The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-22
CREED REPORT
IS ADOPTED
Only Two Votes Against It
in the Presbyterian Gen
eral Assembly.
The Report Now Goes to the
Presbyteries for Final
Approval. y
1.-THE report on creed revision was printed
in full in h e J o u all of Friday May
If |, =

in full in T h e Journ all of Friday, May
To-
New York. May 22.-Thc general as
sembly Of the Presbyterian church to- day
adopted the report of the committee 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 deferred
until to-day. AS was to be expected,
tie prospect of an interesting debate
attracted a crowd which filled the gal
leries solidly and when the doors of the
ground floor were opened, all the seats
not reserved for commissioners were oc-
cupied at once.
A Plea for Good Fellowship.
The Rev. DR.. Henry Van Dyke, the mod
orator, before the hour set for considera-
ton, spoke for a moment.
Il do rot believe that my task as mod
orator is to be difficult one,'' he said,
but it is delicate one. In this chair
where you have put me, I want to say
that am not member of any organiza-
ton or any committee. l am a plain
Presbyterian and your moderator, your
servant II want to plead that this discus
sion be carried on in the spirit of good
fellowship. Have nothing either rushed
through or delayed. The matter before
us is a simple proposition. p, The assembly
of 1901 appointed committee to do a
particular thing. What you have to
pass on is not whether that certain thing
should be done, but whether the commit
tee has done it to your satisfaction
The privilege Of < the floor was then
extended to the members of the commit
tee who were net commissioners:
On motion Of Rev. DR.. David J. Wylie,
speeches on the report were limited to
ten minutes except that of the committee
hartman. -.r ='--..-
The Rev. DR.. James D. Moffatt then
moved the adoption of the eleven over
lures to be sent to the presbyteries. :,
Argument for the Report.
The Rev. DR.. Henry C. Minton, chair
man Of the revision committee, spoke for
the report He would not, he said, argue
the merits of the whole report but would
speak of the especial considerations
which Influenced the committee. They
we're guided in the first place by the work
of the committee of 1892. The p-esump-
ton, of course, was always in favor of the
explicit orders Of last years assembly.
There were two elements on the commit
tee, he explained, those who preferred to
o1yo OIL ant h1yv orha1 roon6ifica-
lions, and those who wished to make the
changes by separate declaratory state
ments. Obviously there had to be some
yielding and it was not all on one side.
THE isapprehensions as to the con-
fession," continued DR.. Minton, "have
come from two causes, first, the unguard-
ed statements in the confession itself,
the confession In the first cases verbal
changes would be 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. ... .. 49,,
Regarding the Pope of Rome.
Regarding the Pope of Rome he
said 1.-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 1t stand II not
true, or if true and we do not wish, to
say it, take it out.
Il may believe that the Pope is anti
Christ on general principles. 1. am quite
willing to declare in the face Of the vat
lean 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 .~ r-
Infant Damnation. 49,.
DR.. Minton resented the accusation
brought that the Presbyterian church be-
lieved in infant damnation.. ,~.-...
'"The critics and enemies OF the Pres
byterian church have rolled 1t under
their tongues as sweet morsel that we
believe in infant damnation. We resent
the accusation that this chapter contem-
plates any such Interpretation" \
: Dr. Minton was loudly applauded when
he closed. ~ f :s--
Tie Rev. Dr. Moffatt urged the assem-
bly,, in brief address to, decide the
question quickly by vote to adopt.
The Rev. DR.. R. Russell Booth OF this
city who has been known as strong
anti-revisicnist asked the assembly te
adopt unanimously and at once, the re-
port. ..