Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-17
FAITH REVISION.
Deliberations of the Presby-
terian Assembly.
Report of the Committee on
Revision.
The Debate Opened By President Pat
ton of Princeton. ~
Question Whether the Legislative Power
Belongs to the Presbyteries or the
General Assembly.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

L
bly, this morning, the standing commit
tee was appointed. The committee on
the liquor traffic in the Congo state
reported that they had tried to get con-
gress to use it's influence against the
traffic, but as the United States was not
party to the Berlin treaty, no action
could be secured at present.
1t was voted that the action by the
presbyteries on the question OF revision
be referred to a special committee. One
hundred and thirty-two presbyteries had
favored the proposed revision; sixty-six
opposed it; seven declined to vote, and
eight had not reported.
The committee on publications made
two reports. The majority favors the es-
tablishment of Presbyterian publish
ing house as an economical measure
Referred.
The committee on increasing the sup
ply OF efficient ministers reported that
for every three churches organized one
had died. This was mostly for the lack
of efficient means; the total number of
these dissolutions being 900 since 1871.
1t was recommended that schools for
Bible readers and other lay workers be
organized, and that fit laymen be IL
censed to preach, and theological semi
naries are authorized to consider the ex-
pediency of providing special courses for
promising young men who have not had
classical training. Made the special or
der for Sunday.
Tho folIouriDr oo,,,,oi ittao on oo,xyo
ing the votes of the Presbyteries on re-
dent Patton, of Princeton college; DR..
HI. M. McCracken, New York; Rev. DR..
Edwards, and Elders Bradley and Thorn
ton.
The committee on the method of effect
ing changes in the confession of faith
and constitution of the church reported
unanimously substantially as follows
The church, speaking officially through
the Presbyteries, can alone determine
with authority the questions at issue ;
therefore the committee recommends
that the questions be transmitted to the
presbyteries, whether there shall be
added to the forms of government chap
ter XXIII of the amendment, providing
for the proposal by the general assembly
to the presbyteries of amendments or
alterations in the form OF government,
the book of discipline and directory for
worship; but that these shall not be
obligatory unless the majority of all the
presbyteries approve Fin writing; that
alternating doctrinal standards shall not
be proposed to the presbyteries unless
they have been under consideration for
one year by committee of not less than
fifteen ministers and elders, not more
than two of whom shall tbe from one
synod. No alteration shall be made in
the provisions of this chapter for
changes in doctrinal standards, unless
an overture from the general assembly
proposing alterations be transmitted to
all the presbyteries, to be approved in
writing by two-thirds of them. The
assembly must transmit to presbyteries
any overtures submitted to it. An
amendment so submitted and approved
shall go into effect at once after the
general assembly shall have certified
the fact.
The committee also recommended
that the presbyteries be directed to
answer the overture as whole, by a
single yea or nay, to be reported to the
clerk in time to be presented to the next
assembly.
President Patton, of Princeton, prin-
cipal of the theological seminary, in
opening the great debate on the report,
said he objected to two of its features.
First-It denies to this assembly its
legislative rights. What are we here
for, if not to legislate?
Second-This takes away from the as
sembly not only the right to legislate
but also that of deliberating. Suppose
one-third of the Presbyteries overture
the assembly for any given change in
doctrinal standards. This report gives
the assembly no option. 1t must send
down the overture to the Presbyteries,
and if two-thirds adopt or approve it
the assembly has no choice but to de-
clare the change, no matter how radical
or revolutionary, adopted
In Moore's digest OF the Presbyterian
law we read the following declaration
''The assembly orders that the West
minister confession is and is to continue
to be our law, unless two-thirds of the
Presbyteries oppose the changes desired,
and in that case the assembly is to
enact that the change be made" 1t
does not declare it only, but enacts it..
You cannot make change in any way
that invalidates an adopting act.
In conclusion he said: 'I implore
the assembly to move slowly in these
critical times, when single false step
may lead us we know not where, and in
volve us in difficulties we dare not an
ticipate."
Rev. DR.. H. Van Dyke of New York,
was delighted with the report, saying
there is no line in the digest that confers
that power. The presbyteries existed
before the general assembly, and never
gave it legislative power. There can be
no action to change the standards, ex-
cept by mutual cooperation between the
assembly and presbyteries. The report
seemed to him (Van Dyke) peace
measure, prescribing fair and practica-
BILE method of coming to an understand
ing.
DR.. Van Dyke added that for twenty
five years he had been growing con-
vinced that revision was sure to come.
You can no more stop it than you can
keep back spring by piling up last win
ter's ice."
Judge Wilson, Of Philadelphia, spoke