Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-25

ton of men, and, secondly, the freedom
Of man to choose. l believe that God
has elected all infants to salvation"
DR.. John Dewitt, of Princeton Uni
versity, was mex recognized by the
moderator. There was a disposition by
some of the commissioners t close the
debate. AS DR.. Dewitt took the plat
form there were cries OF Question"
The Princeton professor paid a tribute
to the high character Of the debate
which has thus far been entirely free
from acrimony and sarcasm. He said
there was no danger of a division in
the church and he wanted it to go out
to the world that no matter how they
may differ on the Westminster confess
sion they STAND united on the word of
God. He spoke of the consistency OF
the beliefs of the church, which has
stuck closer to the doctrines of the
reformation than any other church.
Unity" he said, sis the fundamental
| principle of the church, which stands as
a pyramid pointing to the sky without a
assure, without a crack"
DR.: Dewitt said he belonged to what
is known as the Fourth party, The
first party, he said, emphasizes a new
summary Of the confession; the second
emphasizes amendments to certain
specific sections, the third wants a de-
claratory or explanatory statement; the
fourth emphasizes "our noble declara-
tory statement which is now In our pos
session and which will solve the entire
question"
The Three Elements,
orthodoxy, liberty and unity of action,
DR.. Dewitt said, were never held in
better balance than at present in the
new school. This was done by throw
ing emphasis on the present liberal
terms Of subscriptions. DIR. Dewitt
said he was not an obstructionist. His
proposition was that the assembly
stand on its rights and assert the great
noble, liberal term of subscription. The
speaker in referring to the proposed
creedal statement said he hoped some
one would be given carte blanche to
tell us what we are to do without fur
ther instruction from the church. He
regarded 1t as the most monstrous prop
osition ever propounded to a reformed
church.
President J.. D. Moffat, of Washing
ton and Jefferson University, said he
belonged, like DR.. Dewitt, to the fourth
party, yet he was opposed to dismiss
ing the entire matter while DR.. De-
Witt was in favor of such action. He
did not know whether he was a revis-
ionist or not. because there was no
specific proposition before the assem-
bly,. He advocated the acceptance of
recommendation B, and until the com
mittee makes its report in accordance
to that recommendation, he did not
know where he stood. The recommen-
dation, he said, asks that another ,om-
mittee be appointed and that it be in-
structed to prepare a brief summary
of the reformed faith. 1t would not be
fair, he said. to the $50 presbyteries
who had asked for some relief, if tie
| subject was dismissed by the assembly.
Recess.
When the afternoon session was call
ed to order, Rev. John w. Dinsmore.
of California, moved that the vote on
DR.. Bakers amendment, dismissing tie
| whole subject, he taken at 4:30 and that
speeches
He Limited to Ten Minutes.
Objection was made by some of the
commissioners, especially DR.. Dewitt,
who had accepted the time of Rev. DIR.
Robert NJ. Patterson, of Pennsylvania,
in the morning. DR.. Dewitt said there
were many commissioners anxious to
be. heard and he considered it unfah
to shut off debate. Rev. DR.. Samuel ].
Niccolls, of Missouri, said the Law of
the church gives Une chairmen of COM
mittees the right to make the last ar
gument, and he wanted to know if I'M
der DR.. Dinsmore's motion this rule
would prevail. Moderator Minton said
a strict Interpretation would permit
neither DR.. Dickey. chairman of the ma
jority committee. nor DR.. McKibben.
chairman of the minority committee, TO
speak, but as a matter of courtesy the
assembly would doubtless hear them.
The motion was carried.
Gen. Louis Wagner, of this city
spoke against revision. He thought it
unwise to occupy the time and disturb
the peace of the church by matters
which did not affect the vitality of the
faith.
Rev. DR.. Robert NJ. Patterson. of
Pennsylvania, declared it had been said
on the floor OF the assembly that the
confession of faith was not believed.
This brought DR.. Johnson, of Chi
cago. to his feet with the query:
Il wan to know who says we do not
believe the confession of faith?'
Il call DR.. Johnson TO ORDER said a
| v-niaa -, tho accapn11v