Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-24
CHANGING A CREED.
Doctor Norris Fully Explains
the Work of the Re-
vision Committee.
S0FTENING OF DOCTRINES.
The Idea-of Creation RemOdeled. So
as to Conform to Science.
PRNCETON'S GREAT OPPOSITION
To Manyof the Changes, and DR.. Briggs
Theory Squarely Met
S0FTENING OF DOCTRINES,
PRNCETON'S GREAT OPPOSITION
To ManyOf the Changes, and DR.. Briggs
Theory Squarely Net.
EuLoGY.OF THE WESTMINSTER DIvINES
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH. ]

Will De greatly SURPRISED py the appearance
thisweek of pamphlet giving in detail
the hitherto secret proceedings of the com.
mittee engaged in the revision of the West
minister Confession of Faith. The pamphlet
is by member of the committee, the Rev.
DR.. Edward D. Morris, Professor of Lane
Theological Seminary, Cincinnati, who is
unquestionably the strongest man in the re-
vision movement The reasons for each
proposed change in the famous Calvinistic
document are given with remarkable candor
and clearness by DR.. Morris. Up to this
time not q word has come from the revision
committee, beyond the provisional report
now before the Presbyteries for approval.
Each one of the half hundred members has
refrained from speaking of what transpired
in the prolonged and frequent sessions of
the committee
The report has aroused great opposition.
In this the ultra-Calvinists. with Prince
ton at the head, are the leaders. The oppo-
sition has been carried into each of the ZIG
Presbyteries. DR.. Morris exposition, which
is a strong presentation of the liberal side,
Is timely. He shows how and WHY the
harsh excresences of the Genevese'theology
has withered and shrunken under the caus-
cason also to berate Princeton for antag-
onizing revision, and frequently to pass
upon the Middle State" and other specu-
lations of DR.. Briggs. Advanced proofs of
the pamphlet have been furnished THE
DISPATCH by the Randolphs and synopsis
of it is here given.
NATURE OF THE PAMPHLET.
The pamphlet opens with predatory
statement OF the movement toward revision,
giving the arguments that induced the Gen
eral Assembly to order its undertaking. 1t
speaks of the apparent signs of the coming
revision of all the creeds of all Christen-
dom, and gives to Presbyterianism the
credit of taking the lead This is not a re-
action against Calvinism, but it is an effort
by Calvinists, in behalf of Calvinism, for
the purpose of giving to that Calyinism
greater breadth, conference and symmetry,
greater power for good over its adherents.
The chief reason for the revision Dr.
Morris considers to be the actual advances
made during the last two centuries and
half, and specially in the latter half of our
own century, in theological knowledge and
IN religious experience. These advances
are chiefly as TO the workings of the Holy
Ghost in the heart of humanity; the adapt
edness of the gospel to the moral needs of
the race; the full responsibility of every
sinner subject under the moral govern
the lost condition of the pagan nations, ex-
cepting as they shall hear and embrace the
gospel. How the committee met the de-
mands for changes is explained in detail by
Dr.. Morris in the body of his pamphlet.
THE BIBLES INSPIRATION
The proofs of the inspiration of the Bible
first received attention. The committee
considered that the general evidences for
the Bible were not specially discussed dur
ing the struggle of the Reformation. As
consequence the confessional proofs of the
Bible, being altogether internal and appeal
ing as such chiefly to the believer have
been found to be inadequate TO meet the
needs of an age like our own, in which the |
d1yineness of the Bible is at every possible |
point assailed. To meet these ends the |
arguments from prophecy, miracle and Bib |
hcal history were introduced.
Gods eternal DEGREES of fore-ordination |
and predestinatiOn and preterition, the /
great stumbling blocks of Presbvterianism. |
next received attention. These are con-
tained in the famous chapter 3 of the con- |
tession, which recites that by the decree of |
God for the manifestation of His glory, some |
men and angels are predestinated unto ever |
lasting life and others fore-ordained to |
everlasting death. These are particularly |
and unehangeably designed, and their num- |
Der is so certain and definite that it cannot |
OF mankind God was pleased to pass by and |
10 ordain to dishOnor and wrath for their |
sin, to the praise Of His glorious justice.
REORGANIZATION GONE
The committee omitted the word angels,
for the reason that the confession can |
hardly be supposed to be of interest to that |
class of beings The dreadful doctrine fore |
ordination to sin and also to condemnation |
Tor that sin, which is supposed to be the |
teaching of Calvin, has been utterly elimin- |
ated from this chapter by the committee.
The reason given by the pamphlet for this |
is: "a fore-ordinarion which lies back of all |
human action, and which appears to deter /
mine or ordain the sin as truly as the pun
ishment, thus binding the sinner down in a
tatalistic bondage, first to transgression and |
then to an inevitable condemnation, is |
hardly dogma which, however forcible the
logic that deduces it from the fundamental |
doctrine of the DEGREES, has such fullness of
warrant in the Scriptures as would require
its affirmation as an essential article in any
Christian creed"
The words particularly and unchange-
ably" were retained and written into the re-
Vised creed in another section, because the
committee considered that the confession
should affirm the doctrine of an individual
rather than class election, and of an cleo
tion which is not conditioned by what man
purpose of God.
The no less dreadful doctrine of preteri-
tion contained in the idea that God was
pleased TO pass by the rest of mankind whom
He has ordained to dlshonor and wrath, has
also been stricken from the creed. =, The
reasons given for this are similar. Saws the
pamphlet: ''rhe stern and awful phrase, to
pass by as implying the existence of no
sort of Divine provision for the lost, such
as would make their salvation possible, and
the kindred phrase, Ordaining them to dis
honor and wrath for their sin, certainly do
give a forbidding tone and aspect which
ought in some way to be removed"
A MILDER STATEMENT.
A partial attempt to correct this impress
sion is made by emitting the expression ''to
pass by" which seems to contain an impli-
cation inconsistent with right views of the
nature of God and the possible scope of the
gospel; and introducing in its stead The milder
statement that God, for reasons which lie
in His own counsel and in the nature of
the plan of salvation, has determined not
to elect to everlasting life some definite
proportion of mankind
Why do these persons fail of salvation?
Is the result traceable directly and only to
the Divine purpose, or to their sin as its
true cause? Obviously the section teaches
that their sinfulness aud their continuance
in it are not chargeable to God, but to
themselves. In order to bring this fact out
more distinctly the committee added two