The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-05-19
A REPORT
ON CREED REVISION
Important Feature of Presby
terrain General Assembly.
FINDING OF COMMITTEE
MATTER WILL COME UP FOR
DISCUSSION THURSDAY.

to expectations, the Presbyterian gen-
eral assembly did not discuss the report
OF the committee on revision of the
confession Of faith, which was today
presented to the commissioners. Thurs
day and Friday next We're set aside for
the discussion OF revision.
Appended TO the ID of the TWEEN
tleth century fund committee were res
OlutOns which urge churches still bur
dened with Indebtedness to take steps
to remove this Indebtedness within the
next two years; requesting ~congrega-
tons and individual giVers to prayer
fully consider the enlarged needs and
larger Opportunities of the boards of the
theological seminaries, of the academic,
collegiate and charitable Institutions of
the church, and speedily to provide for
these greater needs as the Lord may
enable them to-: calling upon the
synOds and the presbyteries to con
tlnue to prosecute this work during the
year by organized effort and
the hearty cooperation with the gem
erat committee" and providing that the
twentieth century movement committee
De continued for another year.
The names of the commissioners Sc
lected yesterday by the various districts
to serve as members OF the standing
committees We're read and accepted.
On motion of the Rev. DIT. w. II. Rob
erts, the standing order of business was
changed n the presentation of board
reports arranged 50 that discussion Of
The repOrt Of the committee on revision
could be made h hFst d for next
Thursday and continued until the mat
( ter is definitely settled.
The revision committee's report and
those of all special committees, inClud-
ing the minority repor on revision,
were then presented. The findings and
Recommendations of the revision COM
mittee are as follows:
Report of Revision Committee.
Il. That the. returns indicate that the
church desires some change in ITS eredal
statement.
e. That the returns indicate that no
change is desired which would in any
way impair the integrity of the system
of doctrine contained in the confession
of faith.
80 These returns indicate that 81 is
! the mind of the church that the confess
{ sion shall be Interpreted throughout In
harmony with the teaching of scripture
that God is not willing hat ny0ne
should perish. nor is in the decree OF
God. but the WickedneSs of their "
hearts which shuts some men out from
the salvation freely and lovingly offered
IN Christ Jesus to all sinners.
These returns Indicate thai q plu-
( rality OF the -presbyteries desire that
changes should be made by ON new
statement of present doctrines.
3. The returns ais aiudicate a de-
sire On the part of many prssbyteries
for some revision of the present con
fession, especially in chapter III;
Z chapter x, section 3; chapter XVI sec
ton = chapter XXI, section g. chap
ter XIV, section s; with additional
statements concerning the love of God
for all men, missions and the Holy
Spirit.
"A. In view of these facts we recon-
mend that a committee. as provided for
by the form of government, chapter
/ XIII, section 3, be appointed by this
assembly.
B. We recommend that this com
mfttee be instructed TO prepare a brief
summary of the reformed faith bearing
the same relation to the confession
L which the shorter cateChfsm bears to
I the larger catechisp. and formed on the
general model of the c-oncensus creed
prepared for the assembly Of 1892, or the
Articles Of Faith Of the Presbyterian
church of England, both of which doc
+ unents are appended to j commttteeS
report and submitted to the assembly,
to be referrsd TO the committee that
ssThis Summary is not to be a substi-
J tute for the confession, and is not TO
affect the terms of subscription, but 10
yindIcate and clear n doctrines of the
church from all false aspersions and
misconceptions TO give a better under
standing of what is most surely be-
I IfeVed among US, and is in no sense 10
impair, but rather to manifest and
maintain The integrity Of the REFORMED
faith.
w further recommend that his
committee be instructed 70 prepare
I amendments of chapter nj; chapter X
section 8; section o, OF our Confession
of Faith, either by m|0dlhcat1Ons OF the
text or. " -decIaratOry statement, so
as more clearly to express the mind of
the church with additional statements
concerning the love of God for all men,
missions and the Holy Spirit, it being
. F1y,GavcFnoG- that the revision shall in
no way impair the integrity Of the
system of doctrine set forth in
Confession n taught in the holy
scripture.
The members of the committee APP
pointed by the last assembly uuani-
mousIy. agreed to all n findings and
recommendations of this report, with
the exception that the Rev. DR.. Wiz
liam McKibbon and e w c.. Hunnph-
rey, Esq, could not approve Of the
recommendation to the assembly to in
StrUct the committee that might be
appointed to prepare a summary of
the reformed faith to be submitted to
the Prespyteries, IN connection with
such other amendments and statements
as might he prepared Three members
fafe notice that they would submit TO
the assembly a report embodying the
findings and recommendations of this
report, emitting the recommendation TO
instruct a Committee that might be
appointed to prepare such a summary
OF the reformed faith.
IN conclusion we feel justified in
the statement, and we think it fitting
to state that our lamentedN member
General BENJAMIN Harrison, gave clear
expression to views before the commit
tee which assure US that he would have
Y joined US in the findings and recon-
mendatiohs Of this report.
Loyal to ia standards, believing
that q constitutional majority OF our
beloved church faVOrs some action, and
hat u recommendations. if executed.
would preserve intact our system of
doctrine and promote the peace and
prosperity of the chnFCh we humbly
and freverently subm3t the results of
our Inquiries and deliberations to this
venerable assembly,
Discussion Of the Subject.
ReY. DR., Erskine of NeviIle moved
that discussion on revision be cohtln-
ued uninterrupted by other matters
until a conclusion had been reached by
the assembly. The report Of the com
mittee on juGfcial commissions was
made the first order after the Settle
ment Of the revision question.
The report Of h COMMITTEES on mis-
sionary and benevolent onerings did
not meet with favor by a majority 81
the commissioners. a Recommendations
was made adding to overture No 4 a
new section as follows;
The component parts of paFtfcu-
lar church are: The sessions. the dea-
] nnmr AAn- A--Aa~~-aaaAA HM