The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-30
INFANTS SALVATION
UNDER DISCUSSION BY SOUTHERN
PRESBYTERIANS.
THE WORD ELECT" THE BONE
OF CONTENTION WHEN USED BE-
FORE '.INFANT."

Tuscaloosa Presbytery Wanted
"Elect" Stricken From the Confess
sion of Faith-GeneraI Assembly
Did Not ASree-LiveIy Debate Was
Caused-FOOt Note Setting Forth
the View That Infants, who Die
in Infancy, Are Elected of Grace,
Was Voted Down.
Lexington, Va, May 29.-The South
ern Presbyterian General Assembly to-
day discussed at length the report of
the Standing Committee on Home Mis-
sions, but reached no conclusion.
Standing committees reports on sys-
tematic benefcence, Sabbath and
church and Christian education were
submitted and placed on docket. The
reports of the Bible cause and Audit
ing Committees We're made.
The committees appointed to exam
inc records of synods of Louisiana,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Alabama, Mississippi Georgia and
Florida, reported the records to be cor
rect. The overture of the Fayetteville
presbytery, asking changes in the re-
quirements regarding Latin theses, was
denied by the assembly. In response
to the overtures from the presbyteries
of Atlanta, Bethel, Cherokee, Concord,
East Hanover, Enoree, Kings Noun
tain, Montgomery and Pee Dee, per-
manent committee, consisting of Rev.
Drs. Thomas H. Law. John S. Wat
kins and J. T. Plunkett, and T. ].
Moore and G. B. Harmon, was appoint
ed on the Bible cause.
The Auditing Committee.
The following auditing committees
were appointed by the assembly for the
year 1902-03
For Executive Committee on For
eign Missions-George B. O'Brien, Eu-
gene Hollins, T. D. Webb for Home
Missions, J. B. Daniel, w. r. Hoyt,
Charles K. Martin; Publication, II. S.
ants; Education, George c. Maxton, H.
M. Medley, A. B. Hill Colored Evan
CELIA ton, w. E. Brigham, E. B. Nuz-
am, w. c. Harris; Home and Schools,
G.. Howson, DR.. J. B. Barney George
G. Morrison; Ministerial Relief, James
Whittet, George L. Christian, o. B.
Morgan; for Treasurer of General AS
sembly, B. H. Owen, H. C. Merritt, B.
NJ. McRae.
lIuSlGeS VI NTcnGTdl ASSSiuDly lOI
three years were elected as follows:
DR.. F. Nye Hutchinson, P. M. Brown,
George F. Bason.
Salvation of Infants.
The afternoon session of the General
Assembly was devoted entirely to dis
cussion of an overture from Tusca-
loosa Presbytery, touching on a change
in the wording of the confession of
faith relative to infant salvation, in
which the word "elect" was asked to
be omitted before infant.
The committee recommended a mega
tive answer to the overture, and DR.. w.
H. Marquesse of Louisville, KY, Of
fered the following substitute:
I'VE recommend that the request of
the Presbytery of Tuscaloosa be an
swered in the negative for the reason
that the section as thus amended would
not fully state and properly correlate
the doctrines Of grace as held by our
church in relation to the salvation of
infants"
This was adopted by the assembly
with a few dissenting voices. This, with
some foot notes which Dr. Marquesse
proposed to be inserted in the confess
sion of faith, which were to be sent
to each presbytery in the assembly for
future consideration and vote, brought
forth many eloquent appeals for and
against the same from some of the
leading commissioners of the assembly.
The foot notes were as follows:
First. This language is not properly
construed as teaching that any infants
dying in infancy are not saved.
Second. The Holy Scripture, when
fairly interpreted, warrants us in be-
lieving that all infants, who die in in
fancy, are included in the election of
grace and are regenerated and saved
by Christ through the Holy Spirit.
The motion to submit the two foot
notes to each presbytery for vote
was lost. Some of the commissioners
went home to-day, and if the assembly
does not adjourn tonight there is like
ly to be lively exodus tomorrow.
This assembly has been in session
past.