The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-23
FIGHTING CREED REVISION
An UpFoar in the Presbyterian
General Assembly.


Committee Report Result in an
Amendment to Dismiss the Whole
Matte--The Appeal of DR.. Dickey.
PHILADELPHIA, May 23.-In intro
dueing to the Presbyterian General AS
seTnbIy today the minority report upon
creed revision, DR. McKibbin took ocea-
sion to criticise the newspapers for sem
sationai reports regarding the meetings
of the revision committee Within five
minutes after ne had resumed his seat
DR.. Dickey was in tears, Dr. Dewitt,
Of Princeton, was stamping in the aisle
with his face flushed, DR.. Nicolls, of
Chicago, was trying. to explain some
thing, and DR.. McCook was shouting
that everybody was out OF order, while
DR.. Baxter, of this city, was Laughing
loudly.
When DR.. McKfbbin concluded his
speech, the majority report was read
and the Moderator said: 'HThe Assem-
bly, now has heard these two reports.
The motion TO adopt the committees
report will be in order DR.. NIcon
moved that the first recommendation in
the majority report, ''inasmuch as 1t is
the same as that contained in the mi
nority report" be adopted 7 parlia-
mentary tangle ensued and the motion
was finally withdrawn.
Dr. Baker offered the following SUBJ
stitute for the majority and for the
minority reports:
Whereas, the vote of the Presbyteries
on creed and revision indicated an utter
lack OF unanimity as to what should be
done in the matter;
And whereas this lack of unanirnity
will inevitably lead to a pretracted period
Of controversy aad unrest in the church
in case the movement for revision be per-
sisted in;
And whereas the disturbance of the
Confession of Faith would IN all likeli-
hood be seriously in the way OF reunion
or union with other churches which un-
ion is by man, earnestly desired, prayed
for, and anticipated; therefore:
Resolved. That this General As
sembly deems It inexpedient to proceed
further IN the matter of creedaI revision
at this time and hereby indefinitely post
pones the whole matter"
The Moderator: The original no
ton was to adopt the report Of the COM
mittee. The first amendment, or pro-
posed amendment, was to substitute the
report Of the minority for the report OF
the committee. Dr.. Baker now proposes
an amendment to that amendment to
Indefinitely postpone the whole matter.
The issue now is drawn between all
those who desire TO dismiss and all
those who desire not to dismiss. The
question is clearly before the house on
that issue The Moderator knows no
man hereafter He is, in the interest
OF fairness and clearness, asking you
to follow this order. I believe you viii
see that the whole field is now open
Every man can speak on the question
from his own point of view and we ere
now ready to extend the courtesy which
has been too long delayed to the chair
man of the committee, DR. Dfckey, who
has the floor
DR.. Dickey: Mr.. Moderator, every
body has been setting himself right and
I win set myself right I came here
supposing that there would be at least
fairness enough in this Assembly to al
low the revision report to take at least
for little while the same course that
other reports take. I do not like TO
speak under en irritation like this, but
I say to this Assembly that, by allow
ing these motions to come on in this
order before /, as chairman Of the COM
nittee, had the courtesy extended TO
at least give the reasons for the report
after spending a whole year upon this
subject, giving time and thought and
lying awake trying TO do my duty as
a fellow member and fellow worker to-
ward the common Interest," did not
intend to ask more than ten or fifteen
minutes to present that report I can
not do it under this motion I have no
speech to make"
This was followed by Kisses and
shouts of Hear; Hear
Il want to ask whether the old cour-
tesy is to be given I want to know
whether If go on and say what I can
say under this new issue on the line
that was prepared TO present it TO the
Assembly, the Assembly will give me
the last say before the vote, my priyi-
Iege under the rules OF the General As
sembly?p
The Moderator stated that the utmost
generosity and courtesy would be ex-
tended both to DR.. Dickey and DR.. Nc
Kibbin- Dr. Dickey then resumed. He
outlined the objections the committee
had tried to meet