The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-02

In the First Presbyterian church yes
terday morning, Rev, James Mcleod.
ID. D., delivered q discourse on the
Proposed Revision Of the Presbyterian
Confession of Faith' He said:
You are all aware that the recent gen.
eral assembly of our church took upon
itself Il grave responsibility by preparing
several amendments to the constitution
Of our beloved church; and by issuing "A
Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith,'
for tho benefit of our church members.
This action is. SO important that en-
brace the earliest opportunity of inviting
your attention to II.
The action of the assembly was In
fact the work OF a large committee Of
ministers and ruling elders. which was
appointed year ago. This committee of
twenty-one members, was given specific
instructions, and to their credit 1t should
be said that they carried out their instruc.
tions with remarkable fidelity. 1t is also
significant and perhaps 1t Is cause for
congratulation, that this large commit
tee came to a unanimous agreement. 1t
Is Furthermore significant, that the report
of this committee was adopted by the
almost unanimous vote of the general as
sembly.
The committee was enjoined by the gen.
eral assembly of 1901, that-in suggesting
changes in our Confession Of Faith and
in preparing a brief statement of our
church doctrines for the use of the men,
bers of our church-it must "in no way
impair the integrity OF the system Of doc.
trine set forth in our confession and
taught in the Holy Scriptures"
The brief statement Of doctrine, adopt
ed by the general assembly, Is not to be
part Of the constitution of our church. 1t
was prepared and intended only for the
int 4f ,oofo nf
church who are not trained theologians;
and. also, in order that Others outside
the Presbyterian church, may know what
our church believes teaching various
specified doctrines 1t is a document III.
tended for popular use, and therefore 1t
Is, in large measure, free from ambiguity
and from technical words or phrases.
GODS ETERNAL DECREE.
The third chapter of our Confession Of
Faith treats "of Gods Eternal Decree"
and it's critics and the critics Of our
church have brought against this chap
ter the charge OF fatalism, or of necessi-
tarianism which, If true, destroys the doc
trine of free-will and abolishes the idea
and the fact of human responsibility The
Presbyterian church has always dis
| claimed and denied the truth of this
charge, and it is now proposed to state
| our belief so clearly that no honest critic
will ever again mlsrepresent our doctrine.
1t is proposed to embody in a"Declaratory
Statement" our Interpretation of that
part of the third chapter of our confession
which has been so widely misunderstood
and misrepresented. To such an inter-
pretation, If 1t be correct. there can be no
valid objection. On the contrary 1t should
be heartily welcomed and approved by
all the officers and members Of our
church.
The third section of the tenth chapter of
| our Confession which says that ''elect in
fants, dying in infancy. are regenerated
| and saved by Christ through the Spirit"
and unwarranted differences have been
| drawn from 1t, which we specifically and
emphatically deny The proposed Dec
laratory Statement" puts the belief Of our
church touching the salvation of all in
fants dying in infancy beyond all fur
| ther controversy. 1t says: with REFER
| ence to chapter X, section 8, of the Con-
| fession of Faith that it is not to be re-
earded as teaching that any dying in in
fancy are lost. We believe that all dy-
| ing in infancy are included in the elec.
| tion of grace and are regenerated and
| saved by Christ through the Spirit who
works when and where and how He
pleases."
Chapter XVI treats of good works done
| by the unregenerate. 1t is a subject
which has also been the occasion Of
| much discussion. 1t is now proposed to
modify the language of the old Confess
| sion as follows: