New-York tribune., 1902-05-23
CREED RETISIOy APPROVED.

CREED REVISION APPROVED.
Peace is to take the place Of controversy in
the Presbyterian Church. That much at least
was settled by the almost unanimous vote Of the
General Assembly yesterday in favor Of the re-
port on Greed revision. 1t had been frequently
predicted that the assembly would take such
action with little or no debate. 1t was obvious
that any extended discussion OF the questions
at issue would throw no new light on the sub
ject while in all likelihood it would inhame
party feeling and perhaps postpone for many
years 10 come any action on the revision OF the
Greed. 1t is not likely, however, that any vivid
realization of the evils of discussion brought
about the result of yesterday In the light of
the vote we can see that the assembly voted off,
hand for revision because an overwhelming ma
iority OF ITS members believed that revision
was an urgent necessity. Hide away the fact
as they might even the conservatives realized
that a refusal 10 touch the Confession would
retard the growth OF the Church and ALLEVIATE
an ever increasing number OF its members.
Doubtless many of them did not approve OF the
proposed changes in the Confession, moderate
and cautious as they are; but something had TO
be done and done at once. SO. with many mis-
givings, perhaps, they gave their vote In favor
of the report
Church in a hole" have had much TO say about
the revision movement in the Presbyterian
Church as an evidence that Il Is drifting toward
infdelity Posing as the champions OF pure
and unadulterated Presbyterianism, they seek
to discredit the Presbyterian Church by forcing
1t to hold for all time certain ideas which are
manifestly no longer part Of the modern Chris
tian consciousness. With great noise and much
shallow and specious logic they condemn any
honest departure Of the Church from the ex-
treme theological positions OF the past The
real object Of these critics. Of course Is not to
defend the Christian religion, but TO deal it
deadly blow by holding it to dogmas and tradi-
tions and arbitrary interpretations that will ar
ray 1t against the intelligence Of the world, and
gradually drive out OF the Church all who be-
lieve that to follow the truth cannot be less the
duty of those In the Church than of those out
side Of II. Had these men succeeded in perma-
nently arrestng the movement to make the
Confession more palatable to modern Presby-
terians their next step would have been TO
show that those who accepted the old undi-
uted Confession must deny the established
facts of history, ignore the plain truths of sci
ence and oppose the march Of civilization and
progress Fortunately for the Presbyterian
Church, the General Assembly has refused to
tumble into the pit that was so skilfully dug
for it. 1t has ignored the outside self-consti-
tuted defenders of its faith who tried to make
it break with civilization, scholarship and intel
ugence 1t has asserted for itself the
right which the famous Westminster divines
ercised namely, TO formulate and declare the
faith of the Church, and, il must be remem-
bered, this General Assembly speaks for the
Church of to-day with just much authority
as the Westminster divines spoke for the
Church of their day.
A great deal Of time will be wasted in prov
ing that the revised Greed doesn't really change
any of the teachings of the old Confession. 1t
softens some expressions and alters the phrase
ology here and there, but leaves the doctrines
intact. Probably this is So but what of 1t? If
Church, where is the harm in making it, and
what becomes of the charge that revision means
infidety? Nearly every creed has been more
or less the result of n compromise 1t is impos-
sible that it should represent every shade of be-
lief of every person who accepts it broadly for
substance of doctrine. OF all the creeds of
ChristendOm it may be said that each indi-
vidual has read into them his own conception
of their meaning. Such, we have no doubt,
will be the case with this revised Confession
Of the Presbyterian Church If ii is finally rati-
fed by the Presbyteries. The conservative will
read conservatism into it and the liberal will
read liberalism into It. Should each thus find
in 1t what he most desires to find all excuse
for fruitless controversy over highly speculative
questions of subjective belief will disappear
and the Church may devote itself to the great
work of promoting concrete righteousness in the
world.