Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-23
CONFESSION REVISED.
The Presbyterian Committee Ready
With Its Important Report.
TWILL NOT BE A UNANIMOUs'ONE.
The Presbyteries All Get a Chance to Vote
on the Changes.
A DIFFICULT TASK ACCOMPLISHED

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.1
NEW YORK, Jan. 22.-The Committee on
Revision appointed by the last General As
sembly of the Presbyterian Church to take
in hand the difficult task of revising of the
old Westminster Confession of Faith and
| preparing new confession that shall be in
accord with the sentiment and ideas of Pres.
byterianism of to-day, and be satisfactory
and acceptable to the Presbyterian Church
at large has finished its work. The new
statement of doctrine and belief is ready fol
presentation to the church.
The committee met for final session in
the Mission House in Fifth avenue this
morning and adjourned at 1890 P. M. with
out day. The session was mainly taken up
in pertecting minor details in regard to the
form which the report of the committee to
| the next General Assembly shall take.
There has been considerable discussion and
much divergence of opinion in regard to
many of the changes made, and some of
these changes, as now embodied in the Con-
fession, have been adopted only by a ma
| jority vote.
Dissenting Minority Report.
1t was therefore decided that the report
should submit the changes made in separate
form, each amendment to be separately
| signed by the committee and the members
to have the privilege of expressing their dis
sent from any one of the changes.
This will practically amount to the max
ing of a dissenting minority report One of
the members said, however, that it was be-
lieved that no member of the committee
would avail himself of this privilege, and
the report would be submitted as unani-
nous.
1t will be several weeks before the report
is actually ready for signature. 1t will, of
the chairman, said to-day that the reports
of the committees work as printed from
day to day in THE DISPATCH have con-
tanned really all the important changes that
have been made, and there will be no news
in the report when it is made public.
In adiourning the committee expressed
itself as highly satisfied and pleased with
the unanimity that has, as a whole, charac-
terized its work. This does not, however,
by any means dispose of the question of re-
vision. The new question will have to be
referred back to all the Presbyteries
throughout the country for their concur
renee in it.
Not Satisfactory to Everybody.
t'It cannot reasonably be hoped that the
revised confession as now adopted will be
satisfactory to the whole church." said
Presbyterian to-day. SIN fact, it will
undoubtedly meet with consider
able dissent of strong char
acter The suggestions offered by
the various presbyteries were very di-
verse, and it was not possible for the Com
mittee on Revision to reconcile them. In
regard to some sections certain presbyteries
wanted to have them stricken out alto
gether. This was particularly the case in
regard to the doctrines of preterItion, of eff
fectual calling, and of some of those refer
ring to the Church of Rome. 1t was i'm
possible to reconcile these entirely opposite
suggestions, and in some points the revision
has necessarily been compromise, and in
others there has had to be choice of two
things.
''It would seem that the work of revision
must go on indefinitely, or that the report
of the committee be adopted by the church
by a majority vote In the latter case
which many Presbyterians think most prob
able-of course a great amount of dissatis-
faction must necessarily remain in the
church. But it is most perple1ing prob
lem."
No further action on revision will be
taken until the meeting of the General As
sembly at Portland, Ore, next May.