The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-05-31
ENDED TN HARMONY.
Report of the Committee on
Method Of Revising the
Greed Adopted.
A Committee to Be Appointed
to Report on Revision at
the Next Assembly.


DR.. McCosh, ex-president Of Princeton col
lege, and Rev. George d. Matthews, general
secretary of the reformed alliance, former
~ of this country, but now ofLondon.
DR.. Erskine, chairman OF the committee on
method Of revision read the report Of his
committee, as follows: N
Your committee respectfully report that they
have unanimously agreed upon the following
preambles and resolutions, the adoption OF
which they recommend:
an overture to be transmitted to the presby-
teries in these words: First, do you desire a re-
vision OF the confession OF faith! second. II SO IN
it appears from the report OF the special com
mittee appointed to canvass the answers OF the
IP ss;se ners s to sala o vert" e TIN faa AL ~ d,1 prssoy.
Resolved, That a committee composed Of one
member OF the assembly from each synod to VII,
by the moderator to nominate to this assembly
q committee consisting Of fifteen ministers and
ten elders, which shall be called 1.-THE assembiy's
committee on revision Of the confession Of
faith" which COMMITTEES. when constituted by
the general assembly, shall consider the sugges-
tions made by the presbyteries in their answers
formulate to the general assembly OF
1891 such alterations and amendments to the
confession Of faith as IN their Judgment may be
revision shall meet at the call Of o temporary
chairman, to be named by the moderator OF
this general assembly, and shall, upon meeting,
appoint their own permanent chairman, and
shall have power to fill vacancies. Third, this
committee on revision il instructed to meet at
an early date, not later than Get; 81, 1890, and
promptly at the meeting OF the general assem-
And whereas, sixty-eight presbyteries have
tions. and sixty-nine p~resbyteries of those an
swering yes have, expressly said that they de-
sire no change in the confession OF faith to be
made that impairs the integrity Of the system of
doctrine taught therein, therefore W.
Resolved. That this committee on revision be
and hereby are instructed that they shall not
propose any alterations Or amendments that
will In any way impair the integrity of the re-
formed or Calvinistic system Of doctrine taught
in the confession Of faith.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
In opening the discussion he expressed
thanks to God for the success of the COM
mittee in agreeing upon it. The commit
tee recommended only the restriction Of
the committee to the matter suggested by
the presbyteries, and to the Calvinistic or
Presbyterian doctrine. h report was
after which the doxology was sung with a
will and the moderator offered q prayer of
thanksgiving. The moderator appointed
the nominating committee of nineteen
ministers and ten elders at once, naming
DR.. William c. Roberts, a member from
illinois, as chairman. This committee was
called by itsschairman to meet at noon to
nominate the permanent committee. Their
report will probably be given Monday.
The moderator announced the. following
committee:
Fl. Hamilton Hunter, synod of Atlantic; Ben
jamin +. Bittinger. Baltimore; William A. Alex
Douglas. Colorado; Curtis c. Strong, Columbia;
William G. Roberts temporary chairman), ILL
nois; Thomas Tracy, India; Henry Z. saylor,
Indiana; John Edwards, Indian Territory;
William G.. Donnan, Iowa; Lewis ]. Drake, Kan
sas; James Barbour, Kentuck; John T. Oxtoby,
Michigan; Daniel R. Noyes, Minnesota; Frank J..
Nathaniel MasS Y. voorhees, oalsasl New jersey; samuelp s.
Fulton, New Mexico: George Alexander, New
York; James M. Anderson, North Dakota; DAN
n ne Ersiins, P asn E Elliott E. ID Dresser aer
South DakotA; Samuel r. Wilson, Tennessee;
Henry s. Little, Texas; T. Werner Moore, Utah;
Everett G. Eastman, Wisconsin.
NEW CONSENSUS CREED.
DIR. Roberts said that the overtures o
twenty-six presbyterles in favor of the new
consensus creed should be referred to o
committee ofnine, who shall invite the co.
operation of the reformed bodies in pre-
pairing a short, clear, comprehensive state
ment of the points IN which all the re-
formed churches are agreed not a sub
stitute for, but a supplement to the West
minister confession. 1t must contain the
essentials of reformed faith and be the
basis of union and cooperation by all
affiliated bodies, especially in the
work in foreign lands. DR.. Herrick
johnson made some remarks in opposi-
ton to, and DR.. G. L. Thompson strongly
favored the construction of such a creed.
DR.. Roberts said that we ought to take the
lead, as we arethe strongest of the reformed
bodies, and that it would be better for us
to draw up and propose such a creed to the
other reformed bodies. This will save
much time. The plan proposed, to do
nothing except with the cooperation ofthe
other branches would take too much time.
God seems to be leading on in the move
ment SO el%oquently and tenderly advocated
by DR.. McCosh this morning and to de-
sire us to flow together in love.
DR.. Patterson advocated the motion. He
voted for the appointment of the commit
tee this morning because he was sure it
would fal. But he thought that a consen-
creed for popular and many other uses
would be a good thing. The motion, after
much discussion as to its scope aud effect,
was passed by a large majority. The com
mittee on theological seminaries made q re-
port, which told of cheering progress in the
thirteen institutions of this church and
pledged liberal aid for their schools, which
are training German and eolored ministers.
recommendations OF the report of the
committee on the consensus creed was
adopted.