The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-20

stand in the way OF the progress OF
the church. i hope this assembly will
| send out ringing declaration that all
| infants dying Ina infancy arc saved.
| II the assembly is not willing to make
| creedai change. let 1t at least give
| hope to fathers and mothers In the
! time or darkness. 1 beg for an over
wheiniihR majority vote in favor OF
| the report OF the committee"
| Remarks from number of commis-
sioners followed in rapid succession,
some In favor of the report of the COM
/ 1nlttee and some in favor of the amend :
ment and their remarks In substance
were as follows:
The statement regarding the cleo
ton Of Infants does not hurt. but agi-
tation does hurt"
II am on the side OF the majority;
| L believe In the salvation OF Infants
and believe the Bible teaches 1t, but
/ am opposed to the report"
The doctrine of election will stand
TIL the Master comes. and the reitera-
ton of the utterance of the assembly
of 1902 cannot change It."
God Is silent on tho subject OF the
election of infants: we should be silent
where He is silent"
1T Is our duty 10 affirm again that
we have scriptural warrant to teach
that all infants dying in infancy are
saved"
Discussion Illustrator the hopeless
ness OF getting the church together.
We are all agreed that all infants are
saved. but We are not agreed as to
how far Scripture warrants ue In this
teaching"
we have we'll grounded hope that
| all infants dying In infancy are saved
but let us decline to make any creedal
uttcrance on the subject
That section OF the Confession of
Faith liz all we have to show our teach
Ing on the question of the election OF
infants Shall we deprive the moth
ers in our church of ths2 That sec
ton is a good thing or which to cut
Calvinistic teeth. ] cut mine on It,"
There was call for the question at
this point, and the discussion was
closed.
Dir, Mcpheeters, in his closing re-
marks, snid:
"lf live to he ninety years of age
] expect to remain young; If ] live to
hc 100. ] will believe In a progressive
church. We have no right. however,
to act with regard To this question as
tho report OF the committee recon-
mends when the presbyterics have
spoken as they have spoken"
When closing tho argument for the
report of the committee, Dr. Clyce
said:
III We adopt the amendment it means
that we advance backwards II it goes
out through the press that we have
taken such action In this assembly as
to Infer that We do not believe that
All infants dying in infancy are saved
we Will place a club in the hands OF
the public which will be used vigor-
ously against US.
I'VE do not believe all infants are
elect. but do believe all infants dying
in Infancy are saved. We have n hope
regarding the salvation OF Infants. and
I am not willing to deprive the church
OF expressing that hope"
AT the conclusion OF the remarks
of Or. Clyce. the Affirmative vote on
the amendment was taken, and before
the negative vote was taken Rev. j.
NJ Wells. offered substitute for the
report OF the committee the reaffirm-
alton by this assembly OF the language
OF the assembly OF 900 on this cues
ton. The vote was taken and the
substitute was lost. by vote of no
against IS for the substitute.
The vote on the report of the com
mttee was then taken. and the report
was adopted by vote OF 1916 for and
"A against adoption of the same
1t Is not 10 be supposed that this
action will set at rest for all time the
discussion of the elect infant clause"
but that the assembly took the action
today with large majority in
favor of the report was an advance
step that will be noted with Interest
not only by Presbyterians in all parts
OF ;he country. but by the people OF
other faiths as we'll
There were two other enactments
OF the morning session of the as
sembly that We're OF special interest.
one OF these was the adoption OF
the recommendation for the change
in the Book OF Church order regard
ing the basis OF representation in the
general assembly, which change has
been recommended by n majority OF
the presbyteries. This proposed change
was adopted without discussion
The basis OF representation in the
general assembly in the future will
be one minister and one elder from
eacn presbytery, except in those pres
oyteries where the number of COM
municants reaches 4,00Gs and In these
the representation in the general as
sembly shall be one additional minister
and one additional elder This ratio
ahaii be Kept up for every additional
membership OF 1000. The present
basis of membership in the general
assembly is one minister and one elder
from every presbytery and two min
listers and two elders from those pres
bytcries having enrolled twenty five
or more ministers. but the representa-
tation cannot go beyond that.
The report of the delegates from the
general assembly who attended the
Federal Council of the Churches OF
Christ in America was the other fea-
ture of the morning session.
Kew. I. S. Clyce submitted this re-
port. which stated that the delegates
were most cordially received and that
the return OF the Southern Presby-
terrain Church to membership In the
council was welcomed heartily.
DR.. Clyce stated that one embar-
rassment faced the delegates, and that
was the fact that the general assembly
had at no time paid its dues to the
council, and he urged that this be
done. whether membership is retained
I in the council or not
One address on the Historical So
ciety and one on the American Tract
Society were heard during the morn
ing session, also an invitation to visit
.Hat-a