The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-26
REVISING THE REVISION.
rur,rREsBY1ERY OF ROCHESTER, ON
Suu CONFESSION or FAITH.

ruyipRESBYTERY OF ROCHESTER, ON
SHD CONFESSION OF FAITH
H>r~e Majority Vote n Strikes Ont
.Sseotions which Imply that Certain
v.,so.s Arc estinea 70 Eternal Pun.
,.Aueut, cad that Only the Elect Are 70
n, saved-The Section Containiss what
~. Termed "ths Odious Doctrine OF
preteratioa" Also Stricken Ont.
pocursrEn, Sept. 35. = Tho Presbytcry Of
pnchester held It's stated fall meeting at Nun
N n Y, on Monday and Tuesday. Tho mat
t.r Of chief interest and importance that came
nm for consideration was the Confession OF
r.,th. AZ revised by the committee Of the Gem
AMI Assembly. The points in this were taken
M .ariatim and discussed with great earnest
ness but In tho best spirit on tho part Of all.
seyeral exceptions to the work Of the revisers
xcre taken and changes proposed. In chapter
th,rd tho clause. God hath prcdestinated
.ome II mankind into life" was changed to
.rredestinatod multitude whom no man can
numbcr." This was regarded by oil as very
happy change.
The last sentence In the sixth section Of the
s.me chapter was struck out. TO wit: Neither
are any othcr redeemed by Christ efYectually
called. justified. adopted. sanctifled. and saved.
hut the elect only" This was regarded BY
many as amounting to o decree OF exclusion.
and 1t was held that there was nothing In the
works or teachings. in tho sufferings or death
Of Christ to sustain or countenance It 1t was.
therefore. omitted by largo majority vote.
But tho principal ard most important change
made in this chapter was in connection with
the seventh section. which declares that the
rcst Of mankind God was pleased to pass BY
and to ordain to dlshonor and wrath" Some
changes in this section were made by the Re-
yisinr Committee. but it was held by many
that these left the horrible decree as they
found 1t. The words God was pleased to
psss by" had been changed to WAS pleased
not to elect" This was pronounced to be q
futile attempt to cast Q softening veil over the
doctrine Of preterition. which still remained
there In all its odiousness. It was held and
urged that the whole Of this seventh section.
both as It stands in the Confession and as it
has been altered by the comma should be
wiped out clean and forever from the Presby-
terrain creed. for the following reasons:
rirst-Because y is the one dark and dreadful
R Ps lifted their united voice. and our
own hesbytery was among them;
taus ITtHi In the Scriptures. and rep4diated by
some Of the foremost authorities In the de-
nomination Of which Drs. Crosby, Van Dyke:
aaSts SRf tns as
!THSrd@Becauss it is doctrine which no one
sss se o ssnts
isssiop. Therefore, can involve no loss to the
c9 PosSsSs Be- eontradets the sacred
word. aye. and the solemn oath Of Almighty
20 ordaIn %utitude Of his Creatures to dis
Ssl ss|t IT. ~ S,i It'll have no
[ TithSBeeause- It is contrary to the, tenor
and spirit II the Gospel throughout. which de-
ea1es IL sundEy places and IN divers 3
'A4th-Recause it turns 70 hollow mockery
sssgsb sRi 81 the
sS o which IN s
ss eehs vss saa oiese
s aS T &c esa
theory. and pernicious and detestable must be
t5e dostIins that can fnd no place for the tears
in their support, It was voted that this seventh
ssaS so sned and she oo
Ing sdopted as a substitute for It:
The decrees Of God concerning all man
viz: That Christ is the propit1ation for the sins
come to repentance and live"
This change having been made. 1t was de.
section Of the chapter viii CHI relates to the
high my'tery just sxpunged.
Sns In cssptsr seeson the s
y s M The
@ 81 ss~ %s shfRs1t sds
efal decisive reasons. It was argued that the
@ Of Aas9s Be- ct sS S0s To the
children who wero yet unborn: that to
1 AZ slnn asante If Asa and is
esirsSIe; that So can no more become subjects
ofsuilt before we have existence than we can
Sss aS Sa tHe
s1prsss declaration 81 Seriptures, that :. III!
'e eha at oea tb inc H
HS x s shaSss 81 tsss tS. "nt
w snaRs sad
hsvo some common operations ?i the spirit. ;
made. No such classification Of. tho opera
s0ns Of tho spirit is t. be found IN the Scrip
Sords Imply. rho influences q the Holl
asnss B. smt as sr asa S asa!
Common grace passes over into effectun
fracs In proportion as the sinner yields to tn!
iects that which common grace tends to elect
And this Is in harmony with what is said IL
the lew chapter on tho work OF tho Holy Spirit
with His persuasive encrgy and urges its mos
:ageupon tho unrcgeneratc. SniighteninG theil
their consciencos. and drawing thom By iii
grace so that thoy who reject tho meroifu
9lcr OF the Gospel are not only without excuse
Spirit"
Tho above clause. therefore. should read
May have tho gracious operations Of TIL
number oi other mere verbal and not vcr
Important changes wore made. but the .abov
were all those of primary interest that wcr
paSsol uDo. nv tho prAHhytary.