The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-27

Changes to BE Made IN the ~ est
minister Confession and the State
ment OF Faith-Love-Feast OF Com
nisslouers to General Assembly
PHILADELPHIA, May 27.-Members
of the Presbyterian General Assembly
held a Id-fashioned Iove-feast this
noon. ter years Of fighting, the high
est authority in The church has author
lied a revision Of the Westminster Con-
fessfon and a short Statement of Faith.
To the amazement of the commission
ers themselves, this was done with per-
feet unaniuity. Instead of the hard
fight looked for today between revision
lists and anti-T Teyisionists, there appear
ed in the Assembly only one class Of
men-revisionists. The ants had yielded
gracefully during the interval since sat
urday.
After the final vote every man jump
ed to his feet and sang the DOxology.
| Z vvo minor amendments were proposed
to The majority report and accepted
without question. The old committee
upon revision was appointed, and the
result Of its findings viii be laid be-
fore the next session Of the Presbytery,
called to rneat in the Fifth Avenue
| Church, New York. The choice Of New
York was not made without a protest
upon the part Of the Western delegates,
/ who favored los Angeles as the next
meeting place, but their pleas brought
| few votes.
/ These matters made up the prelimi-
nary business of the Assembly today.
and it was after 10 O'Clock when the
moderator called the order of the day
and said:
| we have already run beyond the
limits Of other Assemblies, but no other
Assembly has had such business TO
! transact Don't get panicky in the
haste to adjourn. The Church wishes
the question of revision to be settled
/ here and now Speeches, however,
/ should be limited to ten minutes.
DR. AFofatt gave notice that he
would introduce an amendment to the
majority report, which Is now before
US. He has the floor"
| DR.. Moffatt. President Of Washington
and Jefferson College, said:
| TT was presuTHptuous Of me to an
| nounce that I would offer an amend
ment, yet the margin shown by the last
vote was so narrow that felt embold-
ened We must go to the Church unani-
nous IN regard to revision. Therefore
I wish to amend section B so as TO meet
all objections" Dr. Moffatt then read
the section in question, and said:
Those who oppose this seem alarmed
at the word summary They seem TO
think this means no creed I propose
the word statement in place OF sum
mary Objection vas made TO the prep
aration OF the revision and statement
by the same committed I don't think
this is valid, yet I would amend the
clause by saying that the statement be
made in intechnicaI language. I would
further amend by adding TO that this
statement be submitted to the next As
sembIv without recommendation Let
the next Assembly sit upon the whole
report Of the committee"
/ DR. Baker asked the speaker If it was
his idea that this statement should not
he considered a part of the organic law
Of the Church. That is my understand
ing, replied Dr.. Mofatt. He then read
the amendment It follows:
we recommend that this committee
| (see section B) be instructed TO prepare
and submit 10 the next General Assem-
bly, for such disposition as may be judged
to be wise. brief statement Of the re-
formed faith in intechnicaH terms The
said statement is TO be prepared with a
view to its being employed to give infor-
nation and q better understanding of our
| doctrin2l beliefs, and not with a view TO
its becoming a substitute OF an alterna-
tive of our Confession OF Faith
DR.. Nicous, in seconding this amend
| ment, said that, although he was a
signer Of the majority report, the vote
on Saturday showed him that the ma
Jority report could never receive a two-
thirds vote.
Dr. Dickey, Chairman OF the Revision
Committee. said:
Il thought that recommendation 3
| covered just what we wished I don't
see that this amendment changes the
plan to any extent IF it is regarded as
a compromise I rejoice and heartily
favor it
CABLE LINES CHANGED.