The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-04-11
(. REVISION DBFBA9BD
By a Strong Majority il Wash
ington Ptesbytery,
REVS. CUNNINGHAM AND BARR
or this City, Mako Forcibic Ad
dresses Against tho Movement.
Tho Vote Stood 10 to 17-Ycs.
tcrdny's Proceedings.

The presbytery OF Washington took
a peculiar freak Wednesday night and
decided to finish up with the revision
question that night although 1t had
been made special order Of business
for yesterday morning. Rev. Dr.. D. A.
Cunningham aud Rev. L. W. Barr, both
OF this city made addresses against revis.
ion, aud aiterthcy Ind finished, although
1t was almost midnight, t. vote was
taken with the following result: Ayes
Ministers I, Elders 10, total, II; Nays
Ministers 22, Elders 20. total. IL. The
vote shows conclusively that the subjeC,
OF revision is not looked upon favotably
in Washington prcshytery, which senti
ment Is voiced by all tho pfcsbyteries in
J Western Pennsylvania.
Dr.. Cunnineham's address was q mas.
terfnl effort anu was held buck till The
later end OF the discussion by those on
his side OF tho question. Following art
some OF the strong points OF the address
"'Do you desire revision Of the Con
iession OF Faith" In my opinion til,
| negative answer IL wise and should BE-
adopted by this Presbytery. Had ]
been asked the question when | wa:
licensed and ordained. to preach thu
Gospel l would have answered it Ii
the negative. Ilad been asked 1t n
the reunion OF the Old and New Sohoo
Presbyterian churches twenty years agc
would have answered it in tho mega
tive. Had | been asked ii at the Cen
tennial Assembly in Philadelphia two
years ago | would have answered it II
the negative. Now, after tho subjec
has been ably discussed by both sideI
for nearly year by editors, theological
professors, pastors and eminent laymen
and after having read and reread aut
studied the Confession OF Faith until |
has become means OF grace 10 my soul
| answer no; thousand times no.
at seems to me that the difficulty !,
formulating or revising any confession
OF Faith lies in tho trouble of determiu
ing the actual breadth and depth ant
heighth OF the import OF Scripture state
ments, taken not in fragments, but as .
whole body OF religious doctrine, henc,
! must say it is matter OF secondar,
Importance. we must, however, re
member that We nre In the midst OF NJ
aye OF unrest and change. Old belief
are being sil.ed. 1t is thought that i'm
provements can be made. Nineteenth
century men gre dissatisfied with Seven
teenth century ideas; hcpce We must b,
exceedingly careful and cautious.
In closing DR.. Cunningham said
Nov, therefore, when l am asked
DO you desire revision OF the Con
ieaslon Of FaithT I answer no. for thu
following reaaons, among cthers%
! !. Wo have fully tested the old Stan
arl in the centuries gone by, and hay,
always triumphed under it. =.
I .. That 10 open the door now for re
vision, when it is evidentthe,e are SOM
| Ito say the !eastl semi.Armcnians il
our pulpits and In some chairs OF on
Theological Summaries, would expos,
us to perilous risks; better frat eliminate
from the body what ia unsound lant
heretical, before we begin to revise.
3. Revision cannot increase the prac
| teal efficiency OF the church, nor lmakl
her testimony stronger in behalf Of tn,
truths OF evangelical christianity, Will,
it might cause a serious obstruction t,
| the future union with other branches o
the Presbyterian family, especially il
the South where our work il marret
and cur forces are weakened by beinj
divided. a5la4 st'
i. Tho cry Tor . simple 'Yorkablc
Christian Greed, easy to read and to IN
ders!anl, with al mystery explained o,
eliminated, all hard doctrines removed
| is wild reach after the impossible IL
fact, and the impracticable in Stain,
the truth. sSg
5. 1t is vain to dream OF remoyin.
popular misunderstanding, or meelius
the demands OF the day by any eucl
revision as is proposed. 'f,ss.Ei Z
Q. We should not open the door fol
revision, because 1t will weaken the
charch, destroy her defences, cancel be,
testimony, and place her in position
to DO hopey-eonbed with all sorts OF be-
liefs and d:shelieis,
7. The rcasors urged for revision are
not conclusive nor forcible. Tho Con.
tesslon does not minimize the divine
love, as has been again and again clearly
shown. The much debated phrase
ELECT infants is certainly compatible
with belief that oil iniants dying in
infancy are saved, and needs no Change.
Both election and preterition are clearly
taught In the Scriptures, and 1t Is lin.
tied intelligence which cannot see that
'prsferilion' is the necessary counter.
part Of election. We cannot deny pre-.
teritlon without denying election, and
eGeGtual calling, and Almighty regen.
Grafton. saf's,' ~ -
8. We have as sound theology In the
Westminster Confession as can be made,
II the Presbyterian body in the United
States should abandon the old flag that
has Kept up tho courage Of multitudes
OF confeSsors and martvrs GU the battle.
tieid and in the flames OF martyrdom,
intidelity would rejoice and skepticism
proclaim IFS final triumph over evangel-
lcal religion. 1t would be, in my
humble opinion, . sad day for
our grand historic Church, which has
stood forth for centuries as the witness
and champion Of Bible truth, il, under
the Leadership oian ambitious thcolocian,
or under the influence OF any scornfui
criticism, she shall reach forth her hand
In the endcayor to mold her Confession
to suit the taste OF an unbeleying and
a passing world. The spirit Of tho day
is:matevlal altogether too light and pcr.
tshable to enter into the confession OF
the Church Of Christ; that church which,
instiuctwith the life Of her eternal Lord,
measures her duration by His own
grand days, each OF which is thousand
years. ,, ,F ~ :
"Dr: B. B. Warfeld, Of Princeton Theo.
logical Seminary. says; The proper posi-.
ton now for men who desire neither doc.
trinai nor ecclesiastical revolution, is BY
the side OF those who find the old Con.
lesion good enough. The logic Of
events has driven the question into n
new phase. And the real question ,,ow
before the Church, ia no. 'May the CON.
lesion be conceivably improved some.
what III expression, form OF statement
or minor matters" but, Is the old Con.
lesion on the whole, lair statement of
the system Of doctrine wa believe ?-on
the whole an acceptable banner under
which We may fight? 1t will be a ca.
iamity if the modern reyisionists do not
recognize the altered posture OF affairs