The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-23
CREED is REVISED
PREsBYTERIANs ADOPT REPORT
ON REVISION.
ONLY TWO DISSENTING VOTES.
MEANS A NEW PENTECoST, SAID
DIR. DUFFIELD.

Will Now Go to Presbyteries for Rat
ificatiOn-Dr. MintOn Explains the
Reasons for ReVisiOn-Unwarran
ed Statements in the Confession
Itself and Unwnrranted differences
From the COnfessiOn-He Refers
Especially to the Charge That the
Pope Is Antl-Christ-Presbyst
Church Does Not Believe in Infant
DamnatiOn.
New York. May 22.-The general as
sembly of the Presbyterian Church to-
day adopted the report of the commit
tee on creed revision making changes
in the confession of faith. This action,
which was practically unanimous, was
taken with little or no debate. The
changes proposed will now go to the
various presbyteries for ratification.
When the report was presented last
Friday a motion for it's adoption was
made at once. but the vote was de-
ferred until to-day AS was to be ex-
pected, the prospect of an interesting
debate 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 re-
served for commissioners were occupied
at once.
DR., Henry c. Minton, chairman of
the Revision Committee, spoke for the
report.
The Misrepresentation as to the con-
fession," said DR.. Minton, "have come
from two causes. First, the unguard-
ed statements in the confession itself,
and second, unwarranted differences
from the confession. In the first cases
verbal changes were the remedy In
the second. declaratory statements
were necessary
DR.. Minton then took up the various
points on which the committee had
been asked to pass
with Regard to the Pope.
Regarding the Pope of Rome" he
said, the confession distinctly says
the Pope is the anti-Christ, and the
son of perdition. Now, if that was
true, and if we want to say it-let it
stand. If not true, or if true and we
do not wish to say 1t, take it out.
Il may believe that the Pope is anti
| Christ on general principles. l am
! quite willing to declare in the face of
the Vatican or the whole world. for
| that matter, that the Pope using the
| crown rights of Jesus Christ. is anti
| Christ and the son of perdition. The
| committee followed the only proper
! course to pursue by broadening the
statement"
DR.. Minton resented the accusation.
brought that the Presbyterian Church
believed in infant damnation.
THE critics and enemies of the Pres
hWfAriln 1aax raII Cd Io.-
their tongues as a sweet morsel that
we believe in infant damnation. We
resent the accusation that this chapter
contemplates any such Interpretation"
DR.. Minton was loudly applauded
when he closed.
Rev. DR.. r. Russell Booth of this
city. who has been known as a strong
anti-revisionist. asked the assembly to
adopt unanimously and at once the re-
port.
Opposes and Weeps.
Rev. Fleming G.. Railey of Kissim-
NEE, Fla, opposed revision. II am
against the adoption of the report" he
said. II have never found any diff
Guilty with the old 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 it will go no one
can tell" Here the speaker broke down
and wept.
The question was then put and the
resolution ordering the report publish
ed was carried. with only two dissent
ing votes.
The motion for adoption of the sup
Elementary statement was made by
DR.. MInton and seconded by Rev. DR..
Howard Dufield of the Old First Pres
byterian Church, this city
I'VE are face to face with a Babel
and Pentecost," said DR.. Duffield "a
Babel of confession and a Pentecost
where souls will be won and blessings
gained. Which shall 1t be-"
DR.. Richard S. Holmes of Pittsburg
said he represented the conservative
element of the church. He said he had
only voiced the sentiment of that ele>
ment when he asked the assembly for
the unanimous adoption of the sup
Elementary report.
The entire report was adopted and
the session was closed with an impress
sive devotional service.