Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-23
VOTES TO REVISE THE GREED
Presbyterian General Assembly Approves
Report Of the COMMITTEES.
ACTION IS PRACTICALLY UNANIMOUS
Time of Each speech is Limited 20
Ten Minutes, but Very Few
Delegates Desire TO
BE Heard.

NEW YORK. May 22.-The general assem-
bly, Of the Presbyterian church today
adopted the report Of the committee on
creed revision, making changes in the con-
fession Of faith. This action, which was
practically unanimous, was taken with lit
tie or no debate.
The changes proposed will now 60 to the
various presbyteries for ratification. When
the report was presented last Friday a mo-
tion for Its adoption was made at once. but
the vote was deferred until today. AS was
to be expected. the prospect Of an interest
ing 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 reserved for COM
missioners were occupied at once.
Rev.. DR.. Henry Van Dyke. the moderator,
before the hour set for consideration, spoke
for a moment. II do not believe that my
task as moderator is to be q dificult one"
he said, but II is a delicate one, in this
chair where you have put me. l want to
say that ! am not a member Of any organi-
cation. l am a plain Presbyterian and your
moderator, your servant. I want to plead
that this discussion be carried on In the
spirit Of good fellowship. Have nothing
either rushed through or delayed. The mat
ter before us is a simple proposition. The
assembly of 1901 appointed a committee to
do a particular thing. What you have to
pass on is not whether that certain thing
should be done, but whether the committee
has done 1t to your satisfaction"
On motion the privilege of the floor was
extended to the embers Of the committee
who were not commissioners
On motion Of Rev. DR.. David J. wylis.
speeches on the report we're limited to ten
minutes. except that of the committee
chaIrmen.
Moves Adoption of Report.
Rev. DR.. James D. Mohatt then moved
the adoption Of the eleven overtures to be
sent to the Presbyteries.
Rev. DR.. Henry c.. Mnton, chairman Of
the revision committee, spoke for the re-
port He would not, he said, argue the
merits of the whole report, but would speak
Of the special considerations, which in
huenced the committee. They were guided.
In the FIRST place, by the work of the
committee Of 1892. The presumption, Of
course, always was in favor OF the ex-
plicit orders Of last years assembly. There
we're two elements on the committee, he
explained. those who preferred to make all
amendments by verbal notifications. and
those who wished to mak the changes
by separate declaratory statements. OBJ
viously there had to. be some yielding and
1t was not all on one side. THE misap-
prehensions as to the confession" con-
tinued DR.. Minton. have come from two
causes, first. the unguarded statements in
the confession itself, and. second, unwar-
ranted differences from the confession. In
the first case verbal changes would be the
remedy. In the second, declaratory state
ments were necessary"
DR.. Minton then took up the various
points. on which the committee had been
asked to pass. Regarding the pope Of
Rome. he said, .'the confession. distinctly
says the pope "a the anti Christ and the
son Of perdition. Now. II that was true,
and II we want 10 say it-let Il stand. II
not true and we. DO not wish to say it, take
II out.
Only Course to Pursue.
II may believe that the pope is anti
Christ on general principles. / an 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 perdi-
ton. The committee followed the only
proper course to pursue, by broadening the
statement" Isl.
DR.. Minton resented the accusation
brought that the Presbyterian church be-
lieved in infant damnation. 1.-THE critics
and enemies Of the Presbyterian church
have rolled II under their tongues as a sweet
morsel that we believe in infant damnation.
We resent the accusation that this chapter
c~ontemplates and such Interpretation"
DR.. Minton was loudly %applauded when
he closed. ..~~
DR.. Moffat urged the assembly, in a brief
address, to decide the question quickly by
q vote to adopt.
Rev. DR.: r. Russell Booth Of this city.
who has been known as a strong anti-revis
%sionist, asked the assembly to adopt unani-
mously and at once the report.
As he closed his short remarks there
came sharp cries of question" from all
over the assembly.
weeps over Revision.
Rev. Fleming G. Railey Of Risseme, Fla.
opposed revision. IL am against the adop-
tion OF the report" he said; ct have never
found any difhculty with the old standards
They have lighted the way for me and
taken me across the river all the way.
feel that this revision is but the e~nterins
wedge, and how far 1t will go. no one car
tell"
Here the speaker broke down and wept
Tue question was then put ana the resO'
luton ordering the report published wa
carried with only two dissenting votes.
The motion for the adoption OF the sup.
Elementary statement WIS made by DR.
Minton and seconded by Rev. Howard Duff
field OF the OLD First Presbyterian church
in this city. I'VE are face to face with 4
Babel and q Pentecost," said DR.. Dufieldi
"a Babel Of confession and a Pentecost
where souls will be won and blessing
gained. Which shall It be3
1T you'd be q great thing II BY an unan.
imous vote We could take out from our vo.
e~abulary the words liberal and conservatiy,
and merge them into that glorious lame
Presbyterian Let US tell the world tina
the Presbyterian church Is not only thu
reverend guardian Of the past. but alst
the sympathetic interpreter Of the present
and the heir apparent to the throne of tn,
future. I hope the statement will b
adopted $50
The entire report was adopted and thu
session was closed with an impressive de
y~otional service in which Rev. DR.. John
son OF Chicago and Rev DR.. Dickey Of
tered prayer and DIR. r. r. Booth Of thh
city pronounced the benediction-