The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-28
QUESTIONS ON THE Greed
Presbyteries Interrogated by the
Revision Committee.
The Drift of DenominationnI Opin-
inn to he observation-disclosures He
tween n Re- ision and supple
,inntion ana Foreor-
aination Especially Touched Upon.

The Presbyterian Creed Revision Com
mittee, which has just had meeting at
Saratoga, has sent to the stated clerks OF
all of the Presbyteries, as an outcome Of
that meeting a recitation of the General
Assembly's action in naming said COM
mittee, and a set of questions. answers tc
which the committee says it hopes all
Presbyteries will give as early as possible
A copy of the questions was received in
Washington yesterday.
This revision committee was appointed
by the Moderator, the sRev. DIR. Charles
Il Dickey.. of Philadelphia, in pursuance
of General Assembly resolution. passed
On May % last. About forty Presbyteries
asked that some action be taken, and the
action of the General Assembly was, not
to set revision in motion, but to find out
what the other two hundred Presbyteries
think of the matter.
AS a preface TO the committees COM
munication to the Presbyteries, just is
sued. the statements are made that ques-
lions now asked are suggestive merely,
and that no restrictions are put by the
committee upon the scope or range CT the
replies, further than TO warn Presbyteries
that the committee is not empowered to
consider any suggestions that conflict with
the system of doctrine taught in the Holy
Scriptures, and contained in the Confess
sion of Faith. The questions are. with
two requests:
"First-Do yoa~desire revision of our
Confession of Faith? or
"Second-Do YOU desire supplemental,
explanatory statement? or
"Third-Do YOU desire TO supplement our
present doctrinal standards with a briefer
statement of the doctrines most surely be-
lieved among US expressing in simple
language the faith of the Church in loyalty
to the system of doctrine contained in the
Holy Scriptures and held by the Re-
form Churches? or
''Fourth-Do you desire the dismissal Of
the whole subject, so that our doctrinal
standards shall remain as they are. with
out any change whatever, whether re-
visional supplemental, or substitutional?
-'Fifth-If your preference is for revis-
ioIal action. state in what direction and to
what extent you would have revision
undertaken. The revision reported TO the
Assembly Of 1882 might here be helpful as
a basis of judgment.
"Sixth-If your preference is for an ex-
planatory statement Indicate what specific
points in the confession the explanation
should cover. The committee asks for the
votes il the Presbyteries for or against
anything that is recommended TO it
This report to the General Assembly of
1882, to which the Saratoga meeting calls
the attention of Presbyteries at this time,
was made after three years of agitation
similar to that now going on, but action
upon it was interrupted by the Briggs
controversy and heresy trials. In this re-
port tae particular paragraphs of the con-
fession to which the Rev. DR.. Hills call
ed attention and so brought on again the
present movement for revision, were pro-
posed to be stricken out. They are:
BY the decree of God, for the manifes-
tatioa of his glory, some men and ange's
are predestined unto everlasting life, and
others foreordained to everlasting death.
These angels and men thus predestined
and foreordained are particularly and IN
changeably designed. and their number is
go certain and definite that 1t Cannot
either be increased or diminished"
The conservatives on the 1892 commit
tee, led by President Patton, of Princeton
University, excepted the proposition TO
strike out these paragraphs, and SO noted
their exceptions with their signatures.
They also objected to the cutting out OF the
words printed in boldface in the following
paragraph, the alteration recommended by
The rest of the committee:
"AII those whom God has predestined
unto life and those only, he is pleased
in his appointed and accepted time, effec-
tually to call by his word and spirit out Of
that state of sin and death in which they
are by nature, to grace and salvation by
Jesus Christ etc.
OF the forty Presbyteries which asked
the last Assembly 10 take up the revision
matter again, many expressed the conv.c-
ton that there should be, as a concession
10 modern thought, some modification of
the old and harsh expressions. The 1892
committee which the Saratoga meeting
refers to. suggested some notifications.
Here is a sample:
AS the section is:
Elect infants, dying in infancy, are re-
generated and saved through the spirit,
who woTketh when, where, and how he
pleaseth; so also are all other elect per-
sons who are incapable of being called by
the ministry of the Word
Others. not elected although they may
be called by the Word and may have some
common operations of the spirit, yet they
never truly come to Christ and therefore
cannot be saved. Much less can men not
protesting the Christian religion be saved
in any other way whatsoever, be they
never so diligent to frame their lives ac-
cording to the light of nature. and the law
OF that religion they do profess; and to
assert and maintain that they may is very
pernicious and to be detested."
AS proposed:
Infants dying in infancy and all other
persons not guilty of actual transgression
are included in the election Of grace, and
are regenerated and saved by Christ
through the spirit, who worketh where.
when. and how he pleaseth. Others not
elected. although they may be called by
the word and may have some common OPP
erations OF the spirit, yet they never truly
come TO Christ and therefore cannot be
saved; neither is there salvation in any
other way than by Christ through the
spirit, however diligent men may be in