Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-23
THE PRESBYTERIANS.
Revision of Faith Under Con-
sideratiOn.
The Committee on Amendments
Makes Its Report.
The Work of Revision to be Cau-
tiously Proceeded With.
Reformed Presbyterians Meet at Pitts
burg in the Interest of Church Unity.
Th7 Southern Branch.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

Associated Press Dispatches.
SARATOGA, N. Y, May 22.-At this
mornings meeting of the Presbyterian
general assembly, the committee on
amendment of the confession of faith,
reported, recommending that overtures
be made to the presbyteries for the in
sertion of new chapter in the form of
government, to effect such amendments
or alterations in the form of government,
book of discipline and directory for
worship, as may be proposed by the gen.
eral assembly to the presbyteries, but
they shall not be obligatory on the
church unless majority of all the pres
byteries approve thereof in writing; that
amendments or alterations Of the confess
sion OF faith, and the larger and shorter
catechisms, may be proposed to the
presbyteries by the general assembly,
but shall not be obligatory on the
church unless approved in writing by
two-thirds of all the presbyteries,
and agreed to and enacted by
the next ensuing general assembly that
the necessary amendments or alterations
OF the confession of faith, or larger and
shorter catechisms, proposed by the gem
eral assembly, shall be transmitted to
the presbyteries. The general assembly
shall appoint to consider the subject a
committee of ministers and ruling elders,
in number not less than fifteen, of whom
not more than two shall be from any one
synod, and the committee shall report
its recommendations to the general
assembly next ensuing for action; that
no change in this proposed new chapter
shall be made except upon avote of two
thirds OF the presbyteries; that upon an
overture from one-third of the presby-
teries it shall be obligatory upon the
general assembly to transmit to all the
presbyteries any overtures for amend
ments under this new chapter, and if a
majority of all the presbyteries vote for
such alteration, it shall be made.
Second. Shall section p, chapter II,
be stricken out?
The members of the committee are
unanimous in the report. having made
concessions on both sides.
In answer to a question, DR.. Roberts,
of the committee, said they could not
drop the Westminster edict by two
thirds vote. The report was then passed,
with but one dissenting vote.
DR.. Patton, of Princeton, chairman of
the committee for canvassing the
answers of the presbyteries on revision,
read report. There were 1874 that de-
sired revision and sixty-eight that did
not. The others declined to answer.
Many desired it, but stipulated that the
Calvanistic character of the standard
should not be altered.
Considerable discussion arose as to
the classification of the presbyteres
Albany refused to answer as to revision,
but desired a new creed, to be used side
by side with the old.
DR.. McCracken made the affirmative
135 and 81 negative, including Albany
and Sacramento in the affirmative, in
stead of negative.
This is a very important point, as the
classification of these two decides
whether two-thirds have or have not de-
sired revision.
Judge Thornton, of San Francisco, of
the canvassing committee, defended it's
report.
DR.. McCracken, of the committee on
revision, offered series of resolutions
providing for the formation of commit
tee to report upon all desired changes in
the confession of faith, to the next
assembly. He said in all the synods,
except five, there is strong balance of
opinion in favor of revision.
Elder Day, of New York, gave notice
that tomorrow he will move an alterna-
sive plan of constituting the COM
mittee, which plan shall be printed and
distributed before that time.
The committee on church union rec
commended continuance of negotia-
tions with the Episcopal and other de-
nominations for closer relation and
cooperation.
A number of reports were presented.
The committee on Sabbath observ
ance represented Sunday newspapers as
a desecration of the day.
The board of church erection fund re-
ported that the number of applications
for aid this year exceeds that of any
other. They were for two hundred
church buildings and thirty-nine man.
ses, and called for $136,543, or $l9,2SS
more than last year. The board has
helped 1874 churches in twenty-five syn
ods and ninety-two presbyteries. OF
the states that received more than ten
grants Minnesota had Is; Kansas and
California IA each Indiana 13, and Ne
braska II. 1t was recommended that
$150,00O be raised for the next year. S
work.
Rev. James NJ Anderson, of North
Dakota, spoke of the fight with the lot
terry people, and the service rendered
the cause by the fact that Presbyterian
church buildings could be used for
meetings in opposition, when those in
favor of the scheme had pre-empted
every other audience room. He expected
that there would be another similar
struggle next fall.
Reformed Presbyterians.