The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-05-17
CHANGES IN
CHURCH CREED
-
Report of ;sbyterian
Cor 9$.lttee.
COVERS siwo DIVISIONS
Several Additional Statements
Are Recommended.
Believed That All Who Die in In
fancy are Included in the Elec-
ton Of Grace-statement
Of Faith.


- New York, May 16.-The second days
session of the Presbyterian General As
sembly began at o'clock at Fifth Ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church. The first half
hour was taken up with devotional exer-
cises and then the business program was
taken up, the new moderator. the Rev.
DR.. Henry Van Dyke. presiding.
The morning session was consumed IN
the presenting of reports of special COM
mittee on the revision Of the confession
of faith.
The report of the Presbyterian Gen.
erai Assembly's special Committee on Re
vision of the Confession OF Faith covers
two divisions, the work assigned to the
committee having been SO outlined by tine
Assembly. In the first place. the commit
tee says it was to prepare "a brief state
mcnt of the Reformed Faith TO De SUD
m;tted 10 this Assembly for such dis
position as may be judged Sbe wise.
The other part of the work was the prep
aration and submission to this Assembly
of certain revisians of the Confessions OF
Faith, in certain specified parts OF IT, and
concerning certain specified subjects. -py
the method of textual modification or by
declaratory statement or OF additional
statements, undoubtedly with the view
to their subsequent adoption by the Pres
| byteries and by the General Assembly.
Additional Statements.
Additional statements are recommend
| ed concerning the love of God for al
men, missions and Holy Spirit IN the
form of new chapters to be added to the
confession, Also certain textual modifi'
cations. The committee proposes the fol
| lowing:
| Overture No. s-Shall the following
declaratory statement be adopted as q
| Chapter X, Section 8, of the Confession OF
| Faith: !.
Second-With reference to Chapter X
| Section g. of the Confession of Faith
that it is not to be regarded as teaching
that any who die In infancy are lost. We
believe that all dying in infancy are in
cluded 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 II
was to be prepared with the view to Its
being employed to give information and
better understanding of our doctrinal
beliefs, and not with a view to Its be-
coming a substitute for, or an alternative
of. our Confession of Faith" The COM
mittee then presents for such DISPOSE
ton as may be judged wis" the follow.
ing as brief statement of the Reformed
Faith:
Article LOT God. We believe in the
everything God. who Is Spirit and the
Father of our spirits; infinite, eternal and
Interchangeable in His being ana perfec'
tons; the Lord Almighty. most just In
all His ways, most glorious In holiness
unsearchable in wisdom aid plenteous ir
mercy, full of love and compassion, and
abundant In goodness an dtruth. We
| worship Him, Father, Son and Holy Spir'
it. three persons in one Godhead. one ir
substance and equal in power and glory
God Revealed.
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 men of God who spoke as
they were moved by theJHoly Spirit; and
that Jesus Christ the Word made flesh
| Is the brightness of the Fathers glory
| and 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 Wore
| of God, the only infallible rule Of faith
and life.
Article III. OF the Eternal Purpose
We believe that. the eternal, WISE holy
| and loving purpose of God embraces al
| events. so that. while the freedom of mar
| is not taken away nor Is God the author
of sin, yet in His providence He makes
all things work together In the fulfill
ment of His sovereign design and thu
manifestation of His glory, wherefore
| hny ocknnuvlad0fnQ the mystery
this truth, we trust in His protecting carr
| and set our hearts to do His will.
Article " OF the Creatlon-We be
lieve that God Is the creator. upholder
and governor of all things; that He II
| above all His works and in them all
and that He made man In His own i'm
| age, meet for fellowship with Him. FREE
and able to choose between good anc
evil. and forever responsible to his Maker
and Lord.
| Article V. OF the Sin of Man-We be
lieve that our first parents, being tempted
chose evil, and so fell away from Coo
| and came under the power OF sin, I'M
penalty of which is eternal death; anf
we confess that. by reason OF this dis
obedience we and all men are born witt
a sinful nature. that we have broker
Gods law. and that no man can be saved
| but by His grace,
1 j.
believe that God, out of His great low
for the world. has given His only begot
tn Son to be the Savior of sinners, anC
in the Gospel fl eely offers His all-sufh
cient salvation to all men. And we prsis;
Him for the unspeakable grace wherein
He has provided way of eternal life fol
| all mankind.
Those Dying in Infancy.
Article VII. OF Election-We believe
that God. from the beginning, in His owl
good pleasure gave to His Son people
an innumerable m altitude, chosen IL
| Christ unto holiness. service and saliva
| ton; we believe that all who come t.
years of discretion can receive this sal
walton only through faith and repentance
and We believe that all who die in In
| fancy, and all others given by the Fathe
to the Son are beyond the reach Of tn
| outward means of grace. are regenerate'
and saved by Christ through the Spirit
who works when and where and how II
pleases.
Article VIII. OF Our Lord Jesu
christ-we believe in and confess tn
a