The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-05
.PRESBYTER|ANS
CHANGE CREED
Confession of Faith Is Revised
to Conform With More
Modern Ideas.
CHANGES ARE IMPORTANT
No Longer Believe That Those Whc
Die in Infancy Are Lost-Church
Has Strengthened Her
Foundations.


| Presbyterian general assembly yester-
| day by an unanimous vote adopted the
report of the committee on revision of
the confession of faith, thus settling
a question which has been the subject
of continued discussion for years past
Rev. DR.. Van Dyke, chairman of the,
committee on bills and overtures, to-
which the revision question was sub
mitted, made a report on two papers
preliminary in nature as follows:
A protest from nine members Of the
Lehigh presbytery against counting
the vote of the presbytery in favor of
revision. The committee recommended
that this protest be thrown out, and it
, was SO ordered.
An overture from the st. Cloud pres
bytery asking that the question of re-
vision be recommended to new COM
mittee. 1t was recommended that this
be also thrown out, and 1t was SO or
dered.
Chairman Van Dyke then read the
report as heretofore given by the stat
ed clerk, detailing the vote on the
eleven overtures on revision These
overtures We're passed on seriatim and
adopted. One negative vote was.
heard against overtures Nos. 4, 6 and 7.
b The following declaratory statement
which preceded the reading of the text
of the overtures was adopted:
While the ordination vow of ministers,
ruling elders and dcacons as set forth in
the form Of government requires the re-
cept.on or adoption of the confession of
faith only as containing the system OF
! doctrine taught in the holy scriptures,
nevertheless, seeing that the desire has
been formally expressed for disavowal
by the church of certain differences drawn
from statements in the confession of
tain aspects Of revealed truth which ap-
pear at the present time to call for more
explicit statement, therefore the Presby--
terrain church in the United States of
follows:
Text of the Changes.
Then follows the text of changes il.
the confession of faith.
After the reading and adoption Of all
the overtures, Chairman Van Dyke
said he wished to make it clear, and
especially did he wish to say 'to the
brethren of the press that this revision
does not mean that the Presbyterian
church has changed her base one inch,
but it does mean that she has broad
ened and strengthened her founda-.
tons. Her divine sovereignty shall
never be interpreted so as to mean
fatalism."
| The discussion was continued by DR..
H. C. Minton, DR.. c.. A. Dickey, DR..
]. w. Peach and others. After brief
speeches by Rev. DR.. William Henry
Roberts and Moderator Coyle, a mo-
ton was made by DR.. w. N. Page for
the adoption Of the report of the revis-
ion committee as whole. The motion
prevailed by a unanimous vote. Then
Moderator Coyle offered a prayer of
thankfulness that ''this mornings work
had marked the contamination of fiji
teen years earnest effort in the Pres
byterian church. N..
By the adoption of the eleven over
lures, important additions, aniplifica-
tons and amendments are made to the
articles of the confession of faith. OF
/ these one of the most vital is the cree
| ton into the church doctrine of the
belief that all who die in infancy are
saved, which is embodied in the
declaratory statements regarding
chapter iii. of the confession Of faith
and chapter x, section 3:
Infants No Longer Damned.
That concerning those who are saved In
cree is held in harmony with the doctrine
of his love to all mankind, his gift of his
son to be the propitia ton for the sins of
the whole world and his readiness to be-
stow his saving grace on all who seek it;
that concerning those who perish, the
doctrine of Gods eternal decree Is held in
harmony with, the doctrine that God de-
sires not the death of any sinner but has
provided in Christ salvation sufficient
for all, adapted for all and freely offered
in the gospel to all that men are fully
responsible for their treatment Of Gods
gracious offer; that his decree hinders no
man from accepting that offer and that no.
man is condemned except on the ground
of his sin.
Also that it is not to be regarded as
teaching that any who die in infancy are
lost. We believe that all dying in infancy
are regenerated and saved by Christ
through the spirit. who works where and
how he pleases.
~ q
confession Of faith the following is sub
stituted:
THE Lord Jesus Christ is the only
head Of the church, and the claim OF
any man to be vicar of Christ and the
head Of the church is unscriptural
without warrant in fact and is an
usurpation dishonoring to the Lord
Jesus Christi .ff
Three additional chapters are added
to the confession concerning the love
of God for all men, missions and the
holy spirit"
The moderator later was authorized
to appoint committee to confer with
the Cumberland Presbyterian commit
tee on the question of uniting the two
churches, word having been received
from the Cumberland church, now IN,
session. OF the appointment Of 8 'lilss
committee.
Settles Colored Question.
At the afternoon session the ..colored.
question" was disposed of promntlvs
and without a furry. DR. Putnam fron,
the committee on bills and oyert,Ires.
reported a simple recommendation thai
iovertures on separate presbyteries fof
| colored ministers which had come M
from Tennessee and other southern
states be referred to commission ri
five, this committee to report to toe
next general assembly DR.. Rohertsi
| moved an amendment to this resolution
giving the colored element in the3
church representation on this commit ::
| tee and increasing the membership ~.
| seven. This amendment was accepted
and the resolution adopted.
The report Of the special conmittee.
on divorce and remarriage was ti1er
taken UP, DR.. Charles A. Dickey, chair
man m z. speak king in support Of its recon-
mere was no discussion OF the re-
port, as this had been forestalied III
Ine passage Of the resolution enjoinins
I iE .u ministers from perform
i si the marriage ceremony I'M cases OF
Esion. = ~ N4il y = SEES
q III ne =. report was unanimousIy afionte54
After hearing the report f,f +hs 49,