The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-05-24
CHURCH CONGRESSES
Proposed Changes in the Presby-
terian Confession of Faith.
OPPONENTS WILL MAKE A FIGHT,

And May Succeed In Defeating the
Entire Work of the Committee.
The Methodist General Conference
Decides TO Adjourn on Thursday
Evening of This Week.
PORTLAND, Ore, May 2i.-At yester-
days general assembly of the Presby-
terian church the report Of the commit.
tee appointed to revise the Confession of
Faith was presented by DR.. w G.
Robarts II contained two new chap.
tiers, one relating to the work of the holy
spirit and the other to the missionary
spirit. Besides these new chapters
twenty-six sections in eighteen other
chapters have been changed. Several of
the members of the committee have
signed the report, but have made excep-
tions to certain parts of It. The section
upon which there was the most discus
sion is in the third chapter, and is as
follows:
THE rest of mankind God saw fit, ac-
cording to the unsearGhable counsel of
his own will, whereby he extendeth or
withholdeth mercy as he pleaaeth, and
to ordain them to dishOnOr and wrath
for their sin, to the praise of his glorious
Justice; yet neither is any limitation put
upon the cffer of salvation to all upon
condition of faith in Christ, nor is re-
straint laid upon the freedom of any one
TO hinder his acceptance of this offer,
yet hath he no pleasure in the death of
the wicked, nor is it his decree, but the
wickedness of their own hearts, which
restraineth and hindereth them from ac-
Cepting the free offer OF his grace made
in the gospel"
The section relating to elect infants is
worthy Of mention BY the old con
fession the inference was left that some
infants went to hell. The new section
clears that mystery, reading rs fol-
lows:
"lnfants, dying in infancy, and all
other persons who are not guilty of
actual transgression are included in the
election of grace, and are regcnerated
and saved by Christ Though the spirit,
who worketh when and where and how
he pleaseth SO also are the elect persons
who are not only outwarlly called by
the ministers of the word"
The other essential change is in a Sec
ton relating to the Roman Catholic
church in the unreyised confession. In
the revision the section reads as fol-
lows:
1.-The Lord Jesus Christ is the only
head of the church, and the claims of
the pope of Rome, or any other Roman
authority. to he the vicar of Christ and
head of the church universal Is without
warrant in scripture On fact, and is Il
ursurpation dishonorng to the Lord
Jesus Christ"
Those who have opposed revision from
the outset intend to make fight on the
constitutionnIty Of TINS assembly, tak-
ing definite action on the report, claim
ing that by ii new rule OF the law inado
al Detroit last year this report must 20
to a special committee appointed fOr tho
purpose of receiving it, and who shall
decide whether or not the changes pro-
posed shall be recommended to the pres
byteries for adoption. Though the con-
servatives Were defeated two years ago,
and revision ordered, il is possible tina t
even now, by Il technicality, they may
defeat the entire work, us the committee
appointed at this meeting to receive the
report may decide that the revision is
unnecessary or unwisc.