The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-29

the mass was said, and the whole null
titude Joined in singing the plaintive
measure of the Litany of the Saints.
and then with equal ferVor was sung
Veni Creator, which was followed by
the voice of a secretary reading in a
high key the dogma At its conclu-
sion the names of the fathers were call
ed over, and placet succeeded placet.
The lightning flashed and the thun-
der pealed as we have not heard it
this season before. Every placet SEEM
ed to be announced by a flash and
terminated by a clap of thunder And
thus the roll was called for an hour
and half, with this solemn accom-
paniment and the result of the voting
was taken to the Pope.
Looking from a distance into the
hall, which was obscured by the tenn
pest, nothing was visible but the gold
en- mitre of the Pope, and so thick was
the darkness that servitor was COM
PEELED to bring a lighted candle and
hold 1t by his side to enable him to
read the formula. And then-what is
that indescribable noise? Is it the rag
ing OF the storm above ?-the pattering
of hail stones? 1t approaches nearer,
and for minute l could not under
stand what that swelling sound was
until / saw a cloud of white handker-
chiefs waving in the air" viva Pho
Nono!" Viva il Papa Infallible!"
Viva IL triono del Cattolici!" were
shouted by the assembly; and another
round was given when the TIE Deum
had been sung and the benediction
given"
Here appear for the second time the
two negative votes. They came first
at the Council of Nicaea, when the two
Eusehii opposed the adoption of the
creed, which later they accepted: sec
OndlW a hn 49,.
when again those who cast them later
accepted the voice of the majority; and
most recently they have come at the
Presbyterian convention of 1902 The
coincidence is interesting.
But though only two negative votes
were cast, there was for time a
strong minority that opposed the dec
laration as inopportune. BY far the
greater number of this minority. how
ever, later accepted the declaration.
those who remained stubborn formed
the "Old Catholic Church." which for
time had some strength in Germany
The distinctive creeds of the Luther
an and the Swiss Protestant
Churches were drawn up by individ-
uals-Melanchthon, Luther. Zwingli:
Calvin drew up the creed of the Cal
whistle churches. There were dis
sensions in the denomina tions. which.
required changes in the creeds; and
these were made generally by individ-
ual leaders and accepted by synods
and conventions. The Lutheran Form
OF Concord, however, was drawn up
by six divines, and occupied more
than three years in its preparation.
The doctrine of the PRESBYTERIAN
| Church is set forth in the Westminster
Confession, which differs from the
confessions or creeds of most other
reformed churches in being the voice
of a representative body.
The Westminster Assembly was con-
vened by the Long Parliament in 1913.
and consisted of thirty lay assessors
and III ministers, the latter taken
mostly from the Presbyterans. with a
| few of the most influential Episcopal
ians and Independents. 1t met on
| July l, 1643, in Westminster Abbey;
| organized in the chapel of King Henry
VII, and held its sessions in that
! chapel and in the Jerusalem Chamber.
| 1t occupied five years and six months in
its debates. holding no fewer than 1863
! sessions, and finished it's regular work
! on Feb. %, 1919 Thereafter. like the
! Continental Congress, ii faded away,
! breaking up finally on March 20. 1852.
| The Confession was made by COM
mittee of twenty-seven commissioners.
| who began their work in August, 1914
and reported from time to time to the
assembly. which adopted the complete
confession on Dec. 4. 1916 mo other
symbolical book" says DR.. SchaM. "ex-
cept the Tridentine and the Vatican
DEGREES, and the formula OF Concord,
cost so much time and labor.
| The assembly was peaceabie
enough. The Episeopalians did not at
tend. and the Scots commissioners de-
parted after time
A. the joint meeting OF the Parlia-
ment and the assembly IN st. Mar
! garet's Church on Sept %. 1913. for the
! signing ~ the Covenant. one commits
sioner prayed near upon an hour.
/ another made an eKhortation 81 am
! other hour long" third did the
Z like" then there were the reading N
/ the Covenant "a prayer Ohs length is
] not Eiysn), another Psalm and q nnal
! pFaYsr.
on May. 81. 1874. the assembly in-
l ealffe ir q fact Nhen me services
I lasted siFhf hours DF Twlaee began
Hlth brief prayer "Ar Marshall