The sun., 1901-04-10
No Revision OF the Westminster Com
fcssiOn.

The next General Assembly of the Pres
byIrrian Church Is to meet at Philadelphia
on the 10Th Of next month and on Monday
the fourteen commissioners 10 represent the
Presbytcry Of New York AZ II were elected
The proceedings at the election We're 50
harmonious that an era of good feeling
was regarded as established. The period
OF long and bitter controversy seems to
be over and to celebrate its apparent con-
clusion the delegates were instructed unani-
mously 10 invite the General Assembly
for 1902 to meet in New York.
The division Of sentiment among the
PrrSbytcranS here was caused 10y the
excitement Of the conflict over the authority
of the Bible in the Briggs and McGiffert
cases and its pres nj cessation would seem
80 bc the consequence of conviction that
no revision Of the Westminster Confession
will hn made by the General Assembly
next month The demand for revision
came originally from Presbyterians who
objected TO tho severity Of the chapter
OF COPS Eternal Decree" with its deca-
ration that for the manifestation Of His
glory, some men and angels are predesti-
natod to everlasting life, and others fore
ordained TO everlasting death" AZ a time
when increasing modern sensibiity as 10
the innlc'ion of pain on any creature. hu-
man or brute, had created so strong re-
vulson against He'll that chapter was a
stumbling block Then arose the party of
the higher criticism. with lis assault on
IN authority Of the Confession, or the in
fallibity Of the Bible
II vas soon demonstratcii 10 presbyte-
rlan logic however, that no revision Of tho
Westminster Confession 10 get rid of the
offensive doctrine Of retribution was pos
sble without destroying the whole strIcr-
IRE, Of which Biblical infalliblny is i'm
Conte,tabIy the cornerstone Except for
the absolute truth Of Scripture. Christ ian
theology has no supernatural foundat non
on which to build
Obviously, therefore, the revision for
which, at one time, there seemed 10 be So
wide demand among presbytcrians.
will never be made 10y any General As
Sembly. Il l. not now expected any wh ore
that the study Of the subject bvcommirrees
appointed f>r the cpurpoS" will result in any,
thingm more than the formulation Of brief
supplementary creed, and even that com
promise i improbable II would do no good.
for II would scrtle nothing II would hr
merely an evasion Of the great issue now
before the Christian world, or The authority
Of Scripture, an issue which eventually the
General Assembly and all Professionalism
must meet squarcly rs the Pope has met It
hyproCpmng Biblical inspiration dogmatl-
cally and dcnouncng as heretiCal and per-
nicious the teachings Of the theologians
and men of science who set ont 10 demon
strate that It Is a theory which conflicts
with fact is without historical or scientific
support and rest, on superstition merely.
OF course. ~ a controversy over this
point would involve the very existence of
theology. religious tribunals will srave II
ofYuntl they can delay lis decision mo- longer
The Presbyterian General Assembly has
adopted that policy up tC this time, andIt
will persist in II at Philadelphia next month
and again next year, whether il meets at
New York or elsewhere. Meantime. how
ever, at the Presbyterian Union Theologi-
cal Seminary and at other divinity schools
ofthat Church and others the iallbility and