Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-23
Reports from the Committee on Amend
ments to the Confession

Reports from the Committee on Amend.
ments to the Confession,
SARATOGA, May 22d-The General Pres.
byteiiaD Assembly received the report from
the Committee on Amendments to the
Confession OF Faith and Constitution. The
committee reported in substance as follows
Amendments or alterations in the form OF
government, Book of the Discipline and
Directory for Worship, may be proposed
by the General Assembly to the presby.
terles. but shall not be obligatory on the
church unless majority of all the pres
byteries approve in writing This over
rules the proposition formerly made by
the anil-revislonists that the presbyteries
alone could make overtures unasked by
the assemble.
The Chairman ofthe committee explained
the report. lie said it was a compromise
on both sides. Three different methods
may be used II the amendments were de-
sired, while formerly there was but one:
First-If two-thirds OF the presbyteries
approve of the change the General Assem-
bly, shall enact
Second-It is made obligatory on the as
sembly to submit TO the presbyteries any
overture submitted to it by one-third of
the presbyteries
Third-Nothingi the chapter proposed
by the committee shall be construed to affect
the right of twothirds of the presbyteries
to propose amendments or alterations of
the Confession of Faith. or of the General
Assem- bly, to agree TO and enact.
The same committee unite in submitting
the report.
DR.. Patton said be was entirely satisfied.
Discussion rose over the method of class
lhcation adopted by the committee in can
yaslng the answers of the presbyteries DIR.
McCracken made the affirmative 135 and
the negative 81. including Albany and Sac
ramento in the affirmative list, instead of
the negative. The classification of these
two decides whether two-thirds have or
have not desired revision. Dr. Patton ex-
planned the classification. DR.. EcOb, of
Albany, protested against the classification
OF that presbytery. Judge Thornton, of
San Francisco, of the Canvassing Commit
tee, defended its report. The report was
referred back to the committee
The report of the Revision Committee
was adopted. The committee to canvass
answers concerning thequestion of revision
then reported that 1S3 Presbyteries had
voted IN the affirmative, 6S in the negative,
5 had failed to vote, Z declined to vote, and
in two Presbyteries there was tie vote.
Eighteen Presoyteries were willing to leave
the question OF the extent of revision to
the General Assembly, 16 desire supple
mentary creed, and Is desire creed which
Will represent the concensus of the doctrine
OF the reformed churches, but will not in
terfere with the present standards. Of the
133 that voted IN the affirmative, 81 ex-
pressly said that they desired no revision
which impairs the system of doctrines con-
tanned in the Confession of Faith, LOG de.
sired chapter 8 on the DEGREES to be
amended, l02 desired the paragraph on the
elect of infants amended, II desired more
explicit statement or decree of Gods great
love to the world. and A desired an explicit
statement of the church's duty IN the work
OF evangelization of the world
A resolution to provide for the appoint
ment OF Committee of Revision to pre-.
sent to the next General Assembly a re-
port mbodying such changes in the Con-
fession of Faith in a form ready to be
overturned to the presbyteries as will meet
the present needs of our church, as these
needs have been made known to the pres
byteries in their answers to inquiries pre-
sented to them by the General Assembly
of 1890, was made the special order for to.
morrow.
REFORMED PREsBYTERIANs.
PITTsBURe, May 22d.-The General Sy-
nod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church
convened here this morning. Its purpose
is to bring closer together the various
branches of the Presbyterian family.