The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-06
THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF THE
WESTMINSTER CONFESSION.

will be observed by many of the
Presbyterian churchesin this country
during the present month. The Cen
eral Assembly of next May will cele-
brate the occasion by appropriate ex-
ercises and already the anniversary
is receiving recognition in the Presby-
terrain centres of the country. The
| Westminster Confession is the creed
of Presbyterianism throughout the
world, and while it is only mandatory
on clergymen and elders of the
church, all good Presbyterians stand
by the Confession and honor those
who honor it, even while not them
selves subscribing to its stringent
tenets.
The Westminster Confession is the
outcome of the deliberations of an
assembly of divines, commissioners
from the church of Scotland and
members of the House of Commons
deputed to the assembly. 1t convened
in Westminster Abbey on July !, 1913,
and did not finally adjourn until
March 25, 1862. It was held under
the authority of the parliament of the
nation then under the control of the
Puritans. The Long Parliament had
by vote abolished Episcopacy and
this new convocation was to settle the
government and worship of the
church of England. The purpose of
Parliament was to make it as nearly
as possible a general council of the
whole nation. 1t had also we'll de-
fined political complexion, for it was
summoned in consequence of a treaty
with the Scots and the subscription
by the E glish Parliament to the Sol
emn League and Covenant. twas the
fact convened to regulate the nation
al faith and worship after the parlia-
mentary overthrow of Episcopacy.
Hence several eminent Episcopal
bishops were summoned to sit in
council with Presbyterians, fnde-
pendents and Erastians. "Thus was
this Assembly" says old Fuller "a
quintessence of four parties" They
had a mighty task before them to
combine the different elements of
opinion, and it is we'll to remember
that the Assembly or at least Parlia.
ment lad also in view the pacification
of the Scottish people with whom
they Lad recently been at war and
who had been in rebellion against
the attempt to force Episcopacy on
the country in previous reign.
The Assen bly, was held in the
Jerusalem chamber of Westminster,
and was composed of not only en-
inent divines representing the va
rious shades of opinion, but also
of men of great eminence in states
manship and letters. Among these
were Selden, Whitlocke, the Vanes,
Pym, and Sir Matthew Hale. As
constituted by Parliament the As
sembly was composed of about $50
members, but the average attend
ance was only 80. Sixty-nine at
tended the first session. Parliament
watched the proceedings carefully
and provided expressly in the ordi-
nance which called it into existence
that the Assembly should not as
sumo any ecclesiastical authority or
any power except merely the right
"to confer and treat among them
selves of such matters and things
touching and concerning the literary
discipline and government of the
church of England or the vindicating
and clearing of the doctrine of the
same"
From this body thus convened,
and strictly limited in power, came
the famous Confession of Faith
which for two hundred and fifty years
has borne the name of the historic
abbey where it was formulated and
the Longer and Shorter catechisms
which embody the creed of Presby-
terianism. The confession was ap-
proved by the church of Scotland in
1647; hence that year is generally
regarded as the time of its formal en-
actment and 1897 as the 250th ami
versary of its PRONUNCIATION. The Con-
fession of Faith was reported to Par
lament in two instalments in 1916,
but it appears that its approval by
the church of Scotland determined the
date of its PRONUNCIATION. The Off
cial record of the proceedings of the
Assembly were destroyed in the great
fire in London in 1866, but its "out-
put in the shape of the Directory of
Worship, the Confession of Faith
and the catechisms has survived to
the present time.
1t is singular that while the West
| ...-zka. A-ao,oblr .uos aaIla1 into