The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-05-31

of clearing away difficulty, new
difficulties have seemingly been
created. Henceforth we are to have
two kinds of country"
FOR A REVISION.
The Presbyterian General Assem-
bly, which has been in session in Phil
adelphia has decided after four days
discussion to recommend a revision
of the Westminster Confession. This
historic document has been in exist
ence since 1645. 1t is distinguished
for its logicalreasoning and the vigor
of its language, hence great hest
tation was shown by the Assembly
before making any radicalchanges.
The report of a committee was
adopted, which recommended the
formation of a revision committee
and that this committee submit to
the next General Assembly for its
action, "a brief statement of the re-
formed faith expressed as far as pos
sible in untechnical terms. The said
statement is to be prepared with
view to its being employed to give
information and a better under
standing" of the doctrinal beliefs Of
the church, and not with a view to
its becoming a substitute or an alter
native for the Confession of Faith.
The articles to be revised are as fol-
lows:
Chapter 8 treats of Goods Eternal
Decree" and contains the following
clause: "By the decree of God for
the manifestation of His glory some
men and angels are predestinated
unto everlasting life and Others fore
ordained to everlasting DEATH"
Chapter 10, Section 8, which is as
follows: elect infants, dying in
infancy, are regenerated and saved
by Christ through the Spirit, who
waketh when and where and how He
pleaseth, So also are all other elect
persons who are incapable of being
outwardly called by the ministry Of
the Word"
The following section declares that
those not elected cannot be saved.
Chapter 16, Section 7, is: "Works
done by unregenerated men, although
for the matter of them they may be
things which God commands and of
good use both to themselves and
others, yet because they proceed not
from heart purified by faith nor are
done in a right manner, according to
the Word; nor to a right end, the
glory of God; they are therefore SIM
full and cannot please God or make a
man meet to receive grace from God.
And yet their neglect ofthemis more
sinful and displeasing unto God"
Chapter %, Section 8, is: "Whoso-
ever taketh an oath ought duly
to consider the weightiness of so
solemn an act, and therein to avouch
nothing but what he is fully per-
suaded is the truth. Neither may
any man bind himselfby oath to any
thing but what is good and just, and
what he believeth so to be, and what
he is able and resolved to perform.
Yet it is sin to refuse an oath touch
ing anything that is good and just,
being imposed by lawful authority"
The movement looking to the pro-
posed revision has been occupying
the minds of all Presbyterians for
some time and the deepest interest is
felt in the agitation by all those who
profess Christianity. Everybody ap-
preciates the service that has been
rendered by this sect of Christians
which is noted for its conservatism,
it's Bible reading and itsreverencefor
inspired word of God, by the learning
of its ministers and the intelligence of
the great body of members of the
church. There has been not only
among some Presbyterians but men,
bers of other Christian denomina-
tions, a feeling that the Church holds
too literally to the Bible without
making due allowance for the human
frailty ofthe agencies by whom it was
transpired to us, but we all cannot
but express admiration for the con-
servative influence of the Church in
standing out against that kind of
criticism, which would explain the
Bible away and treat it as ques-
ton of fables or allegories.
MORE ARRESTS FOR CENSUS FRAUDS.
On Monday Ferdinand H. Borne
mann and William Frisby Anderson
both of Anne Arundel county were
were arrested by a Deputy Marshal
charged with padding the Census
schedules. They were presented by
the Federal Grand Jury on Saturday
and will shortly be tried. The other
cases against S. A. Abel, Daniel ].
Bowles, Philip T. Graves and Joseph
H. Ching were called for trial on
Monday. The defendants demurred
to the indictments, which were all
overruled. The case then proceeded.
Among the spectators were Congress