The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-09-18
REVISION OF CREED.
New York Presbytsry win Ask for
Change In Confession OF Faith.

NEW YORK. Sept. 1.-THE New
York Presbytery with the other 2Sl
presbytcries in the United states is
getting ready to answer the questions
Of the committee inquiry about a
revision OF the confession Of faith.
This committee was appointed last May
BY the general assembly at ST. Louis.
They met at Saratoga recently and as
result Of their meeting the presby-
teries have received the following
questions. which they are asked to an
swer:
First-Do YOU desire revision of our
confession OF faith? or
Second-Do YOU desire supplemental
explanatory statement? or
Third-po you desire to supplement
our present doctrlnal standards with
briefer statement Of the doctrine
most surely believed among US" ex-
pressing in simple language the faith
OF the church in loyalty to the system
Of doctrine contained in holy scripture
and held by the reformed churches?
or
Fourth--Do you desire the dismissal
of the whole subject so that our doc
trinaI standards shall remain as they
are without any change whatever.
whether revisional. supplemental or
substitutional?
The New York Presbytery will meet
on October when action win be taken.
Al the office Of the New York obser-
yer. a Presbyterian paper in this city.
it was said in regard to the probable
action OF the local body:
The probability is that the prssby-
terry win ask for change. provided
the Cslvanist party creed is not
changed. The presbytery ten years ago
voted in this way. There VIII proba-
bly, be. for instance. a desire to re-
wise such a part OF the creed as elect
infants dying in infancy are saved as
the word elect seems to some people
10 imply that here are other children
who are lost. This may be changed
by dropping the word elect
Another matter TO De settled has Just
core up in regard to the proposed re-
vision. Henry W. Lambirth. Of Phila-
delphia. has contendsd that the COM
mittee Of sixteen on revision is uncon-
stitutionally formed. as it contains
three members from one synod. that Of
Pennsylvania. namely the Rev. Drs.
Charles A. Dickey and S. W. Dana and
Elder William r. Crabbe. The eonsti-
tuition of the Presbyterian church says
that before any amendments or alter
ations of the confession of faith are
transmitted to the pres5yteries the gem
eral assembly shall appoint commit
tee to consider the subject and that
committee shall not have mora than
two members from the same synod.
DR. John Dixon Of the Presbyterian
board of Home Missions had this to
say on the subject:
81 do not think Mr.. Lambert's speech
was well taken. The committee Of six
teen Is only a committee OF inquiry.
II is simply asking the presbyterles If
they would favor any change in the
creed. The general assembly has not
yet taken up the work Of revision. It
would not now stop simply because Of
a technlcality. any way. If it decides
to go more deeply into the matter it
will without question follow the rule
to the letter"
DR.. Erskine ~ White. secretary Of
the board of church erection. said that
there was no way Of knowing how the
presbytery would act. From a personal
point of view he continued:
There are doubtless some minor
changes that might be considered wise.
TIE creed was formed twenty-five years
ago. at time when there was great
opposition to the ways Of the church
of Rome. Today no one would think
Of putting in a creed the pope Of
Rome is Christian and the son
Of Derdition.' 1t is altogether likely
tina: this will be left out in case Of re-
vision. Two-thirds of the presbyteries
must vote for revision before it can
be made
Nine years ago many who wished
changes voted against those that were
nroDosed because they desired more.
Many people also think that there are
more changes that are desirable but