Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-30
THE REPORT OF THE
REVISION COMMITTEE
Was Adopted Monday Morning by the
Presbyterian General Assembly.
WAS ONE GREAT ROAR OF AYE"
Followed by Singing of the
Doxology.
HARMONlzEO BY AN AMENDMENT

Tntlaueipniaf "a. NAY 70. --Ine I'M
portant question Of revising the creed
which for the last two years has been
agitating the Presbyterian Church,
came before the General Assembly to,
day.
Last week, the report Of the special
committee on revision, OF which the
Rev. DR.. Charles A. Dickey of this
CITY is chairman, was made the order
for 8 O'clock today, with the additional
condition that the discussion should
not be interrupted by other business
until the commissioners had reached
come definite conclusion. The commit
Zee was appointed by the General As.
sembly at st. Louis Inst year.
The controversy regarding revision
has led to the formation of three groups
among the GAO commissioners to the
General Assembly. First, there is the
conservative group, composed OF those
opposed TO any change whatever in the
doctrinal standard of the church.
Then. there is the rarty DESTROYS of set,
ting aside the Confession of Faith as
not truthfully expressing the belief OF
the church. Between these, stands the
centrIsts, who favor maintaining the
old confession with few notifications,
and who desire the adoption OF clear
''declarative" statement, setting forth
the most important doctrines and lay.
ing special emphasis upon the love Of
God for mankind and on the work of
the Holy Spirit.
The commissioners have had annie
ime to study the committees report;
nd when Moderator Minton called the
assembly to order today, all were fully
prepared for a thorough and intelligent
consideration of the subject. In answer
to the question submitted to the pres-
byteries, 90 asked the assembly to dis
cuss tho whole subject, one was unde.
oided, four said they neither desired
revision, nor supplemental statement,
nor the dismissal of the subject; and
OF the 233 presbyteriea, 10 In the United
States and IA in foreign lands failed to
: respond. OF the remaining presby-
tsriee, nearly two-thirds of the whole
number asked for some change In the
creedal statement, AZ desire revision
OF the confession, II an explanatory
Jtatement. one revision and an explana-
tory statement, 50 supplemental state
ment. 10 revision and supplemental
statement, one an explanatory state
ment and supplemental statement, IA
substitute creed, one an alternative
creed tand six some changes not sreci-
fed.
The Rev. DR.. Asa s. Fiske Of Wash
ington, ID. O., offeredla resolution con-
graduating President Mckinley upon
the prompt recovery from an apparently
fatal illness of Mrs. Mckinley, aad
Offering THANKS to God at the prospect
OF her early return to her home. The
resolution was unanimously adopted.
DIR. Dickey, chairman Of the COM
mittee, before reading the report, said
III IL had not been foreordained that
the revision movement was to come to
pass IN 1900, you would, no doubt, be
where l am in 1901. This is my obi.
CATION by no choice of my own. The
last General Assembly, in its aindness,
as It thought, named me chairman OF
the committee, which / had already
named. say this little word that the
commissioners may know am here by
appointment, and not by request. DR..
Diokey then proceeded to read the re-
port, and was closely followed by all
the commissioners, who held copies.
At the request of DR.. Diokey, DR..
Roberts, the stated clerk, read the
minute on the death of Gen. Harrison
adopted by the committee at its laat
meeting, in Pittsburg. 1t was accepted
as supplemental report, and adopted
by a risiLR vote
The minority revision report, signed
by the Rev. DR.. William McKibpen Of
Cincinnati and e. W. Humphrey of
Louisville, was read by DIR. MoKibben.
In presenting the report, DR.. Mo-
Kibben said he would like TO say a
word regarding the spirit which pre.
vailed at the meetings OF the committee.
He declared that sensational reports
had appeared in the newspapers, which
were without one iota OF truth. DIR.
Mchihben said the meetings Of the
committee were conducted under the
most harmonious conditions.
On motion of the Rev. DIR. James D.
Moftatt Of the Washington, Pa, Pres
bytery, the reports we're received.
The Rev. DR.. s. j. Niccolls of
st Louis moved that, as the first
recommendations in both reports were
similar, those recommendations be
adopted.
DIR. Dickey claimed that, under the
rules OF the assembly, he and DR.. Me-
kibben were entitled to speak on their
reports before any motions were pre-
scented. -
DR.. Moffatt offered substitute
motion, to adopt the whole of the ma
lority report Several amendments
were offered, but there was SO much
confusion that DR.. Niccolls Withdrew
his motion. DR.. MoffatJ then moved
to adopt the majority report An
amendment was offered to substitute
the minority report. Before the last
motion was put, Or. George D. Baker
of Philadelphia offered the following;
Whereas, The vote of the presby.
teries on creedal revision Indicates An
utter lack of unanimity as to what
should be done 10 the matter and,
Whereas. This lack of unaniiuity
means q protracted period of con tro.
versy and unrest in case the m ovement
for revision be persisted in; and,
Whereas, The Disturbance Of the
Confession of Faith would be lie the
way OF union or reunion with other
churches now holding this symbol un
impaired, which union is earnestly
desired and prayed for; therefore,
Resolved, That this General Assam.
bly, deems 1t inexIedient to proceed
further In the matter of revision al This
time, and it hereby now dismisses the
whole matter y
The reading of the resolution brought
forth considerable applause. There
were loud calls for Dr. Diokey to
speak on the resolution Before he got
started on the subject, however, a poiut
OF order was raised against discussion
OF the resolution to indefinitely post
pone. 10 expedite matters, DIR. Baker
changed the wording of his resolution
as originally written by striking out
the words indefinitely rostpones'5 and
substituting the word Businesses. .
This gave DR.. Dickey his chance to
speak He presented brief history of