St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-17
SHALL THEY REVISE
Presbyterians Discussing the
Creed at Red Wing.

Creed at Red Wing.
Special to the Globe.
RED Wing, April 16.-The spring
meeting of the st. Paul presbytery
opened here last evening with about
thirty delegates and ministers in at
tendance, this number being to-day
nearly doubled. DR.. A. T. McCurdy, of
Manchester college, was elected moder-
ator, and Rev. William C. Covert, of st.
Park, temporary clerk, and the retiring
moderator. Rev. John Donaldson. ID. d..
of Minneapolis. then delivered his SER
mon. This mornings session opened
at $3.50 O'Clock, with services conducted
by Rev.D.J Burrell, pastor of the West
minister church at Minneapolis, follow
ing which came the consideration Of
routine business. The reports pre-
scented showed that eight new churches
had been added and 1,626 new members,
an increase of 545 over last year.
Standing committees were appointed as
follows: Judicial, j. B. Donaldson, G.
L. T. Thompson. E. V. Campbell; on
leave of absence, p. L. Jones, III. E.
Hayes and Elder Brooks: on seasonal
records, twenty-seven members named.
The pastor al relations between Rev. w.
Fl. Albright and the First Presbyterian
church of Saltwater were, oh MIR. ALI
bright's request, dissolved. The home
and foreign mission committee reports
were accepted and the general assembly
was overturned to authorize the appoint
ment of an additional secretary to the
board of foreign missions. who shall be
known as field secretary" whose duty
it shall be to visit SynodS and preSby-
teries, especially west Of the Alleghen-
les. The reports on Sabbath school
work, of the committees on education
and church erection were con-
Sidered. and the moderator was
asked to fill all vacancies in
the committee on foreign missions.
more reports were presented at the
opening of the afternoon session, and
the election of delegates and alternateS
to the general assembly meeting fol-
lowed. These were chosen: Ministerial
delegates, Rev. d. j. Burrell. Rev. NJ.
ID. Edwards, Rev. r. f. MacLaren;
ministerial alternates. DR.. t. A. Nc
Curdy, Rev. Plato L. Jones. Rev. J. c.
Robinson; elder delegates, ID. A. Myers,
c. E. Vanderburgh, j. c. Henning;
alternates, F. E.Bryant, ID. M.Williams,
L. H. Dixon.
Then came the question of the meet
ing: ''Shali the Westminster confession
of faith be reyised?'
DR.. Edwards. from the committee on
revision. presented report, in sub
stance. as follows: A wider statement
of Gods love is desired; change OF
section 2, chapter 3. was recommended,
also that chapter 10 be so altered that it
may not seem to any that some infants
dying in infancy are lost, nor appear to
assert that none of the heather are
among the elect: that the words 10Th
ers.' before that of ''idolators," be
omitted in chapter "a; that in chapter
% all after the words ''be led there
Of" This report was signed by Maurice
Edwards, Joseph McKibbin and John B.
Donaldson. Rev. r. Christie, d. D., of
st. Paul, offered a substitute, which
was discussed the rest Of the afternoon
This substitute is. in substance, as fol-
lows: TN reply to the question of the
general assembly, In what respect and
to what extent the preSbyterv would
consider revision that. as portions OF
the third and tenth chapters are the
chief occasion of stumbling, and since
there seems to be very grave doubt as
to whether it be best to change the
statements themselves. we recommend
that these be set forth in a declaratOry
act:
First-What the Presbyterian church holds
and teaches respecting Biblical teaching in
the divine DEGREES in their bearing upon the
destiny of fellow-man.
Second-What she holds and teaches re-
gardiug the salvation of infants that die i'll
infancy.
Third-What she holds and teaches re-
speeding the love of God to all men and the
Obligations that rest upon the church to
preach the gospel to all the world.
Fourth-When such declaratory act shall
be constitutionally adopted it shall be in
serted in our Confession of Faith, and sub
scription to the confession by all ministers,
ruling elders and deacons shall be made in
view of the explanations contained in said
declaratory act.
The presbytery would further recommend
that III chapter Oh section g. the word
''other' before ''idolatOrs" be omitted, and
also all that follows the words be had
thereof in chapter %, section e.
Dr.. Christie spoke most el0quently in
favor of the substitute. as did also Rev.
w. M. Donaldson. The committees re-
port was upheld by Rev. j. Woods. DR..
Kirkwood was opposed to any change
in the confession. Rev. l.. Richter ia
vored revision; Joseph Williams OPP
posed it. The session then closed for
supper. This evening the discussion
was resumed.