Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-05-24
REVISING THE CREED.
Presbyterians at Philadelphia Engaged on An
Important Task.

Pniladelphia. Pa. May 2'.-The i'm
purtant question Of revising the creed,
which for the past two years he's been
?gitatiug the Presbyterian church.
came before the general assembly.
Thursday. ana Il lengthy debate on the
subject is expected. It is the intention
not to permit the discussion to be In
terruptcd by other business until the
commissioners had reached some def
mite conclusion.
The controversy regarding revision
has led to the formation of three
groups among the Go commissioners 10
the general assembly. First. there Is
the conservative group. composed Of
these opposed to any change whatever
in the doc;rinaL standards OF the
church. Then there is the party desir-
oue of setting aside the confession of
faith as not truthfully expressing the
ic!icf of the church. IctNo"n these
stand those who favor maintaining the
old conf, ssiOn with few notifications
and who desire the adoption Of a clear
"doc!arativo" statement setting forth
the NEST important doctrines Of laying
special emphasis upon the love Of Cod
for mankind. and on the work Of the
holy spirit.
The commissioners have had ample
time to study the committees report
and when Moderator Ninton called tn"
assembly to order. Thursday. ail were
fully prepared for q thorough ana in
tcllieent consideration &c tic subject.
In answer to the questions submitted
to the pr"Sbytcrios 20 asked the as
scmhly t. dismiss The whole subject.
ore was undecided. four said they nei-
ther desired 4 revision nor a supple
mental statement. nor the dismissal of
TIA" whole subject. and 81 failed To re-
pond. or the remaining PrcShy!rrieS
nearly two-thirdS Of the whole number
asking for some change in the Crccdal
statement. a. desire 4 revision Of the
confessional. II an explanatory state
mrEt one revision ana an explanatory
statement. ~ = supplemental state
mcnt l. revision and supplemental
statement. one an explanatory state
mont ana 4 supplemental statement. II
: substitute creed. one an alternative
creed ana six some charge not speci-
fed
Fully an hour before the doors Of
Calvary church We're opened. crowds
thronged the entrance and when the
exercises began the galleries
We,e flied to oyerfl0Wing.
The debate on revision was delayed
by the rcpnrt Of the committee on bills
3 nd oVcrtuYcS ana other matters of
some Importance to the assembly.
Rev. Dr. Asa s. F'iske of Washington,
u. G. offered \ resolution congra atulat-
I'M: President Mckinley on the prompt
recovery from the apparently fatal ill
ness of MIS-. Mckinley and Offering
thanks to God at the prospect Of her
early return to her home. The rcSolu
tiCn was unanimously adopted.
Or. Roberts. stated clerk, announced
that there remained two days business
to be disposed of after the revision
question is settled.
The report of the special commission
on revision came before the assembly
at 10 o'clock.
After n preliminary statement by
Rev. DR.. Dickey to the effect that he
was acting as chairman Of the commit
tee through appointment by the last
general assembly and not by his own
request he began to read the report.
DR.. Dickey was closely followed by all
the commissioners who held copies.