Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-20
REVISION REPORT.
Committee Make Known Changes
in Presbyterian Faith.

THE LONG LOOKED FOR DOCUMENT
Report of Much Interest in the Presby.
terian World is Made Pubic-Trcats
of Infant Damnation, of the Life to
Come, etc.
The report of the commission on re-
vision of faith presented to the Pres
byterlan general assembly in New
York yesterday in which Ottumwa
members of the church have a com.
mon interest covers two divisions, the
work assigned to the committee hav-
ing been SO outlined by the assembly
In the first place, the committee says
1t was to prepare "a brief statement of
the reformed faith" "for such disposi.
ton as may be judged to be WISE" The
other part of the work was the prep
aration and submission of certain re-
visions of the confessions of faith, in
certain specified parts of it, and con.
corning certain specified subjects, by
the method of teXtual modification or
by declaratory statement, or of addi-
tional statements, undoubted presby-
teries and by the general assembly
Additional statements are recon-
mended concerning the love of God for
all men, missions and holy spirit in the
form of new chapters to be added to
the confession. Also certain textual
notifications.
Of Infant Damnation.
The committee proposes the follow.
ing:
Overture No. 3-Shall the following
declaratory statement be adopted as to
chapter 10, section 3, of the confession
of faith?
SO. With reference to chapter 10,
section 8, of the confession of faith,
that it is not to be regarded as teach
ing that any who die in infancy are
lost. We believe that all dying in in
fancy are included in the election of
grace and are regenerated and saved
by Christ through the spirit, who
works when and where and how he
pleases.''
The committee says concerning the
brief statement of the reformed faith
that it was to be prepared with a
view to its being employed to give in
formation, and better understanding
of our doctrinal beliefs, and not with
view to its becoming a substitute for
or an alternative of our confession of
faith"
The committee then presents "for
wise" the following as brief state
ment of the reformed faith:
Article LOT God.
1--WE believe in the everything Gcl
who is spirit, and the Father of onf
spirits; infinite, etrnal and unchange-
able in His being and projections; the
Lord Almighty. most just in all His
ways, most glorious in holiness. un-
searchable in wisdom and plenteous in
mercy: full of love and compassion,
and abundant in goodness and truth.
We worship Him, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. three persons in one God.
head, one in substance and equal in
power and glory.
Article Ii-Of revelation.
"We believe that God is revealed in
nature, in history, and in the heart of
man; that He has made gracious and
clearer revelations of himself to mer
of Gcd who spoke as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus
Christ, the word made flesh, is the
brightness of the Fathers glory anC
the express image of his person. We
gratefully receive the holy scriptures
given by inspiration, to be the faithful
record of Gods gracious revelations
and the sure witness to Christ, as the
words of God, the only infallible rule
of faith and life.
| Article Ill-of the Eternal Purpose.
I'VE believe that the eternal, wise,
holy and loving purpose of God en-
braces all events, SO that while the
freedom of man is not taken away, nor
lis God the author of sin, yet in His
providence He makes all things work
together in the fulfillment of His soy
| ereign design and the manifestation O.
His glory; wherefore, humbly &C.
knowledging the mystery of this truth
we trust in His protecting care and set
our hearts to do his will
Article IV.-Of the Creation.
eve believe that God is the creator
upholder and governor of all things
that He is above all His works and in
them all; and that He made man in
His own image, meet for fellowship
with him, free and able to choose be.
tween good and evil, and forever re-
sponsible to his Maker and Lord.
Article v.-Of the Sin of Man.
eve believe that our first parents
being tempted, chose evil, and so fell
from God and came under the power OF
sin, the penalty of which is eterna
death; and we confess that, by rea
son of this disobedience, we. and all
men are born with sinful nature
that we have broken Gods law, and
that no man can be saved but by His
grace.
Article Vi.-of the Grace of God.
"We believe that God, out of Hi.
great love for the world, has given Hi.
only begotten Son to be the Savior o
sinners, and in the gospel freely of
fers His all-sufficient salvation to al
men. And we praise Him for the un