The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-23
REASONS FOR DECLARING THE
POPE Is ANTI-CHRIST.
One Commissioner So Affected that
He wept After Speaking Against
ChanSes-Baptist Anniversaries.

will now go TO the various presbyteries for
ratification. When the report was pre-
scented last Friday a motion for its adop-
tion was made at once, but the vote was
deferred until to-day. As was to be -ex-
pected the prospect of an interesting de-
bate on creed revision attracted a crowd
which filled the galleries solidly, and, when
the doors of the ground floor were opened.
all the seats not reserved for commission
ers were occupied at once.
The Rev. DR.. Henry Van Dyke, the mod
orator, before the time set for considera-
ton, spoke for a moment. Il do not think
that my task as moderator is to be a diff
cult one" he said. but it is delicate one.
In this chair, where you have put me. L
want to say that | am not a member of
any organization or any committee. 1 am
a plain Presbyterian and your moderator
your servant. 1 want to plead that this dis
cussion be carried on in the spirit of good
fellowship. Have nothing neither rushed
through nor delayed. The matter before
it is a simple proposition. The assembly
of 1891 appointed a committee TO do partic-
ular thing What you have to pass upon is
not whether that d certain thing should
be done, but whether the committee has
done ii TO your satisfaction"
on motion the privilege of the floor was
extended 10 members Of the committee
who were not commissioners. On motion
of the Rev. DR.. ]. u. Wylie speeches on
the report were limited to ten minutes,
except that of the committee chairman:
The Rev. DIR. j. ID. MOffatt then moved
the adoption of the eleven oVertures TO be
sent 10 the presbyteries
The Rev. DR.. II. c. Minton, chairman of
the revision committee, spoke for the re-
port. He would not he said, argue the
merits of the whole report, but would
speak of the especial considerations which
influenced the committee. They were
guided in the first place by the work of
the committee in 1892 The presumption,
of course, was always in favor of the eX-
plicit orders OF last years Assembly. There
were two elements on the committee, he
explained-those who preferred TO make all
amendments by verbal motions and those
who wished TO make the changes by sepa-
rate decaratory statements. Obviously
there had TO be some yielding, and it was
not all on one side. The misapprehen-
sions as to the confession" continued DR..
Minton. have come from two causes
first, the unguarded statements in the
confession itself and, second, unwarranted
differences from the confession. In the
first cases verbal changes would be the
remedy; in the second, declaratory state
mentS were necessary.
THE POPE ANTI-CHRIST.
Mr.. Minton then took up the various
points on which the committee had been
asked to pass. Regarding the Pope Of
says the Pope is ant-Chr.st and the son of
perdition. Now, if this is true. and we
want to say it, let it stand. If not true, or
if true and we do not wish to say it. take
it out / believe that the Pope is anti
Christ on general principles. l am quite
willing to declare in the face of the Vati-
can, or the whole world for that matter,
that the Pope, using the crown rights Of
Jesus Christ, is anti-Christ and the son of
he oil he
only proper course by broadening the state
ment"
DIR. Minton resented the accusation
brought that the Presbyterian Church be-
lieved in infant damnation THE critics and
enemies of the Presbyterian Church have
rolled II under their tongues as a sweet
ton. We resent the accuse ion that this
chapter contemplates any such interpre-
tation." DR.. Minton was loudly applauded
whenyhe closed.
The Rev. Dir. Moffatt urged the as
sembly. in a brief address. to decide the
question quickly by a vote to adopt.
The Rev. DR.. Russell Booth of this city,
who has been known as a strong anti-re-
visionistf asked the assembly to adopt
unanimously and at once the report. AS he
closed his short remarks there came loud
cries of Question: Question: from all
over the assembly.
The Rev. F. Ewing Railey. of Kisimee,
Fla, opposed revision. Il was against the
adoption of the report" he said. Il never
standards. They have lighted the way for
me and mine across the river, all the way.
l feel that this revision is but the entering
wedge and how far IL will go no one can
tell" Here the speaker broke down and
wept.
The question was then put and the reso-
luton, ordering the report published, was
carried, with only two dissenting votes
The motion for adoption of the supple
mentary statement was made by DR.. Min
ton and seconded by the Rev. DR.. How
Draf1 a1H nf hp old Tircf IDVo-
Church this city. I'VE are face to face
with a Babel and a Pentecost," said DIR.
Duffield. "a Babel of confession and a
Pentecost where souls Will be won and
blessings gained. Which shall ii be? Ii
would be a great thing. if by unanimous
vote, we could take out frCn cur vocabu-
larry the words liberia and conservative and
merge them into that glorious name Pres
byterian' Let US tell the world that the
Presbyterian Church is not only the
reverend guardian of the past, but also the
sympathetic interpreter of the present and
the heir apparent to the throne of the flu
ture. l hope the statement will be unani-
mously adopted.
DR.. Richard s. Holmes, of Pittsburg. said
he represen d the conservative element
of the church He said he had only voiced
the sentiment of that element when he
asked the assembly for the unanimous
adoption of the supplementary report The
entire report was adopted and the session
was closed with an impressive devotional
service, in which the Rev DR.. Johnson of
I
prayer. and Rev. DR.. r. r. Booth of this
city, pronounced the benediction.
At the afternoon session DR. William
Henry Roberts offered a resolution. which
was carried. providing for the printing of
the brief statement of the reformed faith
in pamphlet form. for the use of the COM
missiOners Of the assembly, pastors of the
churches and others.
The Rev. ID. Stuart Dodge, as chairman
of the standing committee on temperance.
then presented the report of that commit
tee. The committee brought in different
recommendations The general assembly
was called upon 10 reaffirm the former
declarations OF the church. laying special
stress on total abstinence on the part of its
members and entire separation from any
utilization with the liquor traffic. The pres
byteries were urged 10 appoint Presby-
terrain committees TO Systematically bring
the matter of intemperance to the atten-
ton of the churches. III was suggested
that the General Assembly. through the
permanent committee on temperance me-
morialize Congress TO enact laws prohibit
homes. United States public buildings and
immigration stations. Grateful note WAS
made of the passage of the anti-canteen
law. the Lodge-Gillett bill and the pa ssace
OF the scientific temperance bill in Georgia,
providing for the teaching OF temperance
I'm the public schools. The action of rail-
roads and corporations in demanding total
abstinence as one OF the qualifications for
employees to whom the safety of human
life is intrusted was also commended. TIE