New-York tribune., 1901-04-28
THE PRESBYTERIAN CREED.

The report of thc committee revision of
the Greed of the Presbyterian Church which
Will be submitted to the General Assembly 10
meet in Philadelphia on May 16 is cautious and
conservative in tone 1t begins by analyZing
the overtures on the question of revision made
by the various presbyteres. These overtures
indicate that the Church desires some change in
the statements of its Greed, provided that moth
ing is done TO impair the integrity of the West
minister system of doctrine. A new Creed there
fore is not desired but rather an INTERPRETATION
of the old Greed that shall show its harmony
with the teachings of the Bible. especially that
men not shut out from salvation by God
but by the wickedness of their own hearts" A
plurality of presbyteries desire q new statement
Of the present doctrines, and many ask for
some revision of the present Confession that
shall more fully bring out the fact of Gods love
In view of these statements, therefore the
committee recommends that the coming assem-
bly, appoint committee whose duty it shall be
To prepare brief summary of the reformed
I faith, bearing the same relation to the Confess
sion which the Shorter Catechism bears to the
Larger Catechism. and formed on the general
model of the Creed prepared for the assembly of
1892 or the articles of faith of the Presbyterian
Church of England. botn of which documents
are appended to the committees report and sub
mitted to the assembly to be referred to the
committee that may be appointed.
This summary is not to be a substitute for the
Confession, and is not to affect the terms of
subscription, but to vndca:e and clear the doe
trines of the Church from all false aspersions
and misconceptions to give better understand
ing of what is most surely believed among us
and is in no sense to impair, but rather to mani
fest and maintain. the integrity of the reformed
faith
1t is also recommended that the committee be
empowered to modify the text of certain sec
tons in the Confession to emphasize Gods
love rather than His wrath. These recommen-
dations would appear to be in harmony with the
present state of opinion in the Church, and they
will probably be adopted by the General Assem-
bly,. OF course, they will not wholly please
either the ultra conservatives or the ultra radi-
Gals. But any attempt to carry out the views
of either of these parties at the present time
would be disastrous to the Church. and the
leaders of each party cannot fail to recognize
that fact. The only course, therefore is for
both parties to agree on some such compromise
action as is outlined in the revision committees
report and then await the developments of the
future. 1t is possible that reactionary wave
of theological thought may carry the Church
back to its old moorings, when to question the
statements of the Greed no more to be
thought of than to question the statements of
the Bible. But in the present state Of religious
opinion that does not seem to be at all likely
theology which is now marked may continue
with increasing strength until the Greed will be
generally regarded as no more than an archaic
survival Of dead and buried past
what the future may have in store for the
Church need not seriously concern the Church
today so long as It lives up to the duties and