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 http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924029475450 
 
Action of the Presbyteries 
 
 upon the 
 
 Report 
 
 Assembly's Committee 
 
 on the 
 
 Revision 
 
 of the 
 
 Confession of Faith. 
 
 Printed for the Committee 
 by 
 
 The Secretary. 
 
 3 
 
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S COMMITTEE 
 
 ON THE /^ 
 
 REVISION OF THE CONFESSION OF FAITH. 
 
 WM. C. ROBERTS, L>. D., LL. D., . . . Chairman 
 
 WM. E. MOORE, D. D., LL. D., Secretary 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 Professor Wm. Henry Green, D. D., LL. D. 
 Professor Matthew B. Riddle, D. D. 
 Professor Willis J. Beecher, D. D. 
 
 Professor Edward D. Morris, D. D., LL. D. 
 Professor Herrick Johnson, D. D., LL. D. 
 Professor William Alexander, D. D. 
 
 President Francis L. Patton, D. D. LL. D. 
 President William C. Roberts, D. D. LL. D. 
 Rev. William E! Moore, D. D., LL. D. 
 Rev. Henry J. Van Dyke, D. D.* 
 Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, D. D. 
 
 Rev. James T. Lbptwich, D. D. 
 
 Rev. Samuel J. Niccolls, D. D., LL. D. 
 Rev. Edward R. Burkhalter, D. D. 
 Rev. Robert Russell Booth, D. D. 
 
 ELDERS. 
 
 Ex-JusTicE_ Wm. Strong. 
 
 Ex- Senator S. J. R. McMillan. 
 Judge Alfred Hand. 
 
 Hon. Emerson E. White. 
 Judge Henry B. Saylor. 
 
 WiNTHROP S. Oilman, Esq. 
 George Junkin, Esq. 
 
 Charles M. Charnley, Esq. 
 . Morris H. Stratton, Esq. 
 
 *DiED Mat -m, isni. WiLLiAM Ernst 
 
Action of the Presbyteries. 
 
 on the 
 
 Report of the Assembly's Committee on the Revision 
 of the Confession of Faith. 
 
 The General Assembly, at its sessions in Detroit, May, 
 1891, adopted the recommendation of the Committee on the 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith, that its Report of 
 Progress, which had been accepted, should be sent down to 
 the Presbyteries for consideration, criticism, or amendments, 
 with the request that they forward their criticisms and amend- 
 ments in print or typewriter form by December 1, 1891, to the 
 Secretary of the Revision Committee, and that said Com- 
 mittee be instructed to consider these communications, and 
 prepare its final Report for adoption, modification, or rejection 
 by the General Assembly of 1892. This was done under the 
 direction of the Assembly, by the Stated Clerk. And the 
 action of the several Presbyteries, so far as received, is here 
 given in full, that the Committee may have the benefit of all 
 their criticisms and amendments. 
 
 Note — The number on the right hand of the name of the Presbytery 
 denotes the page on which its Answer to the Overture of the Assembly 
 in 1890 IS found. An asterisk (*) denotes that it desired no Revision or 
 gave no answer. 
 
ALUANY. 
 
 "The I'resl)yte)y of Albany lias ('arefuUy reviewed the 
 -work of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision, and 
 regards it as having been executed in as satisfactory a manner 
 as its compromise character will allow. In the judgment of 
 this Presbytery, however, but little has been added to satisfy 
 the demands of extreme revisionists, and yet enough to mar 
 the confession in the eyes of those who desire it to remain in 
 its original form. In other words, the work of the committee 
 satisfies neither the revisionists nor the anti-revisionists. 
 
 ^Moreover, this Presbytery believes that the time is not yel 
 ripe for accomplishing a satisfactory and permanent revision 
 of bur Confession of Faith. The Biblical and the theological 
 controversies, in which the Church is at present engaged, are 
 not sufficiently decided to enable any body of men, however 
 able or scholarly, to decide what modiiications of the Con- 
 fession are destined to endure. 
 
 In view of these facts, the Presbytery of Albany declines 
 to appi'ove tiie action of the General Assembly's committee, 
 and renews its demand for a brief, evangelical, and irenical 
 creed, which may be used alternately with the present Con- 
 fession as a basis of subscription by the officers of the Church. 
 
 The Presbytery thinks the following benetits would result 
 therefrom : 
 
 1. The maintenance of the Westminster Confession in its 
 integrity as a grand historical document. 
 
 2. The familiarizing of our Church members, and espec- 
 ially the young, with the doctrines of the Church by means 
 of a creed that shall be more easily digested than the West- 
 minster Confession. 
 
 3. The inti-oduction, by such a process, of the Faith of 
 the Church into our cultus, uniting in our public worship the 
 doctrinal and devotional elements. 
 
 ■i. The granting within Confessional limits of such liberty 
 in the matter of subscription as many worthy ministers and 
 elders in our Church crave ibr the sake of conscience and 
 demand on the score of right." 
 
 A true copv. 
 
 AUest: J. N. Ceockee, Stated Clerk. 
 
ALLEOHENY. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ALLEGHENY.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Allegheny has given clue consideration 
 to the changes proposed by the Revision Committee, but does 
 not feel it wise or necessary to give its judgment on them all. 
 But we respectfully and most earnestly protest against the 
 proposed alteration of Chapter III., because it is calculated to 
 weaken our testimony to one important element of Calvinism, 
 viz.: The doctrine of God's sovereignty in Pretention. We 
 ask that this defect be remedied either, 1st (and this we would 
 prefer), by a return to the statements of the unrevised Con- 
 fession ; or, 2d, by such a modification of the revised state- 
 ments as will make our testimony to Election and Preterition 
 emphatic and unambiguous. If the first course be adopted, 
 we would suggest that the third Section can be guarded 
 against any erroneous construction bj' the addition of the 
 phrase (Larger Catechism, Question 13) "to be for their sin 
 inflicted.'" AVe also think it desirable that the Confessional 
 phraseolog}' as to the Roman Catholic Church should be 
 modified. But we feel constrained to reiterate our solemn and 
 deliberate judgment that the present attempt to revise the 
 Confession of Faith is most inexpedient and dangerous. We 
 say this, not to depreciate the ability or faitlifulness of the 
 Revision Committee, much less from any desire to hinder 
 them in the performance of the task committed to their 
 charge, but the possible improvement' of the Confession of 
 Faith seems so small, while the risk, almost the certainty, of 
 injuring it seems now so great, and the present disturbance of 
 the faith of our people so perilous, that we feel bound to 
 record again our protest against it. Since the Revision move- 
 ment has begun, dangerous doctrinal errors have appeared, 
 against which this historic and venerable Confession has ever 
 been the sufficient bulwark; and we deem it most deplorable 
 that the very instrument of discipline itself should be the 
 subject of such free debate when it is most needed to suppress 
 doctrinal disorder. In view of all this, we must respectfully, 
 but most earnestlv Ijeg the Committee on Revision to consider 
 
6 ALTON TO ATHENS. 
 
 whether they cannot ask from the Assembly that, for the 
 present at least, the work of Revision shall be discontinued. 
 I hereby certify that the above is a correct copy of the 
 action taken by the Presbytery of Allegheny on the report of 
 the Revision Committee, November 10, 1891. 
 
 J. L. MiLLiGAN, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTEKY OF ALTON. 10. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting of Alton Presbytery, held in 
 Alton. November 9, 1891, the report of the Committee on 
 Revision was approved with the following suggested amend- 
 ments : 
 
 That Chapter III., new Section 3, be amended as follows : 
 Omit the words " and good pleasure of his will " and substi- 
 tute " and the secret counsel of his infinite wisdom." Omit 
 " some of mankind " and substitute " a vast multitude of 
 mankind." Strike out " or any other thing in the creature." 
 Strike out the whole of new Section 5. 
 
 Chapter IX., strike out " of the work," so it shall read " Of 
 the Holy Spirit." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 2, strike out " who is altogether 
 
 passive in the act of regeneration ;" and strike out the whole 
 
 of Section 4. 
 
 Ira C. Tyson, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF ARIZONA. 10. 
 
 The action of the Presbytery of Arizona, on Revision, is as 
 follows : 
 
 " The Committee reported recommending that the report 
 of the Assembly's Committee on Revision be adopted ver- 
 batim." 
 
 Isaac T. Whittemore, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF ATHENS. 11. 
 
 "Whereas, the Genei'al Assembly has referred the report 
 of the Committee on Revision to the Presbyteries for " consid- 
 eration, criticism, and amendment ;" the Presbytery of Athens 
 replies, that the repor*^ has been considered ; that it appears to 
 
ATLANTIC - AXTSTIN. 7 
 
 US to be, in the main, a careful, conservative, and judicious 
 report; that the alterations and amendments to the Confession 
 which are recommended in the report seem to us to be in 
 accordance with the truth of God's Word and the faith of the 
 Presbyterian Church ; that we suggest that the Committee be 
 reminded of the direction given to the Westminster Assembly, 
 that nothing should be placed in the Confession which could 
 not be clearly proved from the word of God. 
 
 We also suggest that the Committee's revision of Section 
 3, in the Chapter of Effectual Calling, be further amended 
 by placing the words, " are elect," with a comma after the 
 phrase, " by the ministry of the Word." 
 
 David R. Moore, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ATLANTIC* 
 
 The Presbytery of Atlantic took no official action on the 
 report of the Committee of Revision. 
 
 H. Hampleton Hunter, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP AUSTIN. 11. 
 
 Your Committee recommend to this Presbyteiy its general 
 approval of the Committee's work, but also criticism and 
 amendment, as follows, to-wit : 
 
 1. In Chapter I., Section 5, insert the words "The truth- 
 fulness of the history and the faithful witness of prophecy 
 and miracle," after the word " Church," because, although 
 belonging among the previously recited external evidences to 
 the Holy Scripture, it is confused in the Report with the 
 internal evidences that follow. 
 
 2. In Chapter III., Section 3. replace the phrase " Some 
 of mankind" with the words "A great multitude whom no 
 man can number." 
 
 Omit Section 5 as a negative statement unneeded, because 
 already implied in Section 3. 
 
 3. In Chapter IV., Section 1, omit "of nothing;" also 
 the word " creative " from the sentence " were made by him 
 in six creative days." 
 
8 BALTIMORK. 
 
 4. In Chapter VI., Section 4, insert the word "personal" 
 between the words " many " and '' social." 
 
 5. In Chapter VII., Section 3, omit the words " unto all 
 those that are ordained unto lite," and add after the words 
 " His Holy Spirit," the words " unto them that ask Him." 
 
 6. Chapter IX., shorten the title to " Of the Holy Spirit," 
 and refer the entire Chapter back to the Committee for 
 restatement. 
 
 7. Chapter XI., change the title to " Of the Gospel." 
 
 8. Chapter XII., Section 4, for the phrase " not elected," 
 substitute the phrase " not effectually called." 
 
 General approval for the remainder of the Report. 
 The above Report was accepted and adopted by the Pres- 
 bytery of Austin, in session at Brownwood, October 31, 1891. 
 
 F. F. Barrett, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BALTIMORE. 12. 
 
 Chapter I. Of the Holy Scripture. Section 5. The inser- 
 tion of additional words, " the truthfulness of the history," 
 etc. Approved. 
 
 Chapter III. Of God's Eternal Decree. The striking out 
 of Sections 3 and 4, and amendment of Section 5, as recom- 
 mended. Approved. 
 
 (New) Section 5, as the amendment of (old) Section 7. 
 Approved. 
 
 Chapter IV. Of Creation. Section 1. Recommendation 
 disapproved and referred back to Committee for improved 
 phraseology. 
 
 Chapter VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, etc. Section 4. 
 Approved as recommended. 
 
 Chapter VII. Of God's Covenant with Man. Section 3. 
 Recommendation disapproved. The striking out of Section 4 
 with other changes recommended on page 17. Approved. 
 
 Chapter VIII. Of Christ, the Mediator. Section 5. The 
 substitution of "Divine Justice" for "the Justice of His 
 Father." Approved. 
 
 The proposed new Chapter IX. Of the Work of the Holv 
 Spirit. Disapproved. 
 
BALTIMORE. 9 
 
 New Chapter X. Of Free Will. Section 3. The substitu- 
 tion of the words "indisposed to" for "averse from." Dis- 
 approved. 
 
 The proposed new Chapter XL Of the Universal offer ol' 
 the Gospel. Disapproved. 
 
 Instead of the new Chapter XL, recommended by the 
 Assembly's Committee, the Presbytery propose the following : 
 
 That a new section on "The Proclamation of the Gospel " 
 be introduced in some appropriate place, say as Section 7, of 
 Chapter VII., in the following or equivalent terms : 
 
 " God having no pleasure in the death of any ; but loving 
 the world, and desiring ail men to be saved, and to come unto 
 the knowledge of the truth ; and having provided in Jesus 
 Christ a propitiation sufficient for the world, has given com- 
 mission to the Church, under the New Testament Dispensa- 
 tion, to preach the Gospel of His Grace unto all nations, 
 wherein he freely otters to all men, forgiveness and eternal 
 life, through Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 The following to be added as proof texts : 
 
 " As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the 
 death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way 
 and live ; " Ezek. xxx:ll. " For God so loved the world, that 
 He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on 
 Him should not perish, but have eternal life;" John 3:16. 
 " God, our Savior, who will have all men to be saved, and 
 come to the knowledge of the Truth ; " 1 Tim. 2:4. And He 
 (Jesus Christ) is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours 
 only, but also for the whole world ; " 1 John 2:2. " Go ye, 
 therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name 
 of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; " Matt. 
 28:19. " Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to 
 every creature ; " Mark 16:15 ; also Acts 2:38, 16:31 ; Rom. 
 3:25-26; 1 John 1:9; Rev. 22:17, etc. 
 
 Old Chapter (X.) XII. Of Effectual Calling. Section 2, 
 approved as recommended. Section 3', approved after striking 
 out the word " all " before " infants," inserting the word 
 "elect" before "persons" (line 1) and striking out the phrase 
 "from birth to death" (line 2). Section 4, approved. 
 
10 BELLEFONTAINE. 
 
 The changes recommended in old Chapter XI., of Justifi- 
 cation, and in old Chapter XIV., of Saving Faith, as they 
 appear on page 29, were approved. 
 
 Old Chapter XVI. Of Good Works. Section 7, approved, 
 after restoring the original word " sinful," in place of the 
 words " not free from sin," as recommended. 
 
 Chapter XXIII. Of Religious Worship, etc. Section 4, 
 approved. 
 
 Chapter XXIV. Of Lawful Oaths, etc. Section 7, approved 
 as recommended. 
 
 Chapter XXV. Of the Civil Magistrate. Section 3, 
 approved as recommended. 
 
 Chapter XXVI. Of Marriage and Divorce. Section 3, 
 recommendation disapproved. 
 
 Chapter XXVII. Of the Church. Section 6, approved, 
 after amending by inserting the words, "or any other crea- 
 ture," after " Pope of Rome," and striking out the word '' uni- 
 versal," after " the Head of the Church." 
 
 Chapter XXXI. Of the Lord's Supper. Section 2, 
 approved after amending by substituting the words, " so-called 
 sacrifice of the Mass " for " Roman Catholic doctrine of." 
 
 Chapter XXXII. Of Church Censures. Section 2, approved 
 as recommended. 
 
 True copy of the Minutes. 
 
 John Pym Carter, Stat. Clk. Pres. Bait. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BELLEFONTAINE. 14. 
 
 The Presbytery is pleased, on the whole, with the proposed 
 revision, yet we would overture the Assembly for a shorter 
 creed, like the creed of the English Presbyterian Church, but 
 for two things : first, the obstructives might get hold of the 
 matter and prevent any revision, and second, a consensus 
 creed may prepare the way for a shorter working ci-eed within 
 the denomination. 
 
 We have some amendments to suggest to the proposed 
 revision which we would like to see adopted. 
 
 Strike out in Chapter III., new Section 5. The last clause 
 of Section 4 is sutficient. 
 
BINGHAMTON. ] 1 
 
 In Chapter IV., Section 1, strike out the last clause. What 
 precedes says all that the Old Testament says. 
 
 In Chapter VI., Section 4, make the last sentence to read 
 "Nevertheless the providence of God, and the common opera- 
 tions of His Spirit repress much evil in unregenerate men, and 
 develop in them many social and civil virtues." That will be 
 nearer the truth on the subject. 
 
 In Chapter XL, make the heading to be " Of the Gospel," 
 and in the last sentence of Section 4, substitute for " the 
 extension of the Kingdom of Christ," the words " the spread of 
 the Gospel." The Gospel is an oifer. This last change keeps 
 the Chapter to its subject. 
 
 We cannot close without saying two things : The two 
 new chapters are excellent, and show that the Church in our 
 day CAN make a creed ; and that we would rather see the pro- 
 posed revision adopted, though our proposed amendments are 
 
 rejected, than see revision fail. 
 
 S. J. BoGLE, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BINGHAMTON. 15. 
 
 Heartily approves in general the changes and additions 
 made by the Committee. 
 
 Renews the request for a short, simple, and plain creed, 
 which shall contain the fundamental doctrines of the West- 
 minster Confession, and which shall be used, not as a substi- 
 tute for their Confession, but as a helpful supplement to it in 
 the work of the Church. 
 
 But presents to the Committee the following suggestions 
 and amendments as their report. 
 
 Chapter III., Strike out Section 2. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. Change the phrase " some of man- 
 kind " to " many of mankind." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 4. Strike out the sentence " Neither 
 are any other redeemed by Christ," etc. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 5. Omit entirely. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. The old statement preferred. 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3. Strike out the words " are 
 ordained unto life," and insert the words, " ask Him." 
 
12 BISMABCK. 
 
 Chapter IX. In the title, strike out the words "Of the 
 Work." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 2. Strike out, " is altogether passive 
 in the act of regeneration, wherein," and " he," after Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3. Substitute, " Infants dying in 
 infancy, and other persons incapable of being outwardly called 
 by the ministry of the word are not thereby shut out from the 
 benefits of redemption ; but rather, being included in the elect- 
 ing grace of God, are regenerated and saved by Christ through 
 the Spirit who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth." 
 
 Chapter XXIII. , Section 4. Strike out the words, " for the 
 forgiveness of all sins except the sin unto death." 
 
 Chapter XXIV., Section 7. Omit all after the first sen- 
 tence. 
 
 Chapter XXVII., Section 6. Oipit the words '' the Pope of 
 Rome," and substitute the words, " any other." 
 
 Chapter XXXl., Section 2*. Strike out the clause com- 
 mencing with " so that the Roman Catholic doctrine," etc. 
 
 John McVey, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP BISMARCK. 16. 
 
 The Presbytery of Bismarck, after consideration, submits 
 the following criticisms and and amendments to the report of 
 the General Assembly's Committee on Revision : 
 
 We recognize the exceeding difficulty of satisfactorily alter- 
 ing the Confession without impairing the integrity of the 
 Reformed or Calvinistic system of doctrine taught therrfn, 
 because the points most objected to by some are an integral 
 part of that system. 
 
 While this Presbytery voted in favor of a conservative 
 revision, we would renew with, added emphasis our former 
 expression, that we " would prefer, in lieu thereof, a simpler 
 and shorter creed for ordinary and general use." 
 
 Turning to the changes proposed by the Committee, we 
 approve of the added chapters, and of those sections not par- 
 ticularly designated hereafter. 
 
BLACK HILLS. 13 
 
 Chapter III. For Section 5 of the Committee's report we 
 substitute. "The rest of mankind God ordained to dishonor 
 and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice." 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. Restore. 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3. Omit "by His Word and Spirit." 
 For the words beginning " promising to give," substitute " to 
 this end promising to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask 
 Him." 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3. Restore the words " averse from." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 4. Restore, with omission of all 
 after the words, " and therefore cannot be saved." 
 
 Chapter XIII., Section 1. Restore. 
 
 Chapter XVIII., Section 7. Restore; but for "sinful" in 
 the phrase "they are therefore sinful," substitute "not free 
 from sin." 
 
 Chapter XXIV., Section 7. Restore. 
 
 Chapter XXVI., Section 3. Omit all after the words, "yet 
 it is the diity of Christians to marry only in the Lord." 
 
 Chapter XXVII., Section 6. Restore. 
 
 Chapter I., Section 1. Presbytery would suggest the drop- 
 ping of the following words, "they are not sufficient to give 
 that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary to 
 salvation : therefore," believing they imply that salvation is 
 impossible to the unevangelized and that they are unauthor- 
 ized by Scripture. 
 
 Chapter XXVIII., Section 1. We would suggest the pro- 
 priety of eliminating the clause, " not only for the solemn 
 admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but 
 also." We believe that baptism does not confer membership, 
 but is to be administered in consequence, and in recognition, 
 of membership. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 John B. Hobakt, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF THE BLACK HILLS. IT. 
 
 The Pi-esbytery took the printed copy of the Committee's 
 work as the basis of our action, and did not consider any other 
 parts of the Confession than those the Revisers had altered. 
 
14 BLAIESVILLE. 
 
 We approve and indorse the report of the Committee in toto 
 with the two following exceptions : 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 4. Instead of "cannot be saved," 
 we would read, " will not be saved." 
 
 Chapter XXXI, Section 2. We would omit " abominably." 
 Henry P. WiLBER,-8tated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRBSBYTERY OF BLAIRSVILLE.* 
 
 In accordance with the direction of the General Assembly, 
 the Presbytery of Blairsville hereby sends to the Committee 
 on the Revision of the Confession of Faith, its contribution to 
 the " criticisms and amendments " which the Committee itself 
 requested from the Presbyteries. In a preliminary way we 
 would make two remarks. The tirst of these is, that with a 
 majority of the changes pi'oposed by the Committee, we are 
 well pleased, and cordially approve of them. 
 
 Our second remark is, that our chief dissatisfaction with 
 the work of the Committee, as a whole, is its apologetic and 
 apparently deprecatory tone. This was perhaps, to a certain 
 extent unavoidable, under the circumstances. But it seems to 
 us worthy of inquiry whether it has not been carried farther 
 than either courtesy towards the enemies of the truth, as we 
 hold it, demands, or faithfulness to the truth, as clearly set 
 forth in the word of God, permits. 
 
 Leaving the decision of this question to the Committee, we 
 will simply indicate a few points in which we think a change 
 in the language of the proposed amendments might be made 
 for the better. In reference to some of them we are deeply in 
 earnest, in desiring to have them made. The changes we sug- 
 gest are as follows : 
 
 Chapter III. All the omissions and changes proposed in 
 this chapter we approve, with the exception of those made in 
 Section 7 (Section 5 as amended). This section we would 
 leave as it now stands in the old book, except that we would 
 omit the phrase " for the glory of His Sovereign power over 
 His creatures." 
 
 We greatly prefer the honest and manly phrase " pass by " 
 to the negative and indirect phrase " not to elect." To pass 
 
BLAIRSVILLE. 15 
 
 by is the necessary and obvious counterpart of to elect. If 
 God elected some out of the fallen race, this necessarily implies 
 that he passed by others. 
 
 The changes made ^J t^e Committee seem to us justly 
 liable to the suspicion that we are ashamed of our belief, and 
 are trying to hide it under the jugglery of words. 
 
 The additions made to this section we disapprove as being 
 out of place in this connection, and because both the truths 
 contained in it are sufficiently expressed in their appropriate 
 places in the chapters on " Free Will," and " The Universal 
 Offer of the Gospel." 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. We think that some better word- 
 ing of this section might be made than proposed. We mod- 
 estly suggest the following : Let the first part of the section 
 remain as it is, and let the last part read as follows : '' to create 
 of nothing all things whether visible or invisible, and all very 
 good. In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea 
 and all that they contain." This would avoid the confusion 
 that is liable to arise in the minds of common people from 
 their confounding the terms " universe " and " heavens and 
 earth," and using them interchangeably. 
 
 We decidedly object to the word " creative," inasmuch as it 
 seems to be an attempt to revise the word of God, as well as 
 the Confession of Faith. 
 
 Chapter IX, Section 3. We would like to have stricken out 
 of this section the words, " Enlightening their minds concern- 
 ing Divine things, quickening their consciences and drawing 
 them by His grace." 
 
 This language is so strong, and is capable of such variable 
 interpretations, as to obscure, if not destroy, the distinction 
 between common and saving grace. The section, without this 
 clause is a sufficient and satisfactory statement of the faith of 
 the Church on this subject. 
 
 Chapter XL Some things in this chapter have been 
 strongly objected to, as more appropriate to a sermon or an 
 exhortation, than to a confessional statement. This is espec- 
 ially true of the third Section, all of which, it seems to us, 
 might be omitted, except the first sentence, and this might 
 
16 BLAIKSVILLE. 
 
 appropriately be added to the second sentence of the previous 
 section. 
 
 The last sentences of the fourth Section might also be 
 omitted, as it is only an inference from the statement made in 
 the first part of the section; an inference so obvious that it 
 does not need this formal expression. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3. We are not at all satisfied with 
 this section as it has been left by the Committee. We are 
 willing to have the word " elect,'' at the beginning of the section, 
 omitted, but we object to the insertion of the " all." This we 
 do, not because we deny or doubt the salvation of all infants 
 dying in ini'ancy. We all. hope, and most of us firmly believe, 
 that all infants dying in infancj^ are saved. This we hope, 
 however, and believe not on the ground of any positive " thus 
 saith the Lord," but as an inference from other doctrines 
 plainly taught in the Bible. It is not, in our judgment, so 
 clearly a matter of direct revelation as to warrant its being 
 placed, as an article of faith, in a Confession to which assent is 
 required on the part of all Ministers and office bearers in the 
 Church. To insert it there is to make the Confession more 
 "iron-clad" than it is at present, and to give less liberty to 
 individual opinion. 
 
 We suggest the following wording of this section, though 
 we confess it is not entirely satisfactory to our own minds as 
 logically, it is one of the same force and extent as the broad 
 and universal statement to which we object. Nevertheless it 
 is a milder statement, and we can conceive that to some minds 
 it might be less objectionable than the other. The reading 
 which we propose is this : " Infants dying in infancy and 
 other persons, who, from birth to death, are incapable of beino- 
 outwardly called by the ministry of the Word, are elect of 
 God, are redeemed by Christ, and are regenerated by the 
 Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth " 
 
 It will be noticed that we have insei-ted the words 
 
 are 
 
 elect of God." It may be objected to, the insertion of this 
 clause, that it is out of place in the Chapter on "Effectual 
 Calling." To this our answer is, that it is no more out of place 
 than the clause " are redeemed by Christ." And as both the 
 
BLOOMINGTON- BOSTON. 17 
 
 work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, in the salva- 
 tion of these classes are here fully expressed, it is but logical 
 and right that the part of God the Father, in this work, should 
 also be named. 
 
 This is all the more important, because as the amendment 
 strikes out the word " elect," at the beginning of the section, 
 it might be inferred that our Church has come to believe that 
 the " election of God '" has nothing to do with the salva- 
 tion of infants. So far trom this being the I'act, we suppose it 
 to be the universal faith of the Church, that none of our fallen 
 race will ever reach heaven, but those who were "chosen in 
 Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world." (Eph. 1:4.) 
 In other words, we suppose that we all believe that the elect- 
 ing love of (iod is the very ground and reason of the salvation 
 of any of the race ol' man, be they adult or infant. 
 
 I certify that the above is a true copj" of the action of 
 Blairsville Presbytery on the Report of the General Assem- 
 bly's Committee on Revision. 
 
 D. W TowNSEND, D.D., Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BLOOMINGTON. 17. 
 
 Resolved, That this Presbytery hereby approves the report 
 of the Assembl.y's Committee on Revision of the Confession of 
 Faith, and cheerfully entrusts any i'urther changes which the 
 same Committee may deem proper to report, to the piety and 
 wisdom of the said Committee. 
 
 After considerable discussion the above was by rising vote 
 
 unanimouslv adopted. 
 
 W. A. Hunter, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BOSTON.* 
 
 The Pi'esbytery of Boston, in session at East Boston, Octo- 
 ber 7, 1891, took into consideration the Report of the General 
 Assembly's Special Committee on the Revision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith, as sent down by the General Assembly of 
 1891 to the Presbyteries for consideration, criticism, or amend- 
 ments, with the following results. (The Presbytery resolved 
 
1 8 BOSTON. 
 
 to consider the proposed elianges seriatim, as set forth in the 
 Minutes of the Assembly for 1891. pages 26-34.) 
 
 Chapter I., section 5, as revised and augmented by the 
 insertion of the clause, " the truthfulness of the history, the 
 faithful witness of prophecy and miracle," was approved. 
 
 Chapter III., as revised and changed, was approved. 
 
 Chapter IW. Section 1. With the elimination of the last 
 sentence, to- wit : the words, " The heavens and the earth, with 
 all they contain, were made by Him in six creative days," was 
 approved, the last sentence being deemed superfluous. 
 
 Chapters, VI., VII., VIII. As revised and changed, were 
 approved. 
 
 The new chapter, now made Chapter IX., treating '' Of the 
 Work of the Holy Spirit," was approved. 
 
 Chapter IX., now made Chapter X., Section 3, as revised 
 and augmented, was approved. 
 
 The new Chapter XI., '' Of the universal ofler of the 
 Gospel," was approved. 
 
 Cliapter X., now made Chapter XII., treating of "Effectual 
 Calling," was approved, as revised and changed, with the fol- 
 lowing exceptions : 1. In Section 4, delete the third "they." 
 occurring in line 3, after the comma. 2. i\lso in Section 4, 
 eliminate the following clause — "however diligent men may 
 be in framing their lives according to the light of nature, and 
 the law of that religion they do profess." 
 
 Chapter XL, now XIII., treating of Justification, with the 
 elision of the clause in Section 1, and the substitution of 
 " Divine " for " His Father's," in Section 3, as recommended, 
 was approved. 
 
 Chapter XIV., now XVI., XVI., now XVIII. , XXI., now 
 XXIIL. XXII., now XXIV., XXIII., now XXV., XXIV., now 
 XXVI., and XXV., XXVII., were approved as revised. 
 
 Chapter XXIX., now XXXI., treating of the Lord's Supper, 
 was approved as revised, with one exception, to-wit: in Sec- 
 tion 2 the phrase, " the Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacri- 
 fice of the mass," be changed into " the sacrifice of the mass " 
 inasmuch as otiiers besides Roman Catholics profess to otl'er 
 
BOULDER. 19 
 
 that sacrifice, and it is the pretence of the sacrifice itself that 
 derogates from the sufficiency of Christ's one only sacrifice, 
 and not merely the " doctrine" about it. 
 
 Chapter XXX., now XXXII., was approved as revised. 
 Attest: Robert Court, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BOULDER. 18. 
 
 The Presbytery of Boulder expresses general approval of 
 the work done hj the General Assembly's Committee on 
 Revision, as thus far reported, and believes they are entitled 
 to the thanks of the Church. 
 
 At the same time we do not feel that the report should be 
 sent down to the Presbyteries for final action in its present 
 form. Nor do we feel ourselves competent, at the present 
 stage of progress, to decide what that final form should be. 
 
 In view, however, of the grave importance of the whole 
 question, we would venture to urge that the Committee ask of 
 the General Assembly at least another year, that they may 
 consider the suggestions of the various Presbyteries before 
 making their final report. 
 
 And further the Presbytery would call the special attention 
 of the Committee to the followiug points, viz : 
 
 We recommend that (Revised) Chapter IX., '"Of the Holy 
 Spirit," be condensed. 
 
 We prefer the omission of the word " creative," in (Re- 
 vised) Chapter IV, Section 1. 
 
 We would like Chapter XII, Section 3 (Revised), to read 
 something like this : " Infants dying in infancy, and all other 
 persons who, because of undeveloped or disordered mental 
 powers, have never in this life been capable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the word, are redeemed by 
 Christ, and regenerated by the Spirit," etc., etc. 
 
 We recommend the omission of (Revised) Chapter III, 
 Section 5. 
 
 We recommend the omission in (Revised) Chapter III, 
 Section 4, of the last sentence, "Neither are any other redeemed 
 by Christ," etc. 
 
 Respectfully submitted by the Presbytery of Boulder. 
 
 Attest : Jno. G. Reid, Stated Clerk. 
 
20 PROOKLYN. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF BROOKLYN. 18. 
 
 Eecommeuds the following changes in the Report of the 
 General Assembly's Committee on the Revision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith : 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. The substitution of the words " a 
 great multitude " for " some." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 5. The omission of the entire section. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. The retention of the present text. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section i. The omission of the word " dis- 
 abled." 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3. The retention of the present text 
 with the exception of the substitution of the phrase " His Holy 
 Spirit to them that ask Him" for all after the words " promis- 
 ing to give." 
 
 Chapter IX., (new). The omission from tJie title of the 
 words ■' Of the Work." 
 
 Chapter IX., (new). Section 2. The omission of the clause 
 following tlie words " moved by the Holy Ghost." which prop- 
 erly belong under the cliapter treating of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Chapter IX. (new), Section 3. The substitution of the 
 word " arousing" for "' quickening." 
 
 [Presbytery suggests a careful revision of tlie proof-texts 
 of this chapter. J 
 
 Chapter IX. (X new). Section 3. The substitution of 
 words " averse from " for " indisposed to." 
 
 Chapter XI. (new). The omission from the title of the 
 words " Of the Universal Ofl'er." 
 
 Chapter X. (XII. new), Section 2. The omission of the 
 words "is altogether passive," "wherein," and "he." 
 
 Chapter X. (XII. new). Section 3. The insertion of the 
 word "mentally" before "incapable," and of the words "we 
 believe," before " are redeemed." 
 
 Chapter X. (XII. new), Section 4. The substitution of the 
 following: "Others, who never truly come to Christ, althouo-h 
 they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and have 
 common o]ierations of the Spirit, cannot be saved: neither is 
 
BUFFALO. 'il 
 
 there salvation in any other way than by Christ, through the 
 Spirit." 
 
 Chapter XL (XIII. new), Section 1. The omission of the 
 words in parenthesis. 
 
 Chapter XVI. (XVIII new), Section 7. The substitution 
 of the following ; '' Works done by uiiregenei'ated men, 
 although they may be things which God commands, and of 
 good use both to those who do them and to others, are yet not 
 free from sin, and cannot make the doer meet to receive grace 
 from God ; nevertheless neglect of such things is sinful and 
 displeasing unto God." 
 
 Chapter XXI. (XXIII. new), Section 4. The retention of 
 the present text with the exception of the omission of all after 
 the words " for the dead." 
 
 Chapter XXV (XXA'II. new), Section 6. The omission of 
 all after the words " There is no other head of the Church but 
 the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Chapter XXIX. (XXXI. Section 2. The omission of all 
 after the words " for the same." 
 
 Chapter XXX. (XXXII. new). Section 2. The substitution 
 of the following: "To these officers Christ has committed 
 power to receive into the Church, and to inflict or remit cen- 
 sures as occasion shall require." 
 
 The adoption of these changes was not unanimous. 
 
 Newell Woolsey Wells, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PEESBYTEKY OF BUFFALO. 22. 
 
 The Committee on proposed Revision recommend the 
 approval of the revision proposed by the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee with following exceptions^ that — 
 
 Chapter III., Section 5, be omitted. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1, remain without change. 
 
 Chapter (IX.) X., Section 3, remain without change. 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII, Section 3, be omitted. 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII. Section 4, be omitted. 
 
 Chapter (XXI.) XX.III., Section 4, remain without change, 
 except that all after the word " dead " be stricken out. 
 
t' 
 
 ■22 BUTLEB- CAIRO. 
 
 Chapter (XXV.) XXVIII, Section 6. Omit all except 
 *' There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus 
 Christ.'" 
 
 Chapter XXIX., Section 2. Section close with the words 
 praise unto God for the same.'' 
 
 That the title to the chapter " Of the Work of the Holy 
 Spirit" be amended to read "01 the Holy Spirit." 
 
 Unanimously adopted. 
 
 The above is a true copy of the action of the Presbytery at 
 Sherman, N. Y., October 6, 1891. 
 
 William Waith, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP BUTLER.* 
 
 The Report of the General Assembly's Committee on 
 Revision was approved by Butler Presbytery, except that in 
 Section 3, of Chapter XII., it would strike out the word " all " 
 at the beginning of the section, and introduce the word 
 " mentally " before the word " incapable," making it read 
 thus : " Infants dying in infancy, and all other elect persons 
 who are mentally incapable of being called," etc. Also in 
 Section 7, of Chapter XXIV., it would change the word "or" 
 to "of;" in the expression "he hath no promise or ability 
 from God," etc., making it "no promise of ability," etc. 
 
 J. R. Coulter, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CAIRO. 23. 
 
 The Committee appointed to formulate the action of the 
 Presbytery of Cairo with reference to the Report of the Com- 
 mittee of the General Assembly on revision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith, made to that body, at its late meeting in 
 Detroit, Michigan, and by order of the Assembly sent down 
 to the Presbyteries for " consideration, criticism, and amend- 
 ments," report the following: Presbytery having carefully 
 examined the Report of the General Assembly's Committee 
 on Revision of the Confession of Faith, and considered the 
 various changes proposed by members of Presbytery as 
 amendments to said Report, promptly rejected them all 
 except the two noted below. 
 
CAIRO. 23 
 
 The first of these was sustained by unanimous vote, and 
 the second by a majority of rnore than three to one. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. In the clause, " Hath predestin- 
 ated some of mankind unto life," for the word " some," Pres- 
 bytery suggests that another term, or phrase, indicating a large 
 proportion of niankind, be substituted, if a suitable one can 
 be found. The word '' some " does not seem to indicate " a 
 great multitude which no man can number." 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII., Section 3. Inasmuch as Section 1, by 
 the clause, "AH those whom God hath predestinated unto life," 
 distinctly limits the subjects of God's effectual call, and the 
 remainder of the Chapter, down to Section 4, is designed to 
 explain how this calling is rendered effectual in the case of 
 different classes of persons ; and inasmuch as infants dying in 
 infancy, and others who, from birth to death, are incapable of 
 being outwardly called by the Word, are, by common consent, 
 assumed to be among those who are predestinated unto life. 
 Presbytery suggests, for the consideration of the Assembly's 
 Committee, the inquiry whether the statement in Section 3 
 would not be sufficiently full and clear, and at the same time 
 more generally satisfactory without the word " all," or any 
 other qualifying word prefixed to " infants," and " other 
 persons ; " making the Section, as amended, read, " Infants 
 dying in infancy and other persons who from birth to death 
 are incapable," etc. 
 
 In favor of this, Presbytery would suggest that while it is 
 the general — in fact, almost universal — belief, that aU infants 
 dying in infancy are saved, and therefore are of the elect, 
 still, many who believe this, seriously doubt whether the 
 Scriptures are sufficiently clear and specific in their teachings 
 on this point to authorize a dogmatic statement to that effect 
 in the Church's Creed. 
 
 Omitting the qualifying word "all," as suggested, this Sec- 
 tion would refer only to class and mode, and could be heartily 
 adopted by a much larger number. 
 
 With these two exceptions. Presbytery approves the work 
 of the Assembly's Committee, and directs that this be for- 
 warded to the Secretary of that Committee as its action in the 
 premises. Benj. C. Swan, Stated Clerk. 
 
CAPE FEAR -CARLISLE. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CAPE FEAR.* 
 
 The Presbytery took the following action : 
 
 In view of the position taken by this Presbytery touching 
 the question of revision, the Presbytery desired no revision, 
 and so voted over a year ago. 
 
 The Presbytery now very respectfully decline to consider 
 the Report of the Committee oi' the General Assembly on 
 Revision. John A. Savage, Stated Clerk. 
 
 This does not mean that the Presbytery is absolutely out 
 of sympathy. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CARLISLE.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Carlisle, in session September 29- 
 October 1, 1891, would respectfully report to the General 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision of the Confession of 
 Faith, the following as its action on the Report of said Com- 
 mittee, submitted to the last General Assembly and " sent 
 down to the Presbyteries for consideration, criticism, or 
 amendments." 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5. In the judginent of Presbytery, the 
 changes made by the Committee are uncalled for. 
 
 Chapter III. Presbytery considers the amendments of the 
 Committee to this Chapter as unsatisfactory, on the ground 
 that the sovereignty of God over the non-elect as well as the 
 elect is not expressed with the fullness and clearness of 
 Scripture truth, and would respectfully refer this whole 
 Chapter to the further consideration of the Committee. 
 
 Chapter lY Approved after striking out the word "cre- 
 ative" from the clause "in six creative days." 
 
 Chapter VI. Was approved. 
 
 Chapter VII. Presbytery recommends striking out the 
 words " by His Word and Spirit," in Section 3, and the restor- 
 ation in their appropriate places of the words " and is called 
 the Old Testament," and "and is called the New Testament," 
 so that Chapter VII. shall continue as in the Confession of 
 Faith. 
 
 Chapter VIII. Changes approved. 
 
CAYUGA. 25 
 
 Chapter IX. (new.) Was approved with the following 
 exception: First. In Section 2, strike out the words "in all 
 things pertaining to life and salvation." Second. Would 
 suggest to the Committee the importance of bringing out 
 more clearly the distinction between common and efficacious 
 grace. 
 
 Chapter X. (IX. in Confession.) Presbytery would suggest 
 the restoration of the words "averse from" instead of "indis- 
 posed to." 
 
 Chapter XI. (new.) Was approved with recommendation 
 of two changes : First. Make the title of the chapter simply, 
 "Of the Gospel;" and second, in Section 1, insert the words 
 " without distinction " after the words " to all men," making 
 the sentence to read " He doth freely offer this salvation to all 
 men, without distinction in the Gospel." 
 
 Chapter XII. (X. in Confession.) Presbytery approved 
 Sections 2 and 4, as revised ; but recommended that Section 3 
 be changed so as to read: "There is reason to hope and 
 believe that all infants dying in infancy are regenerated and 
 saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh \yhen and 
 where and how he pleaseth. So also are all other elect 
 persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the 
 ministry of the word." 
 
 Chapter XIII. Presbytery voted to retain Section 1, as in 
 Confession of Faith, and to approve of Section 3, as revised. 
 
 Chapters XVI., XVIII. , XXIII., XXIV., XXV. Eevision 
 approved. 
 
 Chapter XXVI. Revision not approved, but the old 
 desired. 
 
 Chapters XXVIL, XXXI.., XXXII. Revision approved. 
 
 W. A. West, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CAYUGA. 24. 
 
 I. The Presbytery of Cayuga hereby expresses its high 
 appreciation of the general character of the work thus far 
 done by the General Assembly's Committee on the Revision 
 of the Confession of Faith, and its sincere desire that the 
 
26 CAYUGA. 
 
 revision shall be continued and completed along the lines 
 already pursued. 
 
 II. We express our especial gratification with the pro- 
 posed new Chapters, as needful additions to our Confession, 
 and while suggesting that the titles be, " Of the Holy Spirit," 
 and "Of the Gospel," we regard the statement of truth con- 
 tained therein as excellent and admirable. 
 
 III. In response to the opportunity offered for " criticisms 
 or amendments," we would respectfully submit to the Com- 
 mittee the following suggestions of changes to be made in 
 their report: 
 
 Chapter III., Section (5) 3. That the words "some of 
 mankind " be changed to " an innumerable multitude of man- 
 kind." 
 
 Section (6) 4. That the sentence beginning "Neither are 
 any other redeemed by Christ," etc., be omitted. 
 
 Section (7) 5. That for this section, as revised, the fol- 
 lowing be substituted : 
 
 " In the eternal purpose and unsearchable counsel of His 
 sovereign will God hath fully included, also, all those of man- 
 kind who shall finally be punished for their sins. But this 
 truth is to be so understood as to be in harmony with the 
 declarations of Scripture, that Christ is the propitiation for 
 the world, and that God is not willing that any should perish, 
 but would have all come to repentance and live. Eternal life 
 is through Christ freely offered to all ; and as none obtain it, 
 who, by their own fault, finally neglect or refuse God's offer as 
 made to them, so none fail of it save those who thus neglect 
 or refuse." 
 
 Chapter V., Section 6. That the first part of this Section 
 be changed so it shall read : "As for those wicked and ungodly 
 men, who by persistent continuance in sin have brought upon 
 themselves blindness and hardness of heart, God not only 
 withholdeth," etc.. to the end of the Section. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 1. That all after the words "to per- 
 mit" be omitted. 
 
 Section 2. That all after the words "dead in sin" be 
 omitted. 
 
CAYUGA. 27 
 
 Section 3. That the words "the guilt of this sin was 
 imputed" be omitted, and the Section made to read, "They 
 being the root of all mankind, the same death in sin and cor- 
 rupted nature were conveyed," etc. 
 
 Section 4. That the words "disabled and made opposite 
 to " be omitted. 
 
 Section 5. That the words " both itself and " be omitted. 
 
 Section 6. That the words " both original and actual " be 
 omitted, and that the words " bound over to the wrath of God 
 and, curse of the law, and so " be omitted. 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3. That the word " all " be inserted 
 before the word " sinners," and that the clause " those that are 
 ordained unto life " be changed to " those that ask Him." 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 8. That the first clause "To all 
 those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption, he doth " 
 be changed to "To all those who accept the purchased 
 redemption, Christ doth," etc. 
 
 Chapter (IX.) XL, Section 2. That the final word " it " be 
 changed to the words "his innocency." 
 
 Section 3. That the words " ability of" be omitted. 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII., Section 1. That the words " and those 
 only " be omitted, and that the words " his almighty power " 
 be changed to "his grace." 
 
 Section 3. That for the proposed revised Section the fol- 
 lowing be substituted: " Those who die in infancy, and others 
 who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry 
 of the word, are not thereby shut out from the electing grace 
 of God, or from being regenerated and saved by Christ 
 through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how 
 he pleaseth ; and no persons whatever fail of salvation except 
 those who, by their own fault, resist the Spirit." 
 
 Section 4. That the words " common operations " be 
 changed to "gracious operations;" and that the last clause, 
 beginning " however diligent " be omitted to the end of the 
 Section. 
 
 Chapter (XI.) XIIL, Section 4. That the words "all the 
 elect " be changed to the words " all who would accept his 
 
2S CAYUGA. 
 
 grace;" and that the words "they are not'" be changed to the 
 words " none are." 
 
 Section 5. That the word "can," and the same word as 
 occurring in Chapter (XVII.) XIX., Section 1, he changed 1o 
 the word " will." 
 
 Chapter (XY.) XVII., Section i. That the word " damna- 
 tion" be changed to the word "condemnation," and similarlj' 
 in Chapter (XX.) XXII., Section 1. 
 
 Chapter (XVI.) XVIIL, Section 7, revised. That after the 
 words " not be accepted of God," the words " as grounds of 
 salvation " be inserted. 
 
 Chapter (XVII.) XIX., Section 2. That the two clauses 
 beginning " not upon " and ending " of election " be omitted, 
 and the Section made to read. "This perseverance of the 
 •Saints depends upon the free and unchangeable love of God," 
 etc., to end of Section. 
 
 Chapter (XXII.) XXIV., Section 3. That the sentence 
 beginning " Yet, it is " be omitted. 
 
 Section 7. That the word "dangerous" be substituted for 
 the words " superstitious and sinful," and the word " should " 
 be substituted for the word " may." 
 
 Chapter (XXV.) XXVII., Section 2. That the phrase 
 "out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation," 
 be changed to the phrase " with which it is the duty of all 
 believers, in ordinary circumstances, to be connected." 
 
 Section 5. That the clause beginning " and some," and 
 ending " of Satan," be omitted. 
 
 Chapter (XXIX.) XXXI., Section 2, revised. That the 
 words "abominably injurious" be changed to the words 
 " grossly disparaging." 
 
 Chapter (XXX.) XXXII.. That Section 2 be omitted, and 
 the following words be added to Section 1 (the succeeding sec- 
 tions being numbered to correspond.) 
 
 "To these officers are committed the keys of the visible 
 kingdom of God on earth, to open and shut that kingdom by 
 the word and ministry of the Gospel, and by the censures of 
 the Church." 
 
CEDAR RAPIDS. 29 
 
 IV. While we, as a Presbytery, express thus our approval 
 of the revision and our desire to have it carried through to a 
 consistent conclusion, we also express very explicitly our con- 
 viction of the great need and desirableness for our Church, of 
 a simple and concise Scriptural statement of the truths con- 
 tained in our "system of doctrine," which statemeut shall 
 have an interpretative eifect, and shall serve both a didactic 
 and devotional use. 
 
 Accordingly the Presbytery of Cayuga does hereby over- 
 ture the General Assembly to instruct its Committee on 
 Kevision, or some other Committee expressly appointed for 
 the purpose, to take into consideration the preparation of such 
 a brief interpretative statement of faith; and we call the 
 attention of the Assembly again to the " Suggestions for 
 Revision," previously presented by this Presbytery, believing 
 that therein is afforded " an illustration " of the kind of state- 
 ment which, still further abbreviated, would be found accept- 
 able. 
 
 [Note. The '' Suggestions for Revision," mentioned above, 
 are the pamphlet prepared by the late Rev. Ransom B. Welch, 
 D. D., L.L. D., and the Rev. Edward P. Sprague, D. D., Ph. 
 D., and adopted by the Presbytery of Cayuga, February 6, 
 1890.] 
 
 Attest: Edward P. Sprague, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CEDAR RAPIDS. 35. 
 
 On the subject of the Revision of the Confession of Faith, 
 the following paper was adopted : — 
 
 1. Hearty endorsement of the new Chapters IX. and XL 
 as adequately supplying a deficiency in the Confession. We 
 desire that the heading of the new Chapter XL should read 
 simply " Of the Gospel." 
 
 2. Approval of the elision of Sections 3 and 4 of Chapter 
 III., on the ground that they lack sufficient Scriptural support. 
 For Section 7 (new Section 5) they suggest the following : 
 " God's eternal decree hindereth no one from accepting Christ, 
 as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel. Nor ought it be so 
 construed as to contradict the declarations ol' Scripture, that 
 
30 CENTRAL DAKOTA -CHAMPLAIN. 
 
 Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the world, and that 
 God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should 
 come to repentance." 
 
 3. Hearty approval of the addition to Chapter VII., Sec- 
 tion 3, of the words, " by His word and Spirit," as necessary 
 to a complete Scriptural statement of the doctrine. They also 
 desire the omission of the words " and promising to give unto 
 all those that are ordained unto life His Holy Spirit, to make 
 them willing to believe." 
 
 4. Express approval of Chapter X. (XII.), Section 3. 
 They desire also the omission, in Section 4, of all reference to 
 " non-election." 
 
 5. Approval of the changes in the form of expression con- 
 cerning the Roman Catholic Church, in Chapter XXIV., Sec- 
 tion 7; Chapter XXVI., Section 3; Chapter XXVIL, Section 
 6, and Chapter XXXL, Section 2. 
 
 6. In general, approval of the remaining changes pro- 
 posed. 
 
 W. J. BoLLMAN, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL DAKOTA. 36. 
 
 The Presbytery of Central Dakota, in session at Woon- 
 socket, S. D., September 30, 1891, unanimously approved the 
 Report of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision of 
 the Confession of Faith. 
 
 We take it bodily as the best that can now be suggested. 
 
 A. M. Work, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CHAMPLAIN. 3fi. 
 
 The Presbytery in session at Burke, N. Y., September 16, 
 1891, voted on the Report of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Revision, as follows : '' It is satisfied with it." Eio-ht 
 affirmative, 4 negative. 
 
 P. J. H. Myers, Stated Clerk. 
 
CHEMUNG. 31 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP CHEMUNG. 36. 
 
 On the revision of the Confession of Faith the Presbytery 
 voted to approve the work of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Revision, as far as presented, with the following 
 amendations, viz. : — 
 
 Chapter III., new Section 3. 1. Omit the words " and 
 good pleasure of his will," and substitute for them the words 
 " of his infinite wisdom," so that the impression of arbitrari- 
 ness of mere will may be removed. The phrase will then be 
 " according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the 
 secret counsel of his infinite wisdom, hath predestinated," etc. 
 
 2. In the phrase immediately following, omit the word 
 " some " and substitute the words " a vast multitude," so that 
 the reading will be " hath predestinated a vast multitude of 
 mankind unto life," etc. 
 
 3. Chapter III., Section 5. Omit the words " was 
 pleased " and substitute the word " determined," since the 
 present phrase is contraiy to Scripture, "As I live saith the 
 Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked." 
 
 4. In the same section omit the word " ordain " and sub- 
 stitute the word " leave," so as to read " and leave them to 
 dishonor and wrath for their sin," etc. 
 
 5. Chapter VIII., Section 5. Omit the word "purchased" 
 and use the word " provided." 
 
 6. Chapter XII., Section 4. Omit the word "elected" 
 and substitute the words " effectually called," so as to agree 
 with the title of the Chapter. 
 
 The Presbytery reaffirm the resolution of last year in 
 regard to a new creed, which was : 
 
 '"'' Resolved, That it is the deliberate opinion of the Presby- 
 tery of Chemung that, instead of revising the old creed, it 
 will be better and more conducive to the harmony, stability, 
 and spiritual development of the Presbyterian Church to 
 formulate a brief and simple expression of the system of 
 doctrine contained in the Westminster Confession and in the 
 Word of God. To this end the Presbytery of Chemung over- 
 
32 niERorcEE nation - Chester. 
 
 tore the General Assembly to formulate a brief, simple, and 
 evangelical statement of belief, as held and taught in the 
 Presbyterian Church; which statement shall be regarded as 
 an interpretation of our existing standards." 
 
 Charles C. Carr, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CHEROKEE NATION.* 
 
 In accordance with the action ol' the General Assembly 
 and the request of the Committee, our Presbytery considered 
 the Report of the Committee, but neither criticized nor 
 amended. 
 
 Though the Presbytery had voted against any revision, the 
 following is the record on the Report of the Committee on the 
 Minutes of the General Assembly, viz. : — 
 
 "The Presbytery, by a rising vote, unanimously approved 
 
 of the Report of the General Assembly's Committee on 
 
 Revision." 
 
 A. E. Thomson. Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CHESTER.* 
 
 The Committee on the report of the General Assembly's 
 Committee on a Revision of the Confession of Faith, respect- 
 fully submits the following: 
 
 We gladly concede that the tentative revision, which has 
 thus been published " for consideration, criticism, or amend- 
 ments " by the Presbyteries, would not destroy or mutilate 
 the Calvinistic system of doctrine to which we are attached ; 
 though it seeks by some modification to draw the sting of 
 attacks which, it is thought, derive their force from confessional 
 forms of statement that are not essential to the doctrines. 
 Chapters and sections in the Confession, and answers in the 
 Catechisms, which remain still untouched, contain the "five 
 points" of Calvinism in their highest and strongest and«most 
 undiluted form. Indeed those doctrines so pervade the whole 
 Confession that their removal would wreck the book, nor could 
 one be essentially impaired without marring the whole. Should 
 the Confession be finally amended as thus far proposed by the 
 Committee of the (fenerai Assembly, our Church could boldly 
 
CHESTER. 33 
 
 claim that it has not abandoned, and is not ashamed of, the 
 doctrinal system which has been its theological heritage ; and 
 the Assembly's Committee is entitled to the thanks of the 
 Ghnrch for the firmness with which it has evidently striven to 
 conform to the instructions of the Avssembly, to work within 
 tlie lines of that system. We pay this tribute the moi-e freely 
 because we desire plainly to criticize the suggested amend- 
 ments, some as to their propriety, some as to their necessity. 
 
 There are at least thirty-three amendments in the tentative 
 scheme that lies before us. Any criticism, within the greatest 
 length that a report like this could venture upon, must give 
 only results ; and, through the economy of words which must 
 be studied, its expressions must appear arbitrary and dogmatic. 
 Let this be the apology i'or any peremptory sharpness that the 
 whole may seem to exhibit. 
 
 The original point of departure of the whole Revision 
 movement was the third chapter " Of God's Eternal Decree." 
 The changes suggested by the Committee, we are glad to see, 
 do not really alter the teachings of that chapter. They leave 
 its Calvinism intact, so much so that they would really in our 
 judgment be inoperative as far as removing unjust attacks is 
 concerned. 
 
 It is proposed to strike out absolutely the third section. The 
 object is either to repudiate the eternal fore-ordination of the 
 lost to sin and death, or at least to avoid the positive expression 
 of it. But it remains just as strongly expressed in the Larger 
 Catechism, A. 13. It is not proposed to strike that out; and 
 the Catechism is as binding as, and more generally known 
 than, the Confession. 
 
 The whole attempt, in some way to make the ordination to 
 death logically or chronologically subsequent to the fore- 
 ordination to life, is futile. Strike out the third section, and 
 there still remaius the following which it is not proposed to 
 touch : Conf. 5 : 4 ; 6 : 1 L. C. 13, 19. 
 
 It is to get rid of the last clause of this section that the 
 Committee proposes to strike out the whole ; but in doing that, 
 as also bv the removal of Section 3, it will be noticed that 
 
34 CHESTER. 
 
 it sweeps tlie angels out of God's decree. But here again the 
 Larger Catechism makes them very prominent: 12, 13, 19. 
 
 It is proposed also to strike out Section 4. But the 
 whole force of that is to be put in Section 3, which is 
 modified so as to iiiclude the words: "Particularly and 
 unchangeably designed." That is the pith of the section. 
 Does any one suppose assailants of our system of doctrine will 
 overlook that, because it is transferred to the middle of another 
 section i 
 
 It is proposed to alter Section 7 by striking out " for the 
 glory of his sovereign power over his creatures to pass by and," 
 and to substitute "not to elect unto everlasting life." This 
 has an Arminian glint; but we confess ourselves unable to see 
 the difference, in this matter of election as still retained, 
 Ijetween passing hy and not electing. If there be any, the 
 Larger Catechism will still retain the former. (13) And we 
 shall have the Confession teaching one, and the Catechism the 
 other, form of the doctrine. 
 
 The additions proposed to Section 5 seem to us to be 
 logically out of place. And both its clauses as far as true are 
 already sulistantially in the Confession in their proper connec- 
 nection, the tirst in 7:3; the second in 9:1. 
 
 In Chapter X., "Of Effectual Calling" the first section is 
 left untouched, (and so really is the second,) and that contains 
 the essence of the doctrine. But it is proposed to change 
 Section 3, so as, though doubtless not so designed, to make the 
 incapability of being outwardly called by the ministry of the 
 word a proof of election. Where is the scriptural warrant for 
 thati' In terms the section as changed would cover not merely 
 infants dying in' infancy and the imbecile, but the heathen 
 who are beyond the preaching of the Gospel. It is disclaimed 
 that such was the intention, Ijut the words cannot be relieved 
 from the construction. If that be true we submit that true 
 mercy to the heathen should induce the Church to abandon its 
 whole foreign missionary work. As to the infants dying in 
 infanc,v the amended assertion is not anti- or contra- but extra- 
 scriptural. It is the universal hope of Christians. But such 
 positive scriptural proof for it as should justify an authorative 
 
CHESTER. 35 
 
 Oonfessional statement cannot be adduced. The present 
 section is consistent with it and contains it, ])ut does not force 
 it upon untenable ground. If it be the settled purpose of the 
 Church to make the sweeping unqualified Confessional asser- 
 tion, something like the following would be a better form and 
 more in harmony with the chapter : " The elect who are 
 incapable of being outwai'dly called by the ministry of the 
 word, among whom are infants dying in infancy, are regen- 
 erated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh 
 when, and where, and how He pleaseth." Or the simple 
 omission of " elect " before " infants " would accomplish it. 
 
 The new chapter (9, " Of the Work of the Holy Spirit") is, 
 we think, unnecessary. 1. Its essential truths are already in the 
 Confession, so that it is repetitious and will enlarge the book 
 without any gain. 2. Separate chapters are not devoted to 
 the first and to the second persons of the Trinity and to their 
 work, though to the Incarnate Redeemer there is. This will 
 mar the structure of the book which is based on the true 
 doctrine of the Trinity — tri-unity not tri-theism. Compare 
 the two. Take for instance the first section of the new chapter. 
 Note how all that is in the present book, but guarded against 
 the tri-theistic danger:- 2:2 (last clause), and 3; 21:2,3. In 
 style it is too great a contrast to the book. It is a somewhat 
 diffuse sei'mon-skeleton, true and valuable, but not a compact 
 creed statement. In structure it would not harmonize with the 
 rest of the Confession. 
 
 If it be necessary to add the new chapter '' Of the Universal 
 Offer of the Gospel," it sSems to us it would be better to add 
 it as an appendix to the book, and not to mar its formal struct- 
 ure. At the same time we are constrained to say that as far as 
 it is the revealed Gospel, its substance is already in the 
 Confession, especially the eighth chapter, of which and of the 
 Larger Catechism 30-32 it is both a broadening and a weaken- 
 ing ; and it will not, in the popular mind, relieve our Standards 
 of charges that are commonly made. Expressions will still 
 remain which it will continue to be contended are harsh and 
 repellant. 
 
M(i CHESTER. 
 
 It has been stated from the Assembly's Committee that the 
 proposal was made to them to omit from 10:1 " and those only," 
 but it was designed to meet that " by the statements found in 
 the new chapters and elsewhere respecting the freeness and 
 universality of the scheme oi' grace." But so long as the 
 Confession retains 3:6. last clause, 8:5; 8:8; 10:1; 11:3; 
 11:4, and Larger Catechism 32, 67, 6S, the ditficulty which it is 
 thus sought to meet will remain ; and the sharp opponent can 
 mercilessly assail the attempt. 
 
 The above are the material changes which the Assembly's 
 Committee has published. In addition there are a consider- 
 able number of verbal ones, the most of which would be unob- 
 jectionable in themselves. We rapidly particularize them. 
 
 The insertion in the first chapter, " Of the Holy Scripture/' 
 is true, though it is not a happy rythmical specimen of inter- 
 linking. 
 
 The complete transformation of the first section of Chapter 
 IV., "Of Creation," is not only inartistically done, but will be 
 a glaring blunder so long as the fifteenth question and answer 
 of the Larger Catechism, and the ninth of the Shorter 
 Catechism remain as parts of the authoritative Standards of 
 the Church ; nay so long as the fourth commandment is 
 recognized. Look into the Dictionary for the meaning of the 
 universe^ and then substitute it in the amendment for the 
 world, and see Avhat a tangle it makes. 
 
 In Chapter VI, Section 4, the insertion of •' that is spirit- 
 ually " would express what all have understood to be the 
 meaning. In the corresponding part'of the Larger Catechism 
 (25) the words have always been found, and also in the ninth 
 chapter (3 and 4) of the Confession which goes with this 
 chapter. Whether it be imperatively necessary to insert the 
 words here, may find an answer in the fact that Paul (in Rom. 
 7:) says: "In me dwelleth no good thing." He means 
 spiritually though he does not use the word. If the " all " 
 before " evil " be struck out here, it will still be found in the 
 Larger Catechism 25, and with a sweeping addition, and '•'■that 
 continually." As to the addition to this section, its substance 
 is repeated in the new chapter, " Of the Holy Spirit.'" 
 
CHESTER. 37 
 
 The words proposed to be inserted in Section, 3 of Chapter 
 VII., " By His Word and Spirit " are unnecessary, and mis- 
 leading. 
 
 The omission from Chapter VII., of Section 4, and of the 
 words "and is called the Old Testament" in Section 5, and 
 " and is called the New Testament," in Section 6, is an unim- 
 portant verbal correction, of which an explanation will be 
 found in A. A. Hodge's Commentary on the ConJ'ession of 
 Faith. " The pi-esent administration of this Covenant by 
 Christ in one aspect of it evidently bears a near analogy to a 
 testament or will executed only consequent u]3on the death of 
 the testator. And so in one passage our translators Avere 
 correct in so translating the word diatheke, Heb. 9: 16, 17. 
 But since Christ is an ever living and constantly acting 
 Mediator, the same yesterday, to-day and forever, this word, 
 which expresses his present administration, should in every 
 other instance have been translated dispensation, instead of 
 testament.'' 
 
 In Chapter VIII., Section 5, and Chapter XI., Section 3, 
 the substitution of "Divine Justice" for "the justice of his 
 father" adopts the expression now in the Larger Catechism. 
 Yet in the economy of redemption the Father here appears as 
 the representative of the God-head, and in a scheme of revision 
 which, in one part, aims to give increased prominence to the 
 Third person of the Trinity, is it necessary to withdraw from 
 prominence the First person ? 
 
 In Chapter IX., Section 3, why change " averse from " into 
 " indisposed to ? " The Lexicon defines " averse " as " disliking, 
 unwilling, having a repugnance of mind, unfavorable, indis- 
 posed.'" The words are thus synonymous. 
 
 Just what is aimed at by the verbal changes in the fourth 
 paragraph of Chapter X., we cannot see, unless, in addition to 
 a lowering of the Divine Sovereignty, it be to salve the 
 consciences of non-professors in our churches. Is it well now 
 to encourage the error of non-profession? (This deals with 
 hearers of the Gospel; not with heathen). 
 
 The striking of the words '• they have, not of themselves " 
 out of Section 1, Chapter XL, seems to be causeless. They are 
 exact Scripture words, too. 
 
HS CHESTER. 
 
 The substitution of " sinners " for " the elect " in Chapter 
 Xiy., Section 1, makes it conform to the corresponding Larger 
 Catechism answer. Taken in connection, however, with the 
 suggestion to remove from 29:2 the words " the alone propitia- 
 tion for all the sins of the elect " and to substitute for them 
 " for sin," it shows a sensitiveness about keeping election, and 
 the definiteness of the propitaition as not for sin in the abstract 
 but for the sins of the elect, prominent, which can avail little 
 while the direct teachings of the Confession remain as they 
 are. 
 
 The milder reprobation of works done by unregenerate 
 men, which it is proposed to substitute for Section 7, Chapter 
 XVI., may be better; but the transposition of words by which 
 it is effected is not happj^ in style. 
 
 If the change proposed in Chapter XXI., Section 4, be 
 effected, the form repudiated still remains in the Larger 
 Catechism 183. 
 
 To drop " as nursing fathers " from Section 3, of Chapter 
 XXIIL, might do no harm, especially as the book is not 
 dealing with unweaned babes. The changing of " damnation " 
 into " condemnation " in 29:8, and the insertion of " ministerial 
 and declarative," in 30:2, are changes which could not in 
 themselves be objected to ; though we suspect there is no 
 misunderstanding anywhere of the sections as they stand. 
 
 Does the Committee propose by striking from xxiv:3, " or 
 maintain damnable heresies, '■ to encourage any of our young 
 people to bind themselves in the life union to such? The 
 description is inspired. The Revised Version in II. Peter 2:1 
 turns the " damnable " into " destructive," ( the margin, 
 "sects of perdition") but that does not modify the essential 
 truth. Shall we hesitate to declare that Christians should not 
 marry the maintainors of "damnable" or "destructive" 
 heresies, who belong to " sects of perdition." 
 
 The changes suggested in our Confessional protests against 
 the Church of Rome are highly objectionable. As an inde- 
 pendent statement and in a new document the words proposed 
 to be substituted in Chapter XX, Section 6, for the present 
 declaration would be admirable ; but the proposition to strike 
 
CHESTER. 39 
 
 out that historic declaration, and to admit that the Presbyterian 
 Churches of Scotland, Ireland, England and the United States 
 have been for 250 years affirming a falsehood,what an advocate 
 of the change has styled "a colossal slander," is too humiliating 
 to command our assent. Our Church should not be swayed to 
 the repudiation of its old doctrine by the fact that many 
 exegetes among us have in this respect been perverted by th,e 
 falsely called liberalism of the day. The Papal Church too, is 
 an idolatrous Church. Recent ex cathedra promulgations of 
 the Pope have brought that out more clearly ; and the teaching 
 to that effect should not be eliminated from Chapter XXIV., 
 Section 3. Nor should " Popish " be stricken from xxix:2 and 
 "Roman Catholic" be substituted for it, on the ground that 
 the word " Popish " is an objectionable epithet. The differ- 
 entiating feature in the Church of Rome is the Pope. The 
 modifications of that name are peculiarly expressive of the 
 organization and cannot be rebuked as insulting epithets. We 
 would not favor an abusive epithet ; but words drawn from an 
 ecclesiastical fact cannot be considered such. And while in 
 social relations we may in courtesy speak of the Roman 
 Catholic Church, in our Confessional Standard we may not 
 recognize it as a Catholic Church. In what sense of the word 
 can we ecclesiastially recognize the Church of Rome as 
 Catholic — universal — embracing all true branches of the 
 Christian Church ? By doing it, we write ourselves down — 
 unchurched. We submit very earnestly that this is not the 
 time to lower one iota of our protest against the Papal 
 hierarchy while cultivating nothing but the kindest feelings 
 toward its adherents, and loving them as friends and neighbors. 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 Our review of the whole work submitted to our criticism 
 leads to the following general conclusions, which we recom- 
 mend the Presbytery to adopt: 
 
 1. Some of the changes suggested, if iinally adopted, will 
 make the Confession self-contradictory. Those changes, in 
 their trend and as explained by advocates, do not work in with 
 statements that remain untouched. The book while still 
 
40 CHESTER. 
 
 essentially and unimpeachably Oalvinistic will not be self- 
 consistent in all its expressions. 
 
 2. Some statements which are modified in the Confession 
 remain unmodified in the Catechisms which are of equal 
 authority with the Confession. Hence we shall have our 
 Standards diftering on the same point. 
 
 3. The modifications in statement of the system of doctrine 
 which are suggested will not deliver us, as we believe, from 
 the misrepresentations and perversions which were a ground 
 of appeal for revision. They will gain us nothing against 
 controversalists and maligners. 
 
 4. The difference in style between the old book and the 
 modifications, especially the two new chapters, strikes every- 
 one and is conceded by the revisers themselves. The Confession 
 has not only a unity of doctrine, and a consistency of logic, 
 but a majesty and compactness of style which has commanded 
 the admiration even of its opponents. This revision will mar 
 that. We regret to see it so dealt with in the house of its 
 friends. 
 
 5. The Westminister Confession is the common heritage 
 of all the Presbyterian Churches in Scotland, Ireland, England, 
 Canada and the United States. This work of revision if carried 
 out will raise another wall of separation between them and 
 us ; and we long for a closer union. 
 
 6. It seems to us, therefore, that this Report of a Com- 
 mittee of such ability is itself a proof that the Confession 
 cannot be successfully revised. In this opinion those of our 
 number who favored the effort now concur with those who 
 opposed it. On the other hand the latter concede there is in 
 the revision feeling a desire which should be acceded to. A 
 short didactic and devotional creed, for the reading of the 
 masses and for devotional use on occasions in our congregations, 
 would be a great help to the Church. We, therefore, suggest 
 to the Assembly's Committee to take into consideration the 
 question of asking to be discharged from the further prosecu- 
 tion of the "experiment" of amending the Westminister 
 Confession, and to be empowered to enter upon the prepara- 
 tion of such a creed. And we hereby respectfully overture 
 
CHICAGO. 41 
 
 the General Assembly to lake such action. Let the old historic 
 document, born in troublous times, consecrated by the blood 
 of martyrs and confessors, freighted with the history of two 
 hundred and fifty years, sacredly bound up in its phraseology 
 with the spiritual experience of many of us, who have studied 
 it night and day and worked it into our being, so that it is not 
 possible for us to make any changes in it our own — let it stand 
 in its unity, its completeness, its majesty, its authority^ and 
 let us have in addition to it a short Creed that shall not depart 
 from the system of doctrine contained in it, but shall present, 
 in a popular didactic and devotional form, which we can freely 
 use in our congregations and circulate among others, those 
 truths which our Church holds. 
 
 R. M. Patterson, Chairman. 
 
 I hereby certify that the above paper was accepted, and 
 its recommendations were voted on seriatim and adopted, with 
 but one dissentient, and also as a whole, but one voting in the 
 negative. James Roberts, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP CHICAGO. 37. 
 
 Resolved^ The Presbytery of Chicago, holding the present 
 results of revision to be unsatisfactory, and not believing that 
 any results likely to be obtained under the present theory and 
 process of revision will be satisfactory to the mind and heart 
 of our Church, does, therefore, hereby 
 
 Overture the General Assembly, to turn entirely from the 
 project of revising the Westminister Confession, and to take 
 diligent steps to have proposed to the Church such a simple 
 and scriptural declaration of those things which are most 
 surely believed among us, as shall be for the practical help and 
 edification of all our members, and for a testimony to the 
 world of the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 
 And further. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of this overture be furnished as the 
 reply of this Presbytery to the Assembly^'s Committee of 
 Revision. 
 
 Adopted by a vote of 52 to 18. 
 
 James Frothingham, Stated Clerk. 
 
4'2 CHICKASAW. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP CHICKASAW. 28. 
 
 The rresbytery of Chickasaw has carefully considered the 
 suggested changes in our Confession of Faith, as reported to 
 the General Assembly at Detroit, and by it sent down to the 
 Presbyteries for their consideration, approval, or amendment. 
 As the result of its prayerful study of the changes proposed 
 by the Committee of the Assembly, the Presbytery of Chicka- 
 saw voted to fully and heartily endorse all such changes and 
 additions, with the following exceptions, viz : 
 
 In Chapter III, Section 3 (as amended), we would prefer 
 to strike out all after the words " out of Plis mere free grace 
 and love." 
 
 In Chapter III, Section 5 (as amended), we prefer that it 
 should read after the words " as He pleaseth," as follows : " to 
 pass by; yet so as thereby neither is any limitation put upon 
 the offer of salvation to all, upon condition of faith in Christ, 
 nor is restraint laid upon the freedom of any one to hinder his 
 acceptance of this offer." 
 
 In Chapter IV, Section 1 (as amended), strike out the 
 words " the Heavens " in the last clause, and change it so that 
 the clause will read : " the earth with all that it contains was 
 made by Him in six creative days." 
 
 In Chapter YII, Section 3 (as amended), we suggest that 
 you strike out the words '' unto all those that are ordained 
 unto life," and substitute the words " unto all them that ask 
 Him." 
 
 In Chapter XII, Section 3 (as amended), we prefer that it 
 should read : " All infants dying in infancy, and all other elect 
 persons who are incapable of being outwardly called are 
 redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit, who work- 
 eth when, and where, and how He pleaseth." 
 
 In the same Chapter, Section 4. " Inasmuch as they never 
 truly come to Christ, they cannot be saved," we prefer to have 
 changed so that the sentence will read: "Inasmuch as they 
 will not come to Christ they are not saved." 
 
 In Chapter XVIII, Section 7 (as amended), we would sug- 
 gest that you add after the words " and can not be accepted of 
 
CHILLICOTHK - CHIPPEWA. 43 
 
 God," the words '' as meritorious," so that the clause will read : 
 "They are therefore not free from sin, and cannot be accepted 
 of God as meritorious, or make a man meet to receive grace 
 from God." 
 
 It would have been possible for this Presbytery to have 
 accepted other changes tending to the simplification of our 
 Confession of Faith, but as we hope for some new and short 
 formulary of Christian doctrine, we have not deemed it wise 
 to suggest further changes at this time. We venture to 
 express the hope that the Report of your Committee as it shall 
 be finally presented to the General Assembly in 1892, at Port- 
 land, will satisfy the desire for Revision, and yet preserve all 
 the essential elements of our venerable and honored Confess- 
 ion of Faith. Wji. T. King, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CHILLIOOTHE.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Chillicothe would hereby state that they 
 have carefully considered your Report, and would respectfuU^y 
 submit the following recommendations : 
 
 That in Chapter III, Section 3, the words, " an innumerable 
 multitude," be substituted for the word " some." That the 
 Committee recast Section 5. 
 
 That in Chapter IV, Section 1, the last sentence beginning 
 with the words, " The Heavens and the earth," be stricken out. 
 
 That while we express hearty approval of the doctrine of 
 Chapter IX, we would recommend it be condensed. 
 
 That in Chapter XII, Section 3, the word "mentally" be 
 added before the word " incapable. That Section 4 be stricken 
 out. 
 
 That in Chapter XXXI, Section 2, the latter part, begin- 
 ning with the words " so that the Roman Catholic doctrine," 
 be stricken out. Samuel W. Elliott, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CHIPPEWA. 38. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting of the Presbytery of Chippewa, 
 held at Phillips, Wis., Nov. 10, 1891, the "Report of the Gen- 
 
44 CINCINNATI. 
 
 eral Assembly's Committee on Revision " was considered, and 
 the following action taken : 
 
 I. Presbytery expressed its appreciation of the thorough 
 and careful work of the Committee, and tendered them sincere 
 thanks for their labors. 
 
 II. Presbytery neither approved the report nor criticised 
 it in particular, but instead thereof made the following recom- 
 mendations '. 
 
 1. That the General Assembly, at the earliest opportunity, 
 prepare and publish a declaratory statement vindicating the 
 Confession of Faith from charges frequently brought against it 
 through misconception and misrepresentation. 
 
 2. That the General Assembly appoint a Committee for 
 conference with other Presbyterian bodies with a view to the 
 preparation of a Pan -Presbyterian Confession, which shall take 
 the place of the Westminster Confession, but which shall still 
 retain inviolate the Reformed or Calvinistic system of doctrine. 
 
 3. That the General Assembly prepare an authoritative 
 abridged statement of Presbyterian doctrine for popular (not 
 
 '^^'''^^^ "'^- 0. C. Todd, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CINCINNATI. 40. 
 
 Presbytery would say that it substantially approves the 
 Report of the Assembly's Committee, and regards it as evinc- 
 ing the fact that the Church is still endowed with many minds 
 fitted to express for her her faith in the most systematic, logi- 
 cal, and scriptural form. In some subordinate particulars, 
 however, it would recommend the following modifications, viz: 
 
 1. That amended Section 3 of Chapter III., "Of God's 
 Eternal Decree," be itself so amended as to read for " some of 
 mankind " the words " a great multitude of mankind whom no 
 man can number," and for the word "without" be substituted 
 the words "not because of." The insertion of a scriptural 
 statement with reference to the number of the redeemed 
 removes the impression often received that the fact of election, 
 necessitates the conclusion that the number of the elect must 
 be relatively small. 
 
CINCINNATI. 45 
 
 2. Omit from Section 6 (4) Chapter III., the last sentence 
 beginning "Neither are any other." 'The two following con- 
 siderations acting with unequal force upon Presbytery united 
 it in recommending this elimination. First, it lays an unneces- 
 sary and misleading emphasis upon the restrictive element in 
 election, and secondly, since, in the language of Dr. A. A. 
 Hodge, " In the time this Confession was written the phrase 
 ' to redeem ' was used in the same sense in which we now use 
 the phrase ' to make atonement for,' it seems to commit the 
 Confession to a limited rather than to a general atonement, 
 whereas its omission neither excludes the one or the other as a 
 test of othordoxy." 
 
 3. That amended Section 5 (originally Section 7), Chapter 
 III., be itself so amended as to eliminate the words " not to 
 elect unto everlasting life, but," grammatically harmonize the 
 remainder of the language therewith, and transfer " so as " 
 from before " thereby neither," to before " to hinder," etc. 
 
 The first change while placing all the redeemed under the 
 gracious decree of election, and ascribing all the glory to God, 
 places the lost under a decree of perdition "for their sin," 
 ascribing to them all the responsibility and shame thereof. 
 Thus is avoided the dangerous implication, that because the 
 election of grace is without foreseen merit, the ordination of 
 the lost " to dishonor and wrath," is without foreseen demerit. 
 The transfer of the words " so as " from one place to another, 
 is not designed to change the sense, but to simplify the lan- 
 guage and make its meaning more clear. 
 
 4. That Section 1, Chapter IV., as amended, be referred 
 back to the Assembly's Committee, with the statement that 
 Presbytery is equally divided upon the question of approving 
 the phrase " creative days," and requests the Committee to 
 reconsider, and if possible, recast the language of their report 
 on this section, or if it seem best, to omit any statement what- 
 ever with regard to the time of creation. 
 
 5. That amended Section 4, Chapter VI., be itself amended 
 by omitting before the words " spiritually good " the words " all 
 that is," and by changing " spiritually '' into " spiritual." By 
 this emendation the fact is more clearlv l)rought out that the 
 
46 CINCINNATI 
 
 sinner's opposition is not to every form of good, but to the 
 essential principle of all good, that which gives to all actions 
 and experiences their ability to please God, and therefore 
 capable of coexistence with the formal practice of many virtues. 
 It also harmonizes with the Committee's own amendment, 
 omitting " all " before " evil," which emphasizes the comple- 
 mentary truth that the sinner's inclination is not towards 
 every form of evil, but towards that lawlessness and revolt 
 against the Divine authority which is the essence of evil, and 
 which may coexist with abstinence from even common vices. 
 
 6. That Chapter IX, ^' Of Free Will," be referred back to 
 the Assembly's Committee, with the request that the Chapter 
 be recast, especially in the first and third sections, in such a 
 way as to avoid the apparent contradiction between the two 
 phrases, "wholly lost all ability of will," etc., and the added 
 sentence, "yet it is his responsibility," etc., and that the doc- 
 trine of man's freedom and responsibility as a moral being be 
 more clearly stated. 
 
 7. That the word " Universal " be stricken out from the 
 title of the new Chapter XI, so that it will read, " Of the Offer 
 of the Gospel." By this change the title will define more 
 accurately the contents of the Chapter, which includes more 
 than the single item of the scope of the offer of the Gospel. 
 
 8. That amended Section 3, Chapter X. (now Chapter 
 XII.), be itself amended b}'' the insertion of the words " elected 
 by God " after the words, " word, are," and before the words 
 "Redeemed by Christ," etc. This change brings the section 
 into harmony with the principle of the Confession that the 
 saved are coterminous with tlie elect, and avoids the apparent 
 placing of infants and incapables in a class of non-elect indi- 
 viduals, who are, nevertheless, redeemed and regenerated. 
 Moreover, it recognizes the principle of election in reference 
 to those whose salvation depends upon its exercise in the most 
 unqualified form, inasmuch as they cannot in any sense choose 
 God, or yield themselves to His grace. 
 
 9. Presbytery expresses its desire to see in Chapter (X.) 
 XII., a statement concerning elect persons who have not been 
 called by tJie ministry of the Word. 
 
CINCINNATI. 47 
 
 10. That Section -4, Chapter (X.) XII., be amended by 
 substituting for the words, " they never truly come to Christ 
 and therefore,'- the words "as they will not come to Christ 
 that they may have life," and after the word "saved," sub- 
 stituting for the remainder of the section the words " Neither 
 is there salvation in any other way than by Christ through 
 the Spirit." The first of these changes brings out in the judg- 
 ment of Presbytery more distinctly and in scriptural language, 
 that the obstructing agency to salvation is the obdurate will of 
 man, who resists the Divine grace. 
 
 The latter change avoids the seeming implication of the 
 original text that men ever do so diligently frame their lives 
 according to the light of nature as to conform to its require- 
 ments in all particulars. For the Apostle Paul declares of 
 both Jew and Gentile, that there is no difference, for all have 
 sinned, one with the law and the other without it. We thus 
 avoid an antithesis which is unreal and misleading. 
 
 11. That for Section 7, Chapter (XVI.) XVIII., " Of Good 
 Works " of the Assembly Committee's Report, there be substi- 
 tuted the original section in the Confession of Faith, with the 
 omission of the words " for the matter of them " and also the 
 words " are therefore sinful, and," and also the word "more " 
 from before the word " sinful." 
 
 12. That in Section 3, Chapter XXIII. (now XXV.), the 
 words " and property," be inserted after the words " to protect 
 the person and good name," and after the words " either upon 
 pretence of religion or infidelity " be inserted the words " to 
 practice immorality." 
 
 These amendments seem especially desirable at a time 
 when the rights of property are being assailed in the name of 
 infidelity, and immorality defended, as in the case of Mormon- 
 ism, in the name of religion. Moreover they are in accord 
 with the decisions reached by the highest courts of the land on 
 these subjects. 
 
 13. That Section 2, Chapter (XXIX.) XXXI., of the 
 Assembly Committee's Eeport, be amended by the insertion 
 of the words " and celebration " after the word " doctrine," 
 and before the words " of the sacrifice of the mass." 
 
4s CHOCTAW. 
 
 1 4. That the Assembly's Committee be requested to make 
 in Section 2, Chapter (XXX.) XXXII, a fuller statement as to 
 the nature of the " keys." 
 
 The foregoing Report of the Committee on Revision of the 
 Confession of Faith of the Presbytery of Cincinnati is hereby 
 certified to be a true copy, and is hereby forwarded to the 
 General Assembly's Committee, pursuant to the direction of 
 the Presbytery. 
 
 Attest : Edm'ard T. Swiggett, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CHOCTAW. 18. 
 
 The Presbytery of Choctaw voted unanimously a year ago 
 for revision. It would now put itself on record as heartily 
 approving many of the changes proposed by the " Committee 
 on Revision " in its Report to the last General Assembly. 
 We especially commend the manifest determination not to 
 impair the integrity of the Calvinistic (or Reformed) doc- 
 trines as set forth in our venerable Articles of Faith, and the 
 desire to exhibit the truth concerning " the Work of the Holy 
 Spirit " and " the universal offer of the Gospel " with proper 
 fullness of statement. 
 
 As the Committee's Report is referred to us for suggestions 
 to aid the Committee in amending and perfecting the Report 
 before submitting it as the sense of the Church for the final 
 action of the General Assembly, we note, in the way of 
 exception, a tendency to prolixity. It seems to us that we 
 might wisely depart from the example of our fathers, who saw 
 fit to expand and virtually repeat the statement of those 
 particular doctrines which were then most subject to con- 
 troversy. A doctrine once plainly announced as an accepted 
 Article of Faith, we think, might thereafter be taken for 
 granted without reaffirmation. 
 
