New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-11
REVISION.
HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT.

isI9lthl VI liz NV IMENl.
Not merely Prcsby,crians. bnt Christians Of
every name, are interested in the great contro-
Nersy over confessional revision which has been
gong on in tl-c Presbyterian Church during the
past year. and which will eliminate in the General
Assembly OF the Church TO nee. in Saratoga on
thursday Of this week There two reasons
fcr the Widespread interest ia this question. In
the iirst place. the Presbyterian Church is. OF all
Inc PROTESTANT denominations. perhaps. the most
conservative in clneing to lis old beliefs and old
traditions This is so much the case that the
present general movement in favor of revising
and possibly dropping some of the old beliefs
comes on the public rs surprise.
In the second place the revision agitation has
become something more than a dcnounatonal
question, because it indicates an un.
settling of old ideas ami old beliefs
In all the Churches. The remarkable and I'M
suspected growth of the desire for revision in the
lrcsbytcTan church IL not sporadic fact much
less is 1t an accident, II is most intimately re-
lated to the whole onward movement Of modern
CVlliz"d lie. conservative as tic Presbyterian
Church is, 1t has found itself compelled to 90
with the mighty and rcsstlcsS current OF modern
thought II is. indeed. true That il has not gone
down this current swiftly as have some otlcr
bodies But that its movement has been consid-
cradle is now evident 10 all. And this is why
all Christians and, indccd all intelligent men, fol
low the movement with such interest,". II CON
servatsm itself has slipped fiom its moorings.
they say, what is 10 be the ultimate resting
place Of those Churches which long ago badr
good by 10 conservatism
But widespread as is the interest in the com
ing debate on revision, there arc large num-
hers OF people who have only vague idea 10
hat, 10 l..
revision movement originated. brief cxplana-
zion as 10 both these points will therefore be in
order.
First 70 what is 10 bc revised The answer
is, the Confession of Faith adopted by the West
minister Assembly Of Divincs. The 4th of Deem
Der. 1916 This famous synod Of Calvinistc the
ologians called together by the Long Parlia-
mcnt on July !. 1853 and remained in session
till February -. lGi9. Some Of the members
belonged 10 the Church Of England but most of
them We're Prcshytcrians and nearly all were
strong Calvinists. II approved OF the Solemn
League and Covenant. already adopted in Scot
land. and put forth Directory for Public Wor-
ship. But IFS most important work the
Confession of Faith which has had such pro-
found influence on Prcsbytcriansm throughout
tho world. and which may almost he said 10
have created a distinct type Of religious life
This confession was finally adopted in August
l647. and the two catcchisms in july. l6is.
These formuarics have been adopted with slight
notifications ny all The Presbyterian churches in
the world. The Shorter Catcchism was intro
duccd into Ncw-Englnnd by the Puritans. and
formed the basis Of the celebrated New England
Primer, which for nearly two centuries was tho
only recognized book Of instruction for the young
II has been sal that 'hc Westminster Confession
is not formally C,lvinistic creed This is
true. But as q matter Of fact. ts trainers We're
50 deeply tincurcd with Calvinism that they could
not help putting good deal OF - into their creed
and. as matter Of fact. Nh" Westminster
Confession has always stood rs the hulwark Of
Calvini>m. No ore who hollis Arminian views
could ccnsciruiiously subscribe to u II is also
true that there IS nothing IN the Confession
indicating that il j. the final uttcIancc on the
subject of Christian belief. But whether rightly
or wrongly, /; has been So regarded by a vast
number OF PrcShl icranS. who have explained
their rcvcp'ncc FOR IT by saying that Il is simply
stat"mcn: in bricf IF the teaching OF Scripture.
Even to-day Their" Prcsby tcrians who take this
view Of IT, and So believing. they naturally look
upon those who desire b. rcvis' or modify the
Confession mics OF the faith
The piopricty Of making some revision Of Tie
Confession N order 10 bring II more in harmony
with modern ideas. especially the questions
Of election. the s.lv. ton OF unbapti1rd infants,
and the fate Of The heather 10 whom Christ was
never preached. has for many year, beer dis
cusscd in other Presbyterian churches. BIT up
70 l@@1 II was not for moment suspected that
there was any dcsIrc for revision in The Prcsby-
terrain Church in tAi> country But in that year
an overture presented t. the General Assem-
bly, from the PIesbytcry Of Nassau, Long Island
asking that proper steps DE taHcn for "A revision
Of the third chapter iOf Gods Eternal Decree
Of the Confession of Faith. with special nfcr-
cnces 10 sections 3, 4, c. and - Hu' the Assem-
bis was prcoccupicl with is centennial cccbra-
tion and did not take much interest in the
matter In fact II came very near being shclyed
and II was only By accident, so 10
spcak. that the friends OF the overture secured a
reference OF the question 10 the ncNt General
Assembly. During the intervening year the Mas
sau rrrshyt"ry by circular letters. sought To in
tcrcst other prcshytcrics in the question: and as
result Of This FIFTEEN Of the 2ll prcsbyrcrcs sent
up an overture tie question. OF these ff-
teen, four were from cw-York. two from Texas. |
one each from Colorado. Nebraska and Iowa. and
the remainder from the older West. The really |
influential prcsbytcrcs 50 called wcrr not found
'''"'''H '''''' '''"' @fi' apparently 10 p'hA |
Church leader was at the head Of the movement. |
Nevertheless. the fifteen oVcrturcs attracted the
attention Of the General Assembly and the COM |
inlttcc TO which they were referred presented the
report. which adopted
Whereas Ovcrturcs have come 10 this General |
Assembly from fifteen prcsbyfcrcs viz : |
Matioon B'llefontainc, Lake superior. Boulder. |
Portsmouth, Dcs Moncs, Dayton. Grrcva. Ne
hraska city. Lansing. Troy. Trinity. Logansport.
Austin and Syracuse. asking for some revision of |
the Confession Of Faith and
Whereas In the opinion Of many of our min |
lstcrs and people some forms of statements in orr
Conicssl0n of Faith are liable to misunderstanding
and expose our system of doctrine 10 unmcIItcd |
criticism and
Whereas. Before any definite steps should be
1lt. ~ IL Ai..1D -.r.I. l.. III