The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-05-28
REVISION SHELvED.
The Rresbyterlan Assembly Postpones Ac-
tion cn tho Changes In tho Confession OF
Fslth-Ab distract Of the Proposed Altera-

AnSONtGsDyC0rlon A0e0nDAy fO0CpOn08 Ac-
tiaEa cn the Changes In the Confession OF
Fslth-A ABSTRACT Of tho Proposed Altera-
DETROIT, Mich, May, 2s. - In Fri
days session of the Presbyterian
general assembly, the report of the
committee on revision of the confession
OF faith was read by the chairman, Rev.
William C. Roberts, D. D., president of
the Lake Forest university. The ex-
pected debate on the revision of the
confession was no doubt closed for
this year by the adoption of DIR. Hayes
motion that the report of the commit
tee be sent down to the Presbyteries
for criticisms, ETC., during which the
committee-continued at its re.
quest till next assembly-can then
make its final report.
The following is an abstract of the
changes recommended by the commit
teeAon revision:
In chapter of the Holy Scriptures section
5, are inserted the words: And the truthfulness
of the history, the faithful witness OF prophecy
and miracle rs among the arguments for the
inspiration Of the Scripture.
Chapter 8 of Gods eternal decree has Sec
tions and unchanged, sections and 4
stricken out.
"Section 5 which is the portion Of the pres
ent confession relating to foreordination, be-
comes section 8 and Is amended to read as fol-
lows:
"God before the foundation Of the world was
laid according to His eternal and immutable
purpose and the secret council and good pleas
ure OF His WILL has predestined some of man
kind unto life and hath particularly and un
changeably chosen them in Christ unto ever
lasting glory, out Of His mere free grace and
love. without any foresight Of faith or good
other thing in the creature, as conditions OF
causes, moving Him thereunto and all to the
praise Of His glorious grace
Section remains unchanged and becomes
section f. Section was amended and be
comes section and is as follows:
1.-The rest Of mankind God was pleased, &C
cording to the unsearchable counsel Of His OWL
WILL whereby He extendeth or withholdett
mercy as He pleaseth, not to elect unto ever
lasting life, but to ordain them to dishonol
and wrath for their sin to the praise oi
His glorious justice; yet so as hereby neither
is any limitation put upon the offer Of saliva
tion to all upon condition OF faith in Christ, mol
is restraint laid upon the offer of salvation to
all upon condition Of faith in Christ, nor is re.
straint laid upon the freedom Of any one te
hinder his acceptance Of this Offer
Section is unchanged, save in numera tion.
Chapter 4, of Creation receives some
amendments that are merely verbal The
same may be said Of the changes in chapter g.
of the Fall Of Man. chapter7 of Gods Cove
nant with Man. and chapter 8 of Christ the
Mediator
"A chapter, of the Holy Spirit is made
chapter 9.
1.-THE chapter on free will-now chapter 1O-is
amended by the addition Of those words to the
declaration on the insuff1ciency Of the will o
man for spiritual goodness: Yet is his re-
sponsibility as free moral agent not thereby
inspired
THE chapter on the universal offer Of the
gospel is made more complete in terms.
THE doctrine of Justification, OF saving faith
of good works and OF religious worship receive
only verbal changes.
In the pronouncement upon lawful oaths
'ropish monastic VOWS are described simply
as 'monastic VOWS Similar changes with re
gard to the term 'papist are made in the chap
ter on marriage and divorce, and the pope Of
Rome ceases in the revision to be described as
nti-Christ. The sacrifice Of the mass is also
referred to as a Roman Catholic doctrine
rather than 'popish,' but it continues to be
designated as abominably injurious.
CLAUSE of chapter IL is changed to read as
follows:
"All infants dying in infancy and all othe,
persons who from birth to death are incapable
Of being outwardly called by the ministry Of the
Word are redeemed by Christ and regenerated
by the Spirit, who worketh when and where
and how He pleaseth.' This is radical altera
tion differing from the old confession in the
insertion Of the words ALL from birth tc
DEATH are redeemed and are regenerated by
the Spirit
IAN entirely new clause is as follows:
"Chapter %, section 6. There is no Other
head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ
and the claim Of the pope Of Rome to be the
vicar of Christ and the head Of the church uni
versal is without warrant in Scripture or in
fact and is usurpation dishonoring to the
Lord Jesus Christi"