 More particularly as to changes, Presbytery offers the fol- 
 lowing suggestion: — 
 
 Chapter III. Section 3, omit what follows the word 
 '•love" in line six, and annex the last three lines of Section 
 5, beginning with the word " yet.'" Omit all that precedes the 
 word " vet " in Section 5. 
 
CHOCTAW. 49 
 
 Chapter IV. Section 1, after the word "nothing" substi- 
 tute " the heavens and the earth and all things therein, making 
 them in six creative days." 
 
 Chapter VI. Section 4, for the words ''to all that is 
 Spiritually good, and wholly inclined to evil " substitute the 
 words " to that which is Spiritually good, and wholly inclined, 
 to that which is Spiritually evil." 
 
 Chapter IX. Condense. 
 
 Chapter (IX.) X. Section 3, omit "is" after the word 
 " yet," and insert " is " after the word " agent." 
 
 Chapter XI. Condense. 
 
 Chapter (X,) XII. Section 2, omit the phrase " at all" in 
 second line. Section 3, omit the whole section. Section 4, 
 omit the words "not elected." 
 
 Chapter (XVI.) XVIII. Section 7, omit. (What is really 
 essential therein is sufficiently stated in Chapters (IX.) X., 
 and XI). 
 
 Chapter (XXIV.) XXVI. Section 3, insert the phrase 
 " when marrying " after the word Christian," in third line. 
 
 Chapter (XXX.) XXXII. Section 2, insert the word 
 " visible " before the word " kingdom," in first line. 
 
 After all, however. Presbytery regards the matter of 
 revision, as the General Assembly did when entering upon it, 
 in the light of an experiment; and it now submits, from the 
 results exhibited in the action of the Presbyteries on the 
 Report, that no revision can now be made that shall fully 
 satisfy the majority of our people. It, therefore, suggests 
 that the next General Assembly be asked to relieve the Com- 
 mittee from further efforts in the work of revising the Con- 
 fession, and assign to it the more hopeful task of formulating 
 a short creed, less polemic and more devotional in its 
 character. 
 
 A true copy. 
 
 Attest : John Edwards, Stated Clerk. 
 
50 CLARION. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CLARION.* 
 
 1. That to linally adojjt the changes suggested bj^ the 
 Assembly's Committee would make the Confession self-con- 
 tradictoiy. These changes, in their particular bearing, will 
 not work in with many statements of the Confession which 
 remain untouched. 
 
 2. That as we believe the Catechism to be of equal 
 authority with the Confession, and as some statements which 
 are modified in the Confession remain unmodified in the 
 Catechisms, we shall have standards differing on some of the 
 same points. 
 
 3. The proposed changes will not deliver us from the 
 misrepresentations and perversions which were made a ground 
 of appeal ibr revision. 
 
 4-. The diversity of style between the Confession and the 
 modifications, especially the two new chapters, strikes every 
 one, and is conceded by the revisors themselves. The Con- 
 fession has not only a unity of doctrine and a consistency of 
 logic, but a majesty and compactness of style which has com- 
 manded the admiration of its opponents. This revision will 
 inevitably mar that. 
 
 5. That as the Westminster Confession is the common 
 heritage of all Presbyterian Churches in Great Britain and 
 Ireland, Canada and the United States, the work of revision, 
 if carried out in this way, will raise another wall of separa- 
 tion between them and us, and we long for a closer union. 
 
 6. "We, therefore, suggest to the Assembly's Committee 
 to take into consideration the question of asking to be dis- 
 charged from further prosecution of the experiment of amend- 
 ing the Westminster Confession. But at the same time we 
 respectfully overture the General Assembly to empower said 
 Committee to enter upon the preparation of a short didactic 
 and devotional creed for the reading of the people and lor use 
 on occasions in our congregational worship. 
 
 J. S. Elder, Stated Clerk. 
 
CLEVELAND. 51 
 
 TPIE PRESBYTERY OF CLEVELAND. 41. 
 
 We herein transmit to you our reply to your request for 
 " criticism and amendments," etc., to your report to the Assem- 
 bly. The references in this response are to your report as 
 printed in the General Assembly's Minutes for 1891. We give 
 assent to the report in all points not herein specified. 
 
 Page 27, Chapter III., Section 3. We prefer the words, 
 " not because of" to the word " without," in the phrase, "with- 
 out any foresight," etc. Section 5. We prefer that this be 
 omitted, or if it be retained, that the words, " to pass by," be 
 retained instead of, " not to elect unto everlasting life." 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4. We prefer that the words, 
 " utterly " and " wholly," be altogether omitted. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. We prefer the old form unaltered. 
 
 Page 30, Chapter IX, Section 3. We prefer the omission 
 of the words, "wholly," "all," "any," and "altogether," and 
 instead of the words, " indisposed to " that good, we prefer the 
 old form, viz : " averse from." 
 
 Page 31, Chapter (X.) XII.. Section 3. We prefer, "In- 
 fants dying in infancy, and all other elect persons, who are 
 incapable," etc. Section 4. We prefer its omission. 
 
 Page 33, Chapter (XXV.) XXVII. We prefer the omis- 
 sion of all in italics. 
 
 But we would prei'er that the Church should pursue the 
 course indicated by the following supplementary paper, viz : 
 
 The Presbytery of Cleveland respectfully advises the Gen- 
 eral Assembly that our sentiment is averse to the prosecution 
 of the attempt to revise the Westminster Confession. Instead 
 thereof we would prefer to leave the time honored symbol 
 untouched, on account not only of its truths, but of its his- 
 torical relations to the faith of the Reformed Churches ; and to 
 construct and adopt, as an additional symbol for practical use 
 in the churches, a Confession much more brief, less dogmatic 
 and philosophical, better suited to the needs of the current 
 time, and expressed more nearly in the exact words of Scrip- 
 
52 COLUMIUA - COLUMBUS. 
 
 ture. Such a Confession, we believe, would be less subject to 
 misunderstanding, and bring the people more compactly into 
 sympathy with the Church as a body. 
 
 This alternative report was adopted by the Presbytery 
 without a dissenting vote. 
 
 Attest : E. Bushnell, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF COLUMBIA. 42. 
 
 The Presbytery recommended the adoption of the Report 
 of the Special Committee on the revision of the Confession of 
 Faith with the following exceptions : 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII. Of Effectual Calling. Strike out Sec- 
 tion 3. Let Section 4 become Section 3, and make Section 4 
 read as follows : 
 
 " While the duty of proclaiming the Gospel to all men is 
 clear and imperative, and while the proclamation of the 
 Gospel is the ordinary means of salvation for all who are 
 capable of being called thereby, and while it is certain that no 
 one is saved except through the mediation of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and by the working of the Holy Spirit, yet it does not 
 follow, nor is it required to be held, either that any who die in 
 infancy are lost, or that God may not extend His mercy to 
 those who are beyond the reach of the ordinary means of sal- 
 vation, as it may seem good in His sight." 
 
 (The above is a quotation of Section 3, of the Declaratory 
 Statement attached to the new creed of the Presbyterian 
 Church of England.) 
 
 George C. Yeisley, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF COLUMBUS. 42. 
 
 The consideration of the Report of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Revision was entered upon, and after considerable 
 discussion, was decided by the adoption of the following 
 paper : 
 
 " Having full confidence in the wisdom and piety of the 
 Assembly's Committee on the revision of our Confession of 
 Faith, and feeling that we are well represented on that Com- 
 mittee in its Secretary, in whose scholarship and judgment we 
 
COUNCIL BLUFFS TO DAKOTA. 5r3 
 
 implicitly trust, we return the Report to the Committee for 
 fuller consideration and perfecting; and we direct that any 
 papers that have been prepared by members of Presbytery, 
 looking to the improvement of this Eeport, be referred to the 
 Secretary, the Rev. Wm. E. Moore, D. D." 
 
 J AS. A. EwALT, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP COUNCIL BLUFFS. 42. 
 
 1. In Chapter III., Section 5. Strike out the sentence in 
 the fifth line, which reads, "Not to elect unto everlasting life." 
 
 2. Chapter IV., Section 1. The word "creative" be 
 stricken out of the last line. 
 
 3. Chapter VI., Section 4. Insert before the word " Prov- 
 idence," in the sixth line, the terms, " Word and." 
 
 4. In Chapter X., Section 3, that the word "averse" be 
 substituted for the word "indisposed." 
 
 A. L. Sarchet, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF CRAWFORDSVILLE. 43. 
 
 At the stated fall meeting of the Crawfordsville Presbytery, 
 held September 18, the overture on the revision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith, as submitted by the Assembly's Committee, 
 was answered in the afflrmative. 
 
 This Presbytery approves of the work of the Committee 
 as submitted to the General Assembly. 
 
 Some of us would be much pleased to have the Old Con- 
 fession of Faith left as it is, and a brief new one prepared for 
 general use and broadcast distribution. 
 
 David R. Love, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF DAKOTA. 44. 
 
 Resolved. That we approve of the Report of the Committee 
 on Revision, and have no changes to recommend therein. 
 
 John P. Williamson, Stated Clerk. 
 
54 DAYTON -DENVER. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP DAYTON. 44. 
 
 What the Committee on Revision has done, sustains and 
 confirms the confidence and good hope we had Irom its 
 appointment by the General Assembly, and we feel, claims 
 our prayers earnestly for the continued guidance till its work 
 is accomplished, which we believe it has been under thus far. 
 
 We give hearty approval to the Committee's conservative 
 avoidance of trenchant and radical treatment of our venerable 
 Confession, and express our general satisfaction with the 
 report. 
 
 Besides asking reconsideration by the Committee on Revis- 
 ion of the two items in our first answer that they ignored viz.: 
 the word '' damnation " twice in a section of three lines in 
 Chapter XV, and "our Lord's coming," instead of the words 
 "the end of the world," in Chapter XXIX, we offer no tbrms 
 of words for insertion in any place, even while thinking that 
 there are a few changes and some omissions from the report 
 that we would prefer, and we simply defer to the assured 
 higher competency of the Committee, desiring earnestly two 
 things : 
 
 I. That the Committee will, for the rest, with the same 
 conservative care and firmness, and equal candor, canvass all 
 wishes and proposals additional to those they had before, and 
 by all the light they can avail themselves of, reconsider and 
 finally conclude as they shall be led. , 
 
 II. We earnestly desire and ask that the Committee will 
 give its best pains to secure, that all changes of phrase in the 
 old text, all insertions, and the two important new Chapters, 
 shall be made as compact, as terse, and homogeneous with the 
 original as possible, so that the Confession eventually shall be 
 the least pie-hald possible in consequence of the revision. 
 
 W. W. CoLMERY, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF DENVER. 45. 
 
 1. That the report of the General Assembly's Committee 
 be adopted with the following exceptions, viz.: 
 
 In Chapter III., Section 3, instead of " hath predestinated 
 some of mankind unto life " read " hath predestinated unto 
 life a great multitude whom no man can number." 
 
DES MOINES. 55 
 
 In Chapter IV., Section 1, instead of " s^x creative days " 
 read '' six days." 
 
 In Chapter VII., iSection 3, instead of "offereth by His 
 word and Spirit unto sinners life, etc." (to end of section) read 
 •' offereth by His word and Spirit unto all men life and salvation 
 on the condition that they repent and believe in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3, we recommend returned to the Com- 
 mittee to be recast. 
 
 In Chapter XII., Section 3, substitute for this section, as 
 found in the Committee's report, the following : " The salva- 
 tion of those who die in infancy and of all other persons who 
 from birth to death are incapable of being outwardljr called by 
 the ministry of the word, is secured in the electing love of 
 God, and the redemption purchased by Christ is applied to 
 them by the Holy Spirit, who worketh where and when and 
 how He pleaseth." 
 
 In Chapter XII., Section -i, strike out '' however diligent 
 men may be in framing their lives according to the light of 
 nature and the law of that religion they do profess." 2. That 
 Presbytery overture the General Assembly to formulate a short 
 comprehensive evangelical creed adapted for popular use." 
 
 W. AV. MoKTON, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF DES MOINES. 46. 
 
 The Presbytery of Des Moines approves the general 
 character of the woi'k of the Assembly's Committee on 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith, and calls the attention of 
 the Committee to the following suggestions concerning changes 
 which in its judgment are desirable : 
 
 1. That Chapter (IX.) X., Section 1, be made to read: 
 " God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty 
 which makes him a free and responsible moral being, and as 
 such he is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of 
 nature determined to good or evil." And that the proposed 
 addition to Section 3 be omitted. 
 
 2. That Chapter IX., of Free Will, Section 3, be rewritten 
 so as to express in a way not to be misunderstood the Script- 
 
5(1 DETROIT. 
 
 ural teaching on this subject. (Points — The word "convert" 
 in the present text is not used in its technical sense, or, if it is, 
 then the phrase following is not Scriptural.) 
 
 3. That the word " damnation " in Chapter XV., Section 4 ; 
 Chapter XX., Section 1, and Chapter XXXIII., Section 2, be 
 changed to the word •' condemnation." 
 
 4. In Chapter XXIX., Section 9, the attention of the Com- 
 mittee is called to the desirability of obviating misunderstand- 
 ing liable to arise from the assertion of the guilt of ignorant 
 recipients of the elements. The form gives rise to the infer- 
 ence that the ignorant may be a different class from the 
 ungodly. 
 
 5. That the proposed addition of a sentence to Chapter 
 IV., Section 1, be omitted. 
 
 Presbytery instructed the Stated Clerk to report to the 
 Commiftee that a motion to drop Chapter III., Section 3, was 
 lost and the proposed revision was approved by a vote of 26 
 to 4. Attest : E. A. Walker, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF DETROIT. 46. 
 
 The report of the Assembly's Committee on Kevision was 
 taken up seriatim, and, after a spirited and protracted discus- 
 sion, the recommendations were adopted with the following 
 exceptions : 
 
 Chapter 1, Section 5. Of the Holy Scriptures. The amend- 
 ment is a statement of external evidence; the sentence in 
 which it is placed is a statement of internal evidence of the 
 truth of Scripture. We recommend that it be incorporated 
 with the first sentence of the section that it may read : 
 
 '' We may be moved and induced by the testimonj' of the 
 church, the truthfulness of the history and the faithful witness 
 of prophecy and miracle to a high and reverent esteem for the 
 Holy Scriptures." Unanimous. 
 
 Chapter III. Of God's Eternal Decree. Section 3. In- 
 sert after the word " predestinated " the phrase, " in Christ.'" 
 Majority vote. 
 
 Strike out the phrase " some of mankind " and substitute 
 " a great multitude which no man can number." Unanimous. 
 
DBTEOIT. 57 
 
 Section 4. Strike out the last sentence beginning •' neither 
 are any other redeemed, etc., etc." Majority. 
 
 Section 5. Strike out the whole section and substitute the 
 ibllowing : 
 
 The decrees of God concerning mankind are to be so con- 
 strued as to be in harmony with these declarations of Scripture, 
 viz., that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole 
 world; that God is not willing that any should perish, but that 
 all should come to repentance and life, and that God so loved 
 the world that He gave His only begotten Son ; that whoso- 
 ever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting 
 life. Majority. 
 
 Chapter IV. Of Creation. Section 1. We disapprove, and 
 express our preference for the reading in the old section with 
 the striking out of the words, " or make ot nothing." Majority. 
 
 Chapter VI. Of the Fall of Man, etc. Section 4. We ap- 
 prove the first sentence. We disapprove of the rest of the 
 section as more properly belonging to Chapter (XVI.) XVIII., 
 Section 7, and recommend that its substance be incorporated 
 with that part of the Confession. Unanimous. 
 
 Chapter VII. Of God's Covenant with Man. Section 3. We 
 disapprove the insertion of the phrase "by His word and 
 Spirit" as misleading and confusing, inasmuch as it seems to 
 make the means a part of the covenant and transfers to the 
 word and Spirit what exclusively belongs to Christ. Majority. 
 
 Chapter IX. Of the Work of the Holy Spirit. The Title. 
 Strike out the phrase " of the work." Unanimous. 
 
 Section 1. We approve with the insertion of the words, 
 " proceeding from the Father and the Son," after the word 
 " Trinity." Unanimous. 
 
 Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5. We disapprove and recommend the 
 entire recasting of these sections : 1. The matter of the second 
 section belongs more properly to Chapter I. of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. 2. They lack comprehensiveness, omitting many of the 
 most conspicuous works of the Holy Spirit, as instanced in the 
 old Confession. 3. They seem sometimes extra-biblical, as 
 when they attribute " grace " to Him who, in Scripture, is uni- 
 versally represented as the agent of the Father and the Son. 
 
58 DETROIT. 
 
 4. They make loose and unauthorized statements, as when the 
 Holy Spirit is said to "lead all believers into all truth." 
 Unanimous. 
 
 Chapter X. Of Free Will. Sections. Strikeout all after 
 " ability of will " to " by his own strength." Thus amended 
 we approve. Majority. 
 
 Chapter XL 01' the Universal Offer of the Gospel. Title. 
 Strike out "of the universal offer."' 
 
 Section 4. Strike out all after the words, " it is therefore 
 the duty," as sermonic and not confessional. Thus amended 
 we approve. Unanimous. 
 
 Chapter XII. Of Effectual Calling. Section 3. Insert the 
 word " elect " before the word " persons." Strike out the phrase 
 " from birth to death." Thus amended we approve. Majority. 
 
 Section 4. Strike out "elected" and substitute "effect- 
 ually called." 
 
 Strike out "they" in the expression, "they cannot be saved," 
 as ungrammatical. Thus amended we approve. Unanimous. 
 
 Chapter XXY Of the Civil Magistrate. Section 3. We 
 approve : With the overture that the Assembly's Committee 
 be instructed to prepare an additional section for the consider- 
 ation of the Presbyteries concerning the responsibilities of 
 national life and administration to the laws of God. Unani- 
 mous. 
 
 Chapter XXVI. Of Marriage and Divorce. Section 3. 
 Insert " Papists " after " Infidels." Thus amended we approve. 
 Unanimous. 
 
 Chapter XXXI. Of the Lord's Supper. Section 2. Strike 
 out " Roman Catholic " and insert " Romish." Thus amended 
 we approve. Unanimous. 
 
 The Presbytery of Detroit thus acting, as requested by the 
 General Assembly, would, nevertheless, reiterate its expression 
 to the General Assembly of 1890, preferring that the Westmin- 
 ster Confession of Faith be retained untouched as an historic 
 document, and that speedy steps be taken for presenting to the 
 church the consensus creed. 
 
 Wm. a. McCorkle, Stated Clerk. 
 
DUBUQUE. 59 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF DUBUQUE.* 
 
 The Committee on the Revision of the Confession of Faith 
 presented its report, which was received and adopted, and is 
 as follows : 
 
 Your Committee, to which was referred the proposed 
 revision of the Confession of Faith, begs leave to report : 
 
 After careful examination of the proposed revision, your 
 Committee finds the work in the main unobjectionable and 
 worthy of approval. The Church, as voiced in her Presby- 
 teries, demanded changes in our Confession, but under well 
 defined restrictions. General Assembly's Committee ot 
 twenty-five addressed itself to its work with commendable 
 zeal, and, thus far, has executed it with marked wisdom and 
 ability. 
 
 2. Nevertheless, your Committee is constrained to submit 
 to Presbytery certain changes in the proposed revised Con- 
 fession to which it must object. Some of these consist of the 
 substitution of weaker expressions of doctrinal statements 
 than those found in the present Confession, to the lowering, 
 we fear, of the truths involved. Of this kind is the change in 
 Chapter XVI., Article 7, where the works of the unregenerate 
 are now described as sinful, but in the new changed into " are not 
 free from sin." In the opinion of your Committee the word sin- 
 ful is abundantly sustained by Scripture, e. g. Gen. 6, 5, 
 Rom. 8:7-8, and by the nature of sin, which must ever take 
 into account the relation of the agent to God, and his state of 
 heart before Him. In the like spirit, Chapter IX., which now 
 reads, " The natural man, being altogether averse from that 
 good," is changed into " is indisposed to." So weakening the 
 inspired statement, " The carnal mind is enmity against God," 
 " so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." This 
 may seem the most likely method to remove prejudice against 
 religion ; but its only effect will be to make a soft bed for the 
 the self-righteous, lower the demands of the law and render 
 apprehension of the need of regeneration more difficult. It 
 will be seen that the proposed change " are not free from sin " 
 is also applicable to the good works of the righteous. Far 
 
00 DUBUQUE. 
 
 better that the Confession, Chapter XYI., Article 7, remain 
 unchanged, or if it must be changed, let all substitution for 
 "sinful" be omitted. 
 
 3. The one chapter in the revised Confession, to which we 
 most earnestly object, is that on Effectual Calling. In the 
 opinion of your Committee the work of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Sections 3 and 4 is open to the following objections : 
 
 1. It fails to remove an ambiguity fully recognized by all 
 students of the Confession. In our present Confession these 
 sections describe four different classes, of which two will be 
 saved and the other two will be unsaved. The former class 
 consisting of " elect infants " and " other elect persons who are 
 incapable of being outwardly called." Who are these 
 incapables ? Are they idiots and like imbeciles ? or are they 
 heathen only, as Dr. Shedd and many others maintain ? or are 
 they both ? i. e., does the word incapable only refer to 
 incapacity of mind ? or does it rather mean incapacity of cir- 
 cumstances? or does it cover both? Under the present Con 
 fession no dangerous consequences follow from this uncer 
 tainty and consequent ambiguity, seeing the word elect is a 
 safeguard against such. In the proposed Confession no such 
 safeguard exists. The word all, removes all limitation ; hence, 
 if the language is descriptive of incapacity of circumstances, 
 the persons spoken of are the heathen, '{v'ho, from birth to 
 death, never heard of C^hrist. Then the doctrine of the 
 revised Confession is, that all heathen who never heard the 
 Gospel are saved. Surely such a doctrine, if accepted, would 
 present a powerful motive for leaving the unchristianized 
 world in utter darkness of the Gospel, and would greatly 
 retard missionary efforts. Nothing should appear in our sym- 
 bols that can be construed into teachings so dangerous, or that 
 will tend to give aid and comfort to those unfriendly to foreign 
 missions. Some of your Committee have submitted the sec- 
 tion, now under consideration, to persons of different gifts and 
 training, and without expressing any opinion, have asked 
 them, what this teaches about the heathen? The uniform 
 answer has been that those, who never had the opportunity to 
 hear the Gospel, will be saved. 
 
DUBUQUE. 61 
 
 Another and equally important question is this : Who are 
 they of the fourth class, described as " not professing the true 
 i-eligion," etc.? Who are these? The heathen? Or, as some 
 maintain, men like Mill, Hume, Martineau, who live in Chris- 
 tian lands, reject the Gospel and instead diligently frame their 
 lives according to the light of nature. 
 
 If the second of the four classes be the heathen, this last 
 must be something other than the heathen, viz. : self-sufficient 
 moralists, who are diligent to frame their lives according to 
 the light of nature and the law of that religion they do pro- 
 fess. If this last is the class referred to, then the proposed 
 change is revolutionary and alarming. 
 
 The change proposed in connection with this fourth class is 
 very significant and ominous. We do not affirm that any of 
 the Committtee fully comprehended the far-reaching doctrinal 
 consequences of this proposed change as read in the sense 
 just stated, and in which sense the present Confession has been 
 often understood by our ablest textual critics. Our present 
 Confession distinctly teaches that this fourth class cannot " be 
 saved in any other way whatsoever," except they " truly come 
 to Christ," and with the greatest emphasis wisely adds, "to 
 assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious and to 
 be detested." The new Confession carefully avoids any such 
 prediction. Instead, it presents us with an abstract statement 
 that neither is there salvation "in any other way than by 
 Christ through the Spirit." Here personal coming to Christ 
 is not the one thing necessary, but rather Christ through the 
 Spirit, as if designed to endorse such opinions as those that 
 would place Martineau & Co. among the faithful. Your Com- 
 mittee regards such change at the present time, especially, 
 perilous and to be avoided. 
 
 2. Your Committee objects to the omission of the word 
 elect, in the above sections, for the following reasons: a. 
 The word and the thought which it express are pre-eminently 
 scriptural. In both Testaments God so expresses Himself. 
 The Presbyterian Church has never been ashamed of this 
 word ; she has rather gloried in it as one of her banner words. 
 We know nothing that should change her attitude now to this 
 
62 DUBUQUE. 
 
 word or the doctrine it expresses, h. The clause, as it now 
 stands, is accurate in fact and form. It cannot be denied that 
 all who are saved are elected, and all who are elected will be 
 saved. Hence it is strictly true that elect infants will be 
 saved, c. The logical connection of this clause and entire 
 sentence, to the foregoing, demands this word or its equiv- 
 alent. The main thought is how God saves His elect. In the 
 preceding sections we learn how God saves those elect persons 
 who hear the Gospel, and now it remains to teach how the 
 remaining portion of the elect are saved, cl. The use of this 
 word, as applied to infants, gives prominence to the truth 
 that infants are not saved because of their innocence or aught 
 else than the sovereign love of God. e. The omission of the 
 word, elect, is not warranted by the misrepresentations which 
 have been urged against our doctrine of the salvation of 
 infants. There is a better and safer way to rid ourselves of 
 such misrepresentations on the part of honest lovers of truth, 
 and others should not influence us. f. The expression, elect 
 infants are regenerated, etc., does not imply that there are 
 non-elect infants, who are not regenerated. Such a construc- 
 tion is contrary to the plainest principles of logic. When it 
 is said helpless infants require care, it is not implied that any 
 infants are not helpless ; but rather that because helpless, 
 they need care. When as in our A. V. Eliphaz asks, " Shall 
 mortal man be more just than God?" he did not mean that 
 some men are immortal, but rather that, seeing they are 
 mortal, it is the more obvious that they cannot be purer than 
 God. In like manner the word elect infants may be descript- 
 ive of the whole class and yet give a cause for the predicate 
 rather than a limitation of the subject. 
 
 Lastly, we, your Committee, object to the substitution of 
 the word " all " for " elect ;' in both parts of Section 3. Your 
 Committee fails to find any statement or principle in Holy 
 Scripture that warrants the dogmatic statement of the salva- 
 tion of all infants. No argument hitherto advanced in sup- 
 port of this necessitates such an article of faith. The most 
 that should be affirmed is that the Bible gives good grounds 
 for such an opinion; but there are other views, held by multi 
 
DULUTH. 63 
 
 tudes of students of the Bible, fairly within the realm of 
 Christian liberty. It is contrary to the principles of Protest- 
 anisni and the liberty of the Gospel to lay down as an article 
 of faith what cannot be proved from Scripture. 
 
 Your Committee would prefer these , sections to remain 
 unchanged and guard against all unjust and injurious inter- 
 pretations by an explanatory note, stating that the expression 
 "elect infants" is not intended to imply that there are any 
 non-elect, but are ready to consent to some change such as is 
 suggested in the following recommendations : 
 
 It is recommended that the following modifications in the 
 proposed revised Confession of Faith be forwarded to the 
 Committee on Revision, as expressing the earnest judgment 
 of the Presbytery of Dubuque in regard to the changes pro- 
 posed. 
 
 1. That Chapter XVI. (Old), Section 1, remain unchanged. 
 
 2. That the second clause of Chapter XXL, Section 3, be 
 omitted, and that the whole section read as follows : " Infants 
 dying in infancy, are, according to the purpose of grace, 
 regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who 
 worketh when and where, and how He pleaseth. 
 
 W. O. RusTON, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PKESBYTEEY OF DULUTH.* 
 
 Recognizing the eminent ability and wisdom displayed in 
 the Report of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision, 
 yet Presbyterj' would venture to suggest the following amend- 
 ments : 
 
 Report of Assembly's Committee, p. 13. Decree. Chapter 
 III, Section 3. In line 4 substitute for " some of mankind " 
 the words " a multitude which no man can number," and omit 
 all from the word " love " at the end of line 6 to the word 
 "thereunto " inclusive, at the end of line 9. 
 
 Section 5, p. 15. In line 4 substitute the word " leave " for 
 the word " ordain." 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3, p. 17. Covenant. After the word 
 " salvation " in line 5 substitute the clause " upon the sole con- 
 dition that they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
64 EAST FLORIDA. 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3, p. 23. Free Will. For " indisposed," 
 in italics, replace the words " averse from.'" 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 2, p. 27. Effectual Calling. Strike 
 out from the word " not " in line 2 to the word " regeneration " 
 inclusive in line 3, and in line 4 substitute " man " for " he." 
 
 Section 2, (old) p. 2fi. Substitute "all" for "elect" (in 
 old book. Chapter X,) and omit "elect" before "persons" in 
 line 4, and so amended retain the old Section 3. 
 
 Section 4, p. 27. In line 1 substitute for " others " the 
 words " other persons." 
 
 Chapter XXVIL, Section 6, p. 35. Substitute : " There is 
 no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 the claim of any other to that position is without warrant in 
 Scripture or in fact, and a usurpation dishonoring to the name 
 and authority of Jesus Christ." 
 
 Chapter XXXI., Section 2, p. 37. Lord's Supper. Omit 
 
 " Roman Catholic." 
 
 James A. Paige, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF EAST FLORIDA. 46. 
 
 The following paper was read and unanimously adopted : 
 
 In formulating a confession, or in revising one already in 
 existence, there are two fundamental considerations to be kept 
 in view : 1. That the confession should state the truths con- 
 tained in the word of God. 2. That these truths should be 
 expressed in their right harmonj^ and proportion. 
 
 There are other things that it should state, facts rather than 
 inferences ; that it should be plain, clear and brief as possible, 
 which are desirable — but these are essential. 
 
 The Westminster confession as it stands is a monument of 
 clear, earnest desire to state the truths of the Bible, and to give 
 prominence to essential truth, even though it should bear hard 
 on the ideas of the natural man. For grand and clear definition, 
 it will perhaps remain unsurpassed. But it is not strange that 
 the faults of all human productions have found an entrance in 
 its statements. In that very fact is an argument for inspired 
 
EAST FLORIDA. 65 
 
 statement in which there is no error. The great fault, and that 
 which, more than all other, needs revision, is the failing to 
 put the truth in the right harmony and proportion. 
 
 It seems proper that the Confession should begin, as it does, 
 with its testimony respecting the scriptures, and then that it 
 should speak of the being and attributes of God. But, having 
 gone thus far, what should come next? Some would take up 
 the doctrines in Biblical order, as, " Creation," " Providence," 
 " The Fall," " The Covenant," etc. This is the order in part of 
 the Confession. If it had been adhered to fully, the natural 
 place for election would have been after the calling of Abra- 
 ham. They, however, varied from this order, with the appa- 
 rent purpose of emphasizing what seemed to them the great 
 doctrine, or central truth, of revelation after speaking of the 
 Scriptures, and the Being of God, and that is God's eternal de- 
 cree. Perhaps to them in that age, and with the controversies 
 which then existed, this may have seemed the proper thing to 
 do. But it is obviously a mistake, and the sooner it is ac- 
 knowledged and rectified the better. Were we to ask the 
 Christian thought of this generation, what is the central idea 
 which God had in revelation, there would be but little hesi- 
 tancy in agreeing on the statement that it was the redemption 
 of lost man. And so, after speaking of the Scriptures and of 
 God, if we wish to emphasize some truth, which should be as 
 a key note to the whole confession, it would not be the eternal 
 decree, but the wondrous plan of redemption. In some form 
 the title and the whole chapter should be altered, not so as to 
 eliminate the doctrine of election, but to put it in its j)i"oper 
 relation to the great central fact of God's love in sending His 
 Son. The love of God is the ai'ch which spans the chasm be- 
 tween Heaven and lost man, while the abutments which sus- 
 tain and make it effectual, are his character and purpose. Let 
 each truth stand in its proper place and relation, otherwise we 
 obscure their lustre and hinder their progress. 
 
 It is not easy to construct a new chapter, which will har- 
 moniously fit into its place in an old and symmetrically formed 
 document, but better many incongruities than perpetuate the 
 putting of truth out of its just proportion. 
 
66 EAST FLORIDA. 
 
 The lollowing chapter is submitted as an attempt to meet 
 the central thought which should be stated after the chapter 
 on the Scriptures and the being of God, if we follow the gen- 
 eral plan of the Confession. Doubtless modifications will be 
 needed, but the thing arrived at will be best seen by putting 
 the idea in form even if that form be imperfect. Chapter III., 
 " God's wondrous plan in the redemption of man." 
 
 I. God as a Sovereign Infinite in His plans and purposes, 
 governs all things according to counsel of His own will, yet, so 
 far as he has revealed Himself in His word, the great end 
 which he has proposed to Himself is the redemption of man 
 through His Son Jesus Christ. 
 
 II. In carrying out this purpose, the way was prepared by 
 a long course of discipline and instruction with His chosen 
 people under the old dispensation. Type, sacrifice, and 
 prophecy pointed to Him who was to be the great Deliverer. 
 
 III. In the fullness of time Christ came, making full 
 atonement for sin, and placing Himself as the head of a new 
 race, united to Him by faith, and over whom He is to reign as 
 Head and King forever. 
 
 IV. As all men through the fall are dead in trespasses 
 and sins, and left to themselves neither would or could have 
 turned from their evil ways, God chose Abraham and his seed 
 as a type of those whom afterwards he called to be saints, 
 (Rom. 1:7). 
 
 V. Those thus chosen in Christ and who by virtue of that 
 choice and their union to him are justified and also glorified, 
 (Rom. 8:30), are called by the Holy Spirit through the presen- 
 tation of the Gospel message and yet so that no violence is 
 otfei-ed to the will of the creature. 
 
 VI. How the purpose of God and the freedom of responsi 
 bility of the creature are preserved are to be left as one of the 
 inscrutable mysteries, not only of grace, but of God's provi- 
 dential government. We believe in the election of God and 
 yet in grace as in nature, he that does not sow, shall not reap. 
 The offer of the Gospel is free to all, and the condemnation of 
 those who do not accept is that which Christ himself ex- 
 pressed, " ye will not come to me that ye might have life " 
 (John .5:40). ' 
 
EAST OREGON. 67 
 
 VII. It is not for us to enquire with too much curiosity, 
 whether many or few are saved, (Luke 13:23 and 24), yet this 
 appears that all who come to Christ by faith belong to his 
 chosen people; and that this includes those who believed in 
 the promises respecting Him before he came, and from the 
 example of the Ninevites we also hope that it includes those 
 who guided by the light of nature repent of sin and trust in 
 the mercy of God. And fi-om Christ's love for little children 
 and His saying that of such are the Kingdom of Heaven, (Matt. 
 18:3 and 19:13), we are warranted in the belief that all dying 
 in infancy are saved through his atoning blood. If to any this 
 hope respecting the heathen and infants seems too positive, 
 this is certain that at the last the redeemed will be a great 
 multitude, whom no man can number, (Rev. 7:9). And that 
 the whole plan \\ill in the ages to come show the exceeding 
 riches of God's grace in his kindness towards us through Christ 
 Jesus, (Eph 2:7). 
 
 VIII. As this redemption through Christ is man's only 
 hope of salvation, the first duty of those to whom it is made 
 known is to accept. Failure to do so is the great sin under the 
 Gospel. A second duty incumbent especially on believers is 
 to proclaim this Gospel to every creature, until the Kingdom 
 of Christ shall be extended throughout the whole earth. 
 
 Sections 7 and 8 are intended to cover in part the ground 
 taken in Chapter X., on effectual calling, and also the new 
 chapter on the universal offer of the Gospel. The latter has 
 been formed to balance Chapter III., as it now stands. That 
 chapter if amended in some such way as suggested, would 
 hardly leave any necessity for the new chapter, and it could at 
 least be abridged. j. k. Wight, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF EAST OREGON. 46. 
 
 Touching the subject of revision, the following action was 
 taken : 
 
 Resolved^ That in view of the complication of the subject 
 of revision, and the great diversity of sentiment on the whole 
 question, we recommend the preparation of a supplementary 
 
6s EBENEZER. 
 
 creed, simple and brief, to express tiie fundamental doctrines 
 of Christianity to which subscription shall be given by our 
 ministers and ruling elders, leaving our Westminster confession 
 as a venerable symbol of the past, and as a monument of past 
 struggle and success. x. C. Armstrong, Stated Clerk. 
 
 Having carefully considered the report of the Committee 
 on Revision sent to it by the General Assembly of 1891, re- 
 spectfully makes the following suggestions, viz. : 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5. No criticism. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. No criticism, except that the words 
 " not on account of" be substituted for the word " without." 
 
 C'hapter III., Section 5. Strike out "was pleased" and 
 " not to elect unto everlasting life, but to," so that the first 
 half of the section will read : " The rest of mankind, God, ac- 
 cording to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby 
 He extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, ordained 
 to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glori- 
 ous justice." 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. We prefer the old section. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4, Chapter VII., Sections 3, 4, 5, Chap- 
 ter VIII., Section 5. No criticism. 
 
 Chapter IX. Omit the words "of the work" of the Holy 
 Spirit in the title. 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3. No criticism. 
 
 Chapter XI. Omit " universal "" in the title. 
 
 Chapter XII , Sections 2 and 4. No criticism. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3. Amend so as to read : "All per- 
 sons chosen unto eternal life that are incapable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the word, are redeemed by 
 Christ and regenerated by the Spirit, who worketh when, and 
 where, and how He pleaseth." 
 
 Chapter XIII., Sections 1, 3, Chapter XIV., Section 1. No 
 criticism. 
 
 Chapter XVIII., Section 7. Omit from the Confession en- 
 tirelv. 
 
ELIZABETH. 69 
 
 Chapter XXIII., Section 4, Chapter XXIV., Section 7, Chap- 
 XXY., Section 3, Chapter XXVI., Section 3, Chapter XXVIL, 
 Section 6. No criticism. 
 
 Chapter XXXI., Section 2. Amend so as to read : " The 
 Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass is dishon- 
 oring to Christ's one only sacrifice for sin and injurious to the 
 souls of men." , 
 
 Chapter XXXII., Section 2. No criticism. 
 
 The vote was taken section by section, and was practically 
 unanimous. 
 
 Done in Lexington, Kentucky, September 30, 1891. 
 
 James P. Hendkiok, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF ELIZABETH. 47. 
 
 The Presbytery of Elizabeth having considered the report 
 of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision, sent down 
 to the Presbyteries by the General Assembly of 1891, would 
 respectfully report : 
 
 1. Presbytery desires to express its cordial approbation, in 
 general, of the work accomplished by the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Revision. 
 
 2. We are of the opinion that the new Chapters IX. and 
 XL, of the Revision, being " Of the Work of the Holy Spirit,'' 
 and "Of the Universal Ofi'er of the Gospel," present most 
 Scriptural doctrine and facts, and constitute a valuable addition 
 to the Confession of Faith. 
 
 3. While it is altogether probable that if the members of 
 the Presbytery were to express in full their individual views 
 quite a number of emendations would be suggested in the 
 various parts of the Committee's Report, nevertheless in view 
 of the possible effect of the suggestion of many changes, most 
 of them not of vital importance, as rendering less probable the 
 final adoption of any Revision of the Confession of Faith, Pres- 
 bytery contents itself with offering the following amendments 
 to-wit : 
 
 1. That Section 5, of Chapter III, of the proposed Revis- 
 ion be stricken out, as containing declarations which may serve 
 to perpetuate controversy in the Presbyterian Church, and 
 
70 EMPOEIA. 
 
 which are not so clearly revealed in the word of God as to be 
 essential in a statement of doctrine as held by the Calvinistic 
 or Reformed Church. 
 
 2. That Section 3, of Chapter XII., be amended by striliing 
 out the words " all infants dying in infancy and all other 
 persons " and insert in their place the words " all other elect 
 persons." 
 
 3. That Section 6, of Chapter XXVII. , be amended by 
 striking out the words beginning with " and the claim of the 
 Pope of Rome," to the end of the sentence. 
 
 Adopted by the Presbytery of Elizabeth in session at 
 Bergen Point, N. J., October 7, 1891. 
 
 Samuel Parry, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP EMPORIA. 48. 
 
 Your Committee to whom was referred the matter of the 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith respectfully report that 
 they have examined the same and have unanimously agreed 
 to, and do hereby recommend the approval of the report of the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision, as found in the Minutes 
 of the General Assembly, and that the following further 
 changes be made : 
 
 I. Strike out last clause of Section 3, Chapter XXIX., viz.: 
 " but to none who are not then present in the congregation." 
 
 II. Strike out the word "all" in Chapter VI., Section 6, 
 in the clause " all miseries," etc. 
 
 III. While the changes in Chapter III. and old Chapter 
 X. are much preferable to the old version, yet the Presbytery 
 of Emporia recommends to the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee that they go further and eliminate from the whole Con- 
 fession all expressions that give any ground for the idea that 
 God, for the good pleasure of His will, has foreordained or 
 predestinated any person or class of persons to dishonor, wrath 
 and everlasting death, and that especially the two words, " not 
 elected," in Section 1, new Chapter XII., be omitted, that the 
 statement may be made clear that men are not lost because 
 they are not elect, but only because of their sins. 
 
ERIE -FARGO. 71 
 
 The above is a correct copy, from the Minutes of Emporia 
 Presbytery, of the record of the action of the Presbytery on 
 
 ^^^^s^o"- Jno. H. Bright, Stated Clerk. 
 
 ■^5 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ERIE. 48. 
 
 The Presbytery of Erie, in session at Jamestown, Pa., Sep- 
 tember 9, 1891, considered the revision of the Confession of 
 Faith, recommended by the General Asssembly's Committee 
 on the same. 
 
 The Revision was taken up seriatim, read and approved 
 with the following exceptions : 
 
 In C'hapter TIL, Section 5, I'ecommend to amend by insert- 
 ing after " neither is," " it to be inferred that the number of 
 these is large in comparison with the number of the elect, 
 nor is." 
 
 In Chapter IV., recommend to retain the old Section 1, 
 instead of the revised. 
 
 In (new) Chapter X., Section 3, recommend to strike out 
 the last or italicized sentence, and express the thought where 
 it belongs, by amending (old) Chapter IX., Section 1, to read 
 thus : " God hath endued the will of man with that natural 
 liberty which makes him a free and responsible moral being 
 and as such he is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity 
 of nature determined to good or evil." 
 
 In (new) Chapter XXVII., Section 6, recommend to strike 
 out all after the first clause. 
 
 In (new) Chapter XXXI., Section 2, recommend to strike 
 out all after the word, " same." 
 
 Eecommend to strike out entirely Chapter (XXX.) 
 XXXII., Section 2. 
 
 These proposed amendments were agreed to with great 
 unanimity. Amzi Wilson, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF FARGO. 50. 
 
 The Presbytery of Fargo, having originally asked for the 
 minimum of revision, and believing, after the tentative work 
 of revision has been done, that.it is impracticable to go farther. 
 
72 FARGO. 
 
 would hereby express itself as averse to farther attempting to 
 alter, amend, or in any respect change the Westminster 
 Standards. 
 
