Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-04-24

the overture, ''Do You desire revision pf tue
( CunftssionP'i he answered In the negative,
| which, If adopted, renders unnecessary the
consideration OF the secOil question. The
tensions Tor this recommendation are:
I ]. thet this preebylery believes tho Confess
slun Of Faith III Its present form rs transmitted
10 us by our fathers 10 bp clear, comprehen-
/ siye and faithful expression of tho dos
4 trines reYeaIei in the Holy Scriptures, aud
dcprecatos any revision of the confession
TINT would so modify its phraseology as pos
sibly 10 impair the system of doctrine therein
/ cont ined,
. Because that If revisioi Of the confession
! bu undertaken there is danger that import mt
changes be made that would imp 'ril the unity
, oil the church by causing another division.
4 g. Berausr revision, II it result In numerous
changes, will likeiy pace In jeopardy funds
invested IN the seminaries and other institu-
/ tons ri the church given on the condition of
adherence 10 tito standards as they then were,
and cause vexatlous litigation.
Tnis recommendation was adopted by
TIE vote given.
The majority report was si9ned by the
Rev. S. A. Gayley, D. D.. the Rev. W. P.
Peterson nkd Elder Nicholson, This
minority report, favoring revision. which
WAS signed by the Rav Albert n. Kelgwin
an DR.. LsTis 2. Bush, -a= - follows:
Your committee appointed to consider the
ov 1rtIire, sent dpwu 70 the presDyieries by the
last General Assembly, not being able to
agree, we VINO were in the mi ority would re-
sp"ctiuhy beg leave to submit the following
report:
WHEREAS, wc yield to none in our high ven-
craft II for the gndly men who formulated our
cUrtes sion OF iaith yet believing
l. That they, ~ reliable incu, wcro infu-
enc6d by their environment IN rra hing their
conclusions init they overlooked some i'm
orlHut loct ines uf the Sc ipiuteE aud laid
too IN lcb cinph sis on offers. And
:! That the proof texts W re hnrriedly col
luted and In many Instances are Inappropriate
ns proofs Of the do trinns stated and often
thkeA out o. th'ircanneGton, ana
b That he church fit this timo needs fuller
ani more evanlp ict statement Of the love Of
tOd and the mi 4iou of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and ui the obligations OF the church to the
world, and
4. hat d confession OF faith ought to be OF
such a character ts will be heartily received
and understood by he people Of our churches,
Eud not require Il long dialectc exposition to
unrlvel, as is the case with our standards in
their present form, and
8. That the cause of Presbyterianism
w0u!d bo greatly advanced In the world by
some changes in its ST nnards OF faith. There
fore We would recommend the following
answers be returned:
10 the first question, viz $40 yun desire 4
revision of the confession Of idith7" The
. answer he .. q do"
10 tho second question, iii so in what
respe #, ana 10 what extent!" Tho answer bt
/. We desire that a chapter be incorporated
that will clearly and perspicnously set forth
The love Of God for all men; the bnndant pro-
visions for the salvation ot all in the fedeinp.
tiOn that is in Jesus ;hrlst; and that those who
finally perish viii sutfng for their slns.
:. We d sire sIcl revision Of tho third
chapter, MS will exhibit the sovereign grace Of
Col in salvation without the necessity of dis
/ claiming hat God is the author OF sin: and
1 such as will exclude the doctrine Of preteri
: ton; and stirh rs Will rcner unnecessary tile
! eighth section: and iinnly that the chlpter be
sn constructed as to be consistent with the irct
ofer oil salvation 10 all mankind.
: ,, There arc Alth doctrines taught explicitly
or by iinpl cation in the confession which are
other not sustained by amy word OF God or else
/, by some doubtful Interpretation Of isolated
texts. which In Otlr judgment should be omitted
! from tn standards. For Instance, the words
I "Who is altogether passive, DO, in chal Ter
= section y tUc word "elett' before 'intants ali'
other persons, chapter TO- section y the whole
. of section 4, rhA i.ter TO- beginning 'Others no
!, elected -, the whole OF section 4, chapter Il
, beginning "EOd did tioin all eternity, decret
i tO hastily all the elect and tho whole OF see
. ton e. chapter 10, beginning works done b!
unrecouerattI I'd mem"
9 4. lii oGr Judgment the whole IN tier of re
: vision shOtll ne paced by the General Assem-
bly, in the hands Of large and Judiciols com
: mit,ec, so That there will be n careful attention
: 10 Language aud symmetry In The revision: ant
: that no uucLrinp essential To reSbytorianisu
be removed from the confession.
). ana In these answers We do not desire to bt
: un lcrstG1d as Wishing that the confession shal
l. hc changed in any way thHt would seem Il
ue OEnlH IRON the sovereignty of God, bu
I, iheftly tp rcIcve that doittias from the rn
Z tGnglemsne p.nceI upon 1t by human logic
! la tire abs ace OF iiessrs. KeigS!n aa(
: BuSl, II. i, Jhylpr Ut CSAlrhl Cnurcu pre-
y sentel the minority report and defended 1t
a., II was also ably daisnced Dy other mem
ber5 OF the pTo5pytsry.
r The Rev. W. p. Patterson, who was no
Il present, wrote a letter stating his position
a on the question of revision, and his vot
was recorded sraidst 1t. Toe kav. jaime
Conway o. Port Deposit, who was not pres
y enr when tbs vote Tgs taEen, was presen
!. yesterday gni was permitted to have hi
voto recorded against revision. This mad
!. the vote 33 70 Il.
a All OF the four delegates to the Genera
Assembly are auti-revislonists. Five vote
n were required 10 elect them.
n At yasIerday'5 session tha following busi
u neas was transacted: The Rsvs. j. 8. Ma
!. lone and W. P. Swartz were appointed
a committee to prepare letter to the ehuEc
4 on family rs ston.
: Fraak E. Willisms OF Chesapeake City
: who has aeu attending Prlacston Taeoiog
!. ieal Seminary, waS enrolled rs a licentiate
Vi J.v. X. Wells OF Milford, Del, was takel
/. In the cure OF the presbytery.
i The dslesaes from this city returnel
homo last evening.