The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-25
ASSEMBLY AT LITTLE ROCK.
Refused to Adopt Catechism as Re
 ported by Committee.


 Little Rock, Ark, May 24.-The Southern Presbyterian General Assem- bly this afternoon refused to adopt the catechism on the nature and govern uient of the church as reported by the committee appointed enc year ago. It was ordered that the catechism be sent down to the Presbyteries for crit icism, with instructions to return it to the ad interim committee by February l. 1902
 The assembly divided the Synod of Misslssippi into the synods of Missis- sippi ana Louisiana on State lines. The synod ef Memphis was divided and the synod of Tennessee created.
 After a lengthy debate the Assembly directed the Executive Committee on ,-ubnca,ions to select a field superin- tendent for Sabbath School work. The Assembly adopted the recompendation of the Committee on the Bible Cause reminding pastors and churches that the collection for the Bible Society on the third Sabbath in October or some other more convenient day is embraced In the Assembly's scheme of benefi- cence and should regularly and faith fuily be attended to.
 It was ordered that the following amendments to the Book of Church Of- der be, sent to the preshyteries for their advice and ce nsunt, with the recom- mendation that 1t be adopted, Provided furt Ter that fn the case of a Synod com posed of pnly three pfesbyteries, two presbytefies, together with the rul- ing elders. shall be quorum"
 The standing committee report today on ministerial relief recommends pro- viding a fund for relief of pressing needs of disabled ministers and their families; that collections be solicited from churches during July and that all ministers whose names are on the presbyteries' rolls, whether laboring at home or in the foreign field: shall he eligible to the benefits of the fund. and that the following Executive Commit tee of Ministerial Relief be elected: Revs. Russell c. Reil. D. D., Chair man; R. P. Kerr. D. D.; Jerry With erspoon, D. D.; J. Calvin Stewart. D. D.; George R. Cannon, John s., Munce, c. D. Laws, s. H. Hawes. J, N. Gull lingworth and W. R. Miller, the com mlttee being empowered to elect sec- retary who shall also act as treasurer.
 In the discussion on the report, the need of a change from the present sys- tenn was accentuated, the daily allow anee to disabled ministers at present being only 27 cents. There was some opposition to the creation of a new committee for the relief work on the gr )und that the work could be handled by other committees. The question has not yet been finally disposed of.
 At tonight's session of the Southern Presbyterian General Assembly, major ity and minority reports from the spe- cial committee on 'elect infant" clause were submitted. Judge S. F. Greene of Fort Worth, Tex, presented the xuhiah raanrnnn0ndAd that the following be sent down to the Presbyteries for their Concurrence:
 That Section 3,~Chapter 10 of the Confession of Faith be amended by ad- ding the words, Nothing in this sec- ton shall be understood as holding or teaching the possibility of the damna- ton of an infant dying in infancy. Our church does not hold, nor never has held, such doctrines.
 The minority report was rejected by the Assembly and the majority repert, presented by Rev. F. R. Beattie of Louisville. Ky, was adopted. The majority report rescinds the order of the last General Assembly to print in every edition of the Confession of Faith thereafter an explanatory foot-note re- garding infants dying, but the report states that this action is in no way to be taken as modifying the answer made to the overtures in the last Assembly.
 Concerning overtures from various Synods and Presbyteries as to the sal vatlon of infants dying. the majority report as adopted tonight recommends that no action be taken for the follow ing reasons:
 "First-Because it is unwise to in- itiate at this time the agitation of this question among tine people.
 ''Second-Because no modification that does not eliminate Scriptural Calvin ism from this section of the confession will obviate the objection which comes from Arminian sources.
 "Third-Because the Westminster Confession of Faith is the first great creed which taught the salvation of in- tants dying in infancy on truly Scrip tuTal grounds.
 .Fourth-Because the confession of faith in this section does not teach the damnation of any infant dying in in- fancy. for the reason that the contrast made in it Is not between elect and non-elect infants dying in infancy, but between elect persons who die in in- fancy and elect persons who do not die in infancy.
 "Fffth-Because. while we have a weIl-Rrounded hope founded on Scrip ture that all infants dying in infancy are saved, yet the Confession of Faith goes as far as the Scriptures justify positive credaI statement upon the sub