 Its first preference is to allow these valuable and venerable 
 documents to stand for all that they represent of truth, 
 majesty, and fidelity to the teachings of the sacred Scriptures, 
 and in all the historic importance of which they are possessed, 
 unimpaired and untouched; and that for popular use, a brief 
 yet comprehensive statement of our doctxines be formulated, 
 to meet the exigencies of the Church and the times as they 
 now exist. 
 
 If, however, it is inevitable that revision must follow, then 
 secondly, as a Presbytery we suggest emendations as follows : 
 
 In Chapters I. and II. of the Confession add, after th^ 
 enumeration of the sacred books, the following : " All these 
 are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and 
 practice, and are, therefore, to be reverently received by all as 
 the infallible word ol' God — the utterances of the Holy Spirit 
 — and therefore authoritative and final in all matters pertain- 
 ing to faith and life," and by striking out the closing words of 
 the section beginning with "all" and ending with ''life." 
 
 Amend Section 5 of the Revision, by inserting after the 
 word " Church " the following words : " the truthfulness of the 
 history and the faithful witness of prophecy and miracles," so 
 as to read, " we may be moved and induced by the testimony 
 of the Church, the truthfulness of the history, and the faithful 
 witness of prophecy and miracles, to an high and reverent 
 esteem for the Holy Scriptures, and the heavenliness of the 
 matter, etc. 
 
 Amend Chapter III., Section 3, of the Revision, by insert- 
 ing after " predestinated," the following words, viz : '' An in- 
 numerable company," and strike out •' some." 
 
 Amend (6) 4, of the Confession, by striking out the last 
 sentence beginning with "neither" and ending with "only." 
 
 Amend 5, of the Revision, by changing " was pleased " to 
 " saw fit." 
 
 Amend IV., 1, of the Revision, by omitting the last sen- 
 tence beginning with " The " and ending with " days." 
 
FARGO. 1 6 
 
 Amend VI., 4, of the Revision, by inserting the word "per- 
 sonal " before " social," striking out •' nevertheless," and trans- 
 fer all this part of the section to Chapter XVIII. "Of Good 
 Works." 
 
 In X., 3, of the Revision, substitute "inclination" for 
 " ability." 
 
 In (X.) XII., 1, of the Confession, strike out the words, 
 " and those only." 
 
 Section 2 we prefer to read : " This effectual call is of God's 
 free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen 
 in man, who, being altogether passive therein, is c[uickened 
 and renewed by the Holy Spirit, and is thereby," etc. 
 
 Let (X.) XII., 3, of the Confession, read, "All infants 
 dying in infancy, and such other elect persons as are incapable 
 of," etc., as per revised report. 
 
 In (X.) XII., 4, let "elected" be replaced by "effectually 
 called," and the rest read as suggested by the Committee. 
 
 Let XVIII,. 7, of the Revision, read : " Although works 
 done by regenerate men may be such as God commands, and 
 be of good use to themselves and others ; and although, under 
 his providence and as led by the common operations of his 
 Spirit, they may be restrained from much that is evil, and evi- 
 dence many personal, social, and civil virtues, yet because 
 these works proceed not from a heart purified by faith, nor 
 are done in a right manner, according to the word; nor to a 
 right end, the glory of God ; they are not righteous, and can- 
 not please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from 
 God. And yet their neglect of them is more sinful and dis- 
 pleasing to God." 
 
 In XXVI., 3, of the Revision, strike out "infidels" and 
 substitute " ungodly." 
 
 In XXXL, 2, of the Revision, for " abominably injurious to " 
 substitute " abhorrent and to be repudiated by all who accept 
 
 of." 
 
 This will certify that the above action on Revision was 
 unanimously taken by the Presbytery of Fargo in session in 
 Fargo, North Dakota, November 17, 1891. 
 
 J^Shields Boyd, Stated Clerk. 
 
74 FLINT -FORT DODGE. 
 
 THE PEESBYTERY OE FLINT. 49. 
 
 The Presbytery of Flint does not make any suggestion as 
 to the revision of the Confession of Faith, except in Article 7, 
 Chapter III. (Section 5, R. Y.), which they would prefer to be 
 in the following words : — 
 
 God's eternal decree hindereth no one from accepting 
 Christ, as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel, nor ought it 
 to be so construed as to contradict the declarations of the 
 Scriptui'e that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole 
 world, and that God is not willing that any should perish, but 
 that all should come to repentance. 
 
 Geo. S. Woodhull, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF FORT DODGE. 50. 
 
 On the Report of the General Assembly's Committee on 
 the Revision of the Confession of Faith, the following was 
 adopted : '• We express our cordial and hearty approval of 
 the two new Chapters IX. and XL, on the " Work of the Holy 
 Spirit," and the " Universal Offer of the Gospel," to which 
 might be added, in more direct terms, some reference to the 
 missionary work of the Church, conditioned on the lost con- 
 dition of the heathen world. 
 
 We also approve all those changes in the Confession that 
 give emphasis to the truth that " Christ died for all," and that 
 the atonement He made is sufficient for all. 
 
 We approve the changes made in Chapter HI. " Of God's 
 Eternal Decree," and would be pleased to have the Committee 
 go still further, and to eliminate from the Confession all 
 expressions that give any ground for the idea that God, for the 
 good pleasure of His will, has ordained any to dishonor and 
 wrath; and, as may have been done in the words, ''not elected," 
 Chapter XII., Section 4, any shadow of the thought that the 
 reason why those who being called by the ministry of the 
 word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, 
 are not saved, is because they are not of the elect. 
 
PORT DODGE -FORT WAYNE. 75 
 
 We approve of the insertion, Chapter VII., Section 3, " By 
 His Word and Spirit," and the other minor changes which the 
 Committee have made, and trust that God may guide them in 
 the future as in the past. 
 
 Wm. M. Evans, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF FORT WAYNE. 50. 
 
 " We have gone carefully over the whole report of the Gen- 
 eral Assembly's very able committee, and, while approving of 
 its work in general, would propose the following for your adop- 
 tion : 
 
 Chapter I. The addition in Section 5, proposed by the Gen- 
 eral Assembly's committee, is approved. 
 
 Chapter III. 1. The striking out of Sections 3 and 4. Ap- 
 proved. 2. In new Section 3 for •' some of mankind," we pro- 
 pose the substitution of " an innumerable multitude of man- 
 kind." 3. From new Section 4 eliminate the last sentence, be- 
 ginning with the words " neither are any other," etc. Because, 
 however true in itself, it is an unnecessary stumbling block for 
 the people. 4. In new Section 5 eliminate the words " not to 
 elect unto everlasting life, but," and the pronoun "them" after 
 the word " ordain." Because, while we believe that predesti- 
 nation or election unto everlasting life is a sovereign act of 
 God's goodness, and does not pre-suppose anything whatever 
 in the creature as the cause thereof, we do not believe that the 
 same can be truly said of foreordination to punishment, but 
 punishment necessarily presupposes transgression in the per- 
 sons punished. The rest of the chapter is approved. 
 
 Chapter IV. Eliminate the words " of nothing " in Section 
 1, because it cannot be proved by the Scriptures ; and, if asked 
 what we believe concerning it, we say that we have no opinion 
 on the subject. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4. 1. The addition of the words " that 
 is spiritually good" approved. 2. In place of the other added 
 words, beginning "nevertheless the providence of God," etc., 
 we propose the substitution of the following : " Nevertheless, 
 man in his fallen state possesses a moral nature, and is capa- 
 
th FORT WAYNE. 
 
 ble of exercising many social and civil virtues," because : 1. 
 In the proposed addition of the General Assembly's committee, 
 there appears from the connection to be an implication that 
 the ''social and civil virtues" spoken of are of the same kind 
 as spiritual good, only less in degree, while the words we pro- 
 pose indicate that they are of a different kind. 2. It is a fact 
 that fallen man has a moral natui'e which is capable of high 
 cultivation, totally apart from any knowledge upon his part of 
 spiritual good; and it is a fact that there are distinctive vir- 
 tues. 3. For the rest, the effects of the operation of Providence 
 are described in the chapter under that head ; and the effects 
 of the operation of the Holy Spirit upon unregenerate men are 
 described in the new chapter under that head. 
 
 Chapter A"II., Section 3. 1. The addition of the committee, 
 '• by his word and spirit," approved. 2. We propose, further, 
 the striking out of all after the word " saved," because the new 
 chapter on the Holy Spirit presents the matter truly and fairly, 
 without a stone of stumbling. The other changes, proposed 
 to be made in this (VII.) chapter, approved. 
 
 Chapter VIII. The change proposed in Section 5 approved. 
 New Chapter IX. On Work of Holy Spirit. 1. The addi- 
 tion of the chapter and also the place approved. 2. Sections 1 
 and 2 approved. 3. In Section 3 we desire that the words, 
 "the Lord and Giver of Life," should be stricken, because they 
 are un-Scriptural, the title, " Lord," in the New Testament being 
 appropriated to the Lord Jesus, and He declares Himself to be 
 the Giver of Life. (See John V., et passim.) 4. In Section 4 
 we desire as follows : a. Insert " persuading and enabling them 
 to embrace Him by faith " between " Christ Jesus " and •' regen- 
 erating," leaving out the corresponding clause where it occurs 
 further on, because this is the proper order, b. After " He 
 dwells in all believers" add " by their faith in Christ," because 
 this Scriptural addition makes the subject clearer, c. After the 
 word " comforter " add " strengthener," so as to read, " as their 
 comforter, strengthener, and sanctifier," because of reasons per- 
 fectly apparent to every student of the New Testament, and of 
 the fact that the idea of strengthening is almost, if not alto- 
 gether, dropped out of the English " comforter." d. Strike out 
 
FORT WAYNE. 77 
 
 the words " and as the Spirit of adoption and of supplication," 
 inserting in their place these, " inciting them to prayer," be- 
 cause : 1. The Spirit of adoption is the Spirit of the Son. (See 
 Gal. IV: 6.) 2. Because the Holy Spirit is nowhere in the 
 New Testament called the " Spirit of supplication," and we do 
 not consider that the Old Testament instance gives the expres- 
 sion sufficient prominence for insertion here and in this man- 
 ner, e. Eliminate " all " in the clause ■' leading them into all 
 truth," because, while we believe it to be Scriptural that the 
 Holy Spirit does lead believers into the truth, we understand 
 the promise in its unconnected form to apply only to those in- 
 spired to reveal the holy mysteries to us. We desire that Sec- 
 tion 4 of Chapter IX. read as follows : " Section 4. The Holy 
 Spirit is the only efficient agent in applying and communicat- 
 ing redemption. He effectually calls sinners to new life in 
 Christ Jesus, persuading and enabling them to embrace Him 
 by faith, regenerating them by His almighty grace, and freeing 
 them from the bondage of sin and death. He dwells in all be- 
 lievers by their faith in Christ, as their comforter, strengthener, 
 and sanctifier, inciting them to prayer, leading them into the 
 truth, making the means of grace efficacious in their edifica- 
 tion, strengthening them for all duty, sustaining them in all 
 affliction, and performing all other gracious offices by which 
 they are sanctified, sealed, and made meet for the inheritance 
 of the Saints of life." 5. In Section 5 strike out the last sen- 
 tence. The doctrine is un-Scriptural and erroneous, because : 
 1. It is not the peculiar office of the Holy Spirit to " preserve " 
 the Church ; the triune God preserves the Church. 2. More 
 seriously, it is not the Holy Spirit who will present the Church, 
 the bride of Christ, .to Christ; but Christ will present the 
 Church, His bride, to himself. 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3. 1. The substitution of "indisposed 
 to " for " averse from " approved. 2. After the words added 
 to the close of Section 3, add also there, " and God offers His 
 Holy Spirit to all men to do for them what they cannot do for 
 themselves," or words to that effect. 
 
 iS ew Chapter XL The addition of this chapter " of the uni- 
 versal offer of the Gospel," approved. And the only change 
 
7S FORT WAYNE. 
 
 we have to suggest is a transposition in Section 2 of "' truly re- 
 pent and believe in Him,'' so as to read "believe in Him and 
 truly repent." 
 
 Chapter XII. In place of section 3 amended we decidedly 
 prefer the following : " Infants dying in infancy and other 
 elect persons incapable of being outwardly called by the min- 
 istry of the word, are regenerated and saved by Christ through 
 the Spirit, who worketh where, and when, and how He pleaseth.'' 
 Section 4 as amended is approved, with the exception that we 
 desire to have "because" substituted for "inasmuch as." 
 
 Chapter XIII. The proposed changes in Sections 1 and 2 
 are approved. 
 
 Chapter XVI. 1. In Section 1 the substitution of " sinners " 
 for the word " elect" approved. 2. We also propose to substi- 
 tute " Holy Spirit " for " Spirit of Christ " in this section. 
 
 Chapter XVIII. Section 7, as amended, approved. 
 
 Chapter XXIII. In place of the change proposed by the 
 General Assembly's committee, we would prefer simply to strike 
 out the words " those of whom it may be known that they have 
 sinned ; " make the last clause read, " nor for the sin unto 
 death." 
 
 All the other changes proposed by the General Assembly's 
 committee in Chapter XXV., Section 3, Chapter XXVI. , Sec- 
 tion 3, Chapter XXA^I., Section 6, Chapter XXXI., Sections 
 2 and 8, Chapter XXXII., Section 2, are approved. 
 
 We also propose that the Presbytery overture the General 
 Assembly as follows : " The Presbytery of Fort Wayne, in ad- 
 dition to favoring the revision of the Confession of Faith, which 
 is now in progress, hereby overture the General Assembly to 
 take steps for the formation of a new and brief creed for con- 
 gregational and popular uses. 
 
 The above was adopted section by section by the Presbytery 
 of Fort Wayne. 
 
 M. M. Lawson, Stated Clerk. 
 
FREEPORT - GENNESSEE. 79 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP FREEPORT. 52. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. Omit all of the section beginning 
 with " Without any foresight," etc., except the last clause, and 
 attach to this the clause of Section 5, which is in italics and 
 beginning with, " Yet so as," etc., omitting all the rest of Sec- 
 tion 5. Also omit the word " mere " before "free grace." 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. Omit the last clause beginning 
 with the words. " The Heavens and the earth," etc. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4. Omit all after the word " corrupt- 
 ion" to " do proceed," etc. 
 
 Chapter X.— "Free Will." Introduce the words, "to 
 regenerate or," before the words, " to convert," etc. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 4. Omit last clause, "however dili- 
 gent," etc. 
 
 Chapter XXVII.. Section 6. Strike out all after the words, 
 " Lord Jesus Christ," etc. 
 
 Presbytery recommends that the Committee be requested 
 to re-write the section with reference to the Lord's Supper, 
 stating only the doctrine of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Presbytery passed the following resolution, viz.: 
 
 While Presbytery approves of the Report of the Committee 
 on Revision, with the exceptions noted above, we are strongly 
 of the opinion, with the light we now have, that the most 
 expedient course for the Church to pursue is to set about the 
 formulation of a new and much shorter Confession. 
 
 Thomas A. Robinson, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF 6ENESSEE. * 
 
 Resolved, That the Presbj'tery of Genessee, in answer to 
 the request of the General Assembly for criticism, &c., upon 
 the report of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision, 
 express its satisfaction with said report as it now stands, and 
 its approval of the same as a whole. That this Presbytery 
 would make no criticisms or suggestions, believing that the 
 work of an acceptable revision is assured in the hands of the 
 Committee. Joseph E. Nassau, Stated Clerk. 
 
80 GENEVA. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF GENEVA. 52. 
 
 Your Committee would report that : We have read care- 
 fully, not only the changes proposed by the General Assembly's 
 Committee, but the entire Confession of Faith, and would say 
 that in reading the whole of it continuously from beginning to 
 end, we are impressed with the grandeur and superiority of our 
 old Confession. 
 
 It is a most worthy and lasting tribute to the learning, 
 piety and power, mental and moral greatness of the fathers of 
 the Church, who made it and gave it to the world as a didactic 
 setting forth of the great system of truth taught in the Holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 It was, however, the work of the leaders of the Church in 
 the middle of the seventeenth century, and is in its form and 
 structure better adapted to the wants and condition of the 
 world of that day than this. It is not, therefore, surprising 
 that there should be in the Presbyterian Church a wide-spread 
 call for revision. Such a call does not necessarily signify a 
 departure from the old faith of the Church, nor a lack of con- 
 fidence in and love for the old Confession, but rather a desire 
 to meet more fully the enlarged operations of the Church and 
 the greatly increased intelligence of the world in this last 
 decade of the ninteenth century. In reading together the 
 entire Confession we have often used the word " unnecessary," 
 very rarely the word " untrue." 
 
 Your Committee would further say that we are impressed 
 with the fidelity and excellence of the General Assembly's 
 Committee on Revision. 
 
 Their report shows that they have been true to the instruc- 
 tions of the Assembly, and have fairly represented the pre 
 vailing mind of the Church as expressed in the action of the 
 Presbyteries. 
 
 It is with ditfidence that we offer any criticisms on the work 
 of such men as compose that Committee, but inasmuch as they 
 recommend that the report " be sent down to the Presbyteries 
 for consideration, criticism or amendment," we suggest certain 
 
GENEVA. 81 
 
 alterations ^^ather by way of omission than of amendment. 
 We recommend: 
 
 • 1. That Chapter I., Section 5, of the report of the Assem- 
 bly's Committee, be approved. 
 
 2. That Section 2, of Chapter III., be stricken out, as well 
 as Sections 3 and 4. 
 
 3. That Section 5 become Section 2, and be amended so as 
 to read thus, " God, before the foundation of the world was 
 laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the 
 secret counsel and good pleasure of His will hath predestinated 
 of mankind unto life, a great multitude whom no man can 
 number and hath particularly and unchangeably chosen them 
 in Christ unto everlasting glory out of His mere free grace 
 and love." 
 
 4. That Sections 4 and 5, with certain omissions, become 
 Section 3 and read as follows : ''As God hath appointed the 
 elect unto glory, so hath He, by the eternal and most free 
 purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. 
 Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are 
 redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ 
 by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted and 
 sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation. 
 There is, however, no limitation put upon the offer of salvation 
 to all upon condition of faith in Christ; nor is restraint laid 
 upon the freedom of anyone to hinder his acceptance of this 
 offer." 
 
 5. That Section 6 remain unchanged and become Section 4. 
 
 6. That Chapter IV., Section 1, of the report of the 
 Assembly's (^'ommittee, be approved. 
 
 7. That Chapter VI., Section 4, of the report of the As- 
 sembly's Committee, be stricken out, and that Sections 5 and 6 
 be numbered Sections 4 and 5. 
 
 8. That Chapter VII., Section 3, of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee, be so amended as to read : " Man, by his fall, having 
 made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was 
 pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of 
 grace ; wherein He freely offereth by His word and Spirit unto 
 sinners, life and salvation l)y Jesus Christ, requiring of them 
 
S2 GENEVA. 
 
 laith in Htm, that (hey may be saved, and promising to give 
 His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." 
 
 That Section 4 be stricken out and that Sections 5 and 6 be 
 numbered -t and 5, and that the- phrases " and is called the Old 
 Testament" and '-and is called the New Testament" be 
 stricken out as recommended in the report of the Assembly's 
 Committee. 
 
 i1. That Chapter VIII., Section 5, of the report of the 
 Assembly's Committee, be so amended as to read : " The 
 Lord Jesus by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, 
 which He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, 
 hath J'ully satisfied Divine justice and thus made propitiation 
 for the sins of the whole world. 
 
 That Chapter VIII., Section 8, of the Confession of Faith, 
 be so amended as to read thus : " To all those whom the 
 Father hath given to him in the Covenant of Redemption, 
 Christ doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate 
 the benefits thereof," &c. 
 
 10. That Chapter IX., " Of the Work of the Holy Spirit," 
 of the report of the Assembly's Committee, be approved. 
 
 11. That Chapter X., " Of Free Will," Section 3, of the 
 report of the Assembly's Committee, be amended so as to 
 read thus : " Man, by his fall, into a state of sin, being 
 altogether indisposed to any spiritual good accompanying 
 salvation and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to 
 convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. Yet is his 
 responsibility as a free moral agent not thereby impaired." 
 
 12. That Chapter XL, "Of the Universal Offer of the 
 Gospel," as recommended by the Assembly's Committee, be 
 approved. 
 
 13. That in Chapter XII., Section 1, " Of Eff'ectual Call- 
 ing," the words " and those only " be stricken out, and that the 
 words "Almighty grace " be substituted for "Almighty power." 
 
 That Sections 2 and 4 be stricken out. That Section 3, of 
 the Assembly's Committee, be approved and become Section 2. 
 
 14. That Chapter XIIL, " Of Justification," Sections 1 and 
 3, of the report of the Assembly's Committee, be approved. 
 
GENEVA. 83 
 
 15. That Chapter (XIV.) XVI., Section 1, of the report of 
 the Assembly's Committee, be approved. 
 
 16. That Chapter (XVI.) XVIII., Section 7, of the report 
 of the Assembly's Committee, be so amended that the last 
 clause shall read: "They are, therefore, insufficient and 
 cannot be accepted of God in place of faith in Jesus Christ." 
 
 17. That in Chapter (XVII.) XIX., Section 2, of the Con- 
 fession of faith, the words " not upon their own free will but " 
 be stricken out. 
 
 18. That Chapter (XXI.) XXIII., Section 4, of the report 
 of the xlssembly's Committee, be so modified as to read : 
 " Prayer is to be made for all things lawful ; for the forgive- 
 ness of sin, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live 
 hereafter ; but not for the dead." 
 
 19. That from Chapter (XXII.) XXIV., Section 7, of the 
 report of the Assembly's Committee, the entire sentence which 
 follows the words " from God " be omitted. 
 
 20. That Chapter (XXIII.) XXV., Section 3, of the report 
 of the Assembly's Committee, be approved. Also that 
 Chapter (XXIV.) XXVI. be approved. 
 
 21. That Section 6, of Chapter (XXV.) XX VII., as 
 amended by the Assembly's Committee, read thus : " There is 
 no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Chi-ist." The 
 remaining part being stricken out. 
 
 22. That in Section 2, of Chapter (XXIX.) XXXL, as 
 amended by the Assembly's Committee on page 37, the fol- 
 lowing words be stricken out : " So that the Eoman Catholic 
 doctrine oi' the Sacrifice of the Mass is most abominably 
 injurious to Christ's only sacrifice for sin." 
 
 That Section 8, of the report of the Assembly's Committee, 
 be approved, the word '' spiritually " being inserted before the 
 word " ignorant " both in the former and latter sentence. 
 
 23. That Chapter (XXX.) XXXII. , of the report, of the 
 Assembly's Committee, be approved, save that the opening 
 sentence should be changed so as to read : " To these officers 
 the keys of the visible kingdom of God on earth are com- 
 mitted, etc." 
 
84 GENEVA -GRAND RAPIDS. 
 
 Your Committee would further report, recommending that 
 the Presliyterv of Geneva express the hope that the work of 
 revision be completed on the basis of the report of their Com- 
 mittee together with the suggestions to be made by the Pres- 
 byteries. And. after such completion, that a short Confession 
 containing the essentials of the Christian faith be prepared 
 and published for popular use in all our churches. 
 
 The above report was adopted. 
 
 I hereby certify that at a meeting of the Presbytery of 
 Geneva, held at Geneva, N. Y., November 9, 1891, the above 
 action was taken relating to the Revision of the Confession of 
 Faith. J WiLFORD Jacks, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF GRAND RAPIDS. 53. 
 
 The Presbytery of Grand Rapids would respectfully report 
 the following action on your Report to the Assembly of 1891 : 
 
 That we are much gratified with the new chapters, and 
 concur generally with the amendments you propose to the 
 new. That, however, we suggest the following additional 
 amendments to the Conl'ession as it stands : 
 
 To Chapter III., Section 1, let the clause, '' yet so as thereby 
 neither is God the," be changed to read, " yet neither is God 
 thereby the.'" Let Section 2 of the same be omitted, for the 
 reason that it is a generalization without clear warrant in 
 Scripture; it concerns methods of Divine procedure transcend- 
 ing human knowledge; it contradicts the affirmation of the 
 proposed Revision (Section 5), that the "rest of mankind are 
 condemned for their sin ;"' it is not essential to the statement 
 of doctrine and serves no good purpose. 
 
 To Chapter V., Section 1, that all between "angels and 
 men," and " yet so," be omitted. 
 
 To Chapter (XXV.) XXVIL, Section 2, that the clause 
 beginning " out of which," be omitted. 
 
 That everywhere "Holy Spirit" be substituted for "Holy 
 Ghost." 
 
 We also suggest the following amendments to your amend- 
 ments : 
 
GRAND RAPIDS - GUNNISON. 85 
 
 To Chapter III., Section 3, between the words "without" 
 and "any foresight," let "being moved thereunto by," be 
 inserted. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 5. Let "yet so as thereby neither is 
 any limitation," be changed to, " yet there is thereby no 
 limitation." 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. Let the last sentence be omitted, 
 and the words, " in six creative days," be inserted after 
 " invisible." 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4. Let " made opposite to " be omit- 
 ted, so that it may read, " indisposed to and disabled from all." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 4. Let " they " before " cannot be 
 saved," be omitted, it being ungrammatical and redundant. 
 
 All of which is hereby respectfully submitted for consider- 
 ation. J H. Sammis, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF GUNNISON. 54. 
 
 The Presbytery of Gunnison hereby approves of the Revis- 
 ion of the Confession of Faith submitted .by the General 
 Assembly, with the following exceptions : 
 
 1. In Chapter III, Section 3. For " God hath predestin- 
 ated some of mankind unto life," we would substitute " God 
 hath predestinated unto life a great multitude whom no man 
 can number." and omit from the section all after '• out of his 
 mere free grace and love." 
 
 What follows is not justified by the Scriptures, and is con- 
 trary to the words of Paul: "Whom he did foreknow them 
 he also did predestinate." 
 
 2. Strike out of Section 5," Chapter III.: "Was pleased 
 ***** not to elect unto everlasting life," and let the 
 section read : " The rest of mankind God ordained to dishonor 
 and wrath for their sins," etc. The Presbytery thinks that the 
 words, "was pleased not to elect unto everlasting life, but to 
 ordain them to dishonor and wrath," conflicts with the Scrip- 
 tures, especially with God's solemn declaration, "As I live 
 saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked." 
 
86 GUNNISON. 
 
 3. In Chapter VII., Section 8. For "promising to give 
 unto all those that are ordained unto life His Holy Spirit," 
 substitute " promising to give His Holy Spirit unto them that 
 ask him." • 
 
 In the Scriptures the Holy Spirit is promised not " to all 
 that are ordained unto life," but "to them that ask Him." 
 We most decidedly prefer the language inspired by the Holy 
 Spirit in the statement of the precious doctrine of the Holy 
 Spirit, to language framed by men without that inspiration. 
 
 Further, in response to the request of your Committee for 
 criticism and suggestions, we would respectfully call your 
 attention to the lack of proper symmetry in the system of 
 doctrine as it is presented in the Confession of Faith, even in 
 the proposed revision. 
 
 We find that the doctrine of election and predestination, by 
 frequent repetition or mention, is given a prominence in the 
 Confession which is without any warrant in the Gospel, and 
 thus the symmetry of the divinely revealed doctrine is 
 destroyed. 
 
 The particular doctrine of the election of men to everlast- 
 ing life holds a s-ubordinate place in the teachings of Christ 
 and of the Gospel writers, and is infrequently brought into 
 notice by them, while the fatherhood of God, the free offer of 
 salvation, and men's choice or election of God and the Saviour 
 to be their God and Saviour, are given special and constant 
 prominence in the Gospel. 
 
 The Presbytery, therefore, would suggest that in the revis- 
 ion of our Confession of Faith the doctrine of election be given 
 no more notice nor emphasis than it receives in the teachings 
 of the Great Teacher, the Christ, and in the inspired words of 
 the Gospel writers. 
 
 We would recommend that instead of the frequent use of 
 the words "the elect" or expressions of the same import, in 
 the Confession, in designating the followers of the Saviour, the 
 other terms used ordinarily by Christ and the Holy Spirit in 
 the Scriptures, such as " disciples," " believers," " saints," and 
 " the children of God," be freely employed. " Elect " and 
 " elected," and their synonyms, convey to us a mere fragment 
 
GUNNISON TO HUDSON. 87 
 
 of the thoughts of the Spirit expressed in the various terms 
 used in the Scriptures to designate the heirs of eternal life, and 
 when used with frequent repetition, become misleading and 
 misrepresent the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. 
 
 We believe that the inspiration of the Scriptures is plenary 
 not merely as to language and doctrines separately considered, 
 but as to the placing of truths, their adjustments and mutual 
 relations and praportions one to another, and each to the whole 
 body of truth. The mind of the Master Builder is seen quite 
 as much in the relative proportions and adjustments of the 
 different parts of the building as in the fashioning of every 
 part, and it is the conviction of this Presbytery that there 
 should be a revision of the Confession of Faith which will 
 present to our Church and the world the great vital doctrines 
 of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in their harmonious 
 and symmetrical relations and just proportions to each other, 
 as we find them in the inspired word of God. 
 
 The report was adopted by the Presbytery with but one 
 dissenting voice. g, p. Powelson, Acting Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF HIGHLAND. 55. 
 
 The Presbytery of Highland, in session at Corning, Kansas, 
 approved of the report of the Committee on Revision without 
 any alterations. George Hageman, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF HOLSTON. 56. 
 
 I hereby certify that the Holston Presbytery, after due de- 
 liberation and with only a few negative votes, approved the re- 
 vision sent down to the Presbyteries entirely, excepting that 
 they recommend that the new Chapter IX., "On the Holy 
 Spirit," be abridged. j. E. Alexander, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF HUDSON. 57. 
 
 The Presbytery of Hudson desire to record their gratitude to 
 the head of the church for the fact that, so far, the revision 
 movement has progressed so peacefully and rapidly. We are 
 thus encouraged to hope that through the guidance of the Holy 
 
88 HUDSON. 
 
 Spirit, whom Our Savior has promised to the church to lead 
 her into all truth, a revision of our noble confession, which will 
 bring it into more exact conformity to the Scripture, as these 
 are understood in the current faith and embodied in the cur- 
 rent teaching of the church, will soon be harmoniously secured. 
 
 We have taken up the report of the committee seriatim, 
 and have considered it as carefully as our time would allow. 
 With the exceptions noted below, the report is cordially ap- 
 proved. It is, however, due to truth to state that some portions 
 of the report, so approved, are not entirely satisfactory. This 
 is especially the case with Chapter XII., Section 3. It is, 
 hence, the desire of the Presbytery that the committee subject 
 their whole report to careful re consideration. 
 
 Having thus stated our general attitude toward the report 
 as a whole, we would respectfully submit the following amend- 
 ments to the favorable consideration of the committee : 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5. Amend as follows : " We may be 
 moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to a high 
 and reverent esteem for the Holy Scripture, and the truthful- 
 ness of its history, the fulfillment of its prophecies, and the 
 miracles by which it has been attested, as well as the heaven- 
 liness of its matter, the efficacy of its doctrine, the majesty of 
 its style, the harmony of all its parts, the scope of the whole," 
 etc., etc., as at present. 
 
 Chapter III., Sections 3 and 5. For these sections substi- 
 tute the following : " God, before the foundation of the world 
 was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and 
 the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will to the praise of 
 His glorious grace, hath predestinated some of mankind unto 
 life, and hath particularly and unchangeably chosen them in 
 Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and 
 love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perse- 
 verance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, 
 as conditions or causes moving him thereto ; and, according to 
 the same eternal and immutable purpose, and the unsearchable 
 counsel of His own will, whereby He extendeth or withholdeth 
 mercy as He pleaseth, hath left those not so chosen in the un- 
 hijidered exercise of their freedom to those provisions and 
 
HUDSON. 89 
 
 offers of His grace which are common to all men, and finally 
 to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His grace 
 and justice. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. Amendment disapproved and the 
 original section preferred. 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3. For this section substitute the 
 following : " Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable 
 of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a sec- 
 ond, commonly called the covenant of grace, wherein He freely 
 offereth unto all men life and salvation upon the condition that 
 they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 Chapter IX. Change title to : " The Holy Spirit and His 
 Work." 
 
 Chapter XI. Change title to : "Of the Gospel." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section -i. Omit : " However diligent men 
 
 may be in framing their lives according to the light of nature 
 
 and the law of that religion they do profess." 
 
 Chapter XVIIL, Section 7. a. Substitute " the " for " their " 
 in the clause, "while their neglect for such things." h. For 
 the latter part of the section, " they are therefore sinful," and 
 what follows, substitute the following: "They do not meet 
 the requirements of the divine law, and hence cannot be pleaded 
 as a ground of acceptance with God." 
 
 Chapter XXVII., Section 6. From the clause, " Is without 
 warrant in Scripture or in fact," omit the phrase, "or in fact." 
 
 Chapter XXXL, Section 2. Substitute for the words, " most 
 abominably injurious," the words following, " grossly disparag- 
 ing." 
 
 Chapter XXXII. , Section 2. Omit this section and add to 
 Section 1, of the corresponding chapter of the existing confes- 
 sion, as follows : "To whom is committed the government of 
 the visible church of God on earth." 
 
 Attest : David F. Bonnek, Stated Cierk. 
 
90 HUNTINfiTON. 
 
 The Presbytery of Huntington would reiterate its already 
 expressed judgment as averse to am^ revision of our standards 
 for the following reasons : 
 
 (1.) Because our "Confession" in its present foi-m dis- 
 tinctly, concisely, and unequivocally sets forth the doctrines of 
 grace as held by the Reformed Churches, embracing the 
 Calvinistic faith, and any attempt to change or revise will only 
 tend to dilute, obscure, or suppress the truth as the Presby- 
 terian Church has ever held it. 
 
 (2.) Because the Presbyterian Church, holding the West- 
 minster Confession, has ever stood forth, honoi'ed as a model 
 for its distinctness of utterance and fearlessness of declaration 
 of its doctrinal teachings, and under its present form of faith, 
 God has highly honored it as a firm defender of the faith once 
 delivered to the Saints, and has crowned its teachings with 
 His rich and abundant blessing. 
 
 (3.) Because no "revision" that our Church will ever 
 consent to will meet the wishes of a dissatisfied element in 
 our body, who will only be contented with the eliminating of 
 the Calvinistic features from our excellent Confession. 
 
 But assuming that there will be some revision. Presbytery 
 would respectfully suggest the following modifications of the 
 Committee's Report : 
 
 1. That in Chapter III., Section 3, of the Committee's 
 Report, after the word "God," the following clause be 
 inserted, " for the manifestation of His glory," so that the sec- 
 tion would read, " God, for the manifestation of His glory, 
 before the foundation of the world was laid," etc. 
 
 2. That instead "of the revised Section 5, of Chapter III., 
 we have the following : The rest of mankind God was pleased, 
 according to the unsearchable counsel of His own "sovereign" 
 will, whereby He extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he 
 pleaseth, to pass by and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath 
 for their sin to the praise of His glorious justice. Yet, so as 
 thereby, neither is any limitation put upon the offer of salva- 
 
HUNTINGTON. 91 
 
 tion to all through faith in Christ; nor is restraint laid upon 
 the freedom of any one to hinder his acceptance of this offer. 
 This modification introduces " sovereign " before " will " 
 and substitutes " to pass by " for '' not to elect unto everlasting 
 life ;" and " through " faith in Christ for " upon condition" of 
 faith in Christ. 
 
 3. In regard to Chapter IV., Section 1, on creation, Pres- 
 bytery objects to the section as revised by the Committee, and 
 expresses its preference for the old as it is. 
 
 4. Chapter IX. On the Work of the Holy Spirit. The 
 Presbytery suggests that it be so revised as to more fully dis- 
 tinguish between the common and efficacious operations of the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 5. That in Chapter X., Section 3, of the Committee's 
 Report, the words " averse from '" be restored in place of 
 " indisposed to," as introduced by the Committee. 
 
 6. That in Chapter XII., for Section 3 of the Committee's 
 Report, the following be substituted, " Through the electing 
 love of God, infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved 
 by Christ, through the Spirit, who worketh when and where 
 and how He pleaseth. So also are all other elect persons who 
 are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of 
 the Word." 
 
 7. That instead of Section 4 of the Committee's Report, 
 Section 4 of the Confession be substituted with the omission 
 of the last clause, " and to assert," etc. 
 
 8. That in Chapter XXVI., Section 3, of the Committee's 
 Report, the word ^' papists " be inserted after " infidels." 
 
 9. That in Chapter XXXI., Section 2, that the word 
 " abominably " be omitted ; and that after the words " Christ's 
 one only sacrifice," the words "for sin" be omitted and the 
 words " the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect " be 
 restored, so that the sentence would read thus : " So that the 
 Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass is most 
 injurious to Christ's one only sacrifice, the alone propitiation 
 for all the sins of the elect." 
 
 Robert Hamill, Stated Clerk. 
 
92 HURON - INDIANAPOLIS. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF HDRON. 57. 
 
 The Presbytery of Huron, having examined the Report of 
 the General Assembly's Committee on Revision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith, beg leave to offer the following suggestions : 
 
 1. In Section 6, which becomes Section 4 in Chapter III., 
 eliminate the last sentence beginning with the word " neither." 
 
 2. Restore Section 7, Chapter III., to its original ibrm, 
 and insert the following as a separate section to precede Sec- 
 tion 8 : " God's eternal decree hindereth no one from accept- 
 ing Christ, as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel ; nor 
 ought it be so construed as to contradict the declarations of 
 Scripture that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the 
 whole world, and that God is not willing that any should 
 perish, but that all should come to repentance." 
 
 3. Change the second clause of Section 6, of Chapter 
 XXIV., so as to read " Yet nothing but adultery or such wil- 
 ful desertion as implies it," etc. 
 
 Charles E. Barnes, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF INDIANAPOLIS. 58. 
 
 We heartily commend in general the work of the Assem- 
 bly's committee so far as it goes. Their report presents a num- 
 ber of recommendations and some valuable additions, which 
 tend to free the confession from misunderstanding, and to 
 broaden and enrich it with a fuller statement of the gi'eat cen- 
 tral verities of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The new chapters 
 on the " Work of the Holy Spirit " and the " Universal Offer 
 of the Gospel " supply a lack in the confession, and bring into 
 prominence a fuller setting forth of truths which the New 
 Testament keeps to the front. 
 
 We gladly recognize that the confession as thus revised and 
 added to is brought into closer harmony with the system of 
 doctrine taught in the Scriptures and with the faith of the 
 church, and, therefore, is decidedly to be preferred to the old 
 confession. We are free to say, however, that in our judgment 
 the committee, under the instructions they received from the 
 Assembly, and in view of the spirit of that Assembly and of 
 
INDIANAPOLIS. 93 
 
 the church as a whole, could, with wisdom, have gone further, 
 and should have modified yet more, or eliminated entirely 
 paragraphs so worded as to be of questionable Scripture 
 authority, and evidently objectionable to the majority of the 
 church. 
 
 We regret, especially, that the committee in their altera- 
 tions of Chapter III. failed to go on and free the confession of 
 certain extra-Scriptural inferences having to do with the nega- 
 tive side of God's eternal decree. We cannot agree with those 
 who hold that a statement of the doctrine of preterition .in the 
 confession is necessary to the integrity of our present system 
 of faith. 
 
 Along with these general statements we would suggest to 
 the committee the following additional amendments :■ 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5. Omit the clause, " the truthfulness 
 of the history, the faithful witness of prophecy and miracle." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. Change the clause " predestinated 
 some of mankind " so that it will read, " predestinated a great 
 multitude which no man can number." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 4. Omit the last sentence, beginning, 
 " neither are any other," etc. 
 
 (Chapter III., Section 5. Omit the whole section. 
 
 Chapter lY. We prefer the language of the old confession, 
 leaving out the words " of nothing," and also the words, " in 
 the space of six days." 
 
 Chapter VI. Omit the last sentence, beginning, "Never- 
 theless the providence of God," etc., and incorporate the same 
 idea in the chapter on " Good Works." 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 5. Omit the word " purchased " and 
 substitute "provided." 
 
 Chapter IX. We prefer that the title should read, " Of the 
 Holy Spirit," and would suggest a further condensation of the 
 whole chapter. 
 
 Chapter X. We would suggest that in a chapter devoted 
 to the subject of free will there should be a much more ex- 
 plicit statement of man's free agency and responsibility. 
 
04 INDIANAPOLIS -IOWA. 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3. Change the language so that it will 
 read, " Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all 
 ability of will by his own strength to convert himself; yet is 
 his responsibility as a free, moral agent not thereby impaired." 
 
 Chapter XL Omit the word " universal " in the title and 
 condense the whole chapter so that it shall be less, hortatory 
 and homiletic in form. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3. Change the language so that it will 
 read : " Infants, dying in infancy, and other persons who are 
 mentally incapable of being called by the ministry of the word, 
 ai-e redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit — who 
 worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 4. Omit the whole section. 
 
 Chapter XVIII., Section 7. Strike out the closing words, 
 " or make a man meet to receive grace from God," and substi- 
 tute for them the words, '' as a ground of salvation." 
 
 Chapter XXV., Section 3. Strike out the whole section. 
 
 Chapter XXVI., Section 3. Strike out all after the words, 
 "only in the Lord." 
 
 Chapter XXVIL, Section 6. Shorten the section so that it 
 will read : " There is no other head of the church but the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." 
 
 Chapter XXXL, Section 2. Omit the latter part of the sec- 
 tion, beginning with the words, " so that the Eoman Catholic," 
 etc., and strike out all other references in the confession to the 
 Roman Catholic church. g p Whallon, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF IOWA. 59. 
 
 At the stated meeting oi' the Presbytery of Iowa, Septem- 
 ber 2, 1S91, the following action was taken on the Report of 
 the Committee of Presbytery of the Revision of the Confession 
 of Faith, to-wit : 
 
 "As touching the matter of Revision, this Presbytery 
 decides to take no action in the way of proposing any criti- 
 cisms, or amendments, to the Report of the General Assem- 
 bly's Committee on Revision, at the present time." 
 
 J. C. McClintock, Stated Clerk. 
 
IOWA CITY-JERSEY CITY. 95 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF IOWA CITY. 60. 
 
 The Committee appointed to bring in a report on the 
 Revision, present the following which was received, amended, 
 and adopted as amended, viz.: 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. Insert after the word " invisible " 
 the words " in the space of six days," and omit all of the last 
 sentence, "The heavens and the earth, with all that they con- 
 tain, were made by Him in six creative days." 
 
 Chapter XXIII., Section 4. Omit the words, " for the for- 
 giveness of all sins, except the sin unto death.'" 
 
 No further suggestions were made. 
 
 Geo. B. Smith, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP JERSEY CITY. 62. 
 
