Evening star., 1900-10-10
VOTES AGAINST REVISION
PREsBYTERY OPPOSES CHANGES IN
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
Action of Local Judicatory of Presby-
terian Church-Business Transact
ed Mt Semf-Annual Session.

The semi ar nual session of the Washing
ton city presf ytery was held yesterday and
the evening previous in the Warner Memo
rial Church KensIngton. Nd. At yester-
days meetings. after a protracted discus
sion, the proposal for revision of the con-
fession Of faith was rejected, and reply 10
= that effect viii be sent to the committee or
the general assembly which has charge or
the matter. Upon the subject OF change
DIR. Bittinger said he had preached the
gospel according to the present creed Tor
fifty years and had never felt restricted
DIR. Hamlin read a paper from the seherdl
assembly of the Presbyterian Church in
which It asked that the following questions
be answered: 1st. Do you desire revision
of our comics. ion OF fa!th2 -. 30 You ue-
sire a supplemental. explanatory state
ment? 3D. Dc you desire substitute. ~
Do YOU deSira the dismissal OF the Whoie
subject? DR.. Hamlin asked that the lnii III
question be taken up first, as II wouid 90
away with al other questions Shoulu II pc
answered IN the negative. After an eNtehu-
ed discussion a vote on question was
taken and res lIted in sixteen for dIsmlsslls
the subject ard thirty-tive for discussing II.
Roll was called and resulted as lclLoWs'
For revision. II; supplementary, q; substl-
tutional 81 and no change, D After lhe
vote was taken the subject was dropped.
Il required twO-thirds vote to col7tllu-
tionaIly indorSe revision.
The meeting; began Monday evening Al
1:3O o'clock. II which time a sermon was
delivered by the retiring moderator, RsE'
George T. Wilson. d. D., OF tbs city. AZ
ter the transactions of the usual routine
business Rev Daniel w Skellinger Of the
Sixth Presbyterian Church, NaShlnglon'
was elected moderator for the ensuing SIX
months.
At the meeting held yesterday the fol-
lowing overtu-es sent down from the gen
eral assembly were adopted: ON the recep-
ton of ministers from other denominations;
on salaries of ministers; in regard TO the
acceptance of candidates for the ministry
in the relation of pastor emeritus. ana IN
the Hcensure of candidates. The overture
in reference II denying the vote OF minis
tiers without charge was answered IN the
negative
Rev Robert A Davisson was received
from the preshytery of North Carolina. and
il was ordered that his name be enrolled as
member A call was presented to me me
presbytery for the pastoral service of Mr.
Davtss1n for The church at Fails thurrh
Va. Mr.. Davisson having signihed his ac-
ceptance of the call instructions Tor MS
ordination November 9. 1&S, were issued,
as follows: Rev. Or. Skelinger. moderator,
to preside: the sermon to be preached ny
Rev. DR. Wal ace Radcliffe; Rev Dr. BIT
finger to deliver the charge to the people
and Rev. Or. Alexander to deliver me
charge To the pastor.
Mr.. Robert Leetch. a member of West
Street Church, was received as candldate
for the ministry.
Abstract Oh htDoTt w
Rev. DR.. Bfttinger presented a report
which will be made by him to the synod or
baltimore AMI which. summarized, Is as
follows: The presbytery of Washington
casv consists of forty-e:ght ministers under
the care of th:-.y-one churches. There are
s163 ccmmuncants. 146 ruling elders, 100
desclns one local evangelist and nine can
didates for he ministry. The average ag-
gregate attendance at the SGndaE SchooIs
is SIS. During the year the preshytery
received three minis,eTs-Rev. Donald Mac
LeaG Rev. f. Lawrence Hunt and Rev
r. s. Davissou. II Installed Rev. j. Gar
land Hammer. d. D.. pas.Ir Manassas:
Va. church: Rev. Gerharj A. Wilson of
Western Church. Wash,ngto on: Rev. Donald
MacLer,i of FRS. Church, Washington and
Rev. +. Lawrence Hunt at Westminster
Church. Washing on. During the same
periCi TWO members Of the presbytery died,
Rev. joseph F. Bruner. on November ~.
1saa and Rev. Narnum u. Collins, January
o 1900
ON the subject of the revision of the con-
fess7n OF fa.;h the stated clerk. Rev. DR..
Bittiuge-. was directed Il forward 20 the
committee of he general assembly having
charge Of the mIuter replies 10 IL gueS-
tions, as indicated in the foregoing.
DR.. Skellenger read the general nairat.ye
of work in ihe churches, all of which
were favorable. An increase IN young peo-
pies meetings was rep r;ed. The commit
tee on sUS entat.gn was unable to make
full report owing To many churches having
amount raised by ed@h church n The pres
bytery was announced. and certain
amount apportioned for each church TO
raise during the coming year.
Aid for Colleges.
DIR. RamsdcN reported on aid for colleges.
He spoke a some length on the subject and
depIored the fact that there was tendency
in the conduct Of colleges to get away from
religious teachings. He said he thought
schools should be under the charge of the
church board; he feared they would swing
away from religious influence unless looked
after. DIR. Rams,lell deprecate ed the lack of
religious teachings In the Washing on h Gn
schools DR.. Hamlin- disagreed with Or.
RamsdeH He expressed the opinion thai
the colleges are keeping up 10 heir former
standard IN regaru TO religious principles
and told of several instances chat had come
under his own notice.
A letter was read from the presbytery in
Tennessee I'm regard to Rev. James NJ
Han. who wished To unite with the Wash
iEgtJn preSby jery. The letter stated that
Mr. Hall had not been in attendance at the
meetings of that body for the past ten
years. and ne was called forward and asked
To make a statement to his reasons for
not keeping up his connection with the
presbytery- Mr. Han. who is d mddIe-aged
colored man said he came to Washington
ten years ago. five years of which he srent
in the study of medicine and five years In
the practice of his profession. He had
preached most Of the time in the A NJ f.,
ChurcI. and had been doing considerable
missionary work among the young colored
men Of Washington His case was referred
10 committee who reported that in order
10 b. admitted to the presbyteTy, he would
D. obliged 10 get a certificate from the A.
NJ +. church in which he had been preach
ing.
Ail"r the transaction of matters Of rou-
tine business the preSbyteTy adjourned to
meet In intermediary session December 3
al the Western Church. Washington. with
the understanding that the next stated
meeting of the body will be held in the
New York Avenue Church, Rev. Dr Wal
lace Radcliffe, pastor. the Monday after
the second Sunday in April, 1901
The Judge Would Have stayed
From the San Francisco Wave.
Before a Salt Lake justice of the peace
q young man was tried on a charge of