Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-30

w tne government CnBpter ANIL,
suction s, be adopted by this assembly :
AS REPoRTED.
"B. Werecomend that this committee
be instructed to prepare brief sum
mary of the Reformed Faith, bearing
the same relation TO the Confession
which the Shorter Cateohism bears to
the Larger Catechism, aud formed on
the general model OF the Consensus
Greed prepared for the assembly in
1892, or the Articles of Faith of the
Presbyterian Church OF England
This summary is not to be a substi-
tute for the Con tession, and is not to
Affect the terms of subscription, but to
vindicate and clear the doctrines OF the
church from all. false aspersions and
misconceptions, to give better under
standing of what Is most surely believed
among us, andls 10 no sense to impair,
but rather to manifest aud maintain
the Integrity OF the Reformed Faith. ;,
AS ADOPTED.
"B. We recommend that this COM
mittee be Instructed to prepare and to
submit to the next General Assembly
for such disposal as may be judged to
be wise brief statement of the Re.
formed Faith, expressed as far MS posi-
bic in unteebnioal terms.
The said statement Is to be pre- :.
pared with d view to its being emplo5ed
to give information and hetter under.
standing of our doctrinal belief1, and
not with view to i's becoming a sub
stitute for, or on alternative OF, our
Confession Of Faith, -
In recommendation q the clause In
brackets shows the only change made
by the assembly, the recommendation.
as amended, being as fol ows:
20. We further recommend that this
committee be instructed to prepare
amendments OF chapter III, chapter X,
section 3, and chapter XVI, seution Z !;
chapter XIII, section 3, and chapter
XIV, section 6, OF our Confession of
Faith, either by modification of the
text or by declaratory stateInent but
as far as possible by deoaratoiy slate
mentl, SO. as more clearly to express the
mind Of the church, with additional
statement concerning the love of God
for all men, missions and the Holy
Spirit IL being understood that the
revision shall in no way impair the in
tegrity of the system of doctrines set
forth in our Confession and taught in
the Holy Sculpture
Philadelphia, Pa. May 27.-When
the Presbyterian General Assembly
met today, there appeared to he dis
position on the part Of the comm ission-
ers to bring the debate on creed re-
vision to an and as sooE as possible.
Before proceeding to the further con-
sideration Of the question OF revision,
the assembly adopted the report OF. the
committee on the next place of meet
ing, which selected the Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church of New York as
the meeting p ace OF the General As
sembly of 1902 An amendment was
offered substituting Los Angeles for
New York, but DIR. Roberts, the stated
clerk, announced that the condition OF
the assembly g funds would not warrant
such a selection, and the amendment
was lost, Invitations were also re-
ceiSed from Denver, Milwaukee aud
Saratoga Springs, The committee
recommended to the next assembly the
selection Of Los Angeles for the as
sembly OF 1908.
When the order OF the day--the re.
vision OF the Confession OF Faith-was
reached, the moderator made few re-
marks, advising against any hasty
action today. He said there was
tendency to rush the matter SO that
the assembly could adjourn, and he
hoped the commissioners would not get
into paniclky condition aud do some.
thing which they might regret. lie
suggested, however, that all speeches
he limited, and motion to limit
them to 10 minutes each was unani-
mously carried.
The Rev. James D. Moffatt, u. D.,
president Of Washington and jefferson
University, who, on Saturday, gave
notice that he would offer an amend.
ment to the majority report, was then
recognized by the moderator.
DIR. Moffatt explained that he was
moved to offer the amendment to
b because of the small
majority which o1 Saturday voted to
retain the recommendation in the re-.
vision committees report. Objection
had been made, he said, to the original
recommendation beoauss of ambiguity
in certain portions, and his object in
amending was to render the vote of the
assembly unanimous on whatever action
might be taken.
- hoped to amend recommendation
b." continued DIR. Moffatt," to meet
all objections and to give it new word.
ing. Many good men who opposed the
original form we're alarmed by the word
summary. have made a simple
change, striking out the word sum
mary and substituting statement,
which expresses Just what we have in
view. Again, there is nothing in the
original report az to what shall be
done with the summary. lavish to
remove oil ambiguity and have it
stated plainly that the committee to
be appointed will be required to report
TO the next assembly, and that recon-
mer dation be maze TO the next assembly
70 submit the. entire subject to the
presbyteries. "
DIR. Moff4tt's amendment was as fol-
lows "We recommend that this com.
mittee be instructed TO prepare and
submit to the next General Assembly,
for such disposition as may be Judged
to be wise, a brief statement of tho
reformed faith, expressed, as far as
possible, in untecnnioal terms. The
said statement is to be prepared with
o view to its being employed to give
information and q better understand
ing OF our dootrinal beliefs, and not
with view to lis becoming substi-
tute for or an alternative Of our Con-
fession of Faith. :"
Or. Niccols of st. Louis, leader Of
the minority party, In brief speech
heartily seconded the amendment, which
action drew forth considerable applause.
Other seconding speeches we're made BY
DR.. Herrick johnson of Chicago, former
Moderator Charles A. Dickey OF Phila-
delphia, DIR. William MoKiEbin of Gin !.
cinnati. DR.. George ID, Baker of Phila
delphia, DIR. William @. Roberts OF
pprapsy lyania, Ky:. Dr.. v. II; W.