The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-05-24
ASSEMBLY IN
CONFUSION

PhilaIelphia, May 2f- Exciting con-
fusion marked the opening of the battle
on she question Of Revision of The Con-
fession of Faith IN the Presbyterian Con-
eral Assembly yesterday. and for half au
hour tine eagerness of rival factions swept
all trace of order from he proceedings.
Immediately after the majority AMI mlu-
ority reports OF the COMMITTEES Oh R,v!-
sion had been read almost every commits
sioner pre- .ent, ignoring the courtesy OF
permitting Chairman Dlekey to discuss
his reports, endeavored to speak on the
question and IN avalanche of motions for
and against the adoption of the reports
descended on the Moderator.
The advocates of revision sprangto the
front in tho tumult with motion TO
adopt the majority report; anti revisi,n-
lists Immediately amended 1t, substituting
the minority report, ana fnaliy the
opponents of any onange IN tho Confession
amended the amendment and made the
motor before the Assembly to di,miss
tho whole question. The result OF the
.klrmi.h was o victory for the antl-revi-
sioni is, for by forcing tho last amend
meIt on the Assembly they at once placed
the revision faction on tbs defensive, aud
tho entire day was devolel TO debating
the motion for di, mis- al. The discussion
Oh this question will bo rasuned today,
There was no hint OF the excltllg out
break during the reading OF ths reports.
The Assembly lis sned attentivs while
DIR. Diclley and Rev. William MCkiD Dbin
submitted .hc opinion. OF lha commit tee,
but Immediately afterward thres IF the
revision lsadorH Revs. j. d. Motfatt,
Herrck johnson and S. }. Nlccols.
simultaneously offered motions to adopt
the majority report while scores OF the
OF her commissioners clatnored for recog-
milton. Moderator MiniOn ruled Rsv
Niccolls motion in order, and amid great
excitement eudeavored to put 1t 10 vote
Ex. Moderator Diekoy seized momout
of comparative calm TO rase the point OF
order that ii was the custom to discuss
report Eefore voting on IT, and he was
sustained by the chair Before he could
take advantage of The privilege accorded
him. Rev. James e, NJ M,tfhtt an ant
revision leader, amended DR.. Nicools
motion by substituting ths whole report
for adoption. The amondment was I'M
nediately seconed sapd in the cllmor for
ayote DR.. Dlckey was once more debarred
from speaking.
There was general misunderstanding
of the nature OF the amended motion ana
confusion reigned until Moderator Min
ton suggested to DR.. Niccolls the with
drawal Of his motion, which would kill
the amendment and make fresh start
possible. DR.. Nccols Withdrew his
motion amid applause, and motion to
adopt the whole report was made. lhis
was instantly amt ndel to substitute the
minority report but before a vote could
bo taken Rev. George d. Baker, OF the
anti revision forces, offered tho following
resolution as substitute for the amended
III otion:
Whereas, Tie vote OF the Presby teries
on crcod and revision Indicates an utter
lack of,unanllnity as to what should DO
done iu the matter; and,
Whereas, This lack OF unaninity will
Inevitably lead 10 ap'otracted period OF
controversy aud unrest IN the Church IN
case the movement for revision b. persist
cd in; and,
Whereas The disturbance OF the Con
fcssion of Faith would in all Likelihood be
seriously in the way OF reunion or union
wi h other churches which union Ia W
many earnestly desret, prayed fox and
anticipated therefore,,
Resolved, That this General Assembly
deems it mex pedent to proceed further in
the matter OF creedal revision at shis time
and hereby indefinitely pos pones the
whole matter.
If any one suppo es that the Pre'by
terian Church just settled down to perfect
creed In the world, that there was not
flaw in 1T, and there was nothing In 1t
but what any ybody:oouid subscribe to and
content to, and that they were entirsy
happy, anybody that tries to create that
impression surely goeS against all the
facts past present and future.
What are the conditions? Two hun
dred and Ave Presby terles have answered
ont of two hundred and thirty three. How
did they answer One hundred ana fifty
four answered: I'VE want some change,
that We may have relief from this con
tinual agitation. dispute, divirion, dlscord
dangers OF worse evils than wo have yet
seem" Three fourths of the whole n um
ber of presby terians answered.