The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-30
The Presbyterian Base Unchanged.

The Presbyterian Base Unchanged.
A hundred years ago, even twenty-five
years ago, the enactment by Presby-
terrain General Assembly Of amendments
to the Westminster Confession for the
purpose Of broadening and liberaliz-
ing its doctrine "Of GODS Eternal
Decree would have made a great stir
in the religious world, no matter how
slight they were; but the unanimous
adoption Of the Revision Committees
report by the General Assembly at Los
Angeles, on Thursday will now pass al
most UNDECIDED in that sphere and among
reasoning men generally.
In the Westminster Confession it is
laid down that:
BY the decree Of GOD. for the manifestation o I
His glory, soma men and angels are predestinated
unto everlasting nfe and others preordaned to
everlasting death. These angels and men. thus
predcstinated and preordained, are particularly
and unchangeably designed: and their number
Is so certain and definite that u cannot be either
increased or diminished
On the Confessions assumption OF
personal COP and of future retribution
for man this article seems to be an ire
sistibly logical conclusion from the open
ing declaration OF the chapter that GOD
from all eternity did by the most wise
counsel OF His own will freely and un-
changeably ordain whatsoever comes to
pass" But it is not doctrine agreeable
to the sensibilities of time when any
reference to hell by pulpits is resented
as indicate, If not outrageous. Accord
ingly, in the declaratory statement
adopted by the General Assembly on
Thursday it is explained that under this
doctrine no man is condemned except
on the ground of sim In the past, bitter
religious wars have been fought over
slighter variations in the statement Of
doctrine, yet, after all, what is there OF
essential importance in the change?
Retribution remains, GODS decree is not
altered, logic is mistaken.
The revision explains that the declara-
ton OF the Confession that elect infants
dying in infancy are regenerated and
saved by CHRIST through the Spirit
is no, to be regarded as teaching that any who
die In infancy arc lost. We believe that all dying
in infancy are included In the election OF grace
aud are regcnerated and saved by CHRIRT through
the Spirit, who works when and where and how
He pleases.-
This language may be framed agree
ably to human sentiment, but as the
doctrine Of retribution and predestina-
ton of the Confession is left unchanged,
with all its logical differences, what does
it amount to?
Still another emendation. merely YER
bal also, is made in the article concern
ing the Pope. In the old Confession it
reads, thus:
There Is no head OF the Church but the Lord
JESUS CHRBr, nor can the Pope Of Rome in any
sense be the head thereof. but 10 the Antchr,st,
that man OF SIM and OF perdition that e1alteth
himself In the Church against CHRIST and all that
Is called GOD"
Somewhat potter language to express
exactly the same depunciation is now
substituted, thus:
THE Lord JESUS CHRIST Is the only head OF the
Church. and the claim Of any man TO be the vicar
of CHRIST and the head Of the Church Is un Script
ural. without warrant in fact. and Is . usurpaton
dishonoring to the Lord jesus CHRIST"
Roman Catholics and men Of discern
ment generally are not likely to see any
essential difference between calling the
Pope "Antichrist and describing him
as usurper who dishonors CHRIST.
We are told that after the revision had
been adopted SO unanimously half an
hour was spent in prayer and praise for
the work accomplished but the accom-
plishment does not seem to have been
enough to justify any such demonstra-
ton of satisfaction by an assembly OF
intellectual men. DR.. VAN DYKE, speak
ing with great impressiveness said he
wished to,make it clear, especially to
the brethren of the press" that this
revision does not mean that the Presby-
terrain Church has changed her base one
inch" But the brethren of the press
who need any such assurance cannot
have read the text of the revision or they
are incapable of drawing reasonable
conclusion. The changes made are
purely verbal, superficial, sentimental
The revision leaves unchanged the
foundation doctrine of the Westmin-
eter Confession, that GOD, the great
Creator OF all things, doth uphold
direct, dispose and govern all creatures,
actions and things, from the greatest
even to the least, by His most wise and
holy providence, according to His in
fallible foreknowledge and the free and
immutable counsel Of His own will.
The conclusions from that awful postu-
late are plain and irresistible. No
General Assembly can change them.
Accordingly, the Presbyterian agitation
over revision during the past fifteen