The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
REVISION SHELvED.
The Presbyterian Assembly Postpones Ac-
tIon on the Changes In the ConfessIon 0r
Faith-Abstract Of the Proposed AItera-

The Presbyterian Assembly P0stpones Ac-
tiOn On the Changes In the COnfessIon O1
Faith-Abstract Of the Proposed AItera-
tiODs.
DETROIT, Mich, May %. 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, ID. 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 DR.. Hayes
motion that the report Of the commit
tee be sent down to the Presbyteries
for criticisms, etc, during which the
committcc-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
tee on revision:
I'm chapter of the Holy Scriptures section
s. 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 of Gods eternal decree has sec
tions ] and unchanged, sections and 1
stricken out.
section 5 which Is the portion OF the pres.
ent confession relating to foreordination. be.
comes section 3 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
works or perseverance in either Of them or any
other thing In the creature, rs conditions OF
causes, moving Him thereunto. and all to the
praise OF His glorious grace
section remains unchanged and becomes
section 4 Section was amended and be.
comes section 5 and is as follows:
''The rest OF mankind God was pleased &C
cording to the unsearchable counsel Of His own
will, whereby He extcndeth or withholdeth
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 oil
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 noI
all upon condition Of faith in Christ nor Is re-
straint laid upon the freedom OF any one tc
hinder his acceptance OF this OFFER
Section is unchanged, save in numcrat 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 Q.
1.-THE chapter on free will-now chapter lois
amended by the addition OF those words to the
declaration on the insuniciency OF the will ol
man for spiritual g0Ddness: Yet Is his re
sponsibility as free moral agent not thereby
inspired
'sThe 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.
I'm the pronouncement upon lawful oaths
'popish monastic VOWS are described simply
as 'monastic VOWS Similar changes with re
gard to the term 'parist' are made Ia the chap
ter on MARI age and divorce, and the pope oi
Rome ceases in the revision to be described ~
antiChrist. The sacrifice OF the mass Is also
referred to as Roman Catholic doctrine
rather than 'popish,' but it continues to be
designated as abominably injurious.
Clause 5 Of chapter II is changed to read as
follows:
"All infants dying In infancy and all othcl
persons who from birth to death are incapable
Of being outwardly called by the ministry OF the
I 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 Il
, DEATH are redeemed and are regeneratcd By
the Spirit
An entirely new clause Is as follows:
"'Chnpter IS, section 8. There is no othcl
! 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 IL
fact, and is q usurpation dishonoring TO tht
Lord Jesus Christ"