The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-27
REVISION WINS.
Presbyterian Assembly Adopts
Committees Report.
Much More Business Remains to
Be Disposed OF.
TO MEET In NEW YORK.
Next Meeting Place of the Gen
eraI Assembly
Selected at the Session Held
This Morning.

Philadelphia, May 27--The Presby-
terian general assembly adopted the
revision committees report at HOP
a. m.
It was decided at this mornings ses-
sion of the assembly to hold the as
SEN bly, next year in the Fifth Avenue
church, New York.
When the assembly met today there
appeared to be a disposition on the
part of the commissioners to bring the
debate on creed revision to an end as
soon as possible. The majority of the
delegates are impatient to settle the
1 question SO far as this assembly is con-
| cerned. There is still considerable other
/ business of Importance to be transac cted
and some of the subjects are expected
1 to arouse much discussion. Among
/ these are the establishment Of an eccle-
/ siastical supreme court, the oversight
and direction of the collecting and dis
/ tributing of benevolent offerings, the
/ plan of vacancy and supply for unem-
ployed ministers and churches without
/ pastors. and a plan of oversight of the
| young peoples societies.
Before proceeding to the further con-
sideration of the question of revision,
i the assembly adopted the report of the
| committee on the next place of meet
ing, Which selected the Fifth Avenue
| Presbyterian church, New York, as the
meeting place of the general ssembly
/ of 1902. An amendment ~ETas offered
I
/ but DR.. Roberts, stated clerk, an
nOunced that the condition of the es-
/ sembly's funds would not warrant such
| a selection and the amendment was
! lost. Invitations were also received
from Denver, Milwaukee and Saratoga
| Springs
! The committee recommended to the
next assembly the selection of Los
| Angeles for the assembly Of 1903
When the order of the day, the revi-
| sion of the confession of faith, was
reached, the moderator made a few re-
marks advising against any hasty ac-
/ tion today. He said there was a tend
ency to rush the matter so that the
assembly could ad55urn, and he hoped
the commissioners would not get into
a panicky condition and do son ething
which they might regret. He suggest
ed, however, that all speeches be linn
tied, and a motion to limit them to ten
minutes was unanimously carried
James D. Moffatt, D. D., president of
Washington and Jefferson university,
who on Saturday gave notice that he
would offer an amendment to the ma
jority report, was then recognized by
the moderator.
DR.. Moffatt explained that he was
moved to offer the amendment to rec
ommendation B because of the small
majority which on Saturday voted to
retain the recommenda ton in the re-
vision CON mittee's report. Objection
had been made, he said, to the original
recommendation because of ambiguity
amending was to render the vote of the
assembly unanimous on whatever ac-
tion might be taken.
Il hoped to amend recommendation
b. continued Dr. Moffatt. ito meet all
objections and to give it new wording.
Many good men who opposed the orig
inal form were alarmed by the word
summary have made a sin pie
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 as to what shall be
done with the summary. 1 wish to re-
move all ambiguity and have it stated
plainly that the committee to be ap-
pointed will be. required to report to
the next assembly and that a recon-
mendation be made to the next as
semb1y to submit the entire subject to
the presbyteries.
DR. Moffatt's amendment IS as fol-
I'VE recommend that this commit
tee 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 the reformed
faith, expressed as ar as possible in un-
technical terms. The said statement is
to be prepared with a view to its being
employed to give inform alton and
better understanding of our doctrinal
beliefs. and not with a view to its be-
coming a substitute for or an altern-
ative of our confession of faith
DR.. Niccolls. of St. Louis, a leader of
the minority party, in a 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 Philadelphia; DR.. VIM. Nc
Kibben, Cincinnati; DR. George d
Baker. Philadelphia; DR.. VIM Roberts,
Transylvania, Ky. DR.. w. H. W. Boyle,
Pueblo, Colo: DIR. D. J. Saunders, pres
ident of Biddle university, Charlotte
n. C. DR. David A. Cunningham. W ash
ington. Pa. and DR.. David s Kennedy,
Allegheny. Pa.
As each of the above commissioners,
who represented all shades of opinion
in the assembly. rose to speak for the
amendment, a wave of applause swept
over the vast assemblage-
The amendment was adopted by a
viva voce vote, not one voice being
raised in opposition to it.
The question was then on the adop-
ton of the n ajority report. and DR.
Johnson moved that the three recon-
mendations contained in the report be
taken up seriatin, and the m otiOn was
carried
Recommendation A. which calls for
the appointment of q revision commit
tee, was adopted with. only a few voices
against it.
Recommendation B. as amended,
went through without a sign of oppo-
sition.
Recommendation c. on motion of Dr.
Palzer of Philadelphia was amended SO
that the amendments to be prepared by
the committee for several chapters of
the confession Of faith shall be made
steifher bv modification of the text or by
sible. by deciaratcry statement" This
recommendation was also adopted with
but little opposition
The question then reeurred to the