The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-17
THE PRESBYTERIANS.
Interesting Views en- the CUES.
ton Of Revision.
CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS.
The immigration Question Discussed What
Its Evils Ara The Nun of Kenmare-A
Catholic Bank Scheme.

49,
5hls morning standing committees We're APP
pointed. The committee on the LIQUOR
traffic in the Congo state reported that they
tired to get Congress to use its influence
against the traffic, but as the United States
is not party to the Berlin treaty action
could not be secured at present. 1t was
voted that the action of the Presbyteries
on the question of revision be referred to q
special committee. One hundred and thir-
" TWO Presbyteries had.favored, the pro
posed revision, sixty six opposed it; seven
declined to vote and eight had not reported.
Inc committee on publications made two
reports. The majority favor the establish
ment OF presbyterian publishing house as
an economical measure. Referred.
Inc committee on increasing the supply
OF efficient ministers, reported that for
every three churches organized. one had
died. This was mostly for lack of efficient
men and means to pay them. the total nom
per OF these dissolutions being I,099 since
1871 .alt recommended that schools for Bible
readers and other lay workers be organized
ana My mea be ensconced to preach and
that theological seminaries be advised to
consider the expediency of providing spec
lal courses for promising men who have not
mad a classical training. 1t was made tue
special order for Sunday, and the following
committee on canvassing the votes of Pres
pyterles on revision was appointed: Presi-
dent Potter, of Princeton college: DR.. H.
M. NcCracken, of New York: Rev. Dr..
Edwards, and Elders Bradley and Thorn
ton.
Inc committee on the method of effecting
changes In the confession of faith and con-
s6ltutlon OF the church reported unani-
mousty substantially as follows: 1.-THE
church, speaking officially through the
Pfesbyteri5S can alone determine with
authority the questions at issue therefore
the committee recommends that the cues
lions be transmitted TO the Presbvteries
whether there shall be added to the forms
OF government chapter xxxiii of the
amendments providing for proposal BY
the general assembly to the Presbyteries
OF amendments or alterations in the form
OF government book of discipline and dirsc-
tory for worship, but that these shall not
be obligatory unless a majo rity of all the
Presbyterles approve in writing
Ihat alterations in doctrinal standards
snail not be proposed to the Presbyteries
unless they have been under consideration
Tor one year by a committee Of not less than
fifteen ministers and the ruling elders, not
more than two Of whom shall be from any
one synod. No alteration shall be made in
the provisions of this chapter for changes
IN doctrlnal standards unless an overture
from the general assembly submitting the
proposed alterations be transmitted to all
the Presbyteries, to be approved in writing
by two thirds of them. The general assem-
oly must transmit to the Presbyteries any
overture submitted to it by one third of all
the Presbyteries. Any amendment so sub
mltted and approved shall go into effect
Immediately after the general assembly
shall have certified the fact.n
The committee also recommended that
Presbyteries be directed to answer the
overture as a whole by simple yea or
nay, to be reported to the clerk in time TO
be presented to the next general assembly.
president Patten, OF Princeton Theologi-
cal seminary, IN opening the great debate
on the report, said he objected to two feat
ures lit denied to the assembly its legis-
latlve rights. What are we here for if not
to legislate? 2-This takes away from the
assembly not only the right to legislate but
also that OF debating. Suppose one third
OF the Presbvteries make an overture to
the assembly for any given change in doc
trinal scandals. This report gives the as
sembly no option. 1t must send down the
overture to the Presbyteries. and if two
thirds adopt or approve it, the assembly
has no choice but to declare the change. no
matter how radical or revolutionary,
adopted.
In Moore's Digest of PRESBYTERIAN law we
read the following declaration of assembly
orders that the Westminster confession is
to continue to be our standard unless two
thirds OF the Presbyterians propose the
changes desired and in that case the as
sembly is to enact that the change be
made. 1t does not declare it only, but en-
acts 1T. You cannot make change in any
way that 1nvalidates the adopting act.
In conclusion, DIR. Petten said: II i1nplore
the assembly to move slowly in these criti
cal times, when a single false step may
lead US we know not where, and involve us
in difficulties we dare not anticipate
Rev. DR.. Henry Van Dyke of New York.
was delighted with the report and did not
accord with the views of DR.. Patten. He
denied the legislative right of the assem-
bly, in saying there is no line in the digest
that occupies that power. The Presby
terry existed before the general assembly
and never gave it legislative power. There
can be no action to change the standards
except by mutual cooperation between The
assembly and Presbyteries. The report
seemed to him (Van Dyke, a peace meas
ure prescribing fair and practicable
method OF coming to an understanding.
DR.. Van Dyke added that for TWENTY-FIVE
years he had been growing convinced that
reunion was sure to come. ''You can no
more stop it than yon can keep back the
spring by piling up last winters ice.''
Judge Wilson, of Philadelphia, spoke as
a member of the committee. He said the
report was not made primarily TO favor re-
vision or anti-revision. 1t was framed as
the best way to extricate the church from
conflict, as to the force and meaning of
adopting the act, which has gone on ever
since the enactment. 81 In making the re-
port we aimed to keep what is vital and at
the same time to put great essential
principle forever hereafter be-
You'd dispute, except by those
bound to have fight ANYWAY
The report does not interfere with the
legislative power of the assembly, if it
had any, but on the other hand gives it
greater power of conservation and regula-
ton. Practically, any amendment to the
standards must be formulated in the assem-
bly,, because the Presbyteries have not the
needed facilities for consultation. They
may propose, but the assembly must CO
ordinate the three propositions. The as
sembly ought not to have such legislative
power as to let amendments be pro-
posed by one-third of the Presbyteries
and adopted by two-thirds President
Patton has no legal foundation for his ar
gument that the act is an unalterable law
of church. Gould not the power that made
it repeal it? Adopting the act seems to
have been carefully framed for the very
purpose of facilitating orderly members.
and not by any means to be straight
jacket that could never be enlarged and al
tered except in shape.''
Judge Junkin, of Philadelphia, spoke
against revision, and the matter went over
until tomorrow.
Southern Methodist EDjsconaI Church