New-York tribune., 1901-05-26
MINORITY REPORT BEATEN
PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY REFUSES ITS
REVISION PLAN BY VOTE OF 211
TO 234EA SPIRITED DEBATE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE-I ]

minority report of the special committee on re-
vision a substitute to the majority report py
vote of 271 to 234
The taken at the end of a spirited de-
late, in which Moderator Mnton participated
The defeat of the minority report places the ques-
tion of adopting the majority report of the re-
vision committee and their recommendations
straight before the assembly and the discussion
will continue Monday morning
DR.. James D. Moffat. president of Washington
and jefferson University. announced that he would
be ready to present to the assembly Monday an
amendment the majority report. DR.. Mlntof
the moderator, announced himself this morning
in favor of moderate revision of the Confession
of Faith. More than this. he declared that he was
In favor of adopting the minority report OF the
special committee revision, and did not ap-
prove of the recommendation of the majority re-
port. his address he said:
1 believe that all objections in the Confession OF
Revision IN viii viii remoYeS these incidental objections
which, If allowed to remain, will in time prove
serious to the Church and its progress love ehf
love it want remove from the face of it these
incidental mt objections They are not only moga am6gI
We do not need textual statement of the 0Gn-
want what want. and not because some one
else it it. 1T not @ to rss6n 6neoT e
deelaratory statement; l am against the recon-
mendation of the majority report
The recommendation in the report of DR.. Dickey's
committee around which the battle took place to-
day the following:
We recommend that this committee be instructed
to prepare brief summary of the reformed fam faidhh
the shorter catechism bears to the larger cate
@ enc 6 9eo on 'ie th aesnpob si % of 1o2 or
the articles of faith of the Presbyterian Church OF
This summary is not to be substitute for the the
and is not to AFFECT the terms m dornes OF
OF the Church from false aspersions and Tsconcep,
9aS G Vs 9esr ons G and % 1
TO impair but rather to manifest ana MAINTAIN 'i'e
| integrity of the reformed faith
DR.. McKibbin began the discussion to-day by
| recounting how many advantages would be secured
by the adoption of the minority report, which elm
mated the section just quoted. In his report all
the relief sought for by the revisonists was Sc
cured He pleaded for unity declaring that the
minority report like the prepared in 1892
DR.. Stewart came out fatfooted in favor of the
| majority report. but declared frankly that 1t
| was compromise and did not represent his own
| views. He believed he said. that the Church
! should draw up entirely statement. but he
| realized that he could not have what he wanted.
| and therefore he took what he could get II was
| the first clear and unequivocal plea for the new
| creed that has been made. Other speakers have
referred to the new statement which they desire.
! but have asserted that it was not to be new
| creed One vote has been taken. showing the
| strength OF the revision men. and it is probable
that the creed idea will brought to the front
| with reserve.
DR.. Brownson Of this city followed DR.. Stewart
| He referred TO DR.. Dickeys statement OF yester-
| day relative the connection between creed re-
| vision and church progress. DR.. Brownson is the
chairman of the twentieth century fund commit
tee. but he declared positively that II there TO
| be any connection between revising the creed and
| raising that fund he would resign the chairman
| ship without delay.
The next speech delivered by the Rev.
Charles F. Hubbard. of Buffalo favoring short
| statement summary of the reformed faith, At
| this point Dr. Minton called the vce-moderator
the chair and spoke against the recommendation.
1 Inns hale
the accommodating and then answered the objec-
tions which had been raised in the debate against
| the brief statement. He said iE part:
IT The &c confession contains many statements which
with the confession in regard It's statement con-
ceerning the reasons for divorce. It implies that
tion while believe there is only one reason which
holding that view. Our system OF doctrine can be
more simply stated without impairng its integrity.
Such a creed could be effectively used in our
Church and in mission work. Six out of the
foreign presbyteres that replied to our committee
| asked that something should be done. and four of
statement would dissipate all reasonable doubt as
to to- what we mean by our terms of subscription.
office holders because they dissatisfied with the
! present confession; We need to give them more re-
This statement would tell the world what the
Presbyterian Church stands for 1t would be some
thing that we could hand who asked what
we really believed. This statement. you under
be substitute for the Confession of Faith; il is
fession. but vindicate clear the doctrines OF
| the Church from false aspersions and misconcep-
| tons. We have already such a statement in the
Consensus Greed. prepared by committee ap
pointed by the assembly, in the following terms
of the Westminster Confession. 10 be used the
| common creed of the Reformed churches holding
the creed but to Supplement it it for be
work of the Church. especially in foreign mission
! fields
There you have it, and our honored friend, Dr.
De Witt OF p Princeton esai served on the committee
to place alongside our creed and say, THAT is
| Dr. De witt yesterday, as Oliver Wendell Holmes
| said of Emerson. performed great act of icono-
clasm taking idols @ from their pedestals so gently
| down the summary statement and set aside that
argument: then he took down the revision idol
statement and said finally: our form of sub
son leave leave his method and come over under our
umorea BUT the trouble is his umbrella has
| that we shall have a double standard. Now.
double STANDARD implies two different standards;
| We are told that the short creed will become
shelf. If the system of doctrine runs through
the two, why fear? II is the system of doctrine
| concern us. Let me for moment draw an illus
tration a lover in business suit calls upon his
| day he goes to the altar in q dress suit. VIII
the girl complain? # she has married the suit and
| that this is not creed making age This is the
| grossest reflection upon this age that could be
| made.
DR.. Purves defended DR.. Bakers motion YES
| terday. and Dr. McKibbins to-day. He referred
| to Dr. Johnson's figure of the umbrella, and de-
clared that 1t simply parasol Then came
the vote with the result told above. Yesterday the
| lines were drawn between doing nothing and doing
| something, and those who favored doing something
vision men and the new statement men The final
/ vote Will be taken Monday, and the assembly
This afternoon about five hundred commissioners
and their friends visited Princeton, going on a
l rA a fnSn Of fha 1rni-