Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-05-25
PLAN OF REVISION.
THE GREAT ASSEMBLY REACHES AN AGREE
MENT.
The Standards Of Faith Must Not Be Touched
Great Committee to be Appointed TO
Perform the WOrk-The Assem-
blys Instructions.

Assembly to-day, DR.. Thompson of New
York, moved that the report of the Com
mittee ON the Consensus of Greed be the
first order after the vote on revision. 1t
was objected that this would occasion much
debate, but the motion prevailed After
report from the Committee on Bills and
Overtures, DR.. McCosh, ex-President OF
PRINCETON College, was introduced and was
received by the Assembly rising. DR.. Err
skine, Chairman of the Committee on
Method of Revision, then read the report
of his committee, as follows:
THE METHOD OF REVISION.
''To the Moderator aud Members Of the General
Assembly:
Your committee respectfully report that
thev have unanimously agreed upon the
following preamble and resolutions, as the
adoption of which they recommend:
WHEREAs-The last General Assembly
directed an overture to be transmitted TO
the Presbyteries in these words: First
Do YOU desire a revision Of the Confession
of Faith! Second-If so, in what respects
and TO what extent. and
WHEREAs-It appears from the report OF
the special committee appointed TO canvass
the answers of the Presbyteries 10 said
overture, that 1874 Presbyteries have an
swered ives" to the said question; there
fore, be it
Resolred. First, that committee COM
posed of one member of the Assembly from
each Synod, to-wit: nineteen minister's and
ten elders be appointed by the moderator
to nominate to this Assembly committee
consisting of fifteen ministers and ten
elders. which shall be called 1.-The AS
semblv's Committee on Revision of the
Confession of Faith which committee,
when constituted by the General Assembly,
shall consider the suggestions made by the
Presbyteries in their answers TO the sec
ond of the above questions and formulate
10 the General assembly of 1891, such altera-
tions and amendments to the confession OF
faith as in their judgment may be deemed
desirable.
Second-This Committee on Revision
shall meet at call of temporary chairman
TO be named by the moderator, and shall
upon meeting appoint their own temporary
chairman, and shall have power TO NIL va
cancies.
Third-This Committee on Revision is
instructed TO meet at an early date, not
later than October 81, 1890, and diligently
10 pursue its work, that ii may report
promptly at the meeting of the General AS
sembly in 1884, and
MUST NOT TOUCH THE STANDARDS.
WHEREAS, Sixty-eight Presbyteries have
answered ''non To the first OF the above
questions. and sixty nine Presbyteries OF
those answering yes have expressed that
they desired no change in the Confession
of Faith TO beFmade that impairs the in
tegrity of the system of doctrine taught
therein, therefore,
Resolred, That this Committee on ke-
vision be and hereby are instructed that
they shall not propose any alterations or
] M vii
the integrity of the Reformed or Calvlmstlc
system of doctrine taught in the confession
of faith 49,,
All of which is respectfully submitted.
TSipnedl EBFNEZER ERsKINE. Chm'n.
Henry McCracken, Francis l.. Patton,
Everard Kempshall, Henry Day, George
:. Graham, James II. Torrey. Committee.
DR. Erskine said that every member OF
the Committee approved this report.
Great applausel. In opening the discus
sion he expressed gratitude OF God Tor the
success of the Committee in agreeing upon
il. The Committee recommended only the
restriction of the Committee TO the
matter suggested by the Presbyterles
and TO the Calvanistic or Presbyterian doc
trine. DR.. Kempshall said that this move
ment is the work of the same divine spirit
who mas enabled and moved us TO agree so
blessedly with regard TO the revision OF
our Creed DR.. Roberts said that we
bought to take the lead, as we are the strong
est of the reformed bodies, and that 1t
would be better for us to draw up and pro
pose such creed to the other reform
bodies. Elder George Jinkin spoke earnest
lv in opposition to the idea of doing more
work in the direction of making creeds OF
any sort.
THE MOTION PREVAILS.
DIR Patterson advocated the motion. He
voted for the appointment of the committee
this morning, because he was sure 1t would
fail. but he thought that concensus creed
for popular and many other uses would be
good thing. The motion, after much dls-
cussion as to its scope and effect, was
passed by a large majority.