The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-08
THE ACTION OF
WASHINGTON
8 PRESBY1ERY.
In the Matter Of Greed Revision Was
All But Unanimous, the Vote
Being "A to 6.
FULL REPORT OF COMMITTEE
To Which the Matter Was Delegated,
1 Goes Into the Details Of the
Es: Question.

The Prcsbytery OF Washington metat
|; Mt, Prospect Tuesday evening nj I
o'clock. 1t was the seven,y-iifth ami
yyersary OF the Mt. Prospect church. and
q large coEc6arse OF people gathered to
celebrate the OCCASION Reports were.
read OF the various, organizations OF the
church and a church history.
A hounteous repast was partaken Of
by all present. The tables were spread
back Of the church. This church Is well
named. for the view from where the
tables stood, was one to please the eye
and cheer the soul OF man. The. peace
and contentment from a plenteous har-
vest was manifest on every hand.
Sturdy. steady farmers and their fami-
lies had come. laden with good things to
supply the wants Of the brethren, and
surely when the city preachers so into
the country again they will hardly be
able to look a chicken In the face.
After supper the presbytery was call
ed to order by the moderator, Dr.. AUS
tin, OF Vance Memorial church. and the
regular opening sermon was preached
by him from the cplstle to Hebrews 81.
Al the close of the sermon the pres
bytery went into regular session by,
elect.ng Rev. Cyrus G: Alien, Of Holli-
days Cove, as moderator.
There was not large docket for
"Wednesday mornings session. Rev.
I Charles G. Williams asked that the
pastoral relations be dissolved between
the Cross Creek church and himself,
which was vranted. Rev. Williams
goes to the church at Dunbar.
The Revision Question.
At this point the question OF revision
was taken UP. 1t having been set for 10
o'clock Wednesday morning. The COM
mittee appointed the previous evening
to present the matter In proper form,
consisting of Revs. DR.. Cunningham
and Maifat and Elder Mcdonald, made
their report through the chairman. DR..
Cunningham. The report OF the COM
nlittee was as follows:
THE Presbytery OF Washington, In
response to the action OF the last gen.
eral assembly. respectfully submit the
following:
THE Presbytery of Washington
stands In mistaken loyalty to the sys-
tenn Of doctrines contained In our Con-
fasslon OF Faith. yet We recognize the
fact that there Is considerable misap-
prehension OF our doctrines within our
church and misunderstanding Of them
on tbs part Of many who are Without.
which might be relieved by some au-
thoritative action on the part OF our
church. 81
Moreover, we believe that many pas
tors ara often asked the question, VIVA.
|. do Presbyterians believer An author
tied popular statement Of our doctrines
would be helpful to them. It seems,
therefore. desirable to US that serious
efforts should be made. to put our cher
ished system OF docrtine before the
church and the world in some way less
liable to 4 misrepresentation and a more
genial Acceptance.
"Of the various methods which have
been suggested. 1t seems to US wise to
select those which promise speedy re-
tfcf and which 1T the same time offer
the least possible disturbance of exist
ing relations OF our church to Its stand
ards and its past history. We, there's
fore. prefer:
First. That an attempt should be
made to prepare an authoritative state-
mcnt OF the subject OF our doctrines,
expressed In modern, uhtechr!eal terms.
which when approved by the general
assembly, by majority OF our presby-
teries. may be employed with that au-
thority TO give Information to the peo-
pie. concerning the doctrines most sure
ly believed among Us. but this authors
tative statement shall not be considered
4 revision Of the confession of faith,
much less a substitute for II. II 1t
should not be felt that such 4 statement
will give sufficient relief to those office
bearers who are disturbed by certain
interpretations OF portions of our COM
fession OF faith. then we should not OBJ
ject to brief explanatory statement as
to what our ordination vow involves,
similar to that which has been found OF
great service in the Scotch church.
"our second choice would be the care
full revision and submissionsto the pres
byteries OF the amendments proposed
to the confession OF faith In 1892. which
IN the form then presented, failed to re-
ceive the necessary majority, but with
careful revision might prove more ac-
ceptable, especially in view OF the
change which has taken place In the
genral conditions OF our church,
The Report Adopted.
This report was received and after
discussion. was adopted by U vote OF Il
to 6.
or the four propositions sent down by
the general assembly. the first. second
and fourth were voted IN the negative
by a majority OF IS TO 4: the third pro-
position, was. voted for In the aiiirma-
tive by Ito 6.
While Dr., Neatly, Of waynesburs,
was speaking against the revision, the
hour for devotional exercise arrived.
and the moderator called him down.
Some of the brethren did not under
stand why he had been cut of and Rev.
Speers objected to the action, as he said
he believed every one should have a full
opportunity to be heard, and, white he
old not ngree with Rev. Mcaley in his
view OF the matter. he wanted him TO
finish. for he believed that Rev, Mealey
would then see the error OF his ways.
The moderator explained that the hour
FOR devotional! exercise had arrived and
all other business must give way. Rev.
Spears insisted that DIR. Mealey should
he heard first and finish his speech at
the opening OF the debate. as It was do
Ing lots of good to the wavering,
"The reports from the different
churches were read after the question
OF revision was settled.
lat . p m. the examination OF Mr..