The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-25
PRESBYTERIAN MEETINGS.
Southern Assembly Adopts a Report
on The ELECT Infant Clause.
REFER cATEcHISMs TO PRFsByTERlEs
General Assembly Decides to Continue
Consideration OF the Question Of Re-
vision of Confession Of Faith,

Little Rock, Ark, May "a The Southern
Presbyterian general assembly this after.
noon refused to adopt the ca,echism Of the
nature and government of the church as re
ported by the committee appointed one
year ago. 1t was ordered that the cate
chlsm he sent down to the preshyterles for
criticism with instructions to return It TO
the ad interim committee by February |.
1902.
The assembly divided the synod OF Mis-.
sssipp into the synohs or Mississippi and
Louisiana on state lines The senod of
Memphis was divided and the synod OF
Tennessee created. After lengthy debate
the assembly directed the executive com.
mlttce on publications to select field
superintendent for Sabbath school work.
The assembly adopted the recommendation
of the committee on the Bible cause. re-
minding pastors that the collection for the
Bible society on the third Sabbath in DC
tober or some other more convenient day
is embraced in the assemblys scheme of
heneacence and should be regularly and
faithfully attended to.
1t was ordered that the following amend
ments to the Book of Church order be
sent to the presbytcres for their advice
and consent, with the recommendation that
IL he adopted Provided, further, that In
the case of a synod composed of three
presbyteries. any seven ministers. repre-
seuting any two preshy terics together with
the ruling elders shall he n quorum"
The standing committees report today on
ministerial relief recommends providing Il
fluid for relief of pressing needs of ais
ahed ministers and their famiies that
collections be solicited from the churches
during July and thai an earnest effort be
Y L., nt.aa nat laaAG fhln nd
that all ministers whose names are on the
preshy terry rolls. whether laborlng at home
or in the foreign hcd. shall be eligible
to the benefits of the fund. and that the
following executive committee of minis
teria relief he elected: ReVs. Russell
Cecil, D. D., chairman; X. L. Kerr, ID.
D.. Jerry Wttherspoon, u. p; j. Calvin
Stewart, d. D.. George i. Cannon. Jonn
s. Munce, C. u. Laws, s. II Huwes, j..
y. Culllngworth and w. X. Miller the
committee being empowered TO elect N
secretary, who shall also act ms treasurer.
In the discussion on tho report the need
of n change from the present system was
accentuated, the daily allowance to dis.
ahed ministers at present being only q
cents. There was some opposition 10 the
creation of n new committee for the re
lief work on the ground that the work
| could he handled by other committees
The question has no, vet been fully dis
At tonight's session Of the Southern
| Presbyterian general assembly majority
ana minority, reports from me special com
| submitted. Judge $ i, Greene of For
Worth, Texas, presented the minority. re
| port, which recommended that the follow
! Ing he sent down to the presbyteries TO
| their concurrence;
THAT section Y, chapter 10. of me con
words nothing In this section shall b
understood MS holding OF. teaching the pos
sihlity of the damnation of an iufan
diving IN infancy Our church does no
The minority report was rejected by, IN
assembly and the majority presented H.
! Rev. f. II. Beattle Of Louisville, NY, wa
adopted: The majority report resciuds IN
| In every edition of the confession Of fnit
| thereafter m explanatory foot note re
report states that this action is in no wa
i to be taken MS modifying the answer mad
to the ovcrtures in the last assembly.
Concerning overtures from various synod
! infants dying In infancy the majority re
port MS adopted tonight recommends tina
no action be taken for these reasons;
l. Because II Is unwise to initiate at TIL
time the agitation of this question amon
| the people
,. Because no modification that does no
| eliminate Scriptural Calvinism from tn
section of the confession will obviate tn
objection which comes from Armcnia
8. Because the Westminster confession
of faith is the first great creed whic
taught the salvation of infants diving Il
infancy on truly Scrlptural grounds.
a. Because the confession OF fai,h I'm thl
section does not teach the damnation n
any infant dying in infancy for the rea
son that the contract made In II Is no
between elect and non-elect Infants dyln
i'm infancy. Int between elect persons VIII
die in infancy and elect persons who Il
not die in Infancy,
;. Because, while we have we
grounded hone. founded on Scripture. tina
ali Infants diving In infancy are saved. We
the confession Of faith goes as far as tn
Scriptures Justify positive creda state
mont upon the subject.