New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-09
THE NEW CREED.
WHAT THE PRESBYTERY DID.
CHANGES SUGGESTED THAT SEEM URGENTLY
NEEDED AND GENERALLY ASKED
NEW STATEMENT OF DOC
rRINE ASKED.

NEW STATEMENT OF DOC
rRNE ASKED
The Presbytery of New-Yorl, which is conceded -
be the most influential of the more than 200 PresDy-
teres in the General Assembly has just closed an I'M
porant session. The meetings were FED IN tne
scotch Presbyterian Church in West Foufteenthst'
and day after day for than two weeks the large
building filed with clergymen, theological students.
church officers and the laity. At first few women,
perhaps dozen, sat in the galleries, but before tho
adjournment scores of the fair sex were among the
interested listeners only in the galleries, but In
the body Of the house well.
The unusual attraction was the debate arising over
an overture sent from the General Assembly, when
met in this city last May, to the Presbyteries read
ing thus:
l. Do you desire a revision Of the Confession
.. If so; in what respects and to what extentf
The first question answered in the affirmative
in November, the rocall, after six hours debate,
resulting in vote OF 81 to 10 Then a committee
was appointed to prepare an answer 10 the second
question, with instructions to report In December
President Thomas :. Hastings. of The Union Theo-
logical Seminary, having offered the resolution which
prevailed in reference to the first answer made
chairman of the committee. Associated with nm
were the Rev. DIS. Howard Crosby, II. r. Booth G.
L. Thompson, C. II. Parkhurst, r. F. sample, George
Alexander John c. Bliss and X. d. Harlan and three
elders Henry Day. John c. Meker and Moses W. Dodd.
The committee made concessions before formulating its
answer until a unanimous report was reached.
The paper was ordered printed and copy sent To
every member of the Prebytery that it might be thor
ougy dgested before January 90 the day set for tho
discussion Thinking that there might be several
speakers it was decided to meet daily until all who
desired to speak had received opportunity of doing
So No one thought the meetings would last more
than two or three days, but twelve days were taken
up with the discussion and the voting.
Dr. Hastings read the report a second time when
the Presbytery met in January and advocated the
adoption Of the recommendations submitted by tho
committee These were in substance: Two chapters
In the Confession, the committee said should be re-
vised two Others the committee would be glad to SEQ
modified while a creed, brief, simple, scrptural'
I'm which the love of God should be the central feature
and which might become the common creed OF tho
Presbyterian and Reformed churches Of the world,
suggested a supplement to the Westminster
Confession.
The committee reported that it would regard with
apprehension any attempt to remodel the Confession
as endangerng the Presbyterian system Of doctrine,
and il recommended only such changes as seem TO Us
urgently needed and generally asked The Third
Chapter, which teaches according to the view oil the
rcvlslonists that God passes by" some men in the
bestowmcn Of salvation, it would have recast after
the first section 50 asto include these things only Tho
sovereignty OF God in election, the general love OF
for all mankind the salvation in Christ Jesus pro-
vded for all and to be preached to every creature
The Tenth Chapter from which the logical inference
is drawn that infants not saved, and that all
the heather are lost, it would have revised. The
chapters relating the Roman Catholics 1t would Ike
to changed.
Professor william NJ Paxton, of Princeton Sem.
mary, who was formerly a New-IOrk pastor and Is
still member Of the Presbytery, opened the battle
for the conservatives lie declared that the old Con-
.ho at,,rat araiD Nvhi
waves Of error had broken for more than two CEN
turies and denied many Of the charges that have
been made against il by the advocates OF revision.
Ills main objection to the report that IL mutilaed
the old Confession and favored new one. In his
speech, DR.. Paxton referred to the writings Of Pro-
fessOr Philip schaf. of Union seminary, to prove one
Of his points. As soon as he had taken his seat
Dr. schaf rose and replied to his argument.
DR.. John Hall had been understood to favor the
report when it first read but on the second day
the debate he ont unreservedly against IT, and
at became the leader Of the conservative party
As chairman Of the committee DE- Hastings was rec
ognzed as the head OF the revision party and by gen.
er consent the end Of ten days these leaders closed
the formal debate. DR.. Hall spoke for half an hour
and was followed by DR.. Hastings. Dr.. Hall made an
effective plea for the standards of the Church, which
he has upheld for forty years both sides of the
Atlantic. He denied that good people, especially
young students lost 20 the Presbyterian Church
by the hard doctrines
All Of the Union Seminary professors except DR..
Shedd who was ill., spoke for the report. DR.. Briggs
that lie would not vote for the report were II NOT
that il recommended a Greed Dr. Schaufier IN
sisted that the only question to be considered this,
Does the Confession as whole lie closely 10 tho
Bible. "a a whole, as can make it nel7 Since he
docs not believe ii does he fav0rs Il revision. one
Of the ablc>t papers real the given by Pro-
fcs-or Marvin Il. Vincent Every member Of the COM
mittec whose report was hcng discussed with the eX-
samples attitude caused even greater surprise than
Dr. Halls. Until his name was called II was sup
posed that he would vote in the Affirmative but be-
cause he could not with all the recommendations
made he voted against H..
Or. Parhhur>t and Dr.. Henry van Dyke spoke
el0Qucuty i'm behalf Of revised Confession IN which
Crosby said that the doctrine of preterton-GOds
passing ~ men in the orer Of savation-was fearful
DR. Charles :. Robinson. Or. j. Ford sutton, DR..
Ramsay. of Harlem Professor Stevenson. OF the
Tniver,tv Of the CITY OF New York Dr. J. VI. Worrall
and Or. Wyle were among the conservative speakers
The vote on the second answer was % to AZ In
favor Of the report on the question o a new Greed
no record OF the number Of votes taken but the
majority was apparently larger than tha for the other
part of the report. Ne VIM IL b laf tSre -,
weeks that will be sent 70 the General Assembly
al Saratoga in May
~ Resolved that Prchytery the first ques-
tion i'm the Affirmative und Fstaudnc the word revision
IN he used broadly compromising any Confessional
changes.
t2). The Prcsbytcry would regard with apprehension
any a.tnpts To remodel the Confession OF Faith,
dprccae most earnestly all such changes a. would impair
e., ti,l article, OF our faith contained IN that Con-