The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-25
AGAINST CREED REVISION.
New Brunswick. n. j., Votes 1t Down by a.
TO 10.

W VI
TRENTON, n. j.. Sept. 2i-The Presbytery
Of New Brunswick held an all-day session In
the First Presbyterian Church here to-day.
devoting the greater part Of the time TO a lively
discussion Of the proposition TO revise the Vest
Minister Confession Of Faith. There was a
large attendance Of clergy and elders, among
the number being several Of the professors OF
Princeton University. Tie Rev Dr. Benjamin
b. warileld and DR.. John Dewitt, professor Of
history, led the opposition. while the RGv
Or Durleld Of the university and the Rev.
James B. Kennedy of this city advocated re-
vision. Or Kennedy said that while this was
not a creed maxim age, It wns. at least. one In
which TO revise
Men now, he said. understood the underlying
tongues Of the Bible better than in the days
when the confession was made one Of the old
divines. he said, had made a great argument
to show that the Roman Catholic ChuTch was
anti-Chri-t and that the whole confession was
aimed at tho Papists ana prelates OF those days,
II beiug al age OF extreme seCtarlanlsn
To-day" continued the speaker, We re-
COguiZe the Catholics, and while We know they
have faults. yet they also have many viz tues.
To-day We teach tie fundamental principles
on which rests the church OF the Son OF Coo,
DR.. Kennedy suggested that there should
be a chapter on the Holy spirit and another on
the Gospel inserted in the confesslon, IN
speaking on the section that relates 10 the
NlpfllbU u infants III. htllllFdl FbAu NAAhN NAAo
ever nearing theologlahs may give II uhe
people have regarded the phrase as a birth
mark upon every non-elect chld. Referring
10 -ectOn 3 of the confession, commonly ue~
slgnated a. the section on prede5tination, Dr.
Kennedy said that it, statements were bald
and were easy TO convert into a confession oil
fttalsm,
1 do not deny the truths of Calvinism," he
said. but | do say that Gods vengeance ls set
ody OF proE2rt, 9n To- ca I2yf K IN IIi5 s' ss veil
IA during the arguments Of those WHO followed,
Dr.. Dutteld Frequently Interrupted. men Df,
Dewitt took the floor he said the Presbytery
had heard too much from DR.. Dufield and he
criticised him for mentioning the names OF the
Committee on Revision Of 1902. lie -ald the
question by individual thought and conclusion.
and that, therefore, the mentioning OF the
name~ Of "a" committee, though th9y Mets
prominent men, 80 frequently by Dr. Dufleld,
wa- evidently for the purpose of overawins In
lie said the bible was self-suficient and
needed no eNtraueuus evidence TO uphold II.
The third chapter oi the confession deals with
the universal plan Of God. There was no event
I'm history or no action Of humanity that did
not I've before in the eternal plan Of God but
there was nothing in th" doctrine oi the Pres
hytcrian Church asserting that the plan Is
necessarily cause for the action. IN many
cases he aid, it is not tho cause, and therefore
this doctrine does not make God the Author
Of sin. II. ~ all believe there were elect per-
sons. why, he asked, unless We were nlyer-
saliSts. should we hesitate 10 say that others
were ordained 10 the wrath of God'
Dr. Dewitt SHld the lIeSDy hTldiis were nor
alone in respect to the doctrine of lost infants.
The whole Western Church had taught that
doctrine. II WIS the reform diyires who taught
that the salvation of infants depended upon
the spirit of God, IN the W~estinlhister G0H-
f,ssion II Ii not said that infants are lost. If II
had been desired so to say. those who made
IL were sufficiently In control Of the English
language to have made such a declaration
clearly. The speaker, continuing, said that
Dr. Hills had declared, after rccitiEg some
Of the confession regarding the elect that
such n cod as that he dared TO defy from his
pulpit, The only thing TO DO. he said, was
Tor he Pr'sbytcry. e. rise and .Py to ttiS pro-
Dr. Henry c. Cameron, Professor OF Greek
At Princeton, approved, FOR the most part,
the Confession o. Faith. but he ,thought the
not Calvinistic. II is ambiguous, he said. and
not in eccord with the teachings II CALVIN. All
agreed that none arc saved except the elect,
but the article. lac declared, does not make II
all the amendments Of 1902 were devoted to
weakening the statements Of the doctrine OF
decree and doctrine 81 sin. The desire to change
the language came from q fabby state II mind,
said that the Presbyterian Church
would have to decide between. an orthodox
restatement Of the confession and
a new creed. Dr.. Patton and Green. he went
ON. favored the amendments and when Drs.
Dewitt and Warfcld sroke rs they did they
were arraigniug the orthodoxy Of the former
gentlemen. The whole committee OF which
they mere memee7s Al pc r sa'd. ed haa s "a Iy1n tna'
DR.. Durield wanted every elder 70 go home
read his confession aud write TO him and tell
him whether he could find a single statement
in IL 81 the love Of God for the world. God
undoubtedly elected some to everlasting life
and N his sovereignty, Others TO everlasting
perditlon.
ton 10 revise it was defeated by n vote OF 4s