 The Presbytery of Jersey City expresses its hearty appreci- 
 ation of the work of the General Assembly's Committee on the 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith, but respectfully submits 
 the following opinions of particular parts, with suggestions for 
 the Committee's further consideration: 
 
 Chapter I, Section 5. Of the Holy Scriptures. Is ap- 
 proved. 
 
 Chapter III. Of God's Eternal Decree. Section 1 and 2 
 are approved. Section 3 (new), it is suggested should be 
 amended by substituting for the word " some," in the fourth 
 line, the words " hath predestinated unto life a great multitude 
 whom no man can number." and Section 4 (new), by closing 
 with the word " salvation," in the eighth line ; and Section 5 
 (new), by striking out the whole section, and replacing it by 
 the following: "God's eternal decree hindereth no one from 
 accepting Christ as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel, 
 nor ought it to be so construed as to contradict the declara- 
 tions of Scripture that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of 
 the world, and that God is not willing that any should perish, 
 but that all should come to repentance." Section 6 (new), is 
 approved. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1 (new). Of creation. Is disap- 
 proved. 
 
96 JERSEY CITY, 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4 (new). Of the fall of man, etc., 
 to be amended by striking out all after the word " corruption " 
 in the first line, and substituting " do proceed all actual trans- 
 gressions." 
 
 Chapter VII. Of God's Covenant with man. All is 
 approved, except " all those that are ordained unto life," in 
 Section 3, for which substitute " them that ask Him," and 
 "the elect" in Section 4, for which substitute "believers." 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 5 (new). Is approved. 
 
 The Chapter, " Of the work of the Holy Spirit," to become 
 Chapter IX., is referred back to the Committee for a better 
 statement of the whole, with the suggestion that the words 
 " the work of," be elided from the title. 
 
 Chapter X., Sections (new). Of Free Will. Is approved 
 with the suggestion that for the word " is " in the sixth line, 
 there be substituted these words : " Since the helpful grace of 
 the Holy Spirit accompanies the offer of salvation." 
 
 Chapter XI. (new). Of the Universal Offer of the Gospel. 
 Is approved, with the suggested amendments of removing the 
 words, " the universal offer of," from the title, and of closing 
 Section 3 with the word " neglect," in the fourth line ; and 
 Section 4 with the word " nations," in the eighth line. 
 
 Chapter XII., Sections 2, 3, and 4 (new). Of Effectual 
 Calling. Is approved, after striking out the words, " is alto- 
 gether passive," and " wherein," in Section 2, and after strik- 
 ing out the whole of Section 4, leaving Section 3 unchanged. 
 
 Chapter XIII., Sections 1 and 3 (new). Of Justification. 
 Is approved with the word substituted by the Committee. 
 
 Chapter XVI., Section 1 (new). Of Saving Faith. Is 
 approved. 
 
 Chapter XVIII., Section 7 (new). Of Good Works. Is 
 approved after striking out the words " are " and " not free 
 from sin and," in the last sentence. 
 
 Chapter XXIII., Section 4 (new). Of Keligious Worship 
 and the Sabbath Day. Is disapproved, retaining the former 
 text, but concluding with the word " dead " in the third line. 
 
JERSEY CITY. 97 
 
 Chapter XXIV., Section 7 (new). Of Lawful Oaths and 
 Vows. Is approved, but striking out the whole of the last 
 sentence. 
 
 Chapter XXV., Section 3 (new). Of the Civil Magistrate. 
 Is approved. 
 
 Chapter XXVI., Section 3 (new). Of Marriage and 
 Divorce. Is approved. 
 
 Chapter XXVII., Section 6 (new). Of the Church. After 
 striking out the words in italics relating to the Pope of Rome, 
 is approved. 
 
 Chapter XXXI., Sections 2 and S. Oi' the Lord's Supper. 
 Is approved after striking out the word "only" in the third 
 line, and all after the word " same " in the sixth line, and add- 
 ing '' this sacrament is also a prophecy of Christ's second 
 advent, and is additionally a spiritual communication of him- 
 self to those who worthily partake of the material emblems." 
 
 Chapter XXXII. Section 2 (new). Approved. 
 
 The Presbytery would further suggest that in Chapter I., 
 Section 1 (C. of F.), the words "so far," and "as to leave 
 men inexcusable," be omitted. 
 
 Chapter VIII. , Section 6, the word "believers" be substi- 
 tuted for the words " the elect," in the fourth line. 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 8, change the first clause to read 
 " To all those who accept the purchased possession of Christ, 
 He doth," etc. 
 
 Chapter IX., Section 5, substitute "in the state of glory 
 only man is so confirmed in holiness that he perfectly and 
 immutably wills and does good alone." 
 
 Chapter X., Section 1, omit the words " and those only," in 
 the second line. 
 
 Chapter XL, Section 4, substitute " all believers " for " all 
 the elect," in the second line. 
 
 Chapter XXIV., Section 6. strike out "or such wilful deser- 
 tion as can no way be remedied by the Church, or Civil Magis- 
 trate" 
 
 Chapter XXV., Section 1, for "elect" substitute "those." 
 
 Edwin A. Bhlkley, Stated Clerk. 
 
91^ KALAMAZOO -KANSAS CITY. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF KALAMAZOO. tl2. 
 
 The Presbytery of Kalamazoo took the following action : 
 We approve the report of the Committee on Revision of the 
 Confession of Faith with the exception of the amendments 
 proposed in Chapter III. Kespecting this chapter we approve 
 the striking out of the 3d and -ith sections, and recommend the 
 striking out ol' the 2d also. In regard to the amendments 
 suggested in the remaining sections of this chapter we would 
 be pleased to have such changes made as would declare the 
 actual facts of God's eternal decree, as revealed in the Holy 
 Scripture, without any statement of the motives that influenced 
 the Divine Being in His eternal purpose. 
 
 Joseph A. Ranney, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF KANSAS CITY.* 
 
 Resolved. That while this Presbytery voted against revision, 
 and does not now feel any great need of it, yet it believes the 
 two new chapters are improvements, and it will receive favor- 
 ably the i'uture action of the General Assembly after the final 
 report of the Revision Committee ; and this Presbytery will 
 give any future overtures from the Assembly prayerful and 
 kindly consideration. 
 
 This Presbytery would prefer the following amendments to 
 the amendments proposed to the last General Assembly and 
 reported in the General Assembly's minutes, pages 36 to 44 : 
 
 1. Chapter I., Section 5, lor " prophecy and miracle '" insert 
 " prophecies fulfilled " and " miracles wrought," and add to 
 the words proposed by the Committee, " the efficiency in the 
 regeneration of individuals, nations and races," and omit the 
 phrase "the efl^cacy of the doctrine" in the succeeding clause 
 so Ihat it will read: "And the truthfulness of the history, 
 the faithful witness of miracles wrought and prophecies ful- 
 filled, the efliciency in regeneration of individuals, nations and 
 races, the heavenliness of the matter, the majestj^ of the 
 style." itc. 
 
 2. Chapter lY., Section 1. Retain the original section 
 instead of the proposed amendment. 
 
KANSAS CITY -KEARNEY. 99 
 
 3. Chapter (X) XII, Section 3. For the Committee's 
 phraseology insert : " No human being can be saved except 
 by being redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Holy 
 Ghost, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth ; 
 and we have sufficient reason to believe that all infants dying 
 in infancy, and all other persons who from birth to death are 
 mentally incapable of being outwardly called are thus saved." 
 
 4. Chapter (XVI) XVIII., Section 7, line 8. For the 
 phrase "not free from sin" substitute "imperfect," and 
 betwixt the words " God " and " or " insert " as perfect," so 
 that the last clause will read : " They are, therefore, imperfect 
 and cannot be accepted of God as perfect," &c. 
 
 5. Chapter (XXI) XXIII, Section 4. Strike out the word 
 " all " and " except the sin unto death," so that it will read : 
 " Prayer is to be made for things lawful, for the forgiveness of 
 sins, and for all sorts of men," &c. 
 
 And in the Confession of Faith, Chapter XXIV., Section 6, 
 
 strike out the second cause for divorce, as found in the words 
 
 " or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the 
 
 Church or civil magistrate." 
 
 John H. Miller, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF KEARNEY. 63. 
 
 Resolved, That in the main we approve the Report of the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision of the Confession of 
 Faith ; but would respectfully offer the following snggestions : 
 That in Chapter III., Section 5, the words "not to elect unto 
 everlasting life, but," and " them," be omitted. In Chapter 
 XXVII., Section 6, that the phrase "of any man" be substi- 
 tuted for the words " the Pope of Rome." 
 
 Also that this Presbytery overture tiie General Assembly 
 for a brief compendium of the essential doctrines of our Con- 
 fession of Faith in the form of a creed or covenant. 
 
 J. H. Reynard, Stated Clerk. 
 
100 KITTANNING. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF KITTANNING.* 
 
 Your Committee having examined the report of the Com- 
 mittee of the General Assembly are led to express our cordial 
 sympathy Avith its spirit and aim, and our confidence in the 
 ability of that Committee to formulate such a revision as shall 
 receive the approval both of the General Assembly and of the 
 Church at large. 
 
 We recommend the Ibllowing action : 
 
 That Chapters I.. Of the Holy Scriptures ; VI., Of the Fall ; 
 VII., Of God's Covenant; VIII., Of Christ the Mediator; 
 XIII., or Justification; XVI., Of Saving Faith; XVIII., Of 
 Good AVorks; XXIII., Of Worship; XXIV., Of Oaths and 
 Vows; XXV., Of Civil Magistrates; XXVI., Of Marriage and 
 Divorce; XXVII., Of the Church; XXXI. , Of the Lord's Supper, 
 and XXXII., Of Church Censures, as revised, be approved. 
 
 In regard to Chapter III. the following was adopted : 
 " AVhile in view of the many suggestions made to the Assembly's 
 Committee, we do not tbrmulate in detail our views, we desire 
 that the (Jommittee may review their work on that chapter, and 
 that it be made to give a brief, clear statement of the doctrine of 
 God's sovereignty and of that of an election according to grace; 
 that in treating of the decree of God, it be guarded against all 
 appearance of teaching, as charged by some, that God creates 
 men for the purpose of ordaining them to eternal death; that 
 it be made to bring into proper clearness of view the truth 
 that God delights not in the death of the wicked, but that they 
 turn and live ; and that so far as possible, the chapter as 
 revised be expressed in the language of the Scripture. 
 
 In Chapter IV., Of Creation, the present language of the 
 (Confession is preferred, viz.: "In the space of six days" 
 instead of "in six creative days.'" 
 
 The new Chapters IX. and XI. are approved in general, but 
 it is recommended that the title of IX. be changed to " Of the 
 Holy Spirit." and that of XI. to "Of the Gospel;" also that 
 these chapters be rewritten with a view to condensation, and 
 U) nuike them more (Jonfeasional and less hortatorv. 
 
KITTANNING. 101 
 
 In regard to Chapter IX., Of Free Will, it is recommended 
 that it be so framed as to include a fuller statement of what 
 the kScriptures teach in regard to man's free agency and 
 responsibility. 
 
 Also, in the chapter on the Holy Spirit, it was thought 
 best that the word " believers " in the beginning of Section 5 
 be changed to "regenerated persons," (the reason being the 
 fact that Section 3, of Chapter X., contemplates the regenera- 
 tion of certain classes of persons who cannot properly be called 
 " believers." 
 
 In regard to Chapter (X.) XII., Of Eifectual Calling, it is 
 recommended that : 
 
 In Section 1, the words " and those only " be omitted. 
 
 In Section 2, the words " is altogether passive " and 
 "wherein" be omitted, and the section be made to read: 
 " This effectual call is of God's free and sovereign grace alone, 
 not for anything at all forseen in man, who, in the act of 
 regeneration, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, 
 is enabled to answer God's call, and to embrace the grace 
 offered and conveyed in it." 
 
 In Section 3 omit the words " all " and " from birth to 
 death," causing it to read : " Infants dying in infancy and all 
 other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly 
 called," etc. 
 
 In Section i omit the words " not elected " and all after the 
 words " Christ through the Spirit," so that it shall i-ead : 
 " Others who never truly come to Christ, although they may 
 be called by the ministry of the word, and have common 
 operations of the Spirit, cannot be saved; neither is there 
 salvation in any other way than by Christ through the Spirit." 
 
 These recommendations we believe to be conformable to 
 the Scriptures, and wholly in the line of a consensus of the 
 recommendations made to the General Assembly by the Pres- 
 byteries, viz.: "That we firmly and loyally maintain unim- 
 paired that reformed system of doctrine known as Calvinistic." 
 
 E. H. Sloan, Stated Clerk. 
 
102 KNOX TO LAKE SUPERIOR. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF KNOX. 63. 
 
 The Presbytery of Knox took no action on the report of the 
 
 Revision Committee. * ht /-i at. 4- a rf-i i 
 
 A. M. Caldwell, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP LACKAWANNA. 63. 
 
 The following are the amendments proposed : — 
 
 In Chapter III., Section 3, Substituting for the word 
 "some" the phrase "an innumerable multitude." 
 
 In Chapter III. it was voted to strike out Section 5, 
 although a minority opposed the excision. 
 
 In Chapter IV., Section 1, that the word ''creative" be 
 stricken out. 
 
 In Chapter VI., Section 4, that the word " personal " be 
 inserted before the words " social and civil." 
 
 In Chapter IX., that the words " the work " be stricken out 
 of the title. 
 
 In Chapter X., that Section 1 be inserted as follows : 
 " God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty 
 which makes him a free and responsible moral being, so that 
 he is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature, 
 determined to good or evil." 
 
 Chapter XI. That the title be made " Of the Gospel." 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3. After much difference of opinion 
 was adopted by a vote of 25 to 12. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 4. Substitute for " cannot be saved" 
 the words " remain unsaved." Aside from these proposed 
 amendments the Report of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Revision was unanimously adopted. 
 
 P. H. Brooks, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 64. 
 
 The Presbytery of Lake Superior approved ihe work of 
 the General Assembly's Committee as far as it goes. 
 
 C. D. Jacobs, Stated Clerk. 
 
LANSING - LARNED. 103 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LANSING. 64. 
 
 We recognize the wisdom and skill which has characterized 
 the work of the General Assembly's Committee on Eevision, 
 and in the suggestions for changes prefer to confine ourselves 
 to a few points only, believing that such action will be in har- 
 mony with former resolutions passed by this Presbytery. We 
 have confidence that if there are other places in the confession 
 where alterations are desirable, the Assembly's committee is 
 fully competent to make such amendments, and that we can 
 safely entrust to said committee the completion of the work, 
 which has been nobly and faithfully begun. With this in mind, 
 your committee would recommend the following changes : 
 
 In Chapter III. we recommend that new Section 3 be so re- 
 cast as to state the fact that God's chosen people in Christ are 
 a great multitude that no man can number. 
 
 In Chapter (IX.) X., of Revision, we desire that, if it be pos- 
 sible, man's free agency in accepting or rejecting the Gospel 
 offer of salvation be still more clearly expressed. 
 
 C. P. Quick, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LARNED. 65. 
 
 Your committee to whom was referred the Assembly's over- 
 ture on the Revision of the Confession of Faith, recommend 
 that the overture be answered as follows : 
 
 That owing to the unsettled state of theological thought in 
 our day, and the unsatisfactory results arrived at by the As- 
 sembly's committee, it is the judgment of this Presbytery that 
 the Assembly, instead of proceeding with the revision of our 
 present standards, should take into immediate consideration 
 the propriety of formulating a new and more condensed state- 
 ment of our belief as a practical working creed for the church. 
 
 Attest : W. H. Hillis, Stated Clerk. 
 
104 LKHIGH. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LEHIGH. 65. 
 
 The Presbj^tery of Lehigh cordially approve, in general, of 
 all the work and recommendations of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Revision, and would recommend such additional 
 changes as are set forth in the following : 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5, was accepted and approved as recom- 
 mended by the committee. 
 
 Chapter III. Sections 1 and 2 unchanged. Sections 3 and 
 4 stricken out, accepted and approved as recommended.. Sec- 
 tion 5 (3), after substituting ''a great multitude whonoi no man 
 can number" for the words "'■ some of mankind," and inserting 
 the word " meritorious " before the word '■ conditions," ac- 
 cepted and approved as recommended by the committee. Sec- 
 tion 6 (4) unchanged, accepted and approved as recommended. 
 Section 7. Recommended to be stricken out. Section 5 was 
 accepted and approved, beginning with the words, " yet so as 
 thereby," etc., and recommended to be appended to Section 3. 
 Section 8 (6) unchanged, accepted and approved. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. The original was retained un- 
 changed, and the recommendation of the committee not ap- 
 proved. 
 
 Chapter VI. Section 4, was accepted and approved as recom- 
 mended by the committee. 
 
 Chapter VII. Section 3 was accepted and approved as 
 recommended by the committee. Section 4 was stricken out 
 as recommended by the committee. Section 5 (4) was ac- 
 cepted and approved as recommended by the committee. Sec- 
 tion 6 (5) was accepted and approved as recommended by the 
 committee. 
 
 Chapter VIII. Section 5 was accepted and approved as 
 recommended by the committee. 
 
 Chapter IX., omitting the words " Of the Work " in the 
 title was then approved as recommended by the committee. 
 
 Chapter X. After striking out the words "indisposed to" 
 and restoring the original, " averse to," was accepted and ap- 
 proved as recommended by the committee. 
 
LEHIGH. 105 
 
 Chapter XI., omitting the word "universal" in the title, 
 was then accepted and approved as recommended by the com- 
 mittee. 
 
 Chapter XII. Section 2 was accepted and approved as 
 recommended by the committee. Section 3. The original was 
 retained after substituting the word " all " for " elect " before 
 "infants." Section 4. Recommended to be stricken out. 
 
 Chapter XIII. Section 1 was accepted and approved as 
 recommended by the committee. Section 3. Accepted and 
 approved as recommended by the committee. 
 
 Chapter XVI. was accepted and approved as recommended 
 by the committee. 
 
 Chapter XVIII. Section 7, after striking out the words, 
 " or make a man meet," etc., and substituting the words " spirit- 
 ually good," was accepted and approved as recommended by 
 the committee. 
 
 Chapter XXIII. , Section i. The original was retained un- 
 changed and the recommendation of the committee not ap- 
 proved. 
 
 Chapter XXIV. Section 7 was accepted and approved as 
 recommended by the committee. 
 
 Chapter XXV. Section 3 was accepted and approved as 
 recommended. 
 
 Chapter XXVI. Section 3 was accepted and approved with 
 the recommendation to add these words to the last clause, " or 
 those unscripturally divorced." 
 
 Chapter XXVII. Section 6, after inserting the words "or 
 a like claim on part of any other" after the word "universal," 
 was accepted and approved as recommended by the committee. 
 Chapter XXXI. Section 2, after striking out the words 
 " Roman Catholic " and inserting " as held by Romanists and 
 others" after the word "mass," and substituting "is wholly 
 subversive" for "abominably injurious," was accepted and ap- 
 proved. Section 8 was accepted and approved as recommended 
 by the committee. 
 
 Chapter XXXII., after striking out the words "respectively 
 to retain and remit sins," was accepted and approved as rec- 
 ommended. A. M. Woods, Stated Clerk. 
 
106 * LIMA. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LIMA. 66. 
 
 The Presbytery of Lima, Ohio, hereby sends the following 
 expi'ession of her views in regard to the revised forms of our 
 Confession of Faith. 
 
 We recognize with gratitude the manifest tol^ens of divine 
 approval of the work in which you have been engaged. 
 
 We appreciate the piety and learning which your report 
 evinces. 
 
 We regard the revision which you have given to us as an 
 amendment. We are deeply impressed with the wisdom 
 shown in general, both in the omissions and in the additions 
 which you have made. And yet we cannot but regard the 
 revision as an amendment which needs to be amended. 
 
 And while we shall not stop to pi'ove the correctness of 
 all our suggestions, yet we believe that they can all be sub- 
 stantiated and that they will commend themselves to your 
 judgment. 
 
 We first offer the following general criticism : 
 We are confident that it was the wish of the Church : — 
 
 1. That the Confession be made shorter instead of longer. 
 
 2. That the form of the thought be made less scholastic 
 and more didactic, and expressed more in the language of 
 Scripture. 
 
 3. That negative statements of doctrine should be avoided 
 as far as possible. 
 
 4. That the Catechisms of our Church being a part of our 
 Confession of Faith, according to the decision of our General 
 Assembly, should be made to correspond with any revision of 
 the Creed. 
 
 5. That the name of the third person of the Trinity be 
 ' The Holy Spirit ' throughout the entire Confession. 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5. Omit the phrase "the truthfulness 
 of the history.'' 
 
 1. Because its insertion is inopportune. 
 
 2. " The truthfulness of history " is not a proof of inspira- 
 tion or all truthful history might be proved to be inspired. 
 
LIMA. 107 
 
 3. We recommend the insertion of the phrase " from the 
 character and work of the Saviour and " after the words 
 " divine authority thereof is " in said section. 
 
 Section 8. Omit the word " singular " and insert the 
 word " singularly " before the word '' pure." 
 
 Chapter III. The following general criticisms are first 
 submited : 
 
 In the doctrine of the decrees of God, we object to the 
 statement of the Confession in Chapter III., not because we 
 cannot receive it as it is usually explained, but because an 
 explanation is necessary, and because without the explanation 
 the chapter may be justly charged with teaching a hyper- 
 Calvinism which is akin to fatalism ; and because this hyper- 
 Calvinism, which includes the supralapsarian theory of elec- 
 tion, though receiving some recognition in the Confession 
 through the influence of a few aggressive leaders in the West- 
 minster Assembly, was not the belief of the majority of that 
 Assembly and has never been accepted by the Church, but has 
 beeii the chief cause of many of the misunderstandings and 
 misrepresentations of our teaching and has in many ways 
 proved a great hindrance to the progress of the Church. 
 
 We desire the revision of this chapter to state clearly the 
 evangelical Calvinism which, while exalting the sovereignty 
 of Gfod, gives special prominence to divine love, and is con- 
 sistent with the doctrine of prayer and with the oifer of salva- 
 tion to all the world ; and which is, as we believe, the doctrine 
 actually held and taught by the Church. 
 
 We object to the amendments proposed by the Committee 
 because, while making an advance in the direction of evan- 
 gelical Calvinism, they do not, in our opinion, express it fully. 
 
 They omit some objectionable statements, but they retain 
 others that are equally objectionable. For example, they say 
 in Section 3 "that God elects without any foresight,'' etc. 
 This is strictly supralapsarianism ; and it is unscriptural and 
 impossible. It should be " not because of any foresight," etc. 
 
 In Section 5 it is said that " God was pleased * * * to 
 ordain them to dishonor and wrath," etc. We cannot believe 
 that God is pleased with the death of the wicked. 
 
10s LIMA. 
 
 Statements in the amendments are contradictory Section 
 3 says that God chose the elect unto salvation •' without any 
 foresight of faith * * * or any other thing in the creature, as 
 conditions or causes moving Him thereunto." But in Section 
 5 it is said that the offer of salvation may be made to all 
 " upon condition of faith in Christ." That is, in one section 
 all conditions are positively and absolutely excluded, while in 
 another section, a condition, namely, faith in Christ, is made 
 essential. If it be said that the word '' condition " is used 
 with different meanings, we may reply that even a verbal con- 
 tradiction is improper in a Confession of Faith. 
 
 There seems to be a contradiction also between the supra- 
 lapsarian statement that election was " without any foresight " 
 of anything in the creature, and the statement. Section 1, 
 "The rest of mankind God was j)leased *. * * not to elect 
 unto everlasting life, but to ordain them to dishonor and wrath 
 for their sin," and Chapter xi.:3, "they perish by their own 
 fault * * * because they have resisted * * * and rejected," 
 etc. If election was logically prior to the contemplation of 
 man as sinful, it cannot be that the rest were passed by on 
 account of their sins, or that they perish by their own fault. 
 On the other hand, if preterition were logically subsequent to 
 the contemplation of man as sinful, then it cannot be that 
 election was " without any foresight " of man's condition. The 
 Scriptures teach, Rom. viii:29, that whom He did Joreknovu 
 He also did predestinate," etc. 
 
 Section 1. Strike out the word " ordain " and insert in its 
 place the phrase " determine to do and to permit or suffer to 
 be done." 
 
 (Because it contains a statement of the permissive decree 
 which is usually spoken of in explaining our doctrine.) 
 
 Section 2. Omit entirely. 
 
 Section 3. Strike out the word " some " and insert " a 
 great multitude whom no man can number." Strike out all 
 after the words "free grace and love." 
 
 We submit the following as a more logical and Scriptural 
 statement of this doctrine : 
 
LIMA. 109 
 
 Clod, having determined to create angels and man, did, in 
 his unsearchable wisdom, determine to suffer some angels and 
 all men in the exercise of their own will, to fall into sin, but 
 in His love for mankind. He determined to send the Son into 
 the world for the salvation of all who should believe in Him ; 
 and in the same eternal decree, he did, out of pure love and 
 mercy, elect from mankind, all whom He was pleased for the 
 praise of His glorious grace to foreordain unto eternal life. 
 
 Section 4. Strike out the last sentence. 
 
 We suggest the following in place of the whole section as a 
 better statement of the doctrine ; 
 
 Election unto life is in all cases accompanied in the eternal 
 purpose of God with the appointment of means sufficient unto 
 the attainment thereof. Wherefore all whom God, in His 
 foreknowledge and sovereign grace, hath foreordained to be 
 conformed to the image of His Son He doth effectually call 
 unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, and 
 also justify, adopt, sanctify, and, by His mighty power, keep 
 them through faith unto' salvation and glory. 
 
 Section 5. Omit entirely. 
 
 1. Because the statement "that he is pleased to ordain 
 them to dishonor and wrath " is contrary to the teachings of 
 Scripture. 
 
 2. Because it is inconsistent with the free and universal 
 offer of salvation as given in the Gospel and as set forth in 
 Chapter XI. 
 
 Section 6. Strike out entirely. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. Strike out the words " of nothing, 
 the universe," and insert the words, "the heavens and the 
 earth," and omit the last sentence. 
 
 Chapter V., Section 1. Insert after " Creator of all things " 
 the words " and the Father of all mankind." 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 1. Strike out " seduced " and insert 
 "deceived;" strike out " order" and insert " overrule." 
 
 Section 2. Strike out the word " wholly." 
 
 Section 3. After the word "mankind" omit the words 
 "the guilt of this sin was imputed and;" insert the word 
 " are " before the word " conveyed." 
 
110 LIM A - LOGANSPOET. 
 
 Section 4. Omit last sentence. 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 5. Insert after the words "Divine 
 justice" the words "making atonement sufficient for all man- 
 kind." 
 
 Chapter IX. General criticism. The chapter is too long. 
 
 Section 2. Omit all after the words " Holy Ghost." 
 
 Section 3. Is objectionable, because the 'enlightening' and 
 ' quickening ' which are here applied to the unregenerate are 
 in Chapter x:2, and in the catechisms applied to regeneration. 
 
 Section 4. The statement that " The Spirit dwells in all 
 believers, leading them into all truth," is too strong. 
 
 Chapter XL, Section 4. Omit the last sentence. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 1. Omit the words " and those only." 
 
 Section 4. Omit entirely. 
 
 Chapter XVII., Section 4. Change the word " damnation " 
 to " condemnation." 
 
 Chapter XVIII., Section 7. Change the word "their" 
 before the word " neglect," into " the." 
 
 Chapter XXIV., Section 3. Omit last sentence. 
 
 Chapter XXVII. , Section 2. Omit the words " no ordinary 
 possibility " and insert the words " ordinarily no promise." 
 
 Section 6. Substitute the following: "The only head of 
 the Church in heaven and on earth is the Lord Jesus Christ; 
 and the only infallible law of the Church is the written word 
 of God." 
 
 Chapter XXXL, Section 2. Omit the word " abominably." 
 
 Chapter XXXII. , Section 2. Omit "of heaven" and insert 
 \' of God on earth;" and omit the words " to retain and remit 
 sins." 
 
 Chapter XXXV., Section 2. Omit the words "reprobate 
 who are ;" omit the words " be cast into eternal torments, 
 and." Edson a. Lowe, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LOGANSPORT. 66. 
 
 The Presbytery of Logansport hereby expresses its decided 
 satisfaction with the revision report generally. We hail with 
 special pleasure the proposed two new chapters entitled, " Of 
 the Work of the Holy Spirit " and " Of the Universal Offer of 
 the Gospel." 
 
L06ANSP0RT. Ill 
 
 We also express our decided preference for the Confession 
 as it would be by the amendments and changes proposed by 
 the Committee over the Confession as it now stands ; yet we 
 suggest the following amendments to the Committee's work 
 which we would ask the Committee to adopt as their own: 
 
 1. We would make the title of the proposed new Chapter 
 IX. to read "Of the Holy Spirit" in the place of the Com- 
 mittee's title " Of the Work of the Holy Spirit," and for the 
 following reasons : 
 
 a. Uniformity with the titles of other chapters would 
 require this, as, for example, Chapter II. is entitled " Of God 
 and of the Holy Trinity," and not " Of the Work of God, etc." 
 So also Chapter VIII. is entitled "Of Christ the Mediator" 
 and not " Of the Work of Christ." 
 
 i. The contents of the chapter itself would require this, 
 because Section 1 treats exclusively of The Person of the 
 Holy Spirit and not of his work. 
 
 2. V/e would make the title of the proposed new Chapter 
 XL to read " Of the Gospel " and not " Of the Universal Offer 
 of the Gospel," and for the following reasons : 
 
 a. The proposed new title is not as simple as it might be ; 
 .it is too long. 
 
 h. It unnecessarily makes prominent the thought that 
 there is a universal offer of the Gospel without any possibility 
 or desire that the Gospel shall be universally accepted. 
 
 c. The contents of the chapter are too broad and various 
 to be covered by the phrase — Of the Offer of the Gospel. 
 
 We would also suggest the following criticisms of Chapter 
 III., and ask the Assembly's Committee to consider again if it 
 be not possible to drop all negative references to ■' God's Eternal 
 Decree," without in any way invalidating " The System of 
 Doctrine Taught in the Word of God " and embodied in the 
 present Confession. We heartily approve Section 3, Chapter 
 III., as proposed by the Committee and so much of Section 6, 
 of the old Confession, which would become Section 4 of the 
 new, as refers to the elect ; but we respectfully suggest to the 
 Committee that in our judgment the last sentence of Section 6 
 (new 4) reading '" neither are any other redeemed by Christ, 
 
112 L0GAESP0BT-L0N6 ISLAND. 
 
 effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but 
 the elect only," and the whole of Section 5, of the Committee's 
 report, may well be dropped entirely, and for the following 
 reasons : 
 
 a. This is all and wholly a negation. 
 
 h. It is of doubtful authority from Scripture. 
 
 c. It is a hindrance and not a help in our practical use of 
 the Confession as we seek to make God's word appear " profit- 
 able for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
 righteousness." 
 
 Concerning Chapter XXIII. , in Section 4, on Prayer, we 
 feel it to be unnecessary to make any reference to the " Sin 
 unto death ; " and. 
 
 Whereas, The Scriptures abundantly teach the doctiine 
 of the moral responsibility of rulers, states and nations ; and, 
 
 Whereas, There is a wide spread and persistent effort being 
 made to eliminate from our national life and administration 
 every moral consideration based on the law and authority of 
 God- 
 
 Resolved., That it is the opinion of this Presbytery that the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision ought to present for the 
 adoption of the Presbyteries some well considered testimony 
 that will express the testimony of Scripture and the faith of the 
 
 Church on this subject. ,„ tt -irr ca. i. 3 r^^ i 
 
 Wiley K. Wright, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LONG ISLAND. * 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5. The proposed new clauses, '■ the 
 truthfulness of the historj'-, the faithful witness of prophecy and 
 miracle," seem to be an unnecessary addition, inasmuch as un- 
 truthful history could not be regarded as " heavenly " matter. 
 We recommend that said clauses be stricken out. 
 
 Chapter III., Sections 1 to 8. We favor the amendments as 
 suggested by the General Assembly's committee, except that 
 we recommend the omission of Section 5, and the change of 
 the number of Section 6 to 5. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. a. We do not regard the substitu- 
 tion of the term "the universe" for '-the world" as a happy 
 
LONG ISLAND. 113 
 
 change, i. The proposed new sentence, "the heavens and the 
 earth, with all that they contain, were made by Him in six crea- 
 tive days," we regard as unnecessary, inasmuch as in the Bible 
 the term "day " is not limited to a solar day of twenty-four hours ; 
 and objectionable, inasmuch as it seems to have in regard a 
 scientific rather than a biblical, cosmogony. We recommend 
 that the section stand as in the Confessional, rather than in the 
 revised form. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 1. We favor the amendments as sug- 
 gested by the General Assembly's committee. 
 
 Chapters VII., Sections 3-5. We favor the amendments as 
 suggested by the General Assembly's committee. 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 5. We favor the amendments as 
 suggested by the General Assembly's committee. 
 
 Chapter IX. a. We believe it to be well to add to the 
 Confession of Faith a chapter on the " Work of the Holy Spirit." 
 b. We believe that the chapter as suggested by the General 
 Assembly's committee is unsatisfactory and faulty in the fol- 
 lowing particulars: 1. It contains unnecessary matter, as, e.gf., 
 the last clauses of Section 2 from "and these Scriptures, being 
 so inspired," etc., which manifestly belong rather in the chap- 
 ter " Of the Holy Scripture." 2. Its Scriptural references are, 
 in several cases, of extremely doubtful applicability, as, e. g., 
 in Section 3, John 1:9. Rom. 1:19-20, Acts 24:25. 3. The chap- 
 ter is unnecessarily prolix. 4. There is question whether the 
 chapter be not, in some respects, extra biblical, especially in 
 portions of Section 3, and in such sweeping assertions as that 
 (Section 4) the Holy Spii-it leads " all believers into all the truth." 
 We would suggest a further condensation of the chapter, a 
 careful investigation as to the entire Scripturalness of some of 
 its declarations, and especially a rigid review of the proof-texts 
 made use of to support the chapter. 
 
 Chapter (IX) X. We favor the amendments as suggested 
 by the General Assembly,s committee. 
 
 Chapter XI. We favor this chapter as submitted, remark- 
 ing, however, that the last sentence of Section 4, " it is, there- 
 fore, the duty," etc., is logical rather than theological, sermonic 
 rather than confessional. 
 
114 LONG ISLAND. 
 
 Chapter X. (XII.)., Section 2-1. a. The proposed words, 
 " the act of regeneration," do not mal^e wholly clear whose 
 " act " regeneration is. J. We believe that the declaration 
 that " all infants dying in infancy are redeemed by Christ " is 
 based upon a well-grounded hope, but that it goes beyond that 
 which God has revealed in the matter, c. We do not see there 
 to be any logical or theological necessity of specifying any par- 
 ticular class of persons among those "incapable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the word." d. We do not 
 consider the insertion of the phrase, "from birth to death," to 
 be necessary or desirable, e. We favor the insertion of the 
 words, " are redeemed " and " and regenerated by the Spirit." 
 f. The word "they" (" riiey cannot be saved") in Section 4 
 it an ingrammaticism, inasmuch as "others" is the expressed 
 subject of the verb " be saved." g. We favor the other changes 
 in Section 4. We recommend that the words, " all infants 
 dying in infancy, and all other " be stricken out ; that the phrase, 
 " from birth to death " be omitted ; and that the word " elect " 
 be inserted before " persons," so that the section shall read : 
 " Elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called," 
 etc. We recommend that in Section 2 the word "Divine" be 
 inserted before the word " act," so as to read " in the Divine 
 act of regeneration," etc. We recommend that the word " they " 
 in Section 4 be omitted from " they cannot be saved," etc. 
 
 Chapter (XL) XIII., Sections 1 and 3. We favor the 
 amendments as suggested by the General Assembly's com- 
 mittee. 
 
 Chapter (XIV.) XVI. Only "elect" sinners are "enabled 
 to believe to the saving of their souls." The change proposed 
 by the committee seems merely an apologetic veil of the neces- 
 sary Calvinism of the section. We favor the present confes- 
 sional words, " the elect," as being not only true, but also the 
 best in the place. 
 
 Chapters (XVI.) XVIII. to (XXIV.) XXVI. We favor 
 all the changes suggested by the General Assembly's com- 
 mittee. 
 
 Chapter (XXV.) XXVII., Section 6. We see no reason for 
 special reference to the Pope of Rome in the Confession of 
 
LONG ISLAND -LOS ANGELES. 115 
 
 Faith. We recommend that the section be amended so as to 
 read simply : There is no head of the church but the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." 
 
 Chapter (XXIX) XXXI., Section 2. We are opposed to 
 conceding thus officially the term " Catholic " to the Romish 
 church, especially since that church arrogates the term in an 
 exclusive use. We recommend that instead of the term " Roman 
 Catholic " the word " papal " be used. 
 
 We favor the remaining changes as suggested by the Gen- 
 eral Assembly's committee. 
 
 I certify that this report hereby presented to the General 
 Assembly was adopted by the Presbytery — one dissenting 
 vote. 
 
 Robert C. Hallook. Clerk pro. tem. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LOS ANGELES. 68. 
 
 1. The Presbytery of Los Angeles desires to express its 
 gratification at the many indications given in the report of the 
 Assembly's Committee of diligence and fidelity in the dis- 
 charge of the work committed to them ; and express our 
 confidence in their soundness and ability, and our sympathy 
 with the end they have labored to attain. While dissenting 
 from some of tlieir proposed amendments, we do so in no spirit 
 of captious or liostile criticism, but with the sole desire of 
 securing the best possible results in their difficult and delicate 
 work of revision. 
 
 2. We recommend the approval of the report of the As- 
 sembly's Committee, except in the following particulars, in 
 which we indicate the changes, which would make their report 
 more fully accord with the mind of this Presbytery, viz.: 
 
 In Chapter III. we recommend the omission of Section 5. 
 
 In Chapter VI. the proposed addition to Section 4, in which 
 many virtues are ascribed to " the providence of God and the 
 operations of His Spirit" needs to be harmonized with the 
 statement in Chapter IX., Section 3, where the Holy Spirit is 
 said to be " the source of all the wisdom and virtue in men." 
 
116 LOS ANGELES. 
 
 In Chapter VII., Section 3, we desire the omission of the 
 phrase •' by his word and Spirit" as unnecessarily burdening 
 and limiting a truth elsewhere sufficiently emphasized in this 
 chapter. . 
 
 In Chapter IX., besides the suggestion respecting the third 
 section, already noted, we desire that the words "the elect" 
 be substituted for "sinners" in the third line of the fourth 
 section. 
 
 In Chapter \^II., Section 2. a. We prefer the original to 
 the proposed amendment. 
 
 h. While we approve of the doctrine set forth in Section 3, 
 as amended, we prefer a statement which shall put the 
 emphasis upon the ground upon which infants and others, 
 incapable of being externally called, are saved, rather than 
 upon the fact of their salvation ; and beg to suggest the fol- 
 lowing as indicating our desire, viz.: 
 
 " The salvation of those who die in infancy, and of all other 
 persons, who from birth to death are incapable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the word, is secured in the 
 electing love of God and the redemption pui'chased by Christ, 
 and is applied to them by the Holy Spirit, who worketh when 
 and where and hoW He pleaseth." 
 
 c \S Q would further suggest the omission of the redund- 
 ant " they " after " never truly come to Christ " in the fourth 
 section. 
 
 In Chapter XVI. we object to the change proposed in Sec- 
 tion 1 and ask to have the words " the elect " restored. 
 
 In Chapter XVIII., Section 7, we ask to have the words 
 " as a ground of salvation " inserted after " cannot be accepted 
 of God." 
 
 In Chapter XXIV., Section 7, omit or change the words 
 "regular obedience." (The meaning not being readily or 
 generally understood.) 
 
 In Chapter XXVII. , add to Section (i, "the claim of any 
 and all others besides the Pope of Rome, making similar 
 assumptions of headship over the Church should also be 
 rebuked and opposed." 
 
LOS ANGELES TO LYONS. 117 
 
 In Chapter XXXI., let the words -'Roman Catholic" be 
 stricken out of Section 2. 
 
 The Presbytery will be glad to have the Committee on 
 Revision still further emphasize the rich mercy of God in 
 " Christ Jesus." p j^ y^^^^^^ g^^^^^ ^^^^.j^ 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LOUISVILLE. 68. 
 
 We recommend the following changes : 
 
 Chapter 111., Section 3. In place of the phrase, " some of 
 mankind," insert "a multitude which no man can number;" 
 and after the words, "out of His mere free grace and love," 
 omit the remainder of the section and substitute in its place 
 the words, " yet so as thereby neither is any limitation put 
 upon the offer of salvation to all, upon condition of faith in 
 Christ ; nor is restraint laid on the freedom of any one to hin- 
 der his acceptance of this offer." And these words quoted from 
 the proposed amendment to Section 5 being deemed sufficiently 
 explicit. Section 5 is to be entirely omitted. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section ?>. Amend by substituting for " all 
 infants dying in" the phrase "those who die in." 
 
 The report of the Assembly's committee as thus amended 
 was approved. j ^ Qollier, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF LYONS. 69. 
 
 The following, after full and careful discussion, was almost 
 unanimously adopted, as Presbytery's answer to the Revision 
 Committee : 
 
 I. We desire first of all a new and brief creed, which shall 
 be a summary of the essential doctrines of the Westminster 
 Confession, together with a fuller statement of the love of 
 God and the work of the Holy Spirit. 11. In case this new 
 creed cannot now be secured, we would express our satisfaction 
 in the changes proposed by the Revision Committee, with the 
 following exceptions : 1. That in Section 3, Chapter HI., the 
 words "hath predestinated some of mankind unto life, and 
 hath particularly and unchangeably chosen them," be changed 
 to " hath predestinated a great multitude of mankind whom no 
 
118 LYONS TO MAHONING. 
 
 man can number unto life and hath chosen them." 2. That 
 'Section 7 of Chapter III. be entirely omitted. 3. That in Chap- 
 XII., Section 3, of the Revised Confession, the word " men- 
 tally " be inserted before the word " incapable.'' 
 
 Henry M. Clark, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP m'CLELLAND. * 
 
 The Presbytery of McClelland, at its last meeting, approved 
 the report of the Revision Committee. 
 
 BEN.TAMIN F. McDowell, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP MADISON. * 
 
 The following report on revision was adopted by a vote 
 of 13 to 5, one member declining to vote. 
 
 "The Presbytery of Madison reports to the General Assem- 
 bly its general approval of the Report of the Committee on the 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith. 
 
 It desires the omission of Section 5, Chapter III., so as to 
 exclude all mention of a foreordination to death, thus making 
 the chapter consistent with itself and with the present belief 
 of the church. 
 
 It desires such changes in Section 3, Chapter XII., as will 
 more accurately define what is meant by those who " are in- 
 capable of being outwardly called," and would suggest the 
 substitution of the phrases, " all persons " for " all infants " 
 and " all others " for " all other persons " in the same section. 
 
