter into the Preparation OF @ report nr
pared legal principle, purely fully ana ianh ny
corr pondence and face 10 face, and the dlmcutles
which confronted the committee before they came
to a conclusion We're not the dlthcHItles conne'tSn
With thc revision OF ;hc Confession OF Faith, but the
differences in opinion constitutional matters when
y0u have heard expressed 10y various members OF ms
BODY. A. many you know. The chairman OF me
committee has been an anti rcvi>ionist, standing ny
hi, colors until he had been 50 surrounded that ne
fne second matter preliminary to the report which
desire To present to NOu j. TINS the great diner
ence between private opinion and authoritative IN.
depreciation. What may say thl, morning is simply
my opinion. What any other brother may say is
simply IN, opinion. The only authoritative inter
probation Of the Constitution or OF the Adopting act
here to-day, brethren. supreme Court OF ne
Church. TO determine whether the Interpretation
gwen in the past by the General Assembly, III IN"
matter Of constitutional methods Of amendment i
RANT and proper. You can revise the past II y oi
this point. therefore, that you should nave You
attention drawn 10 the difference between priVs."
opinion and authoritative Interpretation. lou are
70 act individuals. but as General Assembly,
i now proceed deal with the body of the report
! desire 10 take UP first Of all the Adopting act and
ask what it " have Bn'ssdd ob l2T e act tS Of Isl
ana desire YOU should consult these slips a. ! make
my argument The punctuation may vary some.
General synod. but whether il does does not Is
Of no consequence. Punctuation doc, nC5 couht ID
What want is not punctuation, by the true IN
tent and meaning Of the General synod. 49,
no, been real to You Nou have been mislcd a. ="
What il j. hold in my hand tho true Adopting act
regard ard tie entlr documcnt which Ia, been d.
trilutcd as the Adopting ao hu the question = VIVA,
enacted the Form Of Government and The Zoo" ~
Discipline as the It nda'is Of the Church You have had
Win the word Resolved halfway down. The trlc
Adopting act /, 10 be found preceding thai word
rhc synod having fully con.iicrct the draugh' q
III. Form Of GOV rnmc ami III pline twh had le :
laid before IL by H. Spe dl o"ihi,l'@ a,g
and ,dopt The same as now altercd and amended, ~
TIE Constitution OF the Pre'bytrian Church i9
America. and order n" SIN" Z, b. con-ldrrh ana
>tc,y observed Tie r1lc Il their proceed MS bl
al rial * The Ad5p'ing act Thai is the statute rs
which The Form Of Government aud Book 81 Discipline
became onr ,9pdAa OF E aScpa the N qa e
the synod ordered rhat correct copy hc printed.
altered be printed In full along with IT, a. making
part Of the Constitution. We hayo now had me
adopted DO You notice that IN il there j. ~ stat"
mcnt tlat the confession Of Faith wa adopted. The
the ADOPTING act Of 1888 the only Adopting at
passed Is tie General synod. This IT, however. not
re f ,o WI" i6e 10 ~ Of i7 reanse ~, in M year
1749 Giy nine year, before The scs'.na Of the Gen
re- Ciy " Philadelphia. nd adopted ne Confession
q Faith and TIE Larger and shorter Ca,cchisnis The
rc'd - adopt the Confession 81 Faith boz l7-s. Al
ilat wa done simply 70 make certain alterations
anyvhcr-, in the mute, Of the General synod after
NJ yr,r 1923 {, simply IN the way of reclamation.
act 81 l3:0 II IS As follow,
And do therefore agree that all ministers Of the
lion o. the Comics lon Of Faith with the Larger and
shorter Catech,m Of the Assembly Of Dyincs at
,sry articles good forms OF sound words and system
of Christian doctrine and 30 also aH0pt IN" said Con
ie,l Son 1 V lave NO adopns acs the one Of 10
for doctiai standards and the other Of l1-7 for the
standards ~ government. We VIII now tax" mp the
matter Of method, OF amendment. have shown
YOU What the true adopting act5 are, and that the
SYNOD altered the COME sion of Idti ana established
a form OF government. and further while IA session,
As Indicated by the Adopting act, exercised the right
~ alteration ard Of amendment surely they did not
intend to deprive the Church III The iuturc OF TINS
power Of alteration and amendment which they had
tI"mselvc, exercised. Ihcl WOMB not nave been
rca sonaLlc men had they 50 done They would have
failed Of that outlook into the future which all large
hearted aud lbcralminded men ever tahc. Having
themselves adopted "a new form Of government and
altered the Confession OF Faith. they would not have
shut up the Church Of the future 10 an entire lack
- power OF action IN these particulars II they so
aid As ,o,ne alcgo then, for one. would be ready
H. undertake what some brethren here have called
revolution (Appause The past generations have no