Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-05-29
THEBATTLELOSTA AND WON
1T HAS BEEN WON BY THE REVISION
lsTS BUT THEIR TRIUMPH IS sHoRN.


ion battle is lost and won. 1t has been
won by the revisionists, but their tri-
umph is shorn to great degree of the
fruits of victory. They have achieved
their object in securing revision, but
they have secured it under restrictions
which in some respects nullifies this re,
suit. The committee on revision whose
appointment is secured is limited to lines
which curtail changes greatly desired by
the ultra revisionists, but not by all.
Thus far shall you go and no farther, y
says the anti-revisionists, and their die
tum is embalmed in the very act which
authorizes changes in the confession of
faith, as on Saturday the time occupied
by the business which took precedence
of the all-absorbing topic was mani
festly grudged by the assembly, although
in this case an address by the venerable
DR.. McCosh on subject ordinarily had
at heart, formed part of the preliminary
proceedings. There was a palpable ex-
preston of relief when these were con-
cluded, and the Rev. DR.. Erskine,
Chairman of the Committee
of seven, to which had been confided
the three propositions of Professor Nc
Cracker, DR.. Patton and Elder Day. in
respect to the appointment of revision
committee, mounted the platform.
After announcing the pleasure it gave
him to present the report the committee
had prepared, he sketched the process of
its preparation. Each member of the
committee, he said, first made out a
statement of his individual views,
which he submitted to the rest. After
mutually considering these several
statements, the committeeman COM
pared the propositions of Drs. McCrack-
en- and Patton, and Elder Day section
by section. After thorough compari-
son they considered the alterations and
eliminations proposed and finally came
to unanimous agreement as to every
section of the report he was about to
present. He hoped the general assembly
would be equally unanimous and adopt
it without a dissenting voice. DIR.
Erskine then read the report, which is
as follows:
The Resolutions Adopted.
Resolved, First, That a committee COM
posed of one member of the assembly from
each synod, to wit: Nineteen ministers and
ten elders be appointed by the moderator to
nominate to this assembly committee con-
sisting of fifteen ministers and ten elders,
which shall be called ''the assembly's COM
mittee on the revision of the confession of
faith" which committee, when constituted by
the general assembly, shall consider the sug-
gestions made by the presbyteries in their an
swers to the second of the above questions,
and formulate and report to the general as
sembly of 1891, such alterations and amend
ments to the confession of faith as in their
judgment may be deemed desirable.
Second-This committee revision shall
meet at the call of temporary chairman, to
be named by the moderator, and shall, upon
meeting, appoint their own permanent chair
man, and shall have power to fill vacancies.
Third-This committee is instructed to meet
at an early date, not later than Oct. 81, 1890,
and diligently pursue its work, that ii may
promptly report at the meeting of the general
assembly of 1891.
Resolved, That this committee on revision
be and hereby are instructed that they shall
not propose any alterations and amendments
that will in any way impair the integrity of
the Reformed or Calvinistic system of doctrine
taught in the confession OF faith.
The Assembly Becomes Excited.
The report was received with ap-
plause, which was repeated when DR..
said:
II heartily move to accept and adopt the re-
port, and join DR.. Erskine in the hope that it
will be carried unanimously" Cries of 'ques-
ton" were Immediately raised. Without
needing them DR.. Erskine said: I'm answer
to our prayers l believe the Divine guidance
has been vouchsafed to this assembly in bring
ing US to a unanimous conclusion, or one
nearly unanimous, as to the questions which
hpfOrp hxy
this report, while we took heed as to the sug-
gestions in the propositions under cOnsidera-
tion, we have proposed no further instructions
TO the revision committee in addition to those
offered in the answers of the presbyteries
than those contained in the last paragraph of
the report. This contains the only instruction
to the committee which the assembly is asked
to adopt. | hope we will all unite in this
[Cries of question: When we do, the answer
will go forth TO the world that the Presbyter-
ian church has not renounced the system of
doctrine which is has held from the beginning
Applause mingled with cries of question.l'
A Minister Beats a Retreat.
81 move you, sir, the question be now
TAKEN formally said one delegate. Be
fore it was seconded the Rev. DR.. Booth
arose to q question of privilege, and the
Rev. William BrentOn Green, Jr., of
mounted the platform to
make speech. He was assailed by such
a storm of demands for vote that after
looking doubtfully at the shouting dele
gates he beat retreat. DR.. Booth had
sat down by this time and the modera-
tor now put the adoption of the report
to vote The vote was standing one,
SO DIR. Booth did not remain seated long.
He was almost the first to rise when the
1n1
except perhaps DR.. Patterson, arose with
him, and as DR.. Patterson kept his seat
when the nays were demanded, there
were no votes in the negative. The
''Doxology' was now sung and Modera-
tor Moore gave thanks for the unanimity
that continued to mark the proceedings.
The Committee Appointed.
The moderator announced the follow
ing committee, which will nominate the
actual committee of revision: H Ham |
bleton Hunter, synod of Atlantic; Benja-
min F. Bittinger, Baltimore; William
A. Alexander, Catawaba; Frank V. |
Mills, China; Robert Douglass, Colorado; |
Curtis G. Strong, Columbia; William G. |
Roberts temporary chairman), Illinois;
Thomas Tracy, India; Henry B. Sayler, |
Indiana; John Edwards, Indian terri |
tory; William G. Donnan, Iowa; Lewis
[. Drake, Kansas; James Barbour, Ken
lucky; John T. Oxtoby, Michigan;
Daniel R. Noyes, Minnesota; Frank j.
Baird, Missouri; Samuel P. Davidson,
Nebraska; Nathaniel w. Voorhees,, New
Jersey; Samuel D, Fulton, New Mexico;
George Alexander, New York; James
NJ. Anderson, North Dakota; Daniel H.
Evans, Ohio; Henry B; Gage, Pacific;
Ebenezer Erskine, Pennsylvania; Elliott
L. Dresser, South Dakota; Samuel 7.
Wilson, Tennessee; Henry S. Little,
Texas; T. Werner Moore, Utah; Everett
}. Eastman, Wisconsin. The commit
zee at once went into session. The COM
nittee on bills and overtures reported in
avor of a consensus creed, which was
unanimously adopted. The assembly
hen adjourned.
THE SOUTHERN CHURCHMEN.