New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-24
PRESBYTERIANS AT WORK.
THREE COMMITTEES IN THIS CITY.
E REVISION READY FOR THE AssEMBLY-rHE

THE REVISION READY FOR THE AssEMBLY-rHE
BRIGGS CASE sETTLED-A CONSENSUS CREED.
Seldom has there been week In the history OF
the Presbyterian Church. outside Of q meeting OF the
General Assembly. when such vital issues have pen
discussed in the week just closed. The laoors OF
the committee appointed to revise the Westminster
Confession Of Faith ended on Friday noon with d
prayer by the Rev DR.. W. II. Green. Of Princeton
minary member Of the committee and the moder'-
tor Of the General Assembly In the evening the com
plcated questions relating to the Union Theological
seminary which had been undr discussion Tor three
DAYS at conference between the directors and com
nittee appointed by the last General Assembly, were
brought to harmonious close, and the meeting closed
with the singing Of the Doxoogy. In addition to these
two committees third, that appointed to prepare a
consensus creed met In this city, but as SOM OF It's
members members Of one Of the other committees
and on. AT least member OF bot, ana as inc issues
before 1t were not considered - vital at present as
those bcfor, the other committees the progress was
not 20 rapid though thu conclusions were equally sitis
factory.
The Revision Committee met for ten days. all the
member, being present except one from san Francisco
The meetings of an Extremely pleasant chalic,er
as the members had Id two sessions of equal engCh
last year and understood one another thoroughly Dr
Roberts, Of Lake Forest University, is conceded BY all
to be an ideal chairman. especially where the cause OF
truth Is 10 BE- advanced. Sometimes a dozen mouohs
would le before the committee and vote would be
tnken upon them tentatively tbs would bring out
the feeling of the members before final acuoh was
taken There has been no pushing, no forcing opih'
ions IL Is said and tar "a possible the Controversy
called forth by the inaugural address OF Dr. B1gGs
last year has been entirely Ignored. once only since
the Revision Committee appointed in Nay, lo0O
has there been a motion made which could In any
way infcr,ntally even be connected with the Briggs
case and this motion Or. Roberts refused to put, dc
claring IL to be out OF order.
Not a little feeling on the part Of the ardent re-
visonsts has been excited by the failure OF the com
mitteo TO appoint Il, successor to Dr. Van Dyke, OF
Irooklyn whose death occurred while the last Assem-
biz was In session at Detroit Union seminary
graduate the pastor OF a church I'm Ncw-Jersey, said
10 friend the other day that II the committee failed 10
appoint a man wlO would vote rs Dr. Van Dyke woui"
have voted he hoped that the Lord would take 10 HIN
self some member OF the committee VINO votes against
Dr. Van Dykes well known views. Later he quaLhed
this statement by referring to the beauties OF heaven
and the IIl., Of the gorifel. member OF the com
uiti.o to whom this remark was repeated said that tie
line, were not drawn 80 closely that the vote OF Dr.
Van Dykes successor would have made any difference
whatever with the adoption of amy section IL WIS ho'
no. ,,, for the vote OF one t. make any chalse
in the report The given for not appointing lie"
member at the stage Of revision Mt which the com
mltteo found itself when IL met in this city, was that
A. 4 marx Of respect to DR.. Van Dyke 1t would be
heter o leave the place vacant. and In answer 10 tue
criticism rnde by the NewJcr-ey clergy man IL was
said that the appointment of "A new memoer "ouu
have prolonged the discussion many days lor al '"e
ground ALREADY covered would have 10 be u;lNerseu
again Even the absence Of II man for single ses'
,lon who has been with the committee from inc hr't
dclayel the work materially \, to the question OF
parties, the criticism wholly Ghcalied ior' lie
said for there longer two parties ou' t"Ico'
that Is, the members did not vote for or against q
certain doctrine ard the phrases our party anu
vour nartvr which were heard mt the first meeting
did not come up this time. Tie members "ofheu ao
lndiyiduas. rather than representatives OF one
scbooI or another But il may interest those VINO
woud otherwise feel aggrievcd at the loss OF Vo'e
for revision t. be told that Dr. AeAahdcr inc aoSc"'
,,,,lcr WAS nt the first a strong conservative, but
that like other members Of the committee ne Oo"eu
10 the will Of the Church ana favored ic'lsioh'
Tn. cbnnges proposed by the committee at this 80
sion are largely those Of phIaseoogy The Suggestion
NJ the New Brunswick Presbytery on the question Oh
fire.. Will was adopted, while the request OF 'iie |
Ncw-Yor Presbytcry not granted that the "o'"'
the truthfuness OF the history the faithful WITNESS
Of prophecy and miracle inserted in the hrst ehap
fer relating to the Bible. should be omitted. Inc
veu York Presbyterys wish that the truth :" that |
Gods elect are a great number should be expessi
i'm the chapter the Divine DEGREES was adopteo'
No attention was paid, however, TO the ovef'hreS from
several Presbyte calling for new creed. ms
matter rests wholly with the Assembly III Is hoI |
known what the Assembly will do with the proposition
that the report be sent the Presbyeres In the form
Of specifc overtures on the various changes. This
recommendation may be adopted. or the Assembly
may try its own hand revision 1t did In the case
OF the Book OF Discipline" 1t may decide to stop
revision altogether and appoint committee to prepare
the new creed demanded now by more PIesbyteries
than asked the revision Of the present Confession
when that was ordered two years ago.
While the details OF the conference at the seminary
have not been published and are not TO be made
pubuc without the mutual consent OF the chairman OF
the committee, President Patton, OF Princeton, and
resident Hastings, of the seminary, 1t is ated that
Lefe is prospect Of settlement OF the matters III.
VOWED which will satisfy the Church III was q good
thing for the representatives OF the Assembly and the
directors the seminary 10 meet race 10 lace mem
Ter said Yesterday, and the result has been that eveIal
misconceptions have been removed on the one hand.
and on The other there has been the establishment or
renewed confidence between the Assembly and the
seminary Neither party will admit That 1t yielded
anVthing or that il has gained victory, but DO as
scrt that when the report Is made pubic 10 VIII teni TO
harmonze the existing difficulties and 10 he establish
pcace In the Chulth.
IL is not probable that the Consensus Creed Com
milton will do more than to report progress at Port
,and 4 creed OF this kind can be prepared only when
he several churches holding the Presbyterian system
send delegates to conference called to prepare short
and simple creed. Steps toward that end can be ]