Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-05-02
PRESBYTERIAN REVISION.
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pittsburgh. Pa, April 27.-Harmoni.
GUS action was taken by the commit.
tee on revision of the creed u the Pres.
byterian church at its sessions yester.
day at the Monongahela house, and
unanimous report, formulated late
in the afternoon, for submission to
the general assembly. which will meet
ut Philadelphia May 16. Rev. DIR. Hen.
~ Van Dyke, of Princeton university.
when handing the report TO the press
representative, said:
The action taken can not be EN-.
Phasizcd too strongly, for IL will have
to endure comment and criticism In
every Presby teriar home and COM
munity in the United States. Ten
members signed Il, cnd we are rs.
surcd that every one of the other four
Will attach his signature. 1t was the
tuli committee that met and not
subcommittee. Prof. VIM. r. Crabbee.
OF Pittsburgh. was prevented by i'll.
ness from being president. Former
President Benz. Harrison is dead, and
that leaves Rev. pr. Samuel J. Niccol,
of st. Louis. and Elders John NJ. Har-
Ian, associate justice of the United
states supreme court; John T.. Par
sons and Daniel X. Noycs, of st. Paul,
to sign. This report was unanimous
ly adopted. with the exception of rec
ommendation Is. against which Rev.
DIR. VIM. Mckihbin and Judge T.. w.
c. Humphrey voted"
The report is as follows:
i. That the returns indicate that
the church desires some change in its
credal statement.
III. That the returns indicate tha.
no change is desired which would in
any way impair the integrity of the
system of doctrine contained in the
Confession of Faith.
III. These returns indicate that it il
the mind of the church that the con-
fession should be interpreted through.
out in harmony with the teaching OF
scripture that God is not willing that
any one should perish. nor is it the
decree of God, but the wickedness of
their own hearts which shuts some
men out from the salvation freely and
lovingly offered in Christ Jesus to ali
sinners.
Nv. These returns indicate that n
plurality of the presbyteries desired
that changes should be made by some
new statement Of present doctrines.
V. The returns also indicated a de-
sire. on the part of many presby-
teries. for revision OF the present con-
fession; especially in chapter Ill,
chapter ". section }; chapter XVI,
section. 7: chapter MIL, section 3;
chapter XIV, section 6, with addi-
tional statement concerning the love
of God for all men, missions and the
Holy Spirit.
(a) In view Of these facts we rec
ommend that committee as provided
by the form of government, chapter
%. section }, be appointed by this as
scmbly.
(b) We recommend that this COM
mittce he instructed to prepare a
brief summary of the reformed faith.
bearing the same relation to the con-
fession which the shorter catechism
bears to the larger catechism and
formed or the general model of the
concensus creed prepared for the as
sembly OF 1892, or the Articles of
Faith of the Presbyterian church of
England, both of which documents
are appended to the committees re-
port and submitted to the assembly,
to be referred to the committee that
may be appointed.
This summary is not to be substi-
tute for the confession. and iS not to
affect the terms OF subscription, but
ito vindicate and clear the doctrines
of the church from all false asper-
sions and misconceptions" To give a
better understanding of what it most
surely believed among us. and is in no
sense to impair. but rather to mani
fest and maintain the integrity of the
reformed faith.
(c) We further recommend that
this committee be instructed to pre-
pare amendments of chapter ILL.,,
chapter ". section 3; chapter XVI.
section q; chapter XXII, section },
and chapter XIV, section 8. of our
Confession of Faith, either by modi-
fication of the text or by declaratory
statement, so as more clearly to ex-
press the mind of the church, with ad-
iitional statements concerning the
love of God for all men. missions and
the Holy Spirit. 1t being understood
that the revision shall in no way inn
pair the integrity of the system of
doctrines set forth in our. confession
and taught in the holy scripture