 The Presbytery is not prepared at the present time to pass 
 final judgment on all points involved in the report of the com- 
 mittee. Attest : William F. Brown, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP MAHONING. 69. 
 
 We adopt the report on revision in its entirety. 
 
 XXVI., 6. We stand 9 in favor to 11 against striking out 
 after '' adultery" the sentence commencing, "or such wilful," 
 etc., making the section read ; " Nothing but adultery is cause 
 sufiicient for dissolving the bonds of marriage." 
 
 E. D. Vance, Stated Clerk. 
 
MANKATO - MARION. J 19 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MANKATO. 70. 
 
 When first asked to express itself on the subject of revision, 
 Mankato Presbytery said : " We do not favor a revision which 
 will in the least particular impair the integrity of the Calvin- 
 istic system. We desire only a revision which is reasonable, 
 Scriptural, conservative, and safe." In accordance with your 
 request, we now offer the following suggestions : 
 
 1. We recommend that the word "leave" be substituted 
 for the word " ordain " in Chapter III., Section 5, and that all 
 after the word "justice," added by the committee, be omitted. 
 
 2. That Chapter IV., Section 1, be left unchanged. 
 
 3. That Chapter VI., Section 3, be amended by striking ont 
 the words, " the guilt of." 
 
 4. That Chapter (IX.) X., Section 3, be left unchanged. 
 
 5. That Chapter (X.) XII., Section 3, be changed to read 
 thus : " Such of the elect as are incapable of being outwardly 
 called by the ministry of the word are redeemed by Christ and 
 regenerated by the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and 
 how He pleaseth." 
 
 6. That the words " not elected " be dropped out of Section 
 4, Chapter (X.) XII., and that the word "Popish" be retained 
 in Chapter (XXII.) XXIV. 
 
 With these exceptions the report of the revision committee 
 is approved. W. T. Hall, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MARION. 70. 
 
 The report of the General Assembly's Committee was rec- 
 ommended for approval with the following exceptions : 
 
 Chapter III., Section 1. Insert " by absolute or permissive 
 decree" after the word " ordain." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 5. No action was taken and no rec- 
 ommendation is made with reference to this section. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4. a. Strike out " wholly inclined to 
 evil " and " unregenerate." 
 
 h. Insert " personal " before " social." 
 
120 MARION - M ATTOON. 
 
 Chapter IX. Approved for substance and recommend that 
 it be rewritten and condensed ; also title amended to " Of the 
 Holy Spirit." 
 
 Chapter X. Approved as reported by the Committee as 
 far as the word " thereunto," and with regard to the addendum 
 we indorse the action of the New Brunswick Presbytery as 
 follows : " God has endued the will of man with that natural 
 ability, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature 
 determined to good or evil. Wherefore, man is, and remains 
 a free moral agent, retaining full responsibility for all his acts, 
 in his states alike of innocency of sin, and of grace and glory." 
 Suggest that this latter be Section 1 of this chapter. 
 
 Chapter XI. That it be approved for substance but recom- 
 mend that it be rewritten, and suggest to Committee that it 
 might be introduced under Chapter VII. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3. Amend as follows : " Infants 
 dying in infancy, and other persons elect, who, from birth to 
 death, are incapable of being outwardly called &c." 
 
 Chapter XXVII. Strike out "the Pope of Eome" and 
 insert " any others " instead. 
 
 Chapter XXXI., Section 2. Strike out " Eoman Catholic 
 doctrine of the " and insert instead " so called," also strike out 
 " abominably." W. S. Eagleson, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MATTOON. 70. 
 
 We most heartily commend the Committee on Revision for 
 their earnest and faithful efforts in the work assigned them by 
 the General Assembly. Their report of f)rogress presents 
 many improvements and most valuable additions. No doubt 
 it goes as far as that Committee felt they were justified in 
 going under their instruction. Still it leaves our Confession 
 as large and, therefore, almost as impracticable for the people 
 generally as before. Hence we would say : 
 
 1. That we would still prefer, as we said two years ago, a 
 new and much shorter Confession of the great principles of 
 our faith. 
 
MATTOON TO MILWAUKEE. 121 
 
 2. If this cannot be we would earnestly urge that the 
 statements of doctrines be confined to the plain teachings of 
 the Bible, without trying to formulate our own inferences into 
 what may seem necessary for perfect and complete system. 
 
 3. As the doctrine of a general atonement is not only 
 allowed but very commonly held and almost universally 
 preached in our church, we would omit the last sentence of 
 Section 6, in Chapter III., and all other expressions that seem 
 to assert a limited or even a special atonement. 
 
 4. Section 3, of Chapter (X) XII., was intended, not to 
 declare the fact that some infants and some other persons not 
 able to understand the call are saved, but to state how we 
 believe they are saved, in opposition to the Romish doctrine 
 that baptism is absolutely necessary. We would, therefore, 
 suggest that the first word " elect " be omitted and no other 
 word be put in its place. j_ a. Piper, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MAUMEE. 71. 
 
 While your Committee believe many improvements of 
 little importance might be suggested, they believe it the 
 course of wisdom to pass them by, and recommend the 
 approval of the Report, with the following amendments, viz. : 
 
 1. Strike out of Chapter III., Section 6, all after the 
 words " unto salvation " and commencing with the words 
 " neither are any others redeemed." 
 
 2. Strike out Section 7, Chapter III., which is Section 5 in 
 the Report of the Committee. 
 
 Among the reasons leading the Presbytery to take the 
 above action is the belief that as the Committee struck out 
 the third and fourth sections of Chapter III., consistency 
 requires the proposed amendments. 
 
 Bernard W. Slagle, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MILWAUKEE. 72. 
 
 The Presbytery of Milwaukee unanimously adopted the 
 following report : 
 
 We express our hearty approval of the two new chapters on 
 the work of the Holy Spirit and the universal oiler of the Gospel. 
 
122 MILWAUKEE. 
 
 We approve of the change made in Chapter III., on God's 
 Eternal Decree, omitting the third and fourth sections, and 
 strengthening the fifth section ; but we would recommend 
 omitting tlie clause " Not to elect unto everlasting life," for 
 two reasons ; first, the words are unnecessary, the truth con- 
 tained in them being found in Section 1. iSecond, because it 
 is a statement of, not what God did, but what he ordained 
 not to do. 
 
 We further recommend omitting the last sentence of the 
 sixth section, and the whole of the seventh section; substi- 
 tuting the following amendment : " God's eternal decree 
 hindereth no one from accepting Christ, as He is freely off'ered 
 to us in the Gospel. Nor ought it to be so construed as to 
 contradict the declarations of the Scriptui-e, that Christ is the 
 propitiation for the sins of the world, and that God is not will- 
 ing that any should perish, but that all should come to repent- 
 ance." 
 
 In Chapter XII., we recommend that Section 3 be omitted 
 (because it is extra Scriptural), and that in Section 4 all the 
 words after " Christ, through the Spii'it," be omitted (for the 
 reason that the plain statement of Scripture is better left 
 without interpretation). 
 
 In Chapter (XVI.) XVIII., Section 7, we recommend that 
 the clause beginning " They are, therefore, not free from sin," 
 be omitted, and the following words be substituted, "They 
 cannot, therefore, be regarded as meriting salvation." 
 
 A SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT. 
 
 Milwaukee Presbytery, feeling the profound character of 
 its Confession of Faith, directed its Committee on Eevision to 
 lay before the General Assembly its request for a shorter and 
 simpler statement of the truth as held in the Presbyterian 
 Church, for use among the people in general, and especially in 
 communities using, or passing from a foreign tongue. 
 
 S. W Chidester, Stated Clerk. 
 
MONMOUTH. 123 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MONMOUTH.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Monmouth, in session at Lakewood, New 
 Jersey, October, 1891, agreed by a unanimous vote to submit 
 the following criticisms and amendments : 
 
 Write Chapter I., Section 5, thus : " We may be moved 
 and induced by the testimony of the church, by the truthful- 
 ness of the sacred history, and by the fulfillment of prophecy, 
 to a high and reverent esteem for the Holy Scripture, and the 
 heavenliness of the matter," etc. (and so on as in text of con- 
 fession to end of section). Reason : The external and the in- 
 ternal evidences should be kept distinct. We omit any refer- 
 ence to miracles, because they seem to us rather to have au- 
 thenticated God's messengers than God's book. 
 
 Write Chapter III., Section 1, thus : " God from all eternity 
 did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely 
 and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass, including 
 in His decree the free acts of His creatures, and appointing 
 unto all men and angels their portion as it hath pleased Him 
 in time and in eternity ; yet so as thereby, neither is God the 
 author of sin ; nor is violence offered to the will of the crea- 
 tures, nor is the liberty of second causes taken away, but rather 
 established." Reason : The substance of Section 3 is neces- 
 sary for a full statement of God's decree ; and misconceptions 
 will be best avoided by putting it in close association with the 
 careful limitations of the first section. 
 
 Write Chapter III., Section 3 (new), line 4, thus: "Pre- 
 destinated unto life an innumerable multitude of mankind." 
 Reason : This change is meant to convey the impression that 
 the number of God's elect is presumably vastly greater than 
 the number of the rest of mankind ordained to wrath for their 
 sin. 
 
 Write Chapter III., Section 7 (5), thus: "The rest of 
 mankind God saw fit, according to the unsearchable counsel of 
 his own will, whereby He extendeth or withhokleth mercy as 
 seemeth right in His sight, to ordain to dishonor and wrath for 
 their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice ; yet hath He no 
 pleasure in their condemnation, and hath provided that, in the 
 
124 MONMOUTH. 
 
 preaching of the Gospel of His Son, pardon shall be freely 
 offered in His name unto all men alike." Reasons : The neg- 
 ative clause in Line. 4 of the report of the committee is omitted 
 as unnecessary, and not properly in correlation with what fol- 
 lows. The words " yet hath He," etc., are tliought to be more 
 germane to the subject of the chapter than the Committee's lan- 
 guage, and correspond with the language of Section 6, in the 
 fact that they show how far the rest of mankind have a share 
 in the means of grace provided ibr the elect. 
 
 Write Chapter IV., Section 1, thus : " It pleased. God the 
 Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of His eter- 
 nal power, wisdom and goodness, in the beginning to create 
 the universe, and all things therein, whether visible or invisi- 
 ble ; and by Him, in due time, were the heavens and the earth 
 made, with all that they contain, in the space of six days, and 
 all very good." Reasons : The words " of nothing " are left 
 out as redundant. The words " all very good " are put after 
 the six days, as they are in the Bible. The word "creative" 
 is left out as not appropriate in meaning to the word " day," 
 and not strictly applicable to the periods of time in which God 
 was fashioning what he had already created ; also, because 
 popular and Biblical expressions are better in the Confession 
 than those which are scientific. 
 
 Write Chapter VI., Section 4, thus: ''From this original 
 corruption, whereby men are utterly indisposed, disabled and 
 made opposite to all that is spiritually good, and wholly in- 
 clined to evil, do proceed all actual transgressions ; while the 
 virtues which are seen in the unregenerate are to be ascribed 
 to the Providence of God and the common operations of His 
 Spirit, restraining them from that which is evil and inciting 
 them to that which is good." 
 
 Reasons : The words " many social and civil " are omitted 
 as unnecessary limitations of the thought. The form of the 
 statement is changed in order that the second part may state 
 what human nature produces under restraints and good influ- 
 ences ; and so avoid the infelicity of making the providence of 
 God, etc., its theme. 
 
MONMOUTH. 125 
 
 Omit in Chapter VII., Section 3, the words " by His Word 
 and Spirit " as out of place and redundant, besides marring the 
 sense of the clause in which they occur. 
 
 Write Chapter IX. (new). Sections 1 and 2, thus: "The 
 Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, being very and 
 eternal God, the same in substance with the Father and the 
 Son, and equal in power and gloiy, Who, with the Father and 
 the Son, is to be believed in, loved, obeyed and worshipped 
 throughout all ages, did of old reveal to men in various ways 
 the mind and will of God, and hath fully and authoritatively 
 made known his mind and will in all things pertaining to life 
 and salvation in the sacred Scriptures, holy men of old speak- 
 ing therein as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ; which 
 Scriptures, being so inspired, are the infallible word of God, 
 the supreme rule of faith and duty." Reasons : We think 
 that the categorical statement should be, not who the Spirit 
 is, nor how men should feel and act towards Him, but rather 
 what He does. It will then stand as a parallel to what is said 
 of Christ the Mediator in Chapter VIII., Section 2, and agree 
 with the heading of the present chapter. "Which" is put for 
 " and these " because the sentence should be relative and de 
 pendent. 
 
 Write Section 3 : " He everywhere accompanies the Gos- 
 pel with His persuasive energy. The aroused attention, the 
 awakened conscience, and the zeal for religion, often seen even 
 in unregenerate men, are His work, so that they who reject the 
 merciful offer of the Gospel are not only without excuse, but 
 are also guilty of resisting the Holy Spirit." Reasons : The 
 substituted words are used to preserve more accurately the 
 distinction between special and common grace, and as more 
 correctly defining the common operations of the Spirit. 
 
 Write Section 4 : " The Holy Spirit is the only efficient 
 agent in applying and communicating redemption. He effect- 
 ually calls those whom the Father hath given to Christ unto 
 new life in Him," etc. Reason : The change here made is 
 for the purpose of the clear distinction proper to be drawn 
 between special and common grace, as in Section 3. 
 
126 JIONMOUTH. 
 
 Write Section 5 : " By Him the Church has been and will 
 be preserved, purified and increased, until it shall fill the whole 
 earth : (Dan. 2, 35) ; and at last be presented unto Christ, 
 holy, glorious and complete." Reason : The word " increased " 
 is put last as the most suitable of the three words to be associated 
 with those that follow. The other change is made to avoid a 
 mixing of metaphors. The Church should not be likened to a 
 flood and to a fair young bride in the same sentence. 
 
 Write Chapter IX. (X.), Section 3 : " Man, by his fall into 
 a state of sin, hath not impaired his responsibility as a free, 
 moral agent; yet hath he now no ability of will to any spirit- 
 ual good accompanying salvation ; so, as a natural man, being 
 altogether indisposed to that good and dead in sin, he is not 
 able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or prepare him- 
 self thereunto." Reason : The clause about the retention of 
 moral responsibility is incorporated into the body of the sec- 
 tion in order to avoid the appearance of a patch at the end. 
 
 Write Chapter XI. (new). Section 1: "God, who is rich 
 in mercy, having provided in His Son Jesus Christ an atone- 
 ment sufficient for the sins of all mankind, and adapted to their 
 need, doth fi'eely offer the benefits of the same unto all in the 
 Gospel." Reason : This section is re-written in order that the 
 categorical statement may be in accordance with the heading 
 of the chapter, while the statement of God's love and mercy is 
 made relative ; and also to avoid one of the sentences of the 
 revision which seems cumbrous. 
 
 Write Section 2 : •' Commands, exhorts and beseeches." 
 Reason : " Beseeches " is put in place of " invites " as more in 
 keeping with the climacteric character of the sentence. 
 
 Write Section 3 : " Because, in addition to other sins, they 
 have resisted the Holy Spirit." Reason : A clause is inserted 
 lest the inference should be drawn that they only are " with- 
 out excuse " who reject the Gospel. [Compare Chapter IX. 
 (new). Section 3,] 
 
 Write Section -i : "As in the divinely established method 
 of grace." Reason: The words "and ordinary" are omitted 
 as entirely unnecessary, and as suggesting that of which we 
 have no knowledge. 
 
JtONMOUTII. 127 
 
 Write Chapter X. (XII.), Section 3 : " It ought not, how- 
 ever, to be thought that infants dying in infancy, or other per- 
 sons incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the 
 word, are shut out from the benefits of redemption ; but rather 
 that they, being included in the electing grace of God, are re- 
 generated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who work- 
 eth when, and where, and how He pleaseth." Reason : This 
 section is re-written in this way in order to express, in the 
 strongest possible language, the belief of the Church on this 
 subject in the exact form in which that belief is held. "We do 
 not say that God has asserted these things, but that those who 
 have studied His Word ought, in view oi' all that He has re- 
 vealed, to hold this opinion. 
 
 Write Section 4 : " Others, not elected, may be called by 
 the ministry of the Word, and may have some common opera- 
 tions of the Spirit, yet they never truly come to Christ, and, 
 therefore, cannot be saved ; much less can men rejecting the 
 Christian religion be saved in any other way whatsoever, be 
 they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light 
 of nature and the light of that religion they do profess." Rea- 
 sons : The words " although they " are omitted to provide a 
 more convenient predicate for the word*" others." The words 
 "inasmuch as'" (in the revision) are rejected because they 
 suggest that the sole reason in the case is the refusal to come 
 to Christ. The other reason is negative, but equally important, 
 and specially germane to the subject of the chapter, viz : the 
 lack of that effectual call which would have overcome all 
 unwillingness. The word " rejecting " is substituted for "not 
 professing " in order to avoid the appearance of saying that no 
 one can, under any circumstances, be saved without a public 
 profession of faith. The words " and to assert," etc., are 
 omitted as unnecessary and unpleasing. The section thus 
 amended is- preferred to the revision as stating exactly and 
 without ambiguity that neither the practice enjoined by false 
 religions, nor those suggested simply by the light of nature can 
 be substituted for a knowledge of Christ to the saving of the soul. 
 
 Write Chapter XVI. (XVIIL), Section 7: "Works done 
 by unregenerate men, although they may be things which God 
 
12S MONMOUTH -MONROE. 
 
 commands and of good use both to themselves and others, and 
 although the neglect of such things would be sinful and dis- 
 pleasing to God, yet because they proceed not," etc. Reason : 
 A slight change of exjjression is made here to avoid a gram- 
 matical infelicity in the confused use of the pronouns " they " 
 and '' their." 
 
 Write Chapter XXIII. (XXV.), Section 3, line 2: "Or 
 the government of the Church?" Reason : This language is 
 put in place of the metaphorical expression, " the power of the 
 keys of the kingdom of Heaven," as more likely to be com- 
 monly understood. 
 
 Write Chapter XXIX. (XXXI.), Section 2. line 6: "The 
 Roman Catholic sacrifice of the mass, as they call it." Rea- 
 son : The words "doctrine of the" are left out as unwisely 
 added.. Not the underlying doctrine only, but the thing itself 
 hourly practiced is an hourly oifence. The section denies that 
 the sacrament is " any real sacrifice " for the remission of sins. 
 Therefore the so-called sacrifice of the mass is an offence. The 
 word " abominably " is left out as unpleasing and unnecessary, 
 adding no real strength to the statement. We wish the words 
 " as they call it " retajned to mark the mass as a sacrifice only 
 in name. 
 
 Chapter XXX. (XXXIL). " To these officers God hath com- 
 mitted the government of the Church." For the reason of the 
 change see under Chapter XXIII. (XXV.). 
 
 Benjamin S. Everett, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MONROE. 72. 
 
 In common with the other Presbyteries, the Presbytery of 
 Monroe sent to the Assembly of 1890 a statement in regard to 
 the changes which, if the Confession were revised, it would 
 like to have made. The changes asked for by our Presbytery 
 were all in substance incorporated in this report and quite a 
 large number besides. 
 
 The two new chapters are very valuable and were greatly 
 needed. One is entitled " Of the work of the Holy Spirit," 
 and constitutes a condensed statement in five brief sections, 
 
MONROE. 129 
 
 with strong proof texts attached, of the belief of our Church 
 in regard to the divinity, the personality and the work of the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 The other is entitled "Of the Universal Offer of the 
 Gospel," and consists of four brief sections with proofs. This 
 chapter brings out clearly, as the old Confession does not so 
 fully, the love of God for men, the duty of all who hear to 
 accept the Gospel, and the duty of the Church to send the 
 Gospel everywhere and disciple the world for Christ. These 
 two chapters are sufficient of themselves to repay all the 
 trouble and excitement which the revision has cost, while the 
 brief omissions and changes may all, or nearly all, be looked 
 upon in the light of an improvement. Most of them were 
 definitely asked for by a majority of the Presbyteries. 
 
 There are two extreme parties in our Church who will not 
 be satisfied with the report of the Committee on Revision. 
 One is the party, a very small one, that opposes all revision, 
 looking upon the Confession, with all, or nearly all, the rever- 
 ence they do upon the Holy Scrij)tures themselves. The other 
 is the party that calls for sweeping and radical changes to be 
 made that would weaken, if not overthrow, our system of 
 doctrine and be at variance with the teachings of the Bible. 
 This party, also, we may venture to believe is small. The 
 great body of the Church, the working portion of it and in a 
 good sense the jjrogressive portion of it, constitutes the party 
 which has asked for a moderate revision of the old creed. This 
 is the party whose views have been principally respected in 
 the preparation of this report. We think those composing this 
 grand central division of the Presbyterian army will be quite 
 well satisfied with the changes proposed, not perfectly satisfied, 
 but as nearly so as the circumstances would permit them to be. 
 
 It may take some in our Church a year or two to find out 
 that the amended Confession, if the report of the Committee 
 is adopted, is better for our present use than the old one. But 
 that, we think, in a year or two from the adoption would be the 
 almost universal verdict. Offensive phrases have been re- 
 moved, doubtful sentences have been made plain, asperities 
 
i;;() JIONROE- MONTANA. 
 
 of expression have been softened, fuller' statements of impor- 
 tant truths have been admitted and all without injuring or 
 undermining in any way the system of doctrine which we pro- 
 fess and have professed ever since we became a distinct branch 
 of the Church of Christ. 
 
 The following is I'ecommended in view of the above consid- 
 erations, as the answer of the Pi'esbytery of Monroe to the call 
 for an opinion in regard to the report of the General Assem- 
 bly's Committee on Revision : 
 
 1. We desire to commend the Committee for the able and 
 faithful manner in which it has discharged the duties imposed 
 upon it and for the spirit of real harmony, even in differences 
 of opinion, which has characterized their deliberations. 
 
 2. Our Presbytery would express the conviction that in 
 the report of the Committee a revised confession is presented 
 which it would be an advantage to the Presbyterian Church of 
 the United States of America to adopt. 
 
 We are not all entirely satisfied with the report, nor would 
 we expect to be with any that could be framed, but in our 
 judgment it would be a wise settlement of the revision agita- 
 tion if this report were adopted by the Presbyteries as the 
 doctrinal standard of our Church. 
 
 Henky p. Collin, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MONTANA. 74. 
 
 Whereas, The Report of the Revision Committee has con- 
 vinced the Presbytery oi' Montana that no permanently satis- 
 factory results can be obtained from revision. 
 
 Resolved. That we disapprove of the Report of the Com- 
 mittee, and express ourselves in favor of the formulation of a 
 new creed similar to the new Confession of Faith, formulated 
 and approved by the English Presbyterian Church. 
 
 E. J. Groeneveld, Stated Clerk. 
 
MORRIS AND ORANGE. 131 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MORRIS AND ORANGE. 74. 
 
 The Presbytery of Morris and Orange, in making its 
 answer to the Report of the Special Committee on the Revis- 
 ion of the Confession of Faith, forwards to the Secretary of 
 the Committee, the following requests : — 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5, to be changed as recommended by 
 the Committee. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 1, to remain unchanged. 
 
 Sections 2, 3, 4 to be stricken out. 
 ' Section 5 to become Section 2, and to be changed as recom- 
 mended by the Committee, except that the word " some " be 
 stricken out and the words " a great multitude which no man 
 can number " be substituted. 
 
 Section 6 to become Section 3. 
 
 Section 7 to be stricken out. 
 
 Section 8 to become Section 4. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1, to remain unchanged. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4, to be changed as recommended by 
 the Committee, except that the last sentence be stricken out, 
 i. e., all of the section after the word " transgressions." 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3, to remain unchanged. 
 
 Section 4 to be stricken out. 
 
 Section 5 to become Section 4, and to be changed as recom- 
 mended by the Committee. 
 
 Section 6 to become Section 5, and to be changed as recom- 
 mended by the Committee. 
 
 Chapter VIII., Section 5, to be changed as recommended 
 by the Committee. 
 
 Chapter IX. The title to be changed to read "Of the 
 Holy Spirit." 
 
 Section 1 approved, except that the word "Trinity" be 
 changed to " Godhead." 
 
 Section 2 approved, except that the words " Holy Ghost " 
 be changed to " Holy Spirit." 
 
 Section 3 approved, except that the words " the unregen- 
 
132 MORRIS AND ORANGE - MUNCIE. 
 
 Section 4 approved, except (1) that the words "freeing 
 them from the bondage of sin and death " be stricken out ; 
 and (2) that all after the word "sanctified" be stricken out, 
 and the words " and sealed unto the day of redemption " be 
 substituted; and (3) that the text "Col. i:12" be stricken out 
 and the text "Ephes. iv:30 " be substituted. 
 
 Section 5 approved, except that the last sentence be 
 stricken out, i. e., all after the words " testimony to the truth," 
 together with the texts belonging to the sentence. 
 
 OhajDter X., Section 3, to be changed as recommended by 
 the Committee. 
 
 Chapter XI. approved as recommended. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 2, to be changed as recommended. 
 
 Section 3 to be changed to read "All dying in infancy, and 
 all who from birth to death are incapable," etc. To be 
 changed in the other parts as recommended by the Committee. 
 
 Section 4 to be stricken out. 
 
 Chapters XIII., XVI., XVIIL, XXIIL, XXIV., XXV., 
 XXVI., XXVII., XXXIII. to be changed as recommended by 
 the Committee. 
 
 Chapter XXXI. , Section 2, to be changed as recommended, 
 except (1) that the words "doctrine of the" be stricken out, 
 and (2) that the words " as they call it" be inserted after the 
 word " Mass." 
 
 Section 8 to be changed as recommended. 
 
 William F. Whitaker, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF MUNCIE. 75. 
 
 The Presbytery of Muncie, meeting at Tipton, Indiana, 
 September 9, 1891, listened t6 the reading of the Report of 
 the Special Committee on the Revision of the Confession of 
 Faith as found in the Minutes of the Assembly of 1891, and 
 approved the Report in part and in whole, though not by an 
 unanimous vote. 
 
 Charles Little, Stated Clerk. 
 
NASSAU T(l NEOSHO. 133 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP NASSAU. 76. 
 
 The Presbytery of Nassau has watched with profound 
 gratification the wide-spread interest manifest in the move- 
 ment for Revision, and desires to express its grateful sense of 
 the valuable and diligent labors of the Assembly's Committee. 
 
 Nevertheless, the Presbytery, after careful consideration, 
 recognizing the great difficulty of effecting a. Revision satis- 
 factory to all parties, expresses its judgment that the Con- 
 fession should stand in its entirety as a historic document, and 
 hereby renews its request for the preparation of a brief 
 Consensus Creed of full authority in the Church. 
 
 Alexander G. Russell, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEBRASKA CITY. 77. 
 
 1. While we favor the addition of the two new chapters, 
 we suggest the propriety of condensing the chapter on " The 
 Holy Spirit," and making it more confessional, and less hor^ 
 tatory in form of statement. 
 
 2. Chapter III, Section 3, instead of "hath predestinated 
 some of mankind," insert " hath predestinated unto life a 
 great multitude whom no man can number." 
 
 3. That the clause, Section -t, commencing " neither, etc.," 
 be omitted. 
 
 4. In Chapter IV, Section 1, retain the word " make " as in 
 the Confession. 
 
 5. In Chapter X, Section 3, retain the word " averse." 
 
 6. Change, Chapter XII, Section 2, " who is altogether pas- 
 sive in regeneration," to " who is quickened and renewed by 
 the Holy Spirit, and enabled," etc. 
 
 Thomas K. Hunter, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEOSHO.* 
 
 The second order of the day, the consideration of the 
 Report of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision 
 of the Confession of Faith, was taken up, and the same 
 approved, without criticism or amendment, by a vote of 20 
 yeas to 5 nays. W. L. Squier, Stated Clerk. 
 
134 NEW ALBANY - NEWARK. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEW ALBANY. 77. 
 
 The Keport of the Committee of the General Assembly- 
 was approved with the following suggestions : 
 
 1. That the original reading of Chapter IV, Section 1, be 
 retained. 
 
 2. That in Chapter VI, Section 4, all after the word 
 "transgression" be omitted. 
 
 3. That in Chapter XXV, now XXVII, all after the word 
 " Christ " be omitted. ^_ y. Moore, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEWARK. 78. 
 
 In response to the invitation of the General Assembly, 
 made at the req[uest of the Revision Committee itself, the 
 Presbytery of Newark, with all respect, offer to the Committee 
 the following suggestions : 
 
 We are happy to be able to concur fully in the greater 
 number of the Committee's proposed alterations. 
 
 In several of the rest we substantially concur, only sug- 
 gesting what seems to us some further improvement in the 
 phraseology. 
 
 To a few of the proposed changes we take more earnest 
 exceptions. 
 
 Following the order of the Committee's report submitted 
 to the Assembly : 
 
 1. Chapter I., Section 5. We prefer to leave as it at 
 present stands, without the inserted words, " The truthfulness 
 of the history, the faithful witness of prophecy and miracle." 
 
 a. While the untruthfulness of the history would be an 
 argument against the claim of the Scriptures to be the Word 
 of God, the fact of its truthfulness does not amount to an 
 evidence for that claim. 
 
 5. The introducing of miracle as witnessing to the divine 
 authority of the Scriptures will be thought to involve, in the 
 present circumstances of the Church, the vice of reasoning in 
 a circle. We believe the miracles only on the witness of the 
 
NEWARK. » 135 
 
 Scriptures. They have no such independent certification as 
 can enable them to sustain the Scriptures. But furthermore, 
 c. Inasmuch as this whole class of evidence, to which 
 these specifications are proposed to be added, is simply one 
 concerning which the purpose of the article is to declare that 
 our assurance of the divine authority of the Scriptures does 
 not rest on them, it is of no doctrinal importance to make the 
 enumeration complete. 
 
 2. Chapter III., Sections 1 and 2. We concur with the 
 Committee in leaving Section 1 unchanged, but prefer that 
 Section 2 should be so recast as to remove any appearance 
 that God acted arbitrarily or in disuse of his foreknowledge. 
 For this reason : 
 
 In Section 1 there is a careful balancing of language, so as, 
 by acknowledging the creature will and second causes over 
 against the divine fore-ordination, to guard against an infer- 
 ence of fatalism. In Section 2 there is no such guarding, but 
 simply the absolute ground of the decree is nakedly exhibited. 
 To leave it thus, experience has shown, practically destroys 
 the balance of doctrine recognized as necessary by Section 1. 
 
 3. Chapter III., Sections 3 and 4. We concur with the 
 Committee in striking these out. 
 
 4. Chapter III., Section 5. In place of the whole section, 
 as amended by the Committee, we propose this substitute : 
 
 "III. — God, who is rich in mercy, before the foundation of 
 the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable 
 purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, 
 hath predestinated a great and innumerable multitude of man- 
 kind unto life, and hath chosen them in Christ unto everlasting 
 glory, out of His mere free grace and love." The italics show 
 our proposed additions ; and in behalf of them we say : 
 
 a. In this the first mention of the mystery of election, it 
 should be set forth in connection with the moral attributes of 
 God, and not associated, as it commonly has been, solely with 
 His sovereign power. We believe that the election itself was 
 an act of love and mercy, as much so as the whole course of 
 redemption which follows and accomplishes it. And we think 
 it will relieve this doctrine of much of the odium with which 
 
136 NEWARK. 
 
 it is widely regarded if this connection with God's love be 
 placed in the forefront of its announcement, as well as at the 
 conclusion. 
 
 Therefore, we would append to the bare name " God," as 
 the Committee have it, this benign character taken from Jer. 
 xxxi:3. 
 
 J. Further, we believe that no small part of the prejudice 
 against this doctrine arises out of a popular impression that 
 those who hold it conceive the number of the elect to be pro- 
 portionately small. Such an impression will certainly not be 
 in anywise corrected by the neutral phrase " some of mankind" 
 used by the Committee. We, therefore, propose to say, upon 
 the authority of Revelation vii., 9, " a great and innumerable 
 multitude of mankind." 
 
 c. The words " particularly and unchangeably," transferred 
 by the Committee from the rejected Section 4,we prefer should 
 not be retained, as partaking of that objectionable fatalistic 
 aspect which has made that whole section so generally unac- 
 ceptable. Moreover, this truth is sufficiently recognized in 
 Section 1. 
 
 d. All that follows after the word " love." at the end of 
 the sixth line, we prefer should be omitted for this reason : 
 
 The removal of these clauses diminishes in nothing the 
 clearness of the Church's testimony that the election unto 
 life was wholly and only of grace ; which is all that is neces- 
 sary, in this place, for the integrity of our system of doctrine. 
 
 5. Chapter III., Section 6. We concur with Committee 
 that the section should be retained, except that we should 
 omit entirely the last sentence, beginning, " Neither are any 
 other," etc. 
 
 a. This final declaration has commonly been understood 
 by plain people, and will continue to be understood, as limit- 
 ing the design and provision of redemption ; and so impairing 
 the ground on which the Gospel is offered to all mankind. 
 
 h. It is nowhere, in this form, taught in the Scriptures; 
 but is at best only a negative converse to the positive doctrine 
 of the preceding part of the section, and, therefore, not neces- 
 sarv to state. 
 
NEWARK. 137 
 
 6. Chapter III., Section 7. We prefer that this section 
 should be omitted altogether; and the Presbytery hereby 
 declares its earnest opposition to having this doctrine of 
 Preterition separately formulated in the Confession in any 
 shape whatsoever, as it does not serve any practical purpose, 
 and we believe it is not necessary to the Scriptural statement 
 of the doctrine of the divine decree. 
 
 7. Chapter III., Section 8. We concur with Committee 
 in retaining unchanged. 
 
 8. Chapter lY., Section 1. (1.) We approve the first 
 sentence of the Committee's amended form, except that we 
 would substitute the Scripture words, " the heavens and the 
 earth " for the word " universe " in the fourth line. 
 
 (2.) The second sentence we prefer should be omitted 
 entirely, for these reasons : 
 
 a. The fact of creation out of nothing having been clearly 
 stated as the Church's belief, further particulars and circum- 
 stances of that creation are not requsite in a Confession of 
 Faith. 
 
 J. There is honest difference of opinion in the Church as 
 to the right way of explaining and interpreting the Scripture 
 statements concerning the six days. We should not, therefore, 
 attempt to stamp with confessional authority a certain particu- 
 lar one of these ways of reconciling the words of Scripture 
 with the conclusions of modern science, which the Committee's 
 proposal practically does. 
 
 9. Chapter VI., Section 4. We concur in the amend- 
 ments of the Committee, except that we would omit, in the 
 third line, the words " and wholly inclined to evil," and the 
 word " common " in line 5. 
 
 a. As to the first, we believe this phrase overstates the 
 fact. The Assembly's Committee itself has properly limited 
 the good, to which the natural man is said to be utterly indis- 
 posed, to the " spiritually good." We are not declared to be 
 made opposite to what is socially and civilly good. Therefore, 
 it is too much to say, without a corresponding qualification, that 
 we are wholly inclined to evil. But, esteeming the statement 
 
138 NEWARK. 
 
 abundantly sufficient without this clause, even if it should be 
 qualified so as to agree with what goes before it, we think the 
 simpler way is to omit it altogether. 
 
 h. As to the word " common," if it be intended here as 
 equivalent to general or universal, in accordance with the 
 teaching of Section 3, in the proposed new chapter " Of the 
 Holy Spirit," yfe have no doctrinal objection to it; but, inas- 
 much as this word, in this particular phrase, " common opera- 
 tions of the Spirit," has acquired a technical signification, and 
 one that suggests perplexing distinctions not necessary to be 
 attended to in this place, some other term, it seems to us, 
 would be preferable. 
 
 But, just as the Providence of God in the same connection 
 is spoken of in an unlimited way, i. e., not defined as either 
 special or general, so it seems to us in every regard most suit- 
 able that the operations of Spirit likewise should be spoken of 
 in the most general manner without unnecessary particulars. 
 
 10. Chapter VII., Section 3. For the Committee's pro- 
 posal we offer the following substitute : 
 
 '' Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life 
 by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, 
 commonly called the covenant of grace ; wherein He freely 
 oftereth by His Word and Spirit, unto all mankind salvation 
 by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they 
 may be saved, and promising to give unto all that repent and 
 believe on Him, eternal life." 
 
 a. It will be observed that we propose, in place of the 
 word " sinners," the phrase " all mankind," for the reason that 
 we would embrace every suitable opportunity to declare the 
 universal oiler of salvation. 
 
 h. The other change suggested makes the whole article 
 more scriptural. Indeed it is in the very words of Scripture ; 
 and there may be fitly appended here, as a proof text, that 
 precious word of our Lord's, John 3:16, so conspicuously 
 absent from our Confession heretofore. 
 
 c. The doctrine of efficacious grace is taught with suffi- 
 cient explicitness in Chapter IX., Section 4. 
 
NEWARK. 139 
 
 d. The words " life and," before the Avord " salvation," in 
 the fifth line of the Committee's proposal, we omit; simply 
 because, in the substitute offered by us, the same word is 
 introduced later on. 
 
 11. Chapter VII., Sections 4, 5, 6. In respect of Sections 
 4, 5, and 6, of Chapter VII., we concur in all the Committee's 
 recommendations. 
 
 12. Chapter VIII., Section 5. As also in that concerning 
 Chapter VIII., Section 5. 
 
 13. New Chapter IX. And also in the whole of the new 
 chapter to be numbered IX., except in the form of the title, 
 which we would have read simply, " Of the Holy Spirit." 
 
 14. Chapter IX., Section 3. We concur also in the pro- 
 posed amendments to Chapter (IX.) X., Section 3. 
 
 15. New Chapter XI. And very heartily in the new 
 chapter, to be numbered XL, except in the form of the title 
 which we would have read simply, " Of the Gospel." 
 
 16. Chapter (X.) XII., Section 2. In the case of Chapter 
 X., Section 2, we are satisfied with, and prefer to retain 
 unchanged, the present reading. Nothing seems to us_to be 
 gained by the proposed amendments either in doctrine or 
 clearness of statement, and, in the latter respect at least, some- 
 what is lost. 
 
 a. If the proposed amendment is intended to declare that 
 man is altogether passive in God's act of regenerating, that 
 ought to go without saying. All people are passive in the acts 
 of others. If, however, it is intended to say that man is 
 passive in the experience of regeneration, then that word 
 should be used. But 
 
 h. The proposed form is perplexing. Man is said to be 
 passive in an act wherein he is enabled to answer God's call 
 {sic). The old statement marks clearly a point at which the 
 passivity ends, directing our minds to it by the word " until," 
 the omission of which word by the Committee is a serious loss. 
 
 17. Chapter XII., Section 3. For the Committee's pro- 
 posal we offer this substitute : 
 
 " III. Concerning infants dying in infancy, and all other 
 persons incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry 
 
140 NEWARK. 
 
 of the Word, nothing in the Scriptures forbids the hope of 
 their being included in the redemption of Christ and the 
 renewing of the Holy Spirit, who worketh when and where 
 and how He pleaseth." 
 
 We do not find sufficient declarations in the Scriptures to 
 justify placing among the Church's Article? of Faith such 
 broad and sweeping assertions as the form proposed by the 
 Committee makes, although we may ourselves entertain and 
 do entertain the belief. 
 
 18. Chapter XII., Section 4. For this section also we offer 
 a substitute, as follows : 
 
 " IV. Others, who, although called by the ministry of the 
 Word and drawn by' the Holy Spirit, never truly come to 
 Christ, cannot be saved ; neither is thei'e salvation in any 
 other way than by Christ through the Spirit, even for such as 
 are most diligent in framing their lives according to the light 
 of nature and the law of that religion they do profess." 
 
 a. We omit the words " not elected " in the first line, 
 because the word "elect" before "infants," in the preceding 
 section, having been dropped, there is no such antithesis 
 required. 
 
 l. We would avoid the use of the phrase " some common 
 operations of the Spirit," which has been felt to cast a certain 
 stigma of inferiority and lack of full gracious purpose on these 
 operations. 
 
 The distinction of " common " operations does not rest on 
 any ground laid in words of Scripture, but is an inference 
 merely, drawn from a difference of result; and in our theology 
 it has caused as many perplexities as it has relieved. The 
 Committee's own elaborate chapter on the Work of the Holy 
 Spirit wisely ignores it. 
 
 G. There seems to be no need to declare, as it is proposed 
 to do, the fact that there are those who never truly come to 
 Christ. Is it not sufficient for the Church's Confession faith- 
 fully to witness that those who do not come to Christ, whatso- 
 ever else they may do, cannot be saved ? 
 
NEWARK. 141 
 
 d. We venture to think that the purpose of the latter half 
 of the article is more clearly expressed by our proposal than 
 by the Committee's. 
 
 19. Chapter XIII., Sections 1 and 3. We concur in the 
 recommendations of the Committee. 
 
 20. As also in that concerning Chapter XVI., Section 1. 
 
 21. Chapter XVIII, Section 7. For the Committee's pro- - 
 posal we offer the following substitute : 
 
 " VII. — Works done by unregenerate men, although for the 
 matter of them they may be things which God commands, and 
 of good use both to themselves and others ; yet because they 
 proceed not from a heart purified by faith ; nor are done in a 
 right manner, according to the word ; nor to a right end, the 
 glory of God, are therefore in these respects, defective and 
 cannot be accepted of God as fulfilling righteousness. And 
 yet neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God." 
 
 a. This form involves less change from the present article. 
 
 h. We do not need to say that these works are positively 
 sinful. All that the article itself sets forth against them is in a 
 way of negation. It is therefore sufficient as well as more 
 exact to say that they are in these respects defective. 
 
 c. The Committee's proposed article is not well con- 
 structed grammatically ; The pronoun " they " in line 2 
 refers to "works," the subject of the sentence; the pronoun 
 "their" in the next following line refers to "men;" and yet 
 the next pronoun " they " in line 5, refers again to " works." 
 Thus the mind of the reader is tossed to and fro, from one 
 subject to the other, until confusion ensues. 
 
 22. Chapter XXIII, Section 4 ; Chapter XXIV, Section 7 ; 
 Chapter XXV, Section 3 ; Chapter XXVI, Section 3. In all 
 these we concur in the Committee's recommendations. 
 
 23. Chapter XXVII, Section 6. We concur in the Com- 
 mittee's changes, except that we would suggest a substitution 
 of the words " any man " in place of the words " the Pope of 
 Rome " as being sufficiently explicit for the statement of the 
 doctrine, and yet at the same time less invidious and personally 
 oifensive. 
 
142 NEWARK. 
 
 24. Chapter XXXI, Section 2. We approve the Com- 
 mittee's recommendation, except that we would say, instead 
 of " the Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacrifice of the 
 mass " " the doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass, by whomso- 
 ever held." 
 
