New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-10
CREED-REVISION IN EARNEST
THE PREsBYTERY TO DISCUSS A REPoRI'
DIR. VAN DYKE TrLLs WHAT is RECOMMENDED
AND DIR. MARLING EXPLAINS WHY
1T WAS DONE.

AND DIR. MARLING EXPLAINS WHY
1T WAS DONE.
Tho presbv,crv nj New-York yesterday received the
report ON the proposed revision of the Confession Oh
Faith which had been published in full In The Ir'ouhc
In the morning. and after hearing it and an ih'eesus
and able paper from DR.. f. H. Marlng, put for'h III
defence of the position OF the committee decuea !"
discuss the report at n special meeting next Mohuay
at D. M in the scotch Church. The report was read
by DR.. Henry van Dyke, chairman, and remarks were
made by several members OF the committee after DIR.
Marlng had presented his paper. 1t was said that
the Presbytery not in condition. after Inc exhaust
ing meetings OF the last few weeks, TO take up the
subject thoroughly, and an adjournment was moved
There was no aluson to the Briggs case except the
that generous elder, whose name could
not be made public, had offered to pay the expenses
Of the official stenographer.
In his address DR.. Marling said that the question
before the committee wns not Shall rcvise' That
had been decided by the General Assembly, and after
relating the several steps in the revision movement
during the last two years he sad: "I Is, therefore.
advisory function at intermediate stage that we
are required at present to perform The report now
before you is the opinion which your .own committee
advises you to pronounce upon the proposed revision
Reference then made to the action Of the Presby
terry two when the question Of revision first
came up, viz: That there should be a revision of the
Westminster Confession and that short and simple
could be in scrpural language and contain
ing all the essential and necessary articles
Of the Westminster Confession which "the Presby-
terrain and Reformed churches generally might
unite in teaching His conclusion was that the com
mttee could not agree with those who say Let the
present Confession stand aud 80 for a new Creed"
"The new Creed he said, lis not made, nor will it
be for many years to Gomez DR.. Marng closed with
these earnest words
Tie committee Value every one Of their SuprpStons
made with carefuness and reserve, but they present
them In form designed TO facilitate Prsbytcry's
underlying these suggestions are these; ~ 10 secure
salvation" O. to the danger OF fiaIstic in
Expectations 90 TO drop human inferences-thoush
desiinaiion' and kindred doctres, thus hsndi Ing
them with more special prudence and care" ~ 10
discontinue pronounclng upon what 6od does not do;
90 to bring out with more consistent funess tie
freedom and responsibility Of In all his relations
10 Cod 80 TO make clear, what Is happily the faith
Of the whole Church, that where sin abounded grace
dld much more abognd' in the salvation Of the great
majority Of mankind.
Chapter III Is the key of the whole position 1t IS
the one which more than any other inspired the
Assein5ys committee its hardesI Iabor they have
greatly imprvcd II by dropping sections III and ".
III, especially in contrast with tho rest of mankind"
retained IN new section V, IS, as DR.. Morris we'll
plies what no PRESBYTERIAN believes, that the saved
are only few, and that the lost are great majority
give uncertain sound on polnt so Inomentous as
this. The committee are very much in earnest as 10
foreordnation- to death clauses from sections " and
new of Chapter III. They "intrude into things
sensitive souls. They give the enemy occasion to
blssPheme. They bar the way to Office of those who
Election into life eternal is scriptural: Election
that secures tho salvation Of great multitude that
passing by or election. however logically they NAV
Gem 10 be nferable from the former by whatsoever
can escape giving the impression that in God rather
than in man Is 10 be found tue reason why are
w. " 90. 23 "What if God wiling to show lis
wrath and to make HIS power known. endured with
destruction and that He might make known the riches
Of His glory the vessels of mercy which He had
afore prepared unto glory. even of those whom lie
hath called God prepared the one lie endured
me Other Ihese negative statements are not nee
the system. or human product. too much when We in
SIS. np0n '. them When Jesus OF Nazareth passed
often would have gathered YOU. but We would not"
And He was the brightness Of the Fathers glory the
to the mind and heart of God than He takes Let
our poor little logic 60. II ii speaks in another voice
than His. But have spoken long enough and must
committee TO defend II need arise the several amend
Brethren, great opportunity is before Only
once in many centuries does such one arise. The
ene day by day The ' eoHseave bren who
felt two years that the Revsioniss about TO
been greatly relieved to find how moderate and sound
they are. The Revsers aTe finding that once Revision
has been undertaken. many Of the former Anti-Re
ydonsts as keeny alive themselves to the in
feNcittes' OF the Confession and earnest in remOv
Inc them. They have believed all along much as we
do and they helping to make the Confession say
more explicitly hai t'ev contend II has ALWAYS said
implicitly nj least There IS exeIeme Right on this
question. Frank warning given ut the last Gen
eral Assembly that rerograde process would be at
tempted IN Presbveres. to give us less Re-
vision rather than q more Yet. sec New Rrunswickr
In two columns Of tabuated return Of the action Of
Pesbvtcrcs {" lndependentr October o9l first in that
Of
secondly in that Of those who want further Revision
90 let New York I'm the words Of this report move for
ward steadily along the line already marked ont. in
firm loyalty IN our Reformed system ~ doctrine. to
make n complete consistent and ScrptuTal Revision
Of the Confession of Faith"
DR.. John Hall said in the brief discussion that fol
lowed:
paper read by DR.. Dyke without a special meeting
for the consideration of the question raised know
that for my own part there many questions raised
In the report of the committee which unless had OPP
portunity for examination and such examination
would enable to vote ntelligenty, It would be i'm
possible for me TO vote inelli gently.
1t decided TO meet again next Monday afternoon
TO take up the report The Rev. Hugh Prrhard, for
number Of years pastor OF the Alexander Chapel in
Klnget branch OF the Fifth Avenue Church accepted
call to the Knox Church in East Seventy second st.
a salary of 80 500. His installation fixed for the
evening OF November d. Dr. John Hall. the chairman
OF the Church Extension Committee, submitted a re
port showing falling OFF of 900 in the receipts for
Church extension in the year ended October l. leaving
Indebtedness Of nearly $1,000.
CHICAGO WANTS REVISION ALSO.