The Minneapolis journal., 1902-05-16
A REFORMED FAITH
Report of the Presbyterian Commit.
tee on Revision.
OF THOSE WHO DIE IN INFANCY
OF the Love of God for All Men-Of
MissiOns-Of the Holy Spirit
OF the Son of Man.

New York, May 16.-Following is an abb
stract of the report Of the Presbyterian
General Assembly's special committee on
the revision of the confession of faith.
The report covers two divisions. the work
assigned to the committee having been so
outlined by the assembly. In the iirst
place, the committee says IL was to pre-
pare "a brief statement of the reformed
faith,' to be submitted to this assembly
''for such disposition as may be judged
to be wise The other part of the work
was the preparation and submission TO
this assembly of certain revisions OF the
confessions of faith, III certain specihed
parts Of it, and concerning certain spec
fhed subjects by the method of the text
ual modification or by declaratory state
ment or of additional statements, un-
doubtedly with the view to their subse-
quent adoption by the presbyterles and by
the general assembly.
Additional statements are recommended
concerning the love Of God for all men,
Missions and Holy Spirit, in the form OF
new chapters to be added to the confes-
sion. Also certain teXtual notifications.
The committee proposes the following:
Overture No. 3-Shal the following decara
tory statement be adopted as to Chapter X,
Section 8, of the Confession of Faith?
Second-With reference to Chapter X, Sec
tion s, Of the Confession of Faith, that it is
not to be regarded teaching that any who
die in infancy are lost We believe that all
dying in infancy are included in the election
Of grace, and are regenerated and saved by
Christ through the Spirit, who works when
and how He pleases
The committee says concerning the
Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith
that it was to be prepared with "a view
20 its being employed to give information
and g better understanding Of our doc
trinal beliefs, and not with a view to its
becoming a substitute for or an alterna-
tive Of our Confession of Faith. Tne
committee then presents ''for such dis
position as may be Judged wise,' the fol-
Lowing as a Brief Statement Of the Re-
formed Faith.
ARTICLE I-Of ,God.-We believe in the
everything God, WHO is spirit and the
Father of our spirits infinite, eternal and
unchangeable in His being and perfections;
the Lord Almighty, most just in all His
ways most slorious in holiness, unsearch-
able in wisdom and plenteous in mercy, full
OF love and compassion, and abundant IN
goodness and truth We worship Him, Fa-
ther, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in
one Godhead, one in substance and equal in
power and glory.
ARTICLE u.-Of Revelation.-We believe
that God is revealed in nature III 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 the Holy 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 Word
of God, the only infallible rule of faith and
life.
ARTICLE uI.-Of the Eternal Purpose
We believe that the eternal, WISE holy anc
loving purpose of God embraces all events
SO that while the freedom of man is not taken
away nor is God the author of sin, yet III
His providence He makes all things work
together in the fulfllment Of His sovereign
design and the manifestation of His glory
wherefore, humbly acknowledging the mys-
terry of this truth, we trust IN HIS protecting
care and set our hearts to do His Will.
ARTICLE IV.-Of the Creation.-We be-
Eieve that God is the creator, upholder and
governor Of all things; that He is above al
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 between
good and evil, and forever responsible 10 hlS
- Maker and Lord
ARTICLE V-Of the Sin of Man.-We be
Heve that our first parents, being tempted
chose evil, and so fell away from God ant
came under the power of sin, the penalty Q
which is eternal death; and we confess that
by reason of this disobedience, we and al
men are born with a sinful nature: that w
have broken Gods law and that no man cal
be saved but by His grace.
ARTICLE VI.-Of the Grace of God.-W
believe that God, out Of His great love fc
the world, has given His only begotten So
to be the Saviour OF sinners, and IN tn
gospel freely offers His all-sufiicient saliva
ton to all men. And praise Him for tn
unspeakable grace wherein He has provide
ifp for all
ARTICLE VII.-Of Election.-We believ
that Cod from the beginning, in His ow
good pleasure, gave to His Son people, a
innumerable multitude, chosen in Christ unit
holiness service and salvation; we believ
that all who come to years or dlscretlo
can receive this salvation only through fat
and repentance, and we believe that all VII
die in infancy and all others given by tn
Father to the Son who beyond the reac
of the outward means of grace are reSen
Grated and saved by Christ through tn
Spirit, who works when and where and ho'
He pleases.
ARTICLE VuI.-Of Our Lord Jesus Chris
WE believe in and confess the Lord Jesu
Christ, the only mediator between God an
man. who being the eternal Son of God. fc
us men and for cur salvation became trul
man, being conceived by the Holy Ghost ar
born of the Virgin Mary, without sin; unit
US he has revealed the Father. by his wor
God: for US he fulfilled all righteousness an
satisfied eternal justice, Offering himself
perfect sacrifice upon the cross to take ava
the sin of the world; for us he rose from tt
dead and ascended into heaven, where
ever intercedes for u.s. in cur hearts, joine
to him by faith, he abides forever as th
tndwelling Christ; over us and over all fc
us, he rules; wherefore, unto him we rend:
love obedience and alteration as our prophe
priest ana king forever
ARTICLE IX--Of Faith and Repentance.
We believe that God Dardons cur sins an
accepts us as righteous, solely on the grour
Of the perfect obedience and sacrifice
Christ, received by faith alone; and that th
saving faith is always accompanied by re
pentance, wherein we confess and forsal
our sins with full purpose of. and endeavt
after a new obedience to God.
ARTICLE X.--Of the Holy Spirit.-We b
heve in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Civ
of Life who moves everywhere upon tt
hearts of men, to restrain them from evil ar
to incite them unto good, and whom the F;
ther is ever willing to give unto all who as
him. We believe that he has spoken by no
men of God in making known his truth
men for their salvation; that, through O,
exalted Savior he was sent forth in pow
to convict the world of sin. to enlighten men
minds to the knowledge OF Christ, and to pc
suade and enatle them to obey the call of Il
gospel and that he abides with the churc
dwelling in every believer the spirit
truth of holiness and of comfort.
ARTICLE XI.-Of the New Birth and Il
New Life.-We believe that the Holy Spil
only is the author and source
the new birth: We rejoice in t
new life. wherein he is give
unto us as the seal of soEship in Christ, al