The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-05-20
THE GENERALASSEMBLY
esbyterians Of the Country to
Meet Thursday at Detroit.
BUSINESS OF VAST IMPORTANCE
90 the Future of the Church in the
United states---confcssion of Faith
and DIR. Briggs Case the Leading
Feature--The New Creed Not Yet
Ready for Action.


md third session OF the General As
iemblies Of the Presbyterian Church
will begin on Thursday morning. The
brethren in the South will meet at Biz
nineham, Ala, and those in the North
N this city. Several efforts have been
made to bring about an organic union
between the two bodies, but it was de-
dded two years ago, when the Northern
Assembly was in session in New York,
10 try federation for while, and let
organic union rest. 1t is not necessary
to have this topic discussed here this
year, in order to have an interest
ing meeting, or in fact lively meet
Inc. With report expected from the
committee appointed last year 1t Sara
Eopa 10 revise the Westminster Comics
ION Of Faith, and with overtures from
about eighty Presbyteries in regard to
The Union Theological Seminary, some
asking the Assembly to veto the APP
monument Of Professor Briggs, whose
inaugural address on Biblical theology
has led his own Presbytery in New York
10 begin judicial proceedings against
him-with these two among other topics
81 importance which are expected, the
coming Assembly promises to be a
memorable one.
Extensive preparations have been
made for entertaining the hundreds OF
commissioners and their wives, besides
officers and patrons OF the various boards
Of the church, returned missionaries
and those about to go abroad or to the
frontier.
who will be the next Moderator. Last
wear, at Saratoga, the lines were drawn
on the question OF the revision OF the
Westminster Standards, and the Rev.
Or. William i. Moore, of Columbus,
Ohio. for a number Of years the Perma-
nent Clerk Of the Assembly, a moderate
reyisionist, was nominated by DR.. Her
rick johnson, OF Chicago, a revisionist,
and the motion was seconded by DR..
Agnew, Of Philadelphia, an anti-revi-
sionist.
This year il seems probable that the
question Of the orthodoxy OF DR.. Briggs
win be the principal issue; and it is
possible that this subject may decide
the election. Among those whose
names have been mentioned SO far are
DIR. Charles A. Dickey, OF Philadelphia,
Professor Green, of Princeton Seminary,
and Professor Roberts, OF Lane Semi
nary. Some friends OF DR.. John Hall,
of New York, suggested that 1t would
be graceful thing, and one which
would give general satisfaction to the
Churchat large, to name him as the
Moderator, but he has decided to let his
alternate go in his place.
DIR. MOORE TO PREACH THE OPENING SERMON.
The meetings of the Assembly will be
held in the Fort Street Presbyterian
church, Of which the Rev. DR.. Wallace
Radcliffe ia pastor, and will begin on
Thursday at II q. m. AS usual tho re-
firing Moderator will preach sermon
occupying about an hour, after which
the commissioners will retire for
luncheon and discuss probable candi-
dates for the Workmanship. at 8
o'clock the Assembly will convene and
the election will take place. After two
or three reports have been presented
preparations will be made for the OBJ
servance of the Lords Supper in the
evening. On Friday morning the stand.
ing committees will be appointed, and
the Assembly will be in full session.
The report which will receive the
most public attention, especially out
side of the Presbyterian denomination,
WILDE those submitted by the special
committee appointed to report this
wear. These include one on the Worlds
Fair. one on Church unity, another on
the revision OF the proof texts of the
westminster Confession of Faith, and
one al the increase of ministers. But
Inc most vital of all the sixteen reports
exnectei will be that on the revision of
tbe Confession Of Faith. TranscendinC
ali ~ these, however, will be the discus.
sion of the question whether or not DIR.
Rrieos IL orthodox.
49, oo,,r,.os,o,, =, !, ,-,,
AhA NoNt t''''tNN W t"tt"'
Next to the Briggs question will be
that Of the revision of the Confession
L rs;+h A nomm;ttoe wos onnnir+od
Oh fai'h' a oollnlstee was appoints" =;
last year at the conclusion OF the great
debate at Saratoga to revise the Stand
ards. Their report mas not Dten made
public, but the secretary mas gwen u
single idea OF what has been accom-
plished. The changes. ellmlnanons or
additions are chiefly IN chapter l. o;
cnapter ~, o /, ., SuS q. w. ~ =,
cnaptef Y, = s"@P'H q. slan NJ ~;!, :.
cSsnter XVI 7: chapter xxi, 4; chapter
Sx;H 3: chapter xiv, 8; chapter ky,
a. obanter XIX. 2. and chapter xxx, 9.
The general desire expressed by the