The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-09
The Churches in 1889.

Churches. The list of conferences, as
sembles, conventions, synods, is a long
one, and there have been some interest
ing discussions, among which that in
the Presbyterian Church (Northernl on
revision Of the Westminster Confession
has attracted most attention.
The Presbyterian churches in Great
Britain have already settled this ques-
ton for themselves-one by the adop-
ton of a "Declaratory Statement,'
showing in what sense the West
minister doctrines are received, the
otherby formulating new creed; while
the two chief branches in Scotland, the
Kirk and the Free Kirk, have not yet
decided how they will meet the grow
ing demand for relief from an outgrown
theological formula. The Presbyterians
in this country had hardly got ready
for discussion Of the subject when the
Presbyterian General Assembly, which
met in this city last may, suddenly and
quite unexpectedly resolved to submit
an overture to the Presbyteries to OBJ
tain their views on revision. The
Presbyteries were asked to say whether
they wanted revision, and if so how
much. The discussion began at once
before the Presbyteries had time to act,
and both ministers and laymen rushed
into the arena in favor of and against
revision. The first Presbyteries to eX-
press their views voted against revision.
New Brunswick Presbytery, which
embraces the great thologians of Prince
ton, declared for the Confession as it is.
Later, New York Presbytery, the
largest in the Church and carrying on
its list the Faculty Of Union Theologi-
cal Seminary, voted strongly for revi-
sion, the Presbyteries of Brooklyn and
Cincinnati taking similar action. So
far about forty-five out of two hundred
and eleven Presbyteries have spoken
and they are for revision three to one.
Whether this ratio will hold good in
the rest of the Presbyteries may be
doubted; but it looks as though the
constitutional two-thirds might be
obtained for revision. Those asking
for revision agree that the Confession
needs modification in at least two
respects. They want the passage re-
lating to "elect infants" so revised as to
preclude the idea that any dying in in
fancy are doomed, and that respecting
reprobation so changed as not to say
that God for his own good pleasure
"passes by' those whom He has not
elected to save. The discussion also
shows that considerable number of
ministers and laymen would prefer a
now creed to revision.
The Northern and Southern Presby-
terian Assemblies, unable to agree to
reunite, adopted scheme of co-opera-
ton in home and foreign work. The
great obstacle to revision is the caste or
race question. The Southern Presbyte-
rians wish the colored ministers and
members to be set apart by themselves,
but the Northern Assembly refuses to
consent to the drawing Of q color lire.
The color line has been a dominant
question in two bodies, the Congrega-
tional and the Protestant Episcopal.
White Congregational churches IN
Georgia show desire to be in q con.
ference by themselves, but the National
Congregational Council advises them to
admit the colored churches into their
practical fellowship. The Episcopal
General Convention was asked not tc
sanction the efforts being made in Vir-
ginia and South Carolina to set che ne.
groes apart in missionary jurisdiction,
but the convention declared that ii
could not interfere in the affairs of the
dioceses. 1t affirmed, however, the
equality of all Christians.
The Episcopal Convention adopted
finally number Of changes in the
prayer book, and passed others over tc
the next General Convention for final
action. Itrefused to change the name
of the church. and recomittcd its
revised hymnal for further revision.
Among the other notable conferences
were the Lutheran General Council
the Lutheran General Synod, the Lu'
theran United Synod, the Univcrsalist
! General Convention, the National Uni
} tartan Conference, the Free Baptist
General Conference, the United Breth'
: rem General Conference, the Genera
: Christian Conference of the Evangeli
cal Alliance, and the Catholic Congress:
> il Baltimore. The latter was in celc-
!; bration of the centenary Of the organi
ltion Of the Roman Catholic Church
, in the United States. 1t was opened by
imposing ceremonies, two cardinal!
Officiating. and a Papal Legatc being
present Pontifical mass was celebrated
: sermons were preached by Archhishops
Ryan and Ireland, papers were read hy
prominent Catholic laymen, and ut tie
close of the Congress tha Theological