Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-26
THE coNFEss1ox OF rArrn.
Dr.. Morris Tells How the Committee Reaches
Coaclusions.

DR.. Morris Tells How ths Committee Reached
Coaclusioas.
REMARKABLE PRESBYTERIAN PAMPHLET TO BE
| PUBLmHED-AS ATTACK on DR.. Bnraos AMI
| PRINCETON.
The Phiiadeiphia Press announces that a
pamphlet will soon be issued giving in detail
the secret proceedings Of the committee en-
gagged tn the revision Of the Westminster con-
fession Of faith. The pamphlet is by q men,
Der Of the committee. the Rev. DR.. Edward d.
Morris, professor Of Lane Theological Semi
nary, Cincinnati, and viii doubtless stir up a
commotion in Presbyterian circles The Press
says:
The reasons for each proposed change in the
famous Calvinlstic document are given with
remarkable candor and clearness by DR.. Morris.
Up to this time not word has come from the
revision committee beyond the provisional re-
port now before the presbyteries for approval
Each one of the half hundred members has re-
Trained from speaking Of what transpired in the
mittee'
The report has aroused great opposition. In
TINS the ultra Calvinists, with Princeton at the
head, are the leaders. The opposition has been
carried into each of the ZIG presbyteries."
THE CONTENTS.
From advance sheets the Press gives an idea
OF the document itself. According to these
sheets the pamphlet opens with q predatory
statement Of the movement toward revision,
giving the arguments that induce the general
assembly to order its undertaking. 1t speaks
OF the apparent signs Of the coming revision of
all the creeds of Christendom, and gives to
Presbyterianism the credit of having taken the
lead. This is not reaction against Calvinism,
Az l.~, .l,.,,~ xlx~lR
Caivinism, for the purpose of giving to that
Cayinism greater breadth, Conference and SYM
metry, great power for good over ito adhcrents.
The chief reason for the revision DR.. Morris
considers to be the actual advances made
during the last two centuries and half, and
especially in the latter half Of our own century,
in theological knowledge and in religious ex:
perience.
How the committee met the demands for
changes 10 explained in detail by DR.. Morris in
the body of his pamphlet.
The proofs Of the inspiration of the Bible
hrst received attention. The committee con-
sldered that the general evidences for the Bible
were not specially discussed during the struggle
OF the reformation. As consequence tho con-
fessional proofs Of the Bible being altogether
internal, and appealing 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 divinenees Of the Bible is at every possible
point assaulted. To meet these ends the argu-
pEOputev, miracle anu DlDllcul
history were introduced.
PREDEsrINATIoS AND THE DEGREES
Gods eternal DEGREES of foreordination and
predestination and preterition, the great
stumbling blocks OF Presbyterianism, next
received attention. These are contained in the
famous chapter of the confession, which re-
cites that by the decree OF God for the mani
festation Of his glory, some men and angels are
predestinated unto everlasting life and others
foreortiained to everlasting death. These are
particularly and unchangeably designed and
their number IL so certain and definite that it
cannot be either increased or diminished. The
rest OF mankind God was pleased to pass by
and to ordain to dishoaor and wrath for their
SIN to the praise of His glorious justice.
The committee omitted the word angels for
the reason that the confession can hardly be
supposed to be Of interest to that class of be-
ngs- The dreadful doctrine REORGANIZATION to
SIN and also to condemnation for that sin,
which Is supposed to be the teaching of Calvin,
has been utterly eliminated from this chapter
by the committee. The reason for this, given
by the pamphlet, is "a Denomination which
lies back of all human action, and which ap-
pears to determine or ordain the sin as truly as
the punishment" thus binding the sinner down
In iataiistlc bondage, first to transgression
and then to an inevitable condemnation. is
hardly dogma which however forcible the
logic that deduces it from the fundamental doc
thine OF the DEGREES, has such fullness OF war;
rant In the Scriptures as would require its affirm
alton as an essential article In any Christian
creed.
DOCTRINE OF PRErERIrIoS.
The no less dreadful doctrine. preterition,
contained in the idea that God was pleased to
pass by the rest Of mankind whom He has Or
dained to dishonor and wrath, has also been
stricken from the creed. The reasons given for
these are similar, says the pamphlet: 1.-THE
stern and awful phrase, to pass by as imply
ing 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 dishonor and wrath for their sin, GER
tainly do give forbidding tone and aspect
which ought in some way to be removed"
That the chapter as amended will fully satisfy
the church cannot be expected. There will
still be some one who would prefer to see the
entire doctrine dislodged from its central place
IN the confession, though it Is difficult to see
how this could done without an open abandon
ment at this point OF the Reformed or Calvin
istic system. DIR. Morris makes objection to
the Use Of the words ''some Of mankind and
the rest OF mankind, which were not changed
by the committee. 1t implies that the saved
are only few and that the lost are the great
majority OF the human race. This Dr. Morris
thinks no Presbyterian now believes
IDEA OF CREATION.
The idea OF creation taught in chapter 4
OF the confession has also been remodeled to
conform to the teachings of science. The COM
mittee rewrote this paragraph, introducing the
idea that the heavens and the earth and all
things therein were created in six creative DAYS
of indefinite duration. The creation of the
universe is also affirmed, although not In con-
nection with the period Of time known as the
six days" The word universe was used, DIR.
Morris explains, to express more perfectly the
comprehensive idea OF creation as expressed
III the Nicene creed. "And the value of such a
comprehensive statement il especially appar-
ent in such an age as ours, when false and per-
nicious theories Of creation are widely current.
when for the creative energy Of q personal
God, bringing all things into existence by His
own omnific counsel and WILL there is substi-
tuted 80 much of unbiblical teaching as to the
origin Of nature through some primal energy in
matter or by the action Of iupersonal force
and law"
HOLY SPIRITS WORK.
Two new chapters "of the work Of the Holy
Spirit and ''of the Universal Ofer of the Cos
pei having been written into the confession,
DR.. Morris makes long, careful and detailed
explanation OF the reasons that SO influenced
the committee.
The same desire to broaden the confession is
here apparent, by introducing clauses contain
ing moro explicit statements respecting the
| love Of God for mankind, the sufficiency Of the
atonement, the free offer Of salvation to all
men, the person and work Of the Holy Spirit.
the duty of the church to evangelize the world
and the responsibility OF every sinner for the
rejection Of this offered grace.