Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-25

VIII Affect the Calyan1stlc character OF stand
/ ards. lGreat applause. desire this, first, be-
cause want the assembly to reafirfn its convic-
| tons; second, want the COMMITTEES to feel that
the hand OF the assembly is on them. ! know
something about committees, because have
been there. I want instructions that the
| change shall be confined to what is necessary to
remove popular misapprehension as to the
sense OF our confession. The minority cannot
| get what they want; that is, we want no changes
at all, and you of the majority can't get all you
want, at least harmoniouslY; then take
what you can get harmoriously.
wish the assembly would emphasize the
denial that we believe in infant damnation. or
that 1t is our standard. -
BE offered an amendment TO DR.. McCracken' $
plan, providing for the committee of revision.
containing not less than fifteen, of which not
more than two shall be appointed by any one
synod, and to report to the next assembly alter
atoms to be sent down to Presbyteries, said
committee to be restrained from proposing
changes such as will alter the Calvanistic char
acter of standards, and to propose only such as
will remove popular misrepresentation.
Mr. Day Of New York read an amendment to
both DR.. McCraCSen'S and DR.. Patton plan,
which provides for committee OF revision OF
fifteen ministers and six elders, the moderator
OF this assembly to appoint one member of this
moderator z committee of nomination of this
committee of revision. said committee to meet
not later than October 81 1890, and report to the
next general assembly.
On motion of DR.. johnson it was voted that
ali other orders of business should be laid aside
until the final vote was reached in the appoint
men of the committee of revision.
Rev. DR.. Van Dyke Of Brooklyn said: IT
can't divest myself Of the profound impression
that the Presbyterian church. in whose bosom
was born, has come to great crisis,
and yesterday I trembled, but after hear
ing what DR.. Patton has said, nv fears are
all allayed. The grand constitutional revision
train starts to-day, and will stop to take on
passengers at Princeton junction, but not for
refreshments. DR.. Patton is wise, he has fore
seen the evil and hid himself, This train will
not stop until it reaches San Francisco"
He opposed restricting the committee rs to
the changes it may oppose, and expressed
hope that the committee would not be made too
large.
Dr.. Morris of Lane theological seminary said:
81 have never seen more manifest token OF
sion. We are at this moment unit. The manly.
address of Brother Patton has swept away al
most every difficulty. We are, by this acquies-
cence OF the minority, sure of revision.
NORTHERN PREsBYTERIANs.
SARATOGA, N. Y, May 24.-The Presbyterian
general assembly this morning adopted without
a dissenting vote the plan for the appointment
of q revision committee.
In the Presbyterian general assembly to-day,
after listening to a little speech by DR.. McCosh,
ex-president of Princeton college DR.. Erskine,
chairman of the committee on methods of re-
vision, read the report of his committee, as fol-
lows:
To the Moderator and Members Of General As
sembly:
Your committee respectfully report that they
have unanimously agreed upon the following
preamble and resolutions, the adoption of which
they recommend:
Whereas, the last general assembly directed
an overture to be transmitted to the presbyteries
in these words:
l. Do you desire revision of confession Of
faithP
2. If SO, in what respect and to what extent
and,
whereas, it appears from the report of the
speech of the committee appointed to canvass
the answer Of the presbyteries to said overture,
n
the first question, therefore be it
Resolved, l. That the committee composed of
to wit: nineteen ministers and ten elders,
be appointed by the moderator TO
nominate to this assembly a committee
consisting Of fifteen members and ten elders,
which shall be called ''the asseWblys' commit
tee on revision Of confession of faith
which committee when constituted by
the general assembly shall consider the sugges-
tons made by the presbyteries "a their ans wers
TO the second of the above questions, and for
mulate to the general assembly of 1891, such al
terations and amendments to the confession of
faith as in their Judgment may be deemed de-
sirable.
call OF the temporary chairman, to be named by
the moderator OF this general assembly, and
shall on meeting appoint their permanent chair
man, and shall have power to I'LL vacancies.
3. This committee on revision is instructed TO
meet at an early date, not later than October 81,
1890, and diligently 10 pursue its
work, that it may report promptly at the meet
ing Of the general assembly in iS9i, and,
Whereas, siIty-eight Presbyteries have an
swered mo- to the first of the above questions,
and sixty mine presbyteries OF those answering
yes have expressly said that they desire no
change in confession OF faith to be made that
impairs the integrity of the system of the doc
trine taught therein; therefore be it
Resolved, That this committee on revision be
and is hereby instructed that they shall not pro-
prose any alterations or amendments that will
in any way impair the integrity of the reformed
or Calvanisuic system of doctrine taught in con-
fession OF faith. All of which is respectfully
submitted.
[Siguedl, EEENEzEB ERsK1NE,
Chairman.
HENRY MCCRAoKRN,
FRANCIS L. PATTON,
E. KEMPsHALL,
HENRY DAY,
GEORGE s. GRAHAM,
JAMES q. ToRREY,
Committee.
DR.. Erskine said every member of the commit
tee approved this report. The report
adopted by rising vote unanimously. after
which the doxoIogy was sung and the moderator
offered prayer of thanksgiving. The moder-
ator appointed q nominating committee of nine
teen ministers, ten elders at once, naming DR..
William @. Roberts of Illinois as chairman.
This committee was called by the chairman to
meet at noon to nominate the permanent COM
mittee. Their report will be given Monday.
DR.. Roberts said that overatures of twenty-six
presbyteries in favor OF The new concensus
creed should be referred to o committee Of nine,
who shall invite cooperation Of the reformed
bodies in preparing short, clear statement of
the points in which all reformed churches are
agreed-not substitute for but supplement to
the Westminster confession. 1t must contain
the essentials of reformed faith and be the basis
of union and cooperation by all afiliating
bodies, especially in their work in foreign lands.
DR.. Roberts said: 1--WE ought to take the
lead, as we are the strongest OF the reformed
bodies. and it would be better for us to draw up
ana propose such q creed to other reformed
bodies.'
The motion, after much discussion, was
passed by large majority.
The committee on theological seminary made
q report which told of the cheering progress in
the thirteen institutions Of this church, and
urged liberal aid for those schools which are
training German and colored ministers. Tho
recommendation OF report was adopted
SOUTHERN ASSEMBLY.
Special to the Gazette.
AsHEvrLLs, N. c.. May 24.-The Southern
general assembly, eighth and ninth days. Rev.
D. P. Robinson Of Palestine, Tex, was by the
assembly fully restored to the ministry and
communion OF the church.
The Alabama Indians of Polk county, Tex,
was taken under the care OF the assembly's
home mission committee.
The Louisiana lottery was unanimously con-
derned by the assembly as an unmitigated moral
evil.
A field secretary for the colored evangelistic
work was ordered to go before the churches and
solicit contributions for this work.
A stringent paper on the Sabbath, and espe-
cial1y Sunday papers, passed the house.
Ninth day-Adjourned this morning to meet ct
Birmingham. Ala.
Ceremonies at Richmond.
Special to the Gazette.
R1cHxoSD, VA, May 2l.-The States news
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