 The reasons are the same as for the suggestion last made 
 above, in the case of Chapter XXV, Section 6. 
 
 25. Chapter XXXI, Section 8, and Chapter XXXII, 
 Section 2. In both these we approve the recommendations 
 of the committee. 
 
 Besides making these suggestions concerning the changes 
 already proposed in the report sent down to us, the Presbytery 
 embraces this opportunity to call the attention of the Com- 
 mittee again to several articles in the Confession of Faith, 
 concerning which this Presbyterj^ memorialized the General 
 Assembly in connection with the first call for opinions of the 
 Presbyteries in this matter of Revision, and which we respect- 
 fully request the Assembly's Committee to review in the light 
 of reasons herein appended to them severally. 
 
 26. Chapter VIII, Section 8. We recommend that the 
 words, '■ To all those for whom Christ hath purchased 
 redemption," be changed to read, " To all who come to 
 Christ for salvation." For these reasons : 
 
 a. However theologians may understand and limit the 
 scope of the word redemption, the people understand and 
 believe that Christ purchased redemption for all. This lan- 
 guage of the Confession seems, therefore, to them, to teach 
 universal salvation. 
 
 h. With the change we suggest the article would become 
 a cogent evangelical argument to every unconverted reader, 
 while at the same time witnessing with undiminished effect- 
 iveness to the truth which it is chiefly designed to express. 
 
 The whole article would read : '' VIII. To all who come 
 to Christ for salvation. He doth certainly and effectually apply 
 and communicate the same; making intercession for them and 
 revealing unto them, in and by the word, the mysteries of sal- 
 vation; effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe 
 and obey; and governing tlieir liearts by His word and Spirit, 
 
NEWARK. 143 
 
 overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wis- 
 dom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his 
 wonderful and unsearchable dispensation." 
 
 27. Chapter XII., Section 1. We desire that the words, 
 "and those only," in the second line, should be omitted. 
 
 a. It is the unnecessary negative side of the same truth 
 which is abundantly strong when stated positively. In this 
 respect it is like formulating the doctrine of preterition. 
 
 h. To omit the words will remove one occasion for tempta- 
 tion to argue that the free offer of salvation is hereby restricted, 
 as many have argued. 
 
 28. Chapter XVII., Section 4. We request that the word 
 " damnation " be changed to " condemnation " in both the 
 places where it occurs in the section, so that the whole shall read: 
 
 " IV. As there is no sin so small but it deserves condem- 
 nation, so there is no sin so great that it can bring condemna- 
 tion upon those who truly repent." 
 
 a. Condemnation is the present equivalent of the word 
 damnation as that was used by the authors of the Confession, 
 and is the word now employed by the most trusted modern 
 expounders of the Confession. Cf. Dr. A. A. Hodges' Com- 
 mentary on the Confession pp. 290, 293. 
 
 h. Do we positively know that the smallest possible sin 
 deserves what is now signified by the word " damnation ? " 
 
 29. Chapter XXIV., Section 3. We suggest that for the 
 words in the last clause, " Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath," 
 there be substituted the words, " Yet it is a duty to make oath 
 or affirmation," so that the whole shall read : 
 
 " III. Whosoever taketh an oath ought duly to consider 
 the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch 
 nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth. Neither 
 may any man bind himself by oath to anything but what is 
 good and just, and what he believeth so to be, and what he is 
 able and resolved to perform. Yet it is a duty to make oath 
 or affirmation touching any thing that is good and just, being 
 imposed by lawful authority." 
 
 Reason : It is in this form sufficiently explicit, and yet less 
 offensive. 
 
144 NEWARK -NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 30. Chapter XXVII., Section 2. We suggest -that the 
 article will be improved by omitting all after the words, " to- 
 gether with their children." 
 
 a. There is difference of opinion among us as to the pro- 
 priety of applying the term " Kingdom of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ" to the visible church, which difference may without 
 injury be allowed. 
 
 b. The last clause, " out of which there is no ordinary 
 possibility of salvation," is, in our present circumstances, too 
 easily understood to mean that out of membership in some 
 local congregation or religious society there is no ordinary 
 possibility of salvation, a position which no one of us would 
 dare or even wish to claim. 
 
 31. Chapter XXIX., Section 4. We request may be 
 amended by omitting the words, '' neither of which may be dis- 
 pensed by any but by a minister of the word lawfully or- 
 dained." 
 
 a. If the article in its present form intends to say that the 
 validity of a sacrament depends upon its being dispensed by a 
 lawfully ordained minister of the word, it contains the virus of 
 Sacerdotalism. 
 
 h. If this be intended simply for a rule of prudence in 
 church administration, then the place for it is in the Directory 
 for Worship, and not in the Confession of Faith. 
 
 32. Chapter XXXI., Section 2. We recommend that the 
 words, " by a minister of the Gospel lawfully called thereunto," 
 be omitted for the reasons given last above in the like case of 
 Chapter XXVII., Section 4. 
 
 33. We further recommend that the name "Holy Spirit" 
 be uniformly used in the Confession wherever the form " Holy 
 Ghost " is at present found. 
 
 Julius H. Wolff, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEW BRUNSWICK.* 
 
 In accordance with the action of the General Assembly, 
 recorded in the minutes of 1891, page 22, this Presbytery has 
 given the report of progress presented to the Assembly by the 
 Committee on the Kevision of the Confession of Faith its most 
 
NKW RRCNSWICK. 145 
 
 careful consideration, and begs to submit to the committee, in 
 accordance with its request, the Presbytery's approval of 
 certain portions of the committee's proposed revision, together 
 with some criticisms and amendments, as follows, viz : 
 
 I. The Presbytery approves the proposed revision of 
 Chapter I, Section 5, " Of the Holy Scriptures." 
 
 In this connection this Presbytery would venture to sug- 
 gest to the committee whether the place given to Inspiration 
 in the Confession, as a part of the definition of Scripture, is 
 not liable to cause our testimonj' on this great subject to be 
 insufficiently noted ; and whether it were not well to erect the 
 last clause of Section 2 into a separate section, which, with some 
 expansion, might be made to read somewhat as follows, viz. : 
 
 "All these are given by inspiration of God, to be the 
 rule of faith and life, and are therefore to be reverently 
 received by all as the infallible word of God, or the true utter- 
 ance of the Holy Ghost, of most certain credit, and profitable 
 to instruct and make the man of God perfect." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3. " Of God's Eternal Decree." This 
 Presbyterj^ ventures to lay before the committee for its con- 
 sideration the following form of statement, to be substituted 
 for Chapter III., Section 3, " Of God's Eternal Decree," viz. : 
 
 " By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, 
 some, out of the corrupt race of man, are predestinated unto 
 everlasting life, and the rest are left to perish in their sins." 
 
 This Presbytery approves the recommendations of the com- 
 mittee as to Sections 4 and 5. 
 
 For Section 7 (in the Revision Chapter III.. Section 5), the 
 Presbytery offers the following, viz. : 
 
 •' The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the 
 unsearchable counsel of His will, whereby He extendeth or 
 withholdeth mercy as He pleaseth, not to elect unto everlast- 
 ing life ; and them hath He ordained to dishonor and wrath 
 for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice ; yet hath He 
 no pleasure in the death of the wicked, nor is it His decree, 
 but the wickedness of their own hearts, which restraineth and 
 hindereth them from accepting the free offer of His grace made 
 in the Gospel." 
 
l-tfi NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 Chapter IV. " Of Creation." The Presbytery recommends 
 that Chapter IV., "Of Creation," be retained as at present 
 stated in the Confession of Faith." 
 
 CUiapter VI. " Of the Fall of Man," etc. This Presbytery 
 approves the amendment of the committee to Chapter VI.. 
 Section 4. " Of the Fall of Man," etc., in the insertion of the 
 words, " all that is spiritually good," but recommends the 
 striking out of the second sentence of the proposed revision, 
 viz. : " Nevertheless," etc. 
 
 Chapter VII. "Of God's Covenant With Man." This 
 Presbytery disapproves the proposed insertion of the words, 
 " of His word and Spirit," in Chapter 7, Section 3, " Of God's 
 Covenant," etc., but approves the proposed amendment to the 
 rest of the chapter. 
 
 Chapter VIII. " Of Christ the Mediator." This Presby- 
 tery disapproves the proposed substitution of the word "divine" 
 for the words "of His Father" in Chapter VIIL, Section 5, 
 " Of Christ the Mediator." 
 
 Chapter IX. "Of the Work of the Holy Spirit." This 
 Presbytery heartily approves of the insertion of the chapter 
 " On the Holy Spirit," but urges the committee to eliminate 
 its redundancies, and essentially modify Section 3, inasmuch 
 as it is an overstatement of the ordinary operation of the Holy 
 Spirit, and conflicts with the statement of the Confession on 
 efhcacious grace. This is seen : n. In the overstatement of 
 common grace in Section 3, and the understatement of effica- 
 cious grace in Section 4, with the efi'ect of assimilating and 
 confusing tJiem. I. In tlie adoption of phrases in Section 3, 
 to describe common grace, which are the same as, or similar 
 to, those employed in X., 1, to describe efBcacious grace, with 
 the inevitable etlect of assimilating and confusing the two. 
 Thus in X., 1, the work of the Spirit in effectual calling is 
 described as '■ enlightening their minds " spiritually and sav- 
 ingly to understand the things of God, . . . renewing their 
 wills, . . and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ ; 
 while in the new chapter. Section 3, the work of the Spirit in 
 common grace is described as " enlightening their minds " con- 
 cerning divine things, quickening their consciences, and draw- 
 ing them In' His grace. 
 
NEW BRUNSWICK. 147 
 
 c. In the use of terms to describe common grace, which 
 the Scriptures reserve exclusively for efiicacious grace, such as 
 "drawing them by His grace," ( cf. Jno. vi : 44). "Enlight- 
 ening their minds concerning Divine things," (cf. Eph. i : 17, 18). 
 " Quickening their consciences," (cf. Eph. ii : 5). 
 
 d. In the use concerning common grace, without limiting 
 adjuncts, of language which when strictly understood, must 
 involve all that is true of eflBcacious grace, e. g. : " quickening 
 their consciences." Is not " giving life " just the work of 
 effectual calling? 
 
 Chapter (IX) X. Of Free Will. This Presbytery approves 
 the proposed amendment of Chapter (IX) X, Section 3, "Of 
 Free Will." in the first sentence. 
 
 Concerning Chapter (IX) X. Addendum. Section 3. 
 What is here stated the Presbytery holds to be true; but it 
 considers that the Committee has been unhappy in selecting a 
 place for it. It ventures to suggest that a better place could 
 be found for it in the first section of this chapter, perhaps 
 somewhat as follows, viz : 
 
 " God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty, 
 that is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature deter- 
 mined to good or evil. Wherefore, man is, and remains, a 
 free moral agent, retaining full responsibility for all his acts in 
 his states, alike, of innocency, of sin, of grace and glory." 
 
 Chapter XL Of the Universal Offer of the Gospel. This 
 Presbytery approves of Chapter XI, "Of the Universal Offer of 
 the Gospel," but calls the attention of the Committee to a 
 possible improvement of its phraseology, by making it more 
 felicitous and avoiding pleonasms. 
 
 Chapter (X) XII. Of Effectual Calling. This Presbytery 
 disapproves of the changes proposed in Chapter (X) XII, "Of 
 Effectual Calling," in Section 2. 
 
 For Section 3, the Presbytery ventures to suggest the fol- 
 lowing, viz. : 
 
 "All infants dying in infancy, being included in the 
 electing grace of God, are redeemed by Christ and regen- 
 erated by the Spirit, who worketh when and where, and liow 
 
14S NEW URUNSWIOK. 
 
 He pleaseth. So, also, are all other elect persons, who are 
 incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the 
 word." 
 
 Section 4. Tlie Fresbytei'y prefers the statement of Sec- 
 tion 4, proposed by the Committee. 
 
 Chapter (XI) XIII. Of Justification. Sections 1 and 3 
 proposed by the Committee were approved. 
 
 Chapter (XIV) XVI. Of Saving Faith. This Presbytery 
 disapproves of the proposed change in Chapter (XIV) XVI, 
 " Of Saving Faith," in the substitution of the word " sinners '■ 
 for " the elect." 
 
 Chapter (XVI) XVIII. Of Good Works. The Presbytery 
 approves the proposed changes in Chapter ( XVI ) XVIII, " Of 
 Good Works," Section 7, except that it recommends the 
 striking out of the words "be accepted of God, or," in the 
 latter part of the section. 
 
 Chapter (XXI) XXIII. Of Religious Worship, etc. This 
 Presbytery recommends the retaining of Chapter (XXI) 
 XXIII, Section 4, •' Of Religious Worship," etc., as at present 
 stated in the Confession of Faith, except that the words " nor 
 for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the 
 sin unto death," be stricken out. 
 
 Chapter (XXII) XXIV. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows. 
 Section 7. Presbytery approved of the omission of the 
 word " Popish," but suggested to the Committee a possible 
 revision of the phraseology of the last sentence of the section 
 in the interest of individual Christian liberty. 
 
 Chapter (XXIII) XXV. Of the Civil Magistrate. Sec- 
 tion 3. Presbytery approved the revision of Chapter (XXIII) 
 XXV, Section 3, in striking out the words, "' as nursing fathers." 
 
 Chapter (XXIV) XXVI. Of Marriage and Divorce. 
 Section 3. Presbytery approved the revision of Chapter 
 (XXIV) XXVI, Section 3, but recommended the insertion of 
 the words, " with idolaters, or," between " infidels " and "with 
 the adherents," so that the sentence would read as follows, viz. : 
 "And, therefore, such as profess the true religion should not 
 marry with infidels, with idolaters, or with the adherents of 
 false religions," etc. 
 
NEW BRUNSWICK -NEWTON. 149 
 
 Chapter (XXV) XXVII. Of the Church. Section 6. Pres- 
 bytery recommended the retaining of the words of the Con- 
 fession of Faith, as far as the word " thereof," and the striking- 
 out of all after that word. 
 
 Chapter (XXIX) XXXI. Of the Lord's Supper. Presby- 
 tery recommended that for the words, " Roman Catholic doc- 
 trine," etc., there be substituted the words, "so that the 
 so-called sacrifice of the Mass as taught and practiced in the 
 Church of Rome." 
 
 Section 8, as proposed, approved. 
 
 The proposed revision of Chapter (XXX) XXXII. Of 
 Church Censures. Approved. 
 
 Attest : A. L. Armstrong, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEWTON.* 
 
 Resolved, That the Presbytery of Newton approves of the 
 Report of the General Assembly's Committee on the Revision 
 of the Confession of Faith, with the following recommenda- 
 tions : 
 
 1. That in Chapter III., Section 5, line fourth, of official 
 edition of the report, the words " not to elect unto everlasting 
 life, but " be stricken out, and the words " to pass by, and " be 
 inserted ; also, that a comma be inserted in the ninth line 
 after " any one." 
 
 2. That in Chapter IV., Section 1. the language of the 
 present Confession be retained. 
 
 3. That in Chapter VI., Section 4, the word •' personal " 
 be placed before the words " social and civil," in the conclud- 
 ing sentence of the altered section ; and, then, that that pro- 
 posed last sentence of the altered section, leaving out the 
 word "nevertheless," be transferred to Section 7, Chapter 
 XVI. (new Chapter XVIII.), so as to read : " The Providence 
 of Cod and the common operations of His Spirit restrain unre- 
 generate men from much that is evil, lead them to exercise 
 many personal, social, and civil virtues, and to do many things 
 which God commands, and which are of good use botii to 
 
150 NEWTON. 
 
 themselves and others. Yet, because they proceed not from 
 a heart purified by faith ; nor are done in a right manner, 
 according to the Word ; nor to a right end, the glory of God ; 
 they are, therefore, not free from sin, and cannot be accepted 
 of God as righteous, or make a man meet to receive grace 
 from God. And yet their neglect of them is more sinful and 
 displeasing to God." 
 
 4. That in Chapter VII., Section 4, the words " and is 
 called the Old Testament " be retained ; and that in Section 5, 
 the words " and is called the New Testament " be retained. 
 
 5. That in Chapter X. (new Chapter XII.), instead of the 
 proposed substitute for Section 3, this be made the substitute : 
 " While the duty of proclaiming the Gospel to all men is clear 
 and imperative, and while the proclamation of the Gospel is 
 the ordinary means of salvation for all who are capable of 
 being called thereby, and, while it is certain that no one is 
 saved except through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and by the working of the Holy Spirit, yet it does not follow, 
 nor is it required to be held either, that any who die in 
 infancy are lost, or that God may not extend His mercy to 
 those who are beyond the reach of the ordinary means of sal- 
 vation, as may seem good in His sight.'' 
 
 6. That in Chapter X. (new Chapter XII.), Section 4. the 
 second " they " in the fourth line be omitted, the subject of 
 the verb being already expressed. 
 
 7. That the proof-texts of the two new chapters be 
 referred to the Committee of the General Assembly on the 
 Kevision of the Proof-Texts. ^ 
 
 8. That the report to the Assembly of 1892 be sent 
 down to the Presbyteries for " consideration, criticism, or 
 amendments," before they are finally called upon to vote on 
 its adoption. 
 
 E. Claeke Cline, Stated Clerk. 
 
NEW YORK. 151 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NEW YORK. 80. 
 
 The resolutions adopted by the Presbytery of New York in 
 the matter of the proposed revision of the Confession of Faith, 
 were introduced in connection with the following preamble.' 
 which Presbytery ordered to be herewith printed, viz.: 
 
 The Committee of the Presbytery of New York appointed 
 to consider the proposed revision of the Confession of Faith, 
 which has been recommended by the General Assembly's 
 Committee, would respectfully report as follows : 
 
 Your Committee have carefully examined the proposed 
 revision, chapter by chapter and section by section, and 
 recognize the wisdom, prudence and skill with which the 
 General Assembly's Committee have labored upon it. 
 
 We are of the opinion that it shows very clearly the possi- 
 bility of revising our CJonfession of Faith without impairing, 
 in the least, our system of doctrine, but rather in such a way 
 as to support and defend it, by making it plainer, stronger and 
 more Scriptural ; and that such a revision would not hinder, 
 but advance and prosper, the formulation of a new, short and 
 simple creed, in co-operation with other Reformed and Pres- 
 byterian Churches, according to the desire expressed by. the 
 Presbytery of New York two years ago. 
 
 For this reason we feel deeply the importance of unity and 
 harmony among all those who are sincerely in favor of the 
 general scope and pui-pose of the revision movement, and the 
 necessity of such action as shall promote its success. 
 
 At the same time, we feel that it is equally important to 
 have a revision which shall really revise. The great objects of 
 this wide and deep movement in the Church should be, as 
 fully as possible, secured. It seems to us that these objects 
 are two. First, the frank, explicit and unhesitating declaration 
 of the living faith of the Church in God's loving and true offer 
 of salvation to all men, through Christ, by His word and 
 Spirit. Second, the clearing of our Confession of Faith from 
 the possibility of a fatalistic misinterpretation. 
 
152i NEW YORK. 
 
 The recommendations of the Presbytery of New York, 
 made in accordance with the desire of the General Assembly's 
 Committee on Revision, and also by direction of the General 
 Assembly, are included in the following resolutions, viz.: 
 
 I. That the Presbytery of New York recognize with grati- 
 tude the high value of the work already done b}^ the General 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision, and trust it will be com- 
 pleted in accordance with the Spirit of the Gospel and the 
 preaching faith of the Church. 
 
 II. That we especially commend the new chapters, as 
 greatly needed, and full of the teachings of God's word, 
 clearly, nobly and evangelically expressed ; and that we 
 suggest condensation, if it be possible, and the change of the 
 titles so that they shall read simply, " Of the Holy Spirit " 
 and " Of the Gospel." 
 
 III. That we respectfully recommend to the General 
 Assembly's Committee the following additional amendments 
 in the line of the work that they have already done : 
 
 A. In Chapter III. we reccommend that — 
 
 1. The section on Sovereign Election (III. in the revision) 
 should be so recast as to express the truth that God's chosen 
 people in Christ are a great multitude which no man can 
 number. (Rev. vii:9.) 
 
 2. All reference to Sovereign Preterition, eternal fore- 
 ordination to everlasting death, or any doctrine of non- election, 
 should be omitted, including the last sentence of Section 6, 
 (§ 4, in the revision), and the whole of Section 7, (§ 5, in the 
 revision). 
 
 3. A substitute for Section 7 (§ 5, in the revision) should 
 be written to declare in substance: "The doctrine of God's 
 Sovereign Election is to be received and interpreted in 
 harmony with the truth that He is not willing that any should 
 perish, but that all should come to repentance ; that He has 
 given His Son to be the propitation for the sins of the whole 
 world ; and that whosoever cometh unto Him shall not be cast 
 out, but whosoever will not come shall perish." II. Pet. ii:9, 
 I. John ii:2, John vi:37, John v:40, Matt. xxiii:37. 
 
NEW YORK. 153 
 
 B. In Chapter VII., Section 3, we recommend that the 
 last clause should read, " and promising to give the Holy Spirit 
 to them that ask Him." (Luke xi:13.) 
 
 C. In Chapter IX. (X. in the revision) we desire that 
 man's ability and free agency in accepting or rejecting the 
 Gospel oifer be more clearly expressed. (Rev. 22:17, Ezek. 
 18:31, 32. 
 
 D. In Chapter X. (XII. in the revision) we recommend 
 that — 
 
 1. The words " and those only," in Section 1, should be 
 omitted. 
 
 2. In Section 2 (revised) the words " is altogether passive " 
 and " wherein " should be omitted, and the section should 
 read : " This eifectual call is of God's free and sovereign 
 grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who, 
 being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, is enabled 
 to answer God's call and to embrace the gr^ce offered and con- 
 veyed in it." 
 
 3. Section 3 should be amended so as to read : " Infants 
 dying in infancy, and other persons who are incapable of 
 being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word, are 
 regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who 
 worketh when and where, and how He pleaseth." 
 
 4. Section 4 should be amended so as to read : " Those 
 persons who are called by the ministry of the Word, and yet 
 resist the Holy Spirit, and never truly come to Christ, cannot 
 be saved ; neither is there salvation in any other way than by 
 Christ through the Spirit." 
 
 We desire and strongly urge the aforesaid " further altera- 
 tions in the same direction" as the Committee's report, 
 because we believe that they are Scriptural and most neces- 
 sary, and that their adoption will promote the welfare of the 
 Church, the preaching of the Gospel, and the preparation of a 
 short, simple, and Biblical creed, expressing the common 
 faith of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches. 
 
 IV. Resolved, also, that we suggest to the General 
 Assembly's Committee the following minor changes as, in our 
 judgment, calculated to improve the proposed Revision. 
 
154 NEW YORK. 
 
 a. We recommend that Chapter I. remain unchanged. 
 
 I. Chapter IV., Section 1 (revised). Omit the words " of 
 nothing ;" substitute " heavens and the earth " for " uni- 
 verse ;" and omit the final sentence, so that the section shall 
 read : " It pleased God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for 
 the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, 
 and goodness, in the beginning to create the heavens and the 
 earth and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, and 
 all very good." 
 
 c. Chapter VI., Section 4 (revised). Omit the words 
 " disabled " and " social and civil." 
 
 d. Chapter XL (XIII. in the revision). Section 4. Substi- 
 tute " all believers " for " all the elect." 
 
 e. Chapter XXI. (XXIII. in the revision). Restore the 
 old Section 4, and omit all after the word " dead." 
 
 / Chapter XXII. (XXIV. in the revision), Section 7. 
 Should remain unchanged. 
 
 g. Chapter XXV. (XXVII. in the revision), Section 1. 
 Substitute '' of the children of God " for " of the elect." 
 
 We prefer to confine our suggestions to those few points, 
 because we believe that this action will be in harmony with 
 the resolutions passed by this Presbytery in 1889, and because 
 we have confidence that, if there are any other points in the 
 Confession where omissions or alterations are desirable, the 
 Assembly's Committee, in carrying out the work which the 
 Church has entrusted to them, will not neglect to make such 
 amendments, but will move forward steadily along the line 
 already marked out, in firm loyalty to our Reformed system oj^ 
 doctrine, to make a complete, consistent, and Scriptural 
 revision of the Confession of Faith. 
 
 S. D. Alexander, Stated Clerk. 
 
NIAGARA- NIOBRARA. 155 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NIAGARA. 81. 
 
 At the stated fall meeting of the Niagara Presbytery, the 
 Report of the Revision Committee of the General Assembly, 
 was carefully considered, heartily commended as a whole, and 
 adopted, with the following amendments : 
 
 1. In Chapter III, section 3, of the Committee's Report, 
 the omission of the words, " without any foresight of faith, or 
 good works, or perseverence in either of them, or any other 
 thing in the creature, as conditions or causes, moving him 
 thereunto, and all," so that the section will read : " God .... 
 hath .... chosen them in Christ unto everlasting glory out 
 of His mere free grace and love to His eternal praise." 
 
 If God has chosen them out of His mere free grace and 
 love, certainly without any foresight of faith, etc., the words 
 omitted are not needed. 
 
 2. In Chapter XXVII, Section 6, the omission of tha 
 words, " and the claim of the Pope of Rome to be the vicar 
 of Christ, and the head of the Church universal, is without 
 warrent in Scripture, or in fact, and is a usurpation dishonoring 
 to the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 Though the Pope's claim is without warrant and dishonoring 
 to Christ it is out of place in a Presbyterian Confession of 
 Faith to denounce such claim. 
 
 3. In Chapter XXXI, Section 2, the ommission of the 
 words, " so that the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Mass is 
 most abominably injurious to Christ's one only sacrifice for sin." 
 
 As in the above (2), the Confession passes beyond its own 
 bounds in denouncing the doctrine of another Church. 
 
 Edgar P. Salmon, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PKESBYTEBY OF NIOBRARA. 81. 
 
 The Presbytery of Niobrara made no amendments to the 
 Report of the Assembly's Committee on Revision. The 
 action was not unanimous. 
 
 William E. Kimball, Stated Clerk. 
 
156 NORTH KIVEB. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP NORTH RIVER. 82. 
 
 Your Committee to whom was referred the report of the 
 General Assembly's Committee on the Eevision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith, respectfully recommend the following as the 
 expression of the Presbytery's convictions in the matter: 
 
 The Presbytery of North River record our high appreciation 
 of the learning, zeal, and fidelity exhibited in the endeavors of 
 the Assembly's Committee to prepare a revision of the Con- 
 fession of Faith. 
 
 Yet, upon careful examination of their report, we are com- 
 pelled to the judgment that the changes it proposes would, if 
 adopted, destroy the symmetry and consistency of the Con- 
 fession, without satisfying the requirements of the Church. 
 We are further convinced that it would be fruitless to attempt 
 such a revision as will be satisfactory, without a virtual 
 destruction of the existing Confession. 
 
 We therefore recommend that the Assembly's Committee 
 be discharged ; that their report be not overtured to the 
 Presbyteries for adoption, but that the Confession be per- 
 mitted to remain as it is, a monument of the historic faith of 
 the Church. 
 
 And we hereby respectfully overture the General Assem- 
 bly to appoint a committee, whose duty it shall be to prepare 
 a new statement of the doctrinal belief of the Church ; which, 
 being shoi-ter than the Westminster Confession, shall embody 
 the essential elements of generic Calvinism, expressed with 
 evangelical simplicity and warmth, together with a full set- 
 ting forth of such Biblical doctrines as are now believed 
 and preached among us, but are either ignored or inadequately 
 set forth in the present Confession. We would name as exam- 
 ples of such doctrinal conceptions — the fatherhood of God; 
 the responsibility of man ; the common operations of the Holy 
 Spirit, and the obligation of the Church to evangelize the 
 world by individual and organized effort. 
 
 We would recommend this new statement of doctrine to be 
 adopted as interpretative of the existing Confession, and there- 
 fore would recommend, further, that when it shall have been 
 
NORTH RIVEK TO NORTHUMBERLAND. 157 
 
 prepared, and adopted by the church, the terms of suljscription 
 to the Confession of Faith be so amended as to require the 
 adoption of the Confession as it is to be understood in the light 
 of the new doctrinal statement herein recommended. 
 The above report was adopted by a vote of 38 to 6. 
 
 Duncan C. Niven, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP NORTH TEXAS.* 
 
 The Presbytery of North Texas, at the meeting held Octo- 
 ber 29th, passed the following resolution unanimously : 
 
 Resolved, That since we are as a Presbytery opposed to any 
 radical revision of our standards, we approve of the conserva- 
 tive revision which the General Assembly's Committee has 
 proposed. Some of us would have preferred a different phrase- 
 ology in some of the changes made, but we specify none, pre- 
 ferring to leave all this to the Committee who have so wisely 
 carried their work to the present state of progress. 
 
 George Pibrson, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF NORTHUMBERLiND. 83. 
 
 1. The Presbytery of Northumberland recognizing the 
 very great difficulty of the work entrusted to the Assembly's 
 Committee, and cordially approving of the limitations laid 
 down by the General Assembly, would express in general our 
 approbation of their work as presented in their report. 
 
 2. In answer to the invitation of the Committee we would, 
 however, point out certain passages as, in our view, suitable 
 for further consideration, and would indicate our preferences 
 as follows : 
 
 a. In Chapter III (new). Section 5, we would suggest the 
 omission of the words " not to elect unto everlasting life, but" ; 
 also the word "them." 
 
 h. In the same Section we suggest a change in the order 
 of the words, placing " of salvation " after " to all " and adding 
 the word " men," so that it may read, " the offer to all men of 
 salvation upon condition of faith in Christ." 
 
15S NORTHUMBERLAND. 
 
 e. In (new) Chapter IX, "Of the work of the Holy Spirit," 
 Section 3, second sentence, we propose the omission of the 
 word '' everywhere ■' at the beginning of the sentence as not 
 supported by the texts cited. 
 
 d. We would raise the question whether in Section 4, sen- 
 tence third, the word " all " is necessary before the words " the 
 truth," "duty," and "affliction"; also whether it is necessary 
 in Section 5, sentence third, before the words " other officers." 
 
 e. Chapter XL, Section 2, we question the need and pro- 
 priety of saying that the Spirit entreats men to believe. 
 
 f. Section 3, we propose a change as follows : 
 
 " It is the duty and privilege of every one who hears the 
 Gospel immediately to accept its merciful provisions ; and they 
 who continue to disobey the Gospel not only perish by their 
 own fault, being wholly without excuse, but also incur greatly 
 aggravated guilt, because they have resisted the Holy Spirit 
 and rejected God's gracious offer of eternal life." 
 
 g. New Chapter XII., Section 3, we propose this wording: 
 " Those elect persons, who from birth to death are incapable 
 of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word, includ- 
 ing infants who die in infancy, are redeemed by Christ and 
 regenerated by the Spirit, who worketh when and where and 
 how he pleaseth." 
 
 h. New Chapter XXVI. , Section 3, we suggest the omis- 
 sion of the first clause of the first sentence, leaving the sen- 
 tence thus : " It is the duty of Christians to marry only in 
 the Lord." 
 
 i. New Chapter XXXL, Section 2, we suggest the omission 
 of the word " abominably." 
 
 To guard against any misapprehensions the Presbytery 
 would add to the report adopted that 
 
 1. Having ofi'ered no criticism against the striking out of 
 Sections 3 and 4 in Chapter III. of the Confession, we wish it 
 to be understood that we hold the truth as stated in those sec- 
 tions, but assent to their omission as not being necessary to a 
 statement of Sci'iptnre trutli sullicient ibr Confessional use. 
 
NOETHUMBEELAND TO OLYMPIA. 159 
 
 2. The phrase, '• incapable of being outwaMly called by 
 the ministry of the word," (found in Chapter X., Section 3, 
 new Oh'apter XII., Section 3, and in the wording we propose) 
 we do not regard as rightly applicable to those who are merely 
 destitute of the Gospel. j^^^^ jj tj^^^^^ Q^.^^^^^ qi^^^_ 
 
 THE PEESBYTEEY OF OAKLAND.* 
 
 It is the opinion of the Presbytery of Oakland that instead 
 of our present Confession we should have a new, brief, 
 simple, irenic, evangelical creed, which shall not only be our 
 standard of belief, but which we can use in the practical work 
 of the Church. H. B. McBeidb, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PEESBYTEEY OF OLYMPIA. 83. 
 
 The Presbytery of Olympia adopted the following as its 
 action upon the Assembly's Revision Committee's report, viz., 
 recommending first : That Presbytery approve the report of 
 the Revision Committee, with the following exceptions : 
 
 1. That we recommend that Section 1 of Chapter III re- 
 main unchanged, and that as a substitute for the rest of the 
 chapter (old and new version), the folloMong: "The decrees 
 are to be so interpreted as to put no limitation on the sufB- 
 ciency of the salvation of Christ for the whole world, or on the 
 offer of this salvation to all men, or on the willingness of God 
 to save all who repent and believe." 
 
 2. That in Chapter VII., Section 3, for the expression, 
 "unto all those that are ordained unto life," substitute the 
 words " unto all who ask Him in faith." 
 
 3. That we recommend the omission of the words " of 
 nothing" in Section 1, Chapter IV., and that the expression 
 " Holy Ghost" be changed to " Holy Spirit." 
 
 4. That we recommend the following change in Section 7, 
 Chapter XVIII. (new version), viz., for the words "not free 
 from sin and cannot be accepted of God — as make a man meet 
 to receive grace from God," we would substitute " not accepted 
 of God to make a man meet to receive grace from God." 
 
160 OLYJiriA-OJIAlIA. 
 
 5. Tliat l^resbyteiy overture the General Assembly to pre- 
 pare a brief summary of doctrine i'or popular use among the 
 Churches. 
 
 6. That where the word " word " means the Scriptures it 
 be printed in small letters. 
 
 7. That Section 2, Chapter XXX., be stricken out. 
 
 Jonathan Osmond, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF OMAHA.* 
 
 The proposed addition to Section 5 of Chapter I., approved. 
 
 The proposed revision of Chapter III., disapproved. 
 
 The proposed insertion of the term " creative " before 
 "days" in Section 1, Chapter IV., disapproved. All other 
 changes suggested in this section approved. 
 
 The proposed revision of Section 4, Chapter VI.. approved. 
 
 The changes suggested in Chapter VII. approved. 
 
 In the new chapter on the " Holy Spirit," we approve Sec- 
 tion 1. We do not approve of Sections 2 and 3. First, because 
 Section 2 is superfluous, being a substantial repetition of Chap- 
 ter 1 ; second, we disapprove of Section 3 because we do not 
 believe the statements therein contained are warranted by 
 Scripture. In Section 4 of this chapter, we suggest that all 
 after the words " to embrace Jesus Christ by faith " be stricken 
 out. We further suggest that in the same section the term 
 "elect "be substituted for the word " sinners." In Section 5 
 of this chapter we suggest that the qualifying word " true " be 
 inserted before "believers," also before "ministers," and that 
 the same word be substituted for the word " other " before 
 " officers." 
 
 In Section 3 of the chapter on " Fi-ee Will," we disapprove 
 the substitution of the word " indisposed '-' for " averse," and 
 suggest that it should read " averse to " instead of " averse 
 from." Our reasons for disapproving the substitution of "in- 
 disposed" for "averse" are: 1. That the inability of the 
 sinner is constitutional, covering all his faculties. 2. Because 
 the proposed substitution is not in keeping with Sections 2 
 and 4 of the chapter on the "Fall of Man." We approve 
 the addition proposed to this section. 
 
OMAHA. 161 
 
 We suggest that the new chapter on the Gospel be amended : 
 
 1. By omitting all the title except the words " Of the Gospel." 
 
 2. Strike out Section 1, make Section 2 Section 1, and amend 
 it so that it will read, " God so loved the world that He gave 
 His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should 
 not perish but have everlasting life." The Gospel sets forth, 
 fully and clearly, the only way of salvation, which is through 
 Jesus Christ alone; promises that all who truly repent and 
 believe in Him shall be saved ; commands, exhorts and invites 
 all to embrace the offered mercy, and urges every motive to 
 induce them to accept its gracious invitation. We disapprove 
 of Section 3 of this chapter as superfluous ; it is, moreover, 
 hortatory in its character. We approve of Section 4 of this 
 chapter. 
 
 In Section 2 of the chapter (XII.) on "Effectual Calling," 
 we disapprove the proposed change. We recommend the fol- 
 lowing amendment of the proposed revision of Section 3 of 
 this chapter : " All infants dying before coming to an age of 
 accountability, and all other persons, who from birth to death 
 are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the 
 Word, are redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit,who 
 worketh when and where and how he pleaseth." We approve 
 the changes recommended in the chapter on "Justification." 
 
 In Section 1 of the chapter on " Saving Faith," we disap- 
 prove the substitution of the word "sinners" for the phrase 
 " the elect." We disapprove ol' the changes recommended in 
 Section 7 of the chapter on " Good Works," on the ground that 
 it does not improve the old. The proposed revision of Section 
 4 of Chapter (XXI.) XXIII. we approve. We also approve the 
 change made in Section 7 of Chapter (XXII.) XXIV. We 
 approve the change made in Section 3 of Chapter (XXIII.) 
 XXV. We also approve the change made in Section 3 of 
 Chapter (XXIV.) XXVI. We also approve the changes made 
 in Section 6 of Chapter (XXV.) XXVII. We disapprove the 
 proposed change in Section 2 of Chapter (XXIX.) XXXI., for 
 the reason that it is no improvement on the old. We approve 
 the change in Section 2 of Chapter (XXX.) XXXIT. 
 
 David R. Kerk, Stated Clerk. 
 
OSBORNK TO OTTAWA. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF OSBORNE.* 
 
 The special committee appointed to examine the report 
 of the Assembly's Committee on Revision made its report, 
 which was adopted and is as follows : 
 
 '' That as a Presbytery we still adhere to our former posi- 
 tion upon the subject of revision, but would recommend a 
 short compendium of the Confession of Faith as it now is for 
 popular use." A. T. Aller, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP OTSEGO. 84. 
 
 At its last stated meeting the Presbytery of Otsego voted a 
 
 general approval of the report on revision, considering this 
 
 action to be more desirable than to to hold another meeting 
 
 for more detailed action. 
 
 Frank H. Coffran, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF OTTAWA. 85. 
 
 Your committee recommends the approval of the report of 
 the Assembly's Committee as a report of progress, with the 
 following criticisms or exceptions : 
 
 1. We recommend a further revision of Chapter III. by 
 striking out Section 5 (which becomes new Section 3), Section 
 7 and the last sentence of Section 6, beginning with the words, 
 " Neither are any other."' 
 
 2. We recommend such a revision of Chapter (X.) XII., 
 Section 3, as shall make it clear what class or classes are meant 
 by the expression, " all other persons incapable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the word," or we suggest the 
 following substitute : " Tliose of the elect who die in infancy 
 or before becoming capable of being personally called by the 
 ministry of the word, are redeemed by Christ and regenerated 
 by the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He 
 pleaseth." 
 
 3. We recommend the omission of the words "not elected " 
 in Chapter XII., Section 4. 1. Because the word "others" in 
 connection witli Sections 1, 2 and 3 seems clearlv to mean 
 
OTTAWA TO PALMYRA. Ifi3 
 
 those not effectually called and is sufficient. 2. The words 
 " not elected " should be omitted, lest it be inferred from 
 these that the persons referred to cannot be saved because 
 they are " not elected," and not because they never truly come 
 to Christ. 
 
 4. We recommend a hearty indorsement of new Chapters 
 IX. and XL 
 
 Thomas Galt, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP OZARK.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Ozark, in considering the Report of the 
 Revision Committee submitted for our examination and criti- 
 cism, make the following reply : 
 
 That while we commend the excellence of the committee's 
 work in the main, especially approving the new chapters on 
 the " Work of the Holy Spirit " and " Universal Offer of the 
 Gospel," yet if we are to adopt the final report as a whole, we 
 would suggest the following alterations and amendments to the 
 work of the committee : 
 
 a. That the last sentence of Section 4 (old Section 6), of 
 Chapter III., be omitted. 
 
 h. That in Section 3, of Chapter XII., the word "all" 
 qualifying " infants " be omitted as unnecessary. 
 
 c. In Section 2, of Chapter XXXI. (revised) that the 
 closing sentence, beginning " so that the Roman Catholic 
 doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass," etc., be omitted. 
 
 d. In Section 8, of the same chapter, in the last clause of 
 
 the section, the words " this. sacrament " be substituted for the 
 
 words, " these holy mystei'ies." 
 
 J. R. Gass, Moderator. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PALMYRA.* 
 
 The report of the Assembly's Committee on the Revision 
 of the Confession of Faith was read, section by section, and 
 adopted by sections, and then adopted as a whole. 
 
 Jacob B. Welty, Stated Clerk. 
 
164 PEMBINA. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PEMBINA* 
 
 Whereas, The General Assembly has sent down the report 
 of the Special Committee on the Kevision of the Confession 
 of Faith to the Presbyteries for "consideration, criticism or 
 amendments" (Minutes 1891, p. 26) the Presbytery of Pembina 
 would make answer as follows : 
 
 If a revision of the time honored Confession of Faith is to 
 be made, we desire it to be such that all the Church can accept. 
 We desire, therefore, to commend the spirit in which the 
 changes have been made by the Committee. Especially we 
 commend the new chapters as eminently Scriptural, and as 
 expressing the faith of the Church. In accordance with this 
 same spirit we offer the following criticisms : 
 
 1. In Chapter IV., Section 1, of the revision, we think the 
 revised section would be much more acceptable with the last 
 sentence omitted as the doctrine therein contained appears to 
 be already sufficiently stated. 
 
 2. We object to the form of statement in Chapter XII., 
 Section 3, of the revision. 
 
 a. Because by wholly changing the purpose and intent of 
 the section as written by the Westminster divines, it leaves 
 the inference that the Confession as unre vised was properly 
 interpreted as dividing infants into elect and non-elect, thereby 
 practically admitting what we as defenders of the Confession 
 have steadily denied. 
 
 5. Because the statement in the revised form is a mere 
 inference, which, however true it may be, were better left to 
 the faith of the Churcli in the infinite love and care of our 
 Heavenly Fathei-. 
 
 c. Because the revision assumes to declare that a certain 
 class of persons are elect. Instead of being wise above what 
 is written we desire the revised Confession " to handle this 
 high mystery with special prudence and care """ and not in any 
 respect go beyond what God has revealed. 
 
 This Pi-esbytery will be entirely satisfied with any such 
 revision of tills passage, whether mentioning infants or not, as 
 shall obviate these difficulties. 
 
