Evening star., 1901-04-03
Judicatory Of Presbyterian Church
to Convene in May.
DISCUSSION OF CREED REVISION
Statistics of Denominations Work
at Home and Abroad.
ANNUAL CONTRIB UTION S

The general assembly of the Presbyterian
| Church in the United States will begin its
next annual session May 16, in Calvary
| Church Philadelphia, and continue its
meetings until all the business for which
, it has been called together shall have been
disposed Of
The most important matter which will
come before the body viii be the report of
the committee on the revision of faith,
whose final meeting to consider the ques-
tion was held in Washington several weeks
ago 1t is expected by many of those inter
ested that this question, which has agi-
tated the church for several years will
be finally disposed of at the May meeting,
but number of Presbyterian ministers are
of the opinion that while it Is very de-
sirable that the question be settled once
and for all and put out of the way the
propositions made to that end are so gen
e1al that the discussion will be almost end
less and Intellectual.
The committee to which the matter was
referred, and which consists largely of
propounded four questions to the various
presbyteries the answers to which were
to guide it in making its report. The qUes-
ticns were the following:
DO You desire a revision of our confess
sion of faith?" or
DO you desire a supplemental eXplana-
tory statement or
DO you desire to supplement our pres
ent doctrinal standards with hriefer
statement Of the doctrines. most surely be-
lieved among us, expressing in simple Ian
guage the faith of the church in loyalty
to the system of doctrine contained in the
holy Scriptures and held by the reformed
ChurcheS?' or
DO you desire the dismissal of the whole
subject SO that our doctrinai standards
shall remain as they are, without any
change whatever whether revisiOnal sup
Elemental substitutonal?''
Doubtful of Settlement.
One of the Oldest ministers in the synod
with which the Presbyterian churches in
Washington are connected and who was
moderator Of the general assembly when
the last change in the confession of faith
was made, is among those who are doubtful
as to whether anything will be accomplish
ed by the discussion which is to take place
HAD the committee put a, definite ques-
ton: Do you want such thing changed, -
he said to Star reporter, "a definite
opinion could have been obtained, and the
matter might have been settled once and
for all. AS it stands at present, however,
/ am afraid it opens the way for endless
discussion, and that little or nothing can
be done. Yon never can tell, though, for
some able man, with good voice and a
strong knowledge of parliamentary rules
may be able to sway the assembly-stam-
pede the convention. as our political
friends would say-and do anything he
wants to do.
Il think it very desirable that the ques-
tion should be settled, and it would not be
difficult matter. l believe those In favor
of revision would be satisfied with what
would be little more than changing the
phraseology and simpiffcation. The con-
fessiOn of faith is 200 years old, and was
written when the people had very differ
ent IDEAS on some subjects than they have
now, and who used different language to
express their ideas. / think it is pretty
generally conceded that some things should
be changed, although few none wish
any alteration in the system, of doctrine.
There are certain clauses, like that con-
cerning elect infants, which might be ex-
planned, as they are likely to be misun-
derstood, particularly by those of other
denominations.
The District of Columbia has peculiar
interest in the Presbyterian Church. as
nearly the first church of that denomina-
ton in the country was established at
Snow Hill, Md, not a very great distance
from what is now the District line. Of
this church Rev Dr. North formerly of
Anacostia, is the present pastor.
Founder of the Church.
To native of the north Of ireland, Rev.
Francis Mackenzie, is given the credit of or
ganizng the Presbyterian Church in this
country In 1853 he established churches
at Rehoboth and Snow Hill. The growth of
the church has been remarkable. In 1901
OOO communicants; in 1900, 7467 ministers,
1850 churches and 1,OO7 $3.50 communicates.
During the past century eight benevolent
missionary boards were established-home
missions, foreign missions, education, pub
lication and Sabbath school work, church
erection, ministerial relief, freedmen's mis-
sions and aid for colleges. There are now
2, 497 home missionaries in the field, besides
431 whose specific work is among the freed
men, making a total Of 1928. In the for
eign mission field there are 73O American
missionaries, 1,7O1 native workers, 627
churches, 81, $40 communicates and 50 hos
pitfalls and dispensaries.
The Presbyterian Church has in heather
lands today twice as many communicates
as it had in the whole United States at the
beginning Of the nineteenth century At the
opening of the last century there We're no
Presbyterian Sunday schools; today there
is a total of officers, teachers and scholars
of Loss, ,205, besides 80 Sunday school mis-
sionaries the western frontier. There
are 5000 young peoples societies in the