Evening journal., 1890-05-20
THE REVISION QUESTION
Temporarily Postponed by the
Presbyterian Convention.
OPEN DEBATE WAS CURTAILED.

work Among the Colored People.
SARATOGA, May 2O.--At the Presbyterian
general assembly the order Of the day was
the consideration Of the report Of the com
mittee on methods of etfecting changes In
the constitution and confession. DIR. Kemp
shall, Of New Jersey, offered the following
resolutions:
Resolved, That the report Of the com
mittee be and Is hereby referred back 10
the committee with instructions to recon
slider and report back to the assembly;
also, that seven new members, to be ap
pointed by the moderator, be added to the
committee.
Resolved, That all amendments to said
report be referred TO the committed y
To save Time.
DR.. Kempshall explained that the objec.
of the resolutions was to save the valuable
time of the assembly, and not to shut off
the voices Of those who wished to speak to
the pending question. lie added, however,
that in prolonged debate 10 was just pos
sible that little personalities might crop
out to disturb the peace and harmony Of
the assembly.
He said that the chairman Of the com
mittee had not been consulted with regard
to the resolution to recommit but he had
no doubt II met with his approval
In Behalf OF Peace.
DIR. Herrick Johnson, OF Chicago, thought
it was remarkable circumstance that the
chairman of the committee had not been
consulted. He was opposed to the motion
DIR. Patton, of Princeton college, second
ed DR.. Kempshalls resolution in behalf of
peace, harmony and hrotherly love. For
that reason only, he added with emphasis.
A motion 10 lay the motion on the table
was lost The question of recommittal
was deferred, and the matter dropped to
allow the assembly to listen TO the rending
Of the report of the freedmans committee
| by the chairman, DIR. Morris, Of Lane sem
| mary, Cincinnati
Work Among Co1ored People.
| DIR. r.. II. Allen, of Pittsburg, secretary
| Of the board, spoke for half an hour on the
good work accomplished by the board
among the cclored people. During the
| year 1873 missionary ministers and III
teachers were ordained Nine churches
were organized, making the total number
now under the care Of the board 245 The
total receipts for the year were s116325, a
gain Of 81, ,Tsl over last year. The report
and its recommendations were adopted.
Compelled TO Surrender.
Debate on the question Of the adoption
Of DR.. kempshall's resolution was then re-
sumed. DIR. Roberts. of Cincinnati, chair
man Of the committee Of methods of chang
ing the constitution and confession, Sc
cured the floor He said said he desired to
speak directly to the report, and not to the
motion TO recommit He wished to state
emphatically that the question Of revision
did not enter into the preparation of the
report In the slightest degree, Gas you all
know he concluded, ''the chairman of
this committee had been an anti-revision-
ist, standing by his colors until he was
compelled to surrender by his brethren.
The adopting act has not been read to the
assembly, and II has been missed regarding
it," DR., Roberts then proceeded to read
and explain the adopting act Of 1Tss.
IL Was Not "RevoIution."
"Surely," he said, "the synod did not in
tend to deprive the church in future of the
, power of alteration and Amendments No
person has the right to speak Of the PROPOSE
tion to amend or revise the constitution
and confession Of faith as revolution ,
! tApplause) / insist that reason applied
20 the adopting act as a whole shows it
! simply TO be a provision by which the
church can amend or revise (Applanse.)
We want freedom in the details OF church
administration. See to it, brethren, that
you maintain this heritage that has been
given TO you from your fathers. We are
told that the report is revolutionary. /
deny the fact. Its recommendations are
not without precedent. What the COM
mittee has done Is simply to recommend
you not TO overthrow the adopting act I
am neither Of the old school or the new.
/ am for the church of the future. All pri-
vate opinion should be reiegated where it
belongs--to the catacombs of the past.
Let us enact a rule that will stand for the
good OF this grand old church"
Tho RESOLUTIONS Adopted.
Dr. Kempshall's resolutions were then
adopted by an almost unanimous vote and
the report of the committee on methods OF
changing the constitution and confession
! was recOmmitted.
At the afternoon session the committee
on methods of effecting changes in the
constitution was instructed to report on
Thursday morning. The moderator an,
nounced the following additional members
OF this COMMITTEES; Drs Henry j. Var
Dyke, Francis L. Patton, Herrick John
son, X. NJ Patterson and Elders George
Jenkin, Judge Taylor and Henry Day.
Two bishops Elected.
. CT OTrrr Mo4r on kI,a