PEMBINA -PEORIA. 1()5 
 
 3. We desire that in the revised Confession the Committee 
 should fnrther omit all epithets, and names of persons or 
 churches while retaining as at present our protests against 
 error. Particularly — 
 
 a. In Chapter XXVI., Section 3., for the word " infidels" 
 substitute " those denying the Christian faith." 
 
 h. In Chapter XXVII., Section 6, for " the Pope of Rome " 
 substitute '' any person whatsoever." 
 
 c. In Chapter XXXI. , Section 2, strike out the words 
 "Roman Catholic." , 
 
 4. We would respectfully urge upon tbe Committee and 
 upon the General Assembly the necessity of avoiding undue 
 haste in so important a matter as changing the standards of 
 the Church. We would, therefore, ask that time be granted 
 for thorough discussion before final action is taken. 
 
 5. While presenting the above amendments and criticisms, 
 it is the opinion of the Presbytery of Pembina, that for the 
 sake of the harmony and prosperity of the whole Church a 
 new and shorter creed will be much better than any revision 
 of the old. While we believe that for the time and under the 
 circumstances the creed on which the Westminster divines 
 wrought so long and faithfully was perhaps the best possible ; 
 yet in the years that have intervened old controversies have 
 decreased in importance and new ones arisen, the whole line 
 of theological thinking has so far changed that the faith of the 
 Church will be best expressed by a new formulation of the 
 system of doctrine contained in the Westminster Confession. 
 We would, therefore, ask the General Assembly to take steps 
 for the preparation of such a creed. 
 
 F. W. Iddings, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PEORIA.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Peoria took the following action on the 
 revision of the Confession of Faith, viz : 
 
 1. Presbytery does hereby declare its adherence to the 
 action taken April 9, 1n90, wherein, by a vote of twenty-nine 
 
\W> PEORJA. 
 
 to fourteen, it answered in the negative the overture of the 
 General Assembly, proposing to the Presbyteries the question, 
 " Do you desire a revision of the Confession of Faith." 
 
 2. Nevertheless, if any revision should be made. Presby- 
 tery would express its preference in the following action on 
 the report of the General Assembly's Committee on the 
 revision of the Confession of Faith — the numbering of the 
 chapters and sections being that of the report of the Com- 
 mittee, unless specially indicated to the contrary — viz : 
 
 Chapter I., Section 5, is approved. 
 
 Chapter III. The striking out of Sections 3 and 4 of the 
 Confession of Faith is not approved, and it is suggested that 
 Section 3 of the Confession of Faith be amended by substitut- 
 ing for the word " some," the words, " a great multitude which 
 no man can number." Section 3 is approved. Section 5 is 
 approved, provided that all after the words, "His glorious jus- 
 tice," be stricken out. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1. is not approved, Presbytery prefer- 
 ring the section as it now stands in the Confession of Faith. 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 4, is not approved, and Presbytery 
 suggests that Chapter VI., Section 4, of the Confession of 
 Faith be amended so as to read, " From this original corruption 
 do proceed all actual transgressions." 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3, is approved. The striking out of 
 Section 4 of the Confession of Faith is approved. Sections 4 
 and 5 are approved. 
 
 Chapter VIII. , Section 5, is approved. 
 
 Chapter IX. is approved, provided that the title be amended 
 so as to be, " Of the Holy Spirit," and that the chapter be con- 
 densed. 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3, is approved, provided that the words 
 of the corresponding section in the Confession of Faith, " averse 
 from," be substituted for the words, " indisposed to." 
 
 Chapter XI. The title is not approved. Presbytery sug- 
 gests that it be so amended as to read, " Of the Gospel Offer." 
 Section 1 is approved. Section 2 is approved, provided that 
 the words, " and His desire for the salvation of all men," be 
 stricken out. Sections 3 and 4 are approved. 
 
I'EORIA-PETOHKEY. 167 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 2, is appi-oved. Section 3 is ap- 
 proved, provided that the word, " mentally," be inserted before 
 the word "incapable." Section 4 is approved, provided that 
 the words, " are not," be substituted for the words, " they can- 
 not be." 
 
 Chapter XIII., Sections 1 and 3, are approved. 
 
 Chapter XVI., Section 1, is approved, provided that the 
 words, "Holy Spirit," be substituted for the words, "Spirit of 
 Christ." 
 
 Chapters XVIII., XXIII., XXIV., XXV.. are approved. 
 
 Chapter XXVI., Section 3, is approved, provided iSiat the 
 words, "save those who have been divorced on other than 
 scriptural grounds," be inserted after the word " consent." 
 
 Chapters XXVII., XXXI., XXXIL, are approved. 
 
 I. A. CoRNELisoN, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PETOSKEY. 86. 
 
 After a full and free discussion of the Report, this Presby- 
 tery forward the following criticism and amendment : 
 
 While the Presbytery is in the main satisfied with the work 
 of the Revision Committee ; the changes in the Confession of 
 Faith being in part the changes which Presbytery requested, 
 yet in the following particulars, the Report does not meet the 
 approval of this Presbytery : — 
 
 1. Chapter III., Section 5, containing the deliverances 
 on the doctrine of Pretention and Reprobation, which we 
 believe have no sufficient warrant in the Scriptures, was not 
 eliminated in the full sense in which this Presbytery had 
 requested. 
 
 2. The deliverences in Chapters XXVII. and XXXL, 
 concerning the Roman Church and the Pope have, in our 
 judgment, no proper place in a Church creed. 
 
 Furthermore, the Presbytery would express its desire for a 
 short creed, to be drawn up by the Assembly, to be the 
 authoritative statement of doctrine for use in our Churches. , 
 
 These " criticisms and amendments " received the unan- 
 imous vote of the Presbytery. 
 
 John Redpath, Stated Clerk. 
 
168 PHILADELPHIA- PHI1.ADELPHIA CENTRAL. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP PHILADELPHIA.* 
 
 1. Resolved^ That after a careful consideration of the tent- 
 ative revision of the Confession of Faitli, submitted by the 
 Committee of the General Assembly, this Presbytery, without 
 passing upon the separate propositions of the report, expresses 
 the opinion that it does not impair the Calvinistic or Reformed 
 system of doctrine, and appears to have proceeded thus far in 
 the main upon wise and safe lines. 
 
 2^ Resolved, That while in view of the widely, and in 
 some instances radically, divergent views developed by the 
 submission of the tentative revision to the Presbyteries, we 
 have grave doubts as to the possibility of a revision which 
 would receive the indorsement of the entire Church — and any 
 other revision is greatly to be deprecated — nevertheless, inas- 
 much as a majority of the Presbyteries have ordered the at- 
 tempt at Revision which is now being made, this Presbytery 
 is not disposed to put any obstacles whatever in the way of 
 the committee, but rather to assure them of their earnest hope 
 and prayers that God will lead them to a satisfactory solution 
 of the delicate and serious business entrusted to them by the 
 Church. 
 
 A true extract from the minutes of the Presbytery of Phila- 
 •ielphia. W M Rice, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA CENTRAL.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Philadelphia Central reports the follow- 
 ing as its action upon the report of the Committee on Re- 
 vision : 
 
 Chapter I., 5. Omit the addition of the General Assem- 
 bly's Committee. 
 
 Chapter III., 3. In line 4 substitute "a multitude which 
 no man can number" for " some of mankind." 
 
 Chajjter IV., 1. Change "world" to "universe." Strike 
 out "in the beginning" and strike out "in the space of six 
 days." Then it reads : " It pleased God the Father, Son and 
 
PHILADELPHIA CENTRAL - NORTH. I(l9 
 
 Holy Ghost for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal 
 power, and wisdom, and goodness, to create or make of noth- 
 ing the universe and all very good."' 
 
 Chapters VI., VII. and VIII. Approved. 
 
 Chapter IX. Change the title by omitting " of the work." 
 
 Omit the following proof texts: Section 2, Heb. i:l, 2. 
 Section 3, John i:9. Section 4, 2d Cor. v:5, 17. Section 5, 
 1 Tim. iii:1.5; Eph. i:22, 23; iii:10; Eph. iv:16; Rev. v:ll, 13; 
 xi:15. 
 
 Chaptei-s X. and XL Approved. , 
 
 Chapter XII. Approved after striking out " universal " in 
 the title. 
 
 Sections 2 and 3. Approved. 
 
 In this article emphasis should be laid, not upon the classes 
 specified, but upon the method by which those are saved, who, 
 from their tender age or incapacity, cannot be outwardly 
 called. 
 
 The Presbytery, therefore, proposes as a substitute for the 
 article in the •' Confession," and also for the revised section 
 the following : 
 
 "All elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly 
 called by the ministry of the word, including infants dying in 
 infancy, are redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit, 
 who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth." 
 
 Section 4. Approved after striking out " yet " in the third 
 line and " they " in the fourth line. 
 
 Chapters XIII. and XVI. Approved. 
 
 All of the remaining chapters were approved as reported 
 by the committee of the General Assembly. 
 
 Wm. Greenough, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA NORTH.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Philadelphia North commends the work 
 of the General Assembly's Committee on the Revision of the 
 Standards, and is in favor of such action as shall tend to free 
 the Confession from misunderstanding; but in order to more 
 fully meet the needs of the Church, this Presbytery would 
 
170 PllILADELl-HIA NORTH - PITTS HURft. 
 
 view with favor the formulation of a new Creed in co-opera- 
 tion, if possible, with the other Reformed Churches of our 
 land; much more brief than the present Confession, better 
 adapted for popular and general use. and clearly and plainly 
 expressing the fundamentals of our faith and of the word of 
 Grod. John Peacock, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PITTSBURG. 
 
 The Presbytery of Pittsburg, in accordance with the recom- 
 mendations of the last General Assembly, transmit to the 
 Committee on the Revision of the Confession of Faith the 
 following observations and suggestions with reference to the 
 changes in the Confession which have been proposed. 
 
 We wish to remark at the outset, that, while freely availing 
 ourselves of our right to criticize the Committee's work, we 
 are not in the least animated by any hostility to revision. We 
 say this because this Presbytery voted by a large majority 
 against revision when it was first proposed. Since, however, 
 the Church has expressed its desire for revision, and since the 
 changes have been limited to such as .will not impair the 
 Reformed system of doctrine, we are willing to co-operate in 
 the work and desire to have the revision, if it is to be made, 
 as accordant as possible with Scripture teaching and the needs 
 of the Church in our day. We certainly admire the fidelity of 
 the Committee to their arduous task, the care and toil which 
 they have manifestly expended upon it, and we have ap- 
 proached the consideration of their work in no carping or 
 unfriendly manner. 
 
 A number of the proposed changes appear to us, with our 
 present light, worthy of approval. These are those proposed 
 in I., 5; VII., 5, (4 of the revision), 6, (5 of the revision); 
 VIII., 5; XL (XIIL), 1 and 3; XIV., 1 ; XVI. (XVIIL), 7; 
 XXI. (XXIII.), 4; XXII. (XXIV.), 7; XXIII. (XXV.), 3; 
 XXIV. (XXVL), 3 ; XXIX. (XXXI.), 8. These, indeed, are 
 of minor importance, and if they stood alone would probably 
 not give rise to either earnest advocacy or opposition. Many 
 of them, however, are decided improvements of the language 
 
PITTSBURG. 171 
 
 of the Confession. We pass them by without further remarlv, 
 in order to call attention to the more important sections upon 
 which we have suggestions to offer. 
 
 I. As to Chapter III., we submit the following two points : 
 
 1. We think it would perfect the statement of election 
 and remove frequent misunderstanding if a clause were intro- 
 duced in Section 5 (3 of the revision), expressing our belief in 
 the vast number of the elect, and we suggest the following as 
 Scriptural and sufficient : " God, before the foundation of the 
 world was laid, according to His ieternal and immutable pur- 
 pose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, 
 hath predestinated unto life some of mankind — a great multi- 
 tude which no man can number — and hath particularly and 
 unchangeably chosen them in Christ unto everlasting glory, 
 etc." Were the phrase " some of mankind " omitted, 
 emphasis would be taken from the definite and individual 
 character of the divine election and the addition of the clause 
 given above sufficiently removes all misunderstanding. 
 
 2. We are dissatisfied with the revision of Section 8, (5 of 
 the revision). We believe that the doctrine of preterition 
 should be expressed. We do not object particularly to the 
 change of " to pass by and to ordain " into " not to elect but to 
 ordain." Neither do we specially object to the added clauses 
 at the close of the section, except to remark that the phrase- 
 ology would be clearer if the last clause read " nor is restraint 
 laid upon anyone so as to hinder his acceptance of this offer." 
 But we seriously object to the omission of the clause " for the 
 glory of His sovereign power over His creatures." This omis- 
 sion leaves the section without any statement of the ground 
 on which God's discrimination among sinful men rests, viz. : 
 his sovereign right as their Creator and Proprietor. It leaves 
 the fact of preterition unsupported by any statement of its 
 rightfulness, and consequently as a hard, repulsive fact, appar- 
 ently grounded in nothing but mere divine will. We believe 
 that it is of the highest importance that the sovereign rights 
 of the Creator should be plainly stated ; since only when they 
 are realized, will it be also felt that even in the matter of 
 preterition "He is righteous in all His ways." We are not 
 
172 l'ITTSBUR«. 
 
 particular, however, about mere words. We are aware that 
 some object to the term "power" in this clause, and that 
 others feel that the whole clause suggests the supralapsarian 
 theory. We suggest, therefore, that for " power " " dominion " 
 might be substituted, (see Chapter II, Section 2), and the 
 phraseology might be altered, so as to prevent misunder- 
 standing, as follows : '' The rest of mankind, God was pleased 
 according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, 
 whereby in the exercise of His sovereign dominion over His 
 creatures. He extendeth to, or withholdeth from, fallen man 
 His saving mercy as he pleaseth, not to elect, etc." We ask 
 particular attention to this suggestion, convinced that without 
 the above clause, or its equivalent, the statement of the 
 doctrine would be seriously, if not fatally, injured. 
 
 II. With reference to IV., 1, (of Creation), the proposed 
 changes seem to us to imply the adoption of a particular 
 scientific interpretation of the first chapter of Genesis, a posi- 
 tion which it would be very undesirable to take in the Con- 
 fession. We prefer therefore the omission from the revised 
 section of the last sentence. 
 
 III. We approve of the changes made in VI, 4, (of the 
 Fall), so far as the first sentence is concerned, but we think 
 that, in view of the proposed chapter on the Holy Spirit, the 
 second sentence is an instance of needless repetition, especially 
 unbecoming in a doctrinal symbol. 
 
 IV. In respect to VII., 3, we are of the opinion that the 
 introduction of the phrase " by His Word and Spirit," would 
 be a mistake, inasmuch as this does not appear to be the 
 proper place to mention the means by which the offer of the 
 covenant of grace is made known or applied. In the. two 
 following sections these means are stated more comprehen- 
 sively and satisfactorily. 
 
 V. In regard to the new chapter on " The Work of the 
 Holy Spirit," we think that it might be shortened with advan- 
 tage. The first two sections, however, commend themselves 
 to us as admirable statements of the person of the Spirit, and 
 His work in the production of the Scriptures, but the remain- 
 ing sections ought to be, in our judgment, considerably 
 
PITTSBtJKG. 17.S 
 
 amended, and some portions entirely recast, while the title of 
 the chapter should simply be " Of the Holy Spirit." In Sec- 
 tion 3 we find dissatisfaction with some of the proof texts 
 cited, and question whether sufficient Scriptural authority can 
 be adduced for the statement that the Spirit " is the source of 
 all the wisdom, virtue and reverence for God found in men, 
 and of the peace and good order in society." We doubt, also, 
 whether He, in all cases " accompanies the gospel with His 
 persuasive energy," as the word -'everywhere" might be 
 understood to imply, and we think that the phrase " The Lord 
 and Giver of Life " should be transferred to the 4th section, 
 where the life-giving work of the Spirit is treated. In Sec- 
 tion 4, we think it a needless and harmful concession to the 
 prejudices of some to say " He effectually calls sinners to new 
 life." We would say frankly what we believe, that " He 
 effectually calls to new life in Christ Jesus those given to the 
 Son by the Father." The following description, also, of His 
 sanctifying work in the believer, appears to us defective and 
 poorly worded, while the concluding clause strikes us as 
 peculiarly unhappy, since it reverses the proper order of 
 " sanctified " and " sealed," and closes with the implication 
 of a wholly false exegesis Col. 1 : 12. Of Section 5, likewise, 
 the last sentence needs recasting. We think that some of our 
 people would see in it an express condemnation of one view 
 of the future of Christ's Kingdom, which, by the admission 
 even of those who differ from them, they have a right to hold. 
 The guidance of Christ's people by the Spirit into the truth 
 should also be stated here, rather than in Section 4 ; and the 
 members of Christ's body should be described as " all who are 
 regenerate," rather than " all believers," in order that infants, 
 dying in infancy, may be included. As indicating what state- 
 ments these sections should contain, we suggest the following, 
 without presuming that our modifications of the Committee's 
 report are themselves free from objections. 
 
 III. The Holy Spirit is everywhere present among men, 
 confirming the teachings of nature and the law of God written 
 on the heart, restraining from evil and inciting to good (1). 
 It is His mission to convict the world in respect of sin, and ol' 
 
1 74 PITTSBUKG. 
 
 righteousness, and of judgment (2), bearing witness in men's 
 hearts to the truth of the word (3). and thus preparing the 
 way for the Gospel wherever it is preached. He also accom- 
 panies the Gospel with his persuasive energy, and urges its 
 message upon the unregenerate, enlightening their minds con- 
 cerning divine things, and drawing them by His grace, so that 
 they who reject its merciful offer are not only without excuse, 
 but are also guilty of resisting the Holy Spirit (4). 
 
 1. Joel ii:28; Rom. i:19, 20; ii:14, 15. 
 
 2. John xvi:S. 
 
 3. I John v:8. 
 
 4. Rev. xxii:l7; Is. lxiii:10; Acts ii: 16-18; vii:51; 
 xxiv:25; Hebr. x:29 ; Matt. xii:32. 
 
 IV. The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, is the 
 only efficient agent in applying and communicating redemp- 
 tion. He effectually calls to new life in Christ Jesus those 
 given to the Son by the Father, regenerating them by His 
 almighty grace, freeing them from the bondage of sin and 
 death, and persuading and enabling them to embrace Jesus 
 Christ by faith (1). In them He also dwells, as their Comforter 
 and Sanctifier, and as the Spirit of adoption and of supplica- 
 tion (2), making the means of grace efficacious in their edifica- 
 tion and producing in their lives such blessed and holy fruits 
 as evidence them to be branches of the true vine. Jesus 
 Christ (3). As the Spirit of promise. He is the earnest of 
 their inheritance, wherebj^ they are sealed unto the day of re- 
 demption, and by his effectual operation will they be finally 
 brought unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of 
 Christ (4). 
 
 1. John iii:5; II Cor. v:5, 17; Rom. viii:2; I Cor. xii:3; II 
 Cor. vii:10; Eph. ii:l, 10. 
 
 2. John i:12 ; xiv:17 ; Rom. viii:15, 26, 27. 
 
 3. John xiv:17, xv:3, xvi:15 ; Gal. v:5, 22 ; Jude '20, 21 ; 
 Eph. iii:16 ; I John iii:24, iv:13. 
 
 4. Eph. i:13, 14 ; iv:30 ; II Cor. v:5 ; Eph. iv:13 ; I John iii:2. 
 
 V. By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, all who are re- 
 generate, being vitally united to Christ, who is the Head, are 
 also united to one another in the Church, which is His body (1). 
 
PITTSBURfi. 175 
 
 He calls and anoints ministers for their holy office. He also 
 calls and qualifies other officers in the Church for their special 
 work, and imparts manifold gifts and graces to its members (2). 
 He gives efficacy to the Word and to the ordinances of the 
 Gospel, and is ever guiding the Oliurch into all the truth, 
 directing in its counsels, witnessing to its message, keeping it 
 from apostacy, and reviving it in times of declension (3). By 
 Him the Church has been and will be preserved, increased and 
 purified, and groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord (4). 
 
 1. I Tim. iii:15 ; Eph. i:22, 23, iii:10, iv:16. 
 
 2. Acts xiii:2; I Cor. ii:4, xii:27, 28; Rom. xii:4-8. 
 
 3. Eph. iv:3, 4; I Tim. iv:l; Joel ii:28; Acts ii:17, v:32, 
 xv:28, xvi:6; Matt. xxviii:18-20; John xvi:13; Heb. ii:4. 
 
 4. Zech. iv:6; Eph. ii:21, v:27; Rev. v:9-13, xi:15. 
 
 VI. In regard to the chapter on free will, we approve of 
 the evident purpose of the proposed revision to make plain to 
 every reader that man's inability, since the fall, to do any 
 spiritual good is moral, and not natural to his constitution as 
 man ; and that therefore it does not destroy his responsibility. 
 We are inclined to suggest that this might, with advantage, be 
 made even more plain than the proposed amendments make it, 
 and we submit the following as embodying our wishes : 
 
 Change IX. (X.) 1, so as to read "God hath endued the 
 will of man with that natural liberty which constitutes him a 
 responsible, moral being, so that it is neither forced nor by any 
 absolute necessity of nature determined to good or evil." 
 
 Change IX. (X.) 3, so as to read ''Man, by his fall into a 
 state of sin, hath wholly lost all disposition to any spiritual 
 good, so that, as a natural man being altogether averse from 
 that good, and dead in sin, he is not able by his own strength, 
 to convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto ; yet this 
 . inability hath not destroyed that liberty with which he is 
 endowed." 
 
 We believe that while it is of great importance for us to 
 affirm the sovereignty of God, it is in our day no less impor- 
 tant to affirm beyond all question our belief in such freedom 
 of the human will as will sustain the truth of man's moral 
 responsibility. 
 
1 7fi PITTSBtKO. 
 
 VII. With reference to the proposed new chapter " of the 
 universal offer of the Gospel," we suggest: 
 
 1. That its title should read simply " of the Gospel." 
 
 2. That it appears to us needlessly eidarged by phrases 
 which repeat truths elsewhere sufficiently expressed and 
 which give this chapter the appearance rather of a homiletical 
 etl'ort than of a statement of doctrine. We would like to see 
 the last sentence of Section 2, and the whole of Section 3 
 omitted, as containing nothing not already enlarged upon in 
 the chapter on the Holy Spirit, and we would suggest further 
 the omission of the last sentence of Section 4, as being a mere 
 exhortation to Christian duties already sufficiently taught in 
 the preceding clauses. 
 
 VIII. As to Chapter X. (XII.) "oi' Effectual Calling," we 
 suggest as follows : 
 
 1. The phrasing of Section 2, as amended, does not appear 
 to us felicitous, and we submit the following : " This effectual 
 call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything 
 at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive in his regen- 
 eration, wherein being quickened and renewed ly the act of 
 the Holy Spirit, he is enabled to answer God's call, and em- 
 brace the grace offered and conveyed in it." 
 
 2. With respect to the salvation of all infants dying in 
 infancy we approve of the proposal to explicitly state it as a 
 doctrine of our Church, since we believe it to be taught with 
 sufficient clearness in Scripture. We think that the time has 
 come when it ought to be formally incorporated in our symbol. 
 But we are equally convinced that unless our belief in it be 
 shown to rest on the sovereignty of God's grace, the true foun- 
 dation of the doctrine will be hidden, and it will threaten to 
 become a source of grievous error. We favor therefore the 
 introduction of the word " elect," or its equivalent, together 
 with the statement of the salvation of deceased infants. We 
 further think that the phrase " i'rom birth to death," applied 
 by the Committee to describe " incapables " is unnecessary if 
 the fact of their sovereign election be. as in the matter of 
 infants dying in infancy, cleai'ly expressed. If it be tliought 
 
PITTSBURG. 177 
 
 that the removal of this phrase may give to the word "in- 
 capable " a wider reference than it should have, we reply 
 that, when safeguarded by the assertion of their election, we 
 are willing to allow the wider reference in the negative, mod- 
 erate form in which it would then appear. We suggest there- 
 fore the following : 
 
 "All infants dying in infancy, and all other elect persons 
 who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry 
 of the Word, are redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the 
 Spirit, who worketh when and where and how He pleaseth." 
 We particularly beg the Committee to consider this sug- 
 gestion. 
 
 3. We think that the sentence which in the revised form 
 concludes Section 4, is needless and harsh, and we would 
 therefore prefer to say, " Others, not elected, although they 
 may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have 
 some common operations of the Spirit, yet, inasmuch as they 
 never truly come to Christ, they cannot be saved; neither is 
 their salvation in any other way than by Christ, through the 
 Spirit." 
 
 IX. In respect to Chapter XXV (XXVII.), "Of the 
 Church," we are of the opinion that it is unwise and unneces- 
 sary in the Confession of Faith to stigmatize the claims of the 
 Pope with the language which they certainly deserve, and that 
 it would be more dignified to simply assert the sole headship 
 of Christ. This would not require a separate section, so we 
 suggest that Section 6 be omitted, and that Section 3 read: 
 " Unto this Catholic visible Church, Christ, who is the only 
 head of it, as well as of the Church invisible, hath given the 
 ministry, oracles and ordinances of God, etc." 
 
 X. In respect to XXIX. (XXXI.), 2, we likewise think 
 that it 'would be better to omit the polemical sentence " so that 
 the Roman Catholic doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass is 
 most abominably injurious to Christ's one, only, sacrifice for 
 sin," and confine the statement to the positive declaration of 
 the true doctrine. 
 
 XI. In respect, finally, to XXX. (XXXII), 2 while we 
 approve of the introduction of the words " ministerial and 
 
17s PITTSBURG -PLATTE. 
 
 declarative," we feel that the words " to retain and remit sin," 
 are. though scriptural, so liable to be misunderstood, that it 
 would be wise to omit them, especially since the remainder 
 of the sentence teaches the truth in question more intelligibly 
 to most readers. The sentence would then read : " To these 
 officers the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed, by 
 virtue whereof they have ministerial and declarative power 
 respectively to shut that Kingdom against the impenitent, both 
 by the Word and censures, and to open it unto penitent sin- 
 ners, by the ministry of the Gospel and by absolution from 
 censures as occasion shall require." 
 
 We have thus, in obedience to the Assembly's directions, 
 gone over the entire number of the proposed changes in the 
 Confession, and give to the Committee our careful judgment. 
 Of course we do not intend to forego our right to act independ- 
 ently on the revision when it is finally submitted to us. But 
 we submit these suggestions with the sincere desire to assist, 
 as far as we now can, in the great task which the Church has 
 undertaken, and we request, in turn, due consideration for the 
 suggestions we have made. 
 
 John J. Beacom, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRBSBYTEKY OF PLATTE.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Platte adopted the report of the Assem- 
 bly's Committee on Revision in the main, but suggest the fol- 
 lowing amendments : 
 
 In Chapter III., Section 5, the words " to everlasting death " 
 were substituted for the words "to dishonor and wrath," in 
 order to guard against the errors of future probation and uni- 
 versal salvation. 
 
 In Chapter IV., Section 1, the words "God the" were placed 
 before "Son" and before "Holy Ghost," and the word "crea- 
 tive " stricken out. 
 
 Chapter IX., " On the Work of the Holy Spirit," and Chap- 
 ter XL, " On the Universal Offer of the Gospel," were approved 
 Avith the request that both be condensed. 
 
PLATTE - PORTLAND. 179 
 
 In Chapter XII., Section 3, the word " all " in both places 
 was stricken out ; and also the words " from birth to death," 
 as being without clear Scripture proof and too indefinite, espe- 
 cially the last clause. 
 
 (Chapter XVI., Section 1, was approved, with the exception 
 that we disapprove of the insertion of the word " sinner " in 
 the place of the words " the elect." 
 
 Chapter XXVI., Section 3, was amended by striking out all 
 after the first sentence. 
 
 Chapter XXVII., Section 6, was amended by inserting the 
 words " or any other man " after the word " Rome." 
 
 Chapter XXXI., Section 8, was amended by changing the 
 first line to read, "Although wicked and spiritually ignorant, 
 men," etc.; also by changing the fifth line to read, "Where- 
 fore all ungodly and spiritually ignorant persons," etc. 
 
 A spirit of harmony highly gratifying prevailed, and a pious 
 veneration for the word of God and all that advances His 
 honor ; and a jealous regard for both as expressed in our ven- 
 erated standards. 
 
 This Presbytery voted against all revision by a two-thirds 
 vote, and this action in thus approving the report of the Assem- 
 bly's Committee indicates no change of sentiment, but rather 
 a spirit of concession for the sake of that harmony and peace 
 for which we are all laboring and praying. 
 
 George Miller, Chairman Committee. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF PORTLAND. 84. 
 
 The Presbytery of Portland adopted the following in 
 reference to the " Report of the Assembly's Committee on the 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith." 
 
 " This Presbytery approves of a large part of the work of 
 the Assembly's Committee, and believes they have made many 
 changes for the better. 
 
 But there are some sections that are still unsatisfactory. 
 For example, we would still prefer that Chapter III., Section 
 7, of the Confession, numbered Section 5 in the Committee's 
 Report, be omitted, as recommended in the answer of the 
 
ISd 1>0RTL\ND- PORTSMOUTH. 
 
 Presbytery of Oregon to the overture of the General Assembly 
 in April, 1890. It is wholly a negation. We believe it is an 
 unnecessary statement, and that if it remains in our Confes- 
 sion, will still be liable to perversion and misrepresentation. 
 
 We much prefer the tone of the new Chapter XL, entitled 
 "Of the Universal Offer of the Gospel,'' to that of the old 
 Chapter III. 
 
 The Presbytery, however, reiterates its opinion of a year 
 and a half ago regarding the expediency of a shorter and 
 simpler creed. The Presbytery, therefore, respectfully over- 
 tures the General Assembly that the same or another Com- 
 mittee be appointed to formulate a briefer creed and one 
 better suited to our times, expressed as nearly as possible in 
 
 the exact words of Scripture." 
 
 J. V. MiLLiGAN, stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTEKY OF PORTSMOUTH.* 
 
 The recommendations of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee were considered in their order. 
 
 The amendments in Chapter I., " Of the Holy Scripture," 
 were approved. 
 
 In Chapter III., " Of God's Eternal Decree," Section 3 was 
 amended hy adding the words in italics contained in Section 5, 
 and striking out Section 5; numbering Section 8 (or Section 5 
 in the report of the committee) Section 5. 
 
 In Chapter IV., " Of Creation," the Presbytery expressed 
 its preference for the language as now found in the Confession 
 of Faith, the same being amended, however, by striking out 
 the words in Section 1 " in the space of six days." 
 
 In Chapter VI. the amendments were approved ; also those 
 in Chapters VII.. VIII. and IX. 
 
 In Chapter IX. (X.), "Of Free Will," the Presbytery re- 
 quests the committee to so recast this chapter as to state as 
 plainly and unequivocally as possible what the Scriptures 
 teach on the subject of man's free agency and responsibility. 
 
 Chapter XL was approved. 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII. The amendments in Section 2 were 
 approved. 
 
PORTSMOUTH TO RED RIVER. 1 Si 
 
 Section 3 was amended so as to read : "All persons dying 
 in infancy and all others who from birth to death are incapa- 
 ble of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word, are 
 of the number of the elect, are redeemed by Christ and are 
 regenerated by the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and 
 how He pleaseth." 
 
 Section 4, of Chapter (X.) XII. was approved. 
 
 Chapter (XI.) XIII., " Of Justification," was approved. 
 
 Chapter (XIV.) XVI. was approved with the suggestion 
 that the words "Holy Spirit" be substituted for the words 
 " Spirit of Christ." 
 
 Chapter (XVI.) XVIIL, "Of Good Works," was approved. 
 
 Chapters XXIIL, XXIV., XXV., XXVL, XXVII., XXXI. 
 and XXXII. were approved. 
 
 The communication as a whole, embodying the above 
 amendments and suggestions, was then adopted. 
 
 E. E. MoRAN, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP PUGET SOUND, 88., 
 
 At the last stated meeting of the Presbytery of Puget 
 Sound, held at North Yakima, October 7, 1891, the following 
 report was unanimously adopted : 
 
 " Your committee appointed to consider the General As- 
 sembly's report on revision, respectfully report that no change 
 be made in the Confession of Faith, but that the General 
 Assembly appoint a committee to prepare a brief supple- 
 mental Confession of Faith for use in the churches." 
 
 George F. Whitworth, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF RED RIVER. * 
 
 Having carefully studied the report of the Assembly's 
 Committee, appointed to revise the Confession of Faith, and 
 compared the added chapters with the Confession as it now 
 stands, your Committee are of opinion that to revise or amend 
 our Confession has, by the report of the Assembly's Committee 
 thus far, been demonstrated to be unsatisfactory. 
 
182 RED RIVER -REDSTONE. 
 
 1. Because their report, if adopted, would leave the Con- 
 fession inconsistent with itself, as the Larger Catechism and 
 other portions of the Confession still retain the doctrine of 
 pretention which they propose to eliminate from Chapter III. 
 of the Confession. 
 
 2. Because they seek to elevate to the position of a 
 received doctrine that which is now only entertained as a 
 hope and about which the word of God is silent, viz.: "The 
 salvation of infants and all other persons, who from birth to 
 death are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry 
 of the word." 
 
 3. Because an attempt to conform the Confession to the 
 teachings of science is unwise, as we regard the six days of 
 creation to be sufficiently explicit and to need no further 
 explanation. 
 
 4. Because we believe that if the Confession was amended 
 as it is proposed, the glaring difference in style between the 
 old and the new, together with the attempt to modify some of 
 the cardinal doctrines of the Galvinistic system, would leave 
 the revised Confession exposed to more unfriendly criticisms 
 than the Westminister Confession as we now have it. 
 
 Your Committee, therefore, reiterate their former state- 
 ment, and recommend that the Presbytery overture the 
 General Assembly for the appointment of a committee whose 
 duty it shall be to confer with committees of other reformed 
 bodies, for the purpose of framing a comprehensive creed 
 setting forth our distinctive doctrines and sufficiently broad to 
 be a basis of union for all reformed churches. 
 
 A. H. Hollow AY, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.* 
 
 The Committee appointed by the Presbytery, at the last 
 stated meeting, to prepare an answer to the request of the 
 General Assembly that the several Presbyteries should con- 
 sider, criticise, and amend the Report of the Committee on 
 
REDSTONE. 1 So 
 
 Revision, respectfully present the following for your considera- 
 tion and action : 
 
 1. The Presbytery of Redstone, before making any state 
 ment of its desires in reference to the proposed revision of our 
 Confession of Faith, takes this occasion to express its great joy 
 and abiding sense of thanksgiving to God for the manifest 
 presence of the Holy Spirit with us as a Church, which has 
 attended the discussion of this subject in the meetings of the 
 Committee on Revision and of the General Assembly. 
 
 2. We would also say that although this Presbytery cast 
 its vote against any revision whatever of this part of our Con- 
 stitution, yet we acquiesce in the wishes of a majority of our 
 Presbyteries for some changes in our Confession of Faith 
 which, tending to remove objections to its phraseology, and 
 misunderstandings of its teachings, shall not impair the 
 system of doctrine which it contains. 
 
 3. After careful consideration of the proposed revision we 
 respectfully recommend the following action thereon. And 
 herein we follow the report consecutively and conform to the 
 Revision Committee's numbering of chapters and sections. 
 
 Chapter I. That the change in this chapter (Section 5) be 
 approved. 
 
 Chapter III. That all the changes in this chapter be 
 approved, except Sections 3 and 5. 
 
 That the former Section 3 be altered by striking out 
 the words '' some of mankind " in fourth line, and make it 
 read thus, viz., '' hath predestinated unto life a certain multi- 
 tude of mankind which no man can number, and hath par- 
 ticularly," etc. 
 
 That Section 5 be i-ecast as follows, viz. : 
 
 " The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the 
 unsearchable counsel of His will, whereby in the exercise 
 of His sovereign dominion over His creatures. He extendeth 
 or withholdeth mercy as He pleaseth, not to elect to everlast- 
 ing life, and these being hindered by the wickedness of their 
 hearts from accepting the offers of His grace in the Gospel, 
 remain under condemnation for their sins, to the praise oi' His 
 glorious justice."' 
 
IS-t REDSTONE. 
 
 Chapter IV. That Section 1 be amended to read as follows : 
 
 Section 1. '' It pleased God, the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal 
 power, wisdom, and goodness in the beginning to create of 
 nothing the heaven and the earth, and all things therein, 
 whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all 
 very good.'" 
 
 Chapter VI. That Section 3, of the Confession, be 
 amended to read thus : 
 
 Section 3. " They being the root of all mankind, the guilt 
 of this sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and cor- 
 rupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from 
 them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption 
 all actual transgressions do proceed." 
 
 That Section 4 be omitted, and the remaining sections be 
 numbered 4 and 5 respectively. 
 
 Chapter VII. That the alterations in the chapter be ap- 
 proved, except that the new words, " by His Word and Spirit '' 
 in fourth line of Section III. be stricken out, leaving the sec- 
 tion as it originally stands. 
 
 Chapter VIII. That the single amendment in this chapter 
 (in Section 5) be approved. 
 
 Chapter IX. That the introduction of a chapter on the 
 Work of the Holy Spirit be approved. We think, however, it 
 would be improved by the following changes : 
 
 1. Abbreviate, by striking out Section 5, and adding a few 
 words to Section 2 in reference to the work of the Spirit in 
 raising up and qualifying ministers and others for special work 
 in the Church. 
 
 2. By a more careful statement of the work of the Holy 
 Spirit in the world. All that is said in Section 3 of common 
 grace is not, we think, true of all men. The Holy Spirit works 
 when and as he wills, and should not be conceived of as a uni- 
 versally present Divine Power operating on all men alike, as 
 this section seems to indicate. 
 
 Chapter X. That the slight change in the fourth line of 
 Section 3 be approved, but that the new (last) sentence be 
 
REDSTONE -ROCHESTER. 185 
 
 stricken out, because it seems to imply some defect of state- 
 ment, or need of explanation, or of apology, where no such 
 conditions exist. 
 
 Chapter XI. That the title be simply " Of the Gospel." 
 
 That Section 1 be amended by inserting the words " Through 
 the Church •' after the word " oifer " in the fifth line. 
 
 That the last sentences of Section 2, and the entire Sections 
 3 and 4 be stricken out. 
 
 We think the two latter sections are unnecessary because 
 of what is elsewhere stated on the same subject, and because 
 so clearly implied that no such formal statements are needed. 
 
 Chapter XII. That Section 2 be approved. 
 
 That Section 3 be amended to read as follows : All infants 
 dying in infancy, and all other elect persons, who are incapa- 
 ble of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word, are 
 redeemed by Christ, and regenerated by the Spirit, who 
 worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth. 
 
 That Section 4 be stricken out. 
 
 Chapters XIII. and XVI. That these chapters be approved. 
 
 Chapter XVIII. That Section 7 be stricken out. 
 
 Chapters XXIII., XXIV., XXV., and XXVI. That these 
 chapters be approved. 
 
 XXVII. That Section 6 be amended to read as follows : 
 There is no other head of theChurch but the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Chapter XXXI. That Section 2 be amended by striking out 
 the words " Roman Catholic," and that Section 8 be approved. 
 
 Chapter XXXII. That this be approved. 
 
 Robert F. Smith, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ROCHESTER. 91. 
 
 The Presbytery of Rochester respectfully suggest that the 
 following changes be made : 
 
 Chapter III., Section 3, (new). Strike out " some of man- 
 kind " and insert " a multitude whom no man can number." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 6, (old) 4 (new). Strike out "neither 
 are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, 
 adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only." 
 
1 S() ROCHESTER. 
 
 Chapter III., Section 7, (old) 5 (new). Strike out the 
 amended section and substitute for it as follows : " The decrees 
 of God, concerning all mankind, are to be so construed, as to 
 be in harmony with the declarations of Scripture, that Christ 
 is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and that 
 God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should 
 come to repentance and live." 
 
 Chapter III., Section 8, (old) 6 (new). Strike out the 
 section entirely. 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1, as amended. Strike out the words 
 " of nothing," also strike out the sentence, " The heavens and 
 the earth, with all that they contain, were made by Him in six 
 creative days." 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 2. Strike out '' and wholly defiled in 
 all the faculties, and parts, of soul and body." 
 
 Chapter VI., Section 3. Strike out "the guilt of this sin 
 was imputed and " and insert '' were " before the word con- 
 veyed. 
 
 Chapter VII., Section 3. Strike out " are ordained unto 
 life " and insert " that ask Him." 
 
 Chapter X., Section 3. Strike out "or to prepare himself 
 thereunto." 
 
 Chapter X. (old), XII. (new), Section 4. Strike out " some 
 common " and insert " the gracious." Also, that the phrase- 
 ology of this section be so recast, as to show that the universal 
 condemnation of the heathen world may not be inferred, as 
 the truth here taught. 
 
 Chapter XII. (new). Section 2. Change the clause "who 
 is altogether passive in the act of regeneration wherein" so 
 that it shall read " who, although he can prepare himself for 
 the act of regeneration, is altogether passive in that act, 
 wherein." 
 
 Chapter XVI. (old), XVIII. (new). Section 7. Strike out 
 '• not free from sin " and insert " not spiritually good." 
 
 Chapter XXI. (old), XXIII. (new). Section 4. In the clause 
 " for the forgiveness of all sins, except the sin unto death " 
 strike out the word " all " and the phrase "except the sin unto 
 death." 
 
ROCHESTER TO SAGINAW. 187 
 
 Chapter XXX. (old), XXXII. (new), Section 2. Strike it 
 all out and insert " to these officers are committed the ministrjr 
 of the Gospel, the administration of the ordinances, and the 
 government of the Church." 
 
 Levi Parsons, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ROCK RIVER.* 
 
 The following is a true extract from the minutes of Rock 
 River Presbytery, in session at Fulton, 111., September 16, 
 1891: 
 
 " The Committee appointed to consider the Report of the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision, recommend the approval 
 of the report as a report of progress, with the exception that 
 in Chapter XIL, Section 3, the Presbytery refers back to the 
 Assembly's Committee, the clause, ' incapable of being 
 called by the ministry of the Word,' asking for such modifica- 
 tion of the expression as shall make it clear what class or 
 classes of persons are referred to as redeemed and regenerated 
 without the ministry of the Word. 
 
 Report adopted. 
 
 Ten persons were allowed to express their dissent from the 
 approval of the Committee's report on the third Chapter, 
 desiring that all of that chapter be omitted, except the first 
 and last sections." g. C. Sickels, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SAGINAW. 91. 
 
 The Presbytery of Saginaw approved of the Report of the 
 Committee on Revision, with certain amendments, as follows : 
 
 That Chapter I., Section 5, be approved as revised. 
 
 That the following be substituted for Section 5, of Chapter 
 III. : " All others, having the unlimited offer of salvation 
 made to them upon condition of faith in Christ, and upon 
 whose freedom no restraint is laid to hinder their acceptance 
 of such offer, if they do not accept the ofi'er and believe in 
 Jesus Christ, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth 
 
 on them." 
 
 The remainder of Chapter III. was approved as revised. 
 
ISS tSAGINAW TO ST. LAWRENOE. 
 
 In Chapter IV., