The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-17
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH.
Presbyterian Committee IN Revision
Presents Report to General As


Presents Report To General As
sembIy.
New York, May 16.-The second days
sessions of the Presbyterian General
Assembly the new moderator, Rev DR..
Henry Van Dyke, presiding, was large
ly consumed in the presenting of re-
ports of special committees, among
them being that of the special commit
tee on the revision of the confession of
faith
The report of the Presbyterian Cen
eral Assembly's Special Committee on
Revision of the Confession of Faith
covers two divisions, the work assign
ed to the committee having been so
outlined by the assembly. In the first
place the committee was to prepare "a
brief statement of the Reformed faith
to be submitted to the 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.
With reference to chapter Y, section
3, of the Confession of Faith, it is not
to be regarded as teaching that any
who die in infancy are lost I'VE be-
lieve that all dying in infancy are in
cluded in the election of grace, ana
are regenerated and saved by Christ
through the Spirit who works when
and where and how He pleases."
The committee presents a Brief
Statement of the Reformed Faith,
consisting of sixteen articles.
Articles l to 4, inclusive( state the
full belief in an ever living God, the
Creator of all things, who has revealed
Himself to man in various ways and
the Holy Scriptures, whose eternal
| purpose embraces all events. Article 5
| and the doctrine of original sin by rea-
| son of the fall of our first parents.
The Doctrine of Election.
Article asserts the grace of God as
| shown in his gift of the Savior, while
Article speaks of an 'innumerable
| multitude, chosen in Christ unto holi-
| ness, service and salvation; we believe
| that all who come to years of discre-
tion can receive this salvation only
! through faith and repentance; and we
| believe that all who die in infancy,
| and all others given by the Father to
| the Son who are beyond the reach of
| the outward means of grace are re-
/ generated and saved by Christ through
the spirit, who works when and where
and how He pleases."
Article deals with the Lord Jesus
| Christ as the only Mediator between
| God and man.
Articles 9, 10 and II deal with faith
| and repentance. the doctrine of the
Holy Spirit, the New birth and the
new life"
Article II says: 1--WE believe that in
the resurrection and the life to come,
the just, at death made free from sin,
enjoy immediate communion with God
and the vision of His glory; and we
confidently look for the general resur-
rection in the last day, when the bodies
of those who sleep in Christ shall be
fashioned in the likeness of the glori-
Gus body of their Lord, with whom
they shall live and reign forever"
A belief in the law of God as re-
vealed in the Ten Commandments and
more clearly disclosed in the minds of
Christ.
OF the Church and the Sacramento,
Article IA says, 1--WE believe in the
Holy Catholic Church of which Christ
is the only Head. We believe that the
Church Invisible consists of all the
redeemed, and that the Church VisI-
BILE embraces all who profess the true
religion together with their children.
We receive to our communion all who
confess and obey Christ as their divine
Lord and Saviour, and we hold fellow
ship with all believers in Him."
OF the Last Judgment Article Is says:
eve believe that the Lord Jesus
Christ will come again in glorious maj
esty to Judge the world, and to make
final separation between the righteous
and the wicked. The wicked shall re-
ceive the eternal award of their SINS
and the Lord will manifest the glory
of His mercy in the salvation of eter-
nal life
Of Christian Service ii says in part:
1--WE believe that it is our duty, as
servants and friends of Christ, 10 do
good unto all men, to maintain the
public and private worship of God, TO
hallow the Lords Day, to preserve the
sanctity of the family, to uphold the
Just authority of the state, and so to
live in all honesty, purity and charity,
that our lives shall testify of Christ
The report is signed by Henry Col
lin Minton, chairman, and the twenty
other members of the convention.
DR.. John De Witt makes the follow
ing exception: In signing the report
of the assembly's Committee on Revi-
sion, except as follows: % / am OPP
posed to the verbal amendment of the
seventh section of Chapter xvi of the
Confession. (2) ! think it unwise to
erect into church doctrine our belief
that all who die in infancy are saved.
90 do not think that the second SEN
tence of Article 10 of the brief and
untechnical statement (the article en-
titled OF the Holy SpiritO accurately
states the Reformed faith"
The report on creed revision will not
be debated until Thursday or Friday
of next week. Should the renort be
adopted by the general assembly 1t
will be referred back to the presbyte-
ries, and it will require a favorable
vote of two-thrds of their number to
make 1t law. A two-thirds vote is
required in each individual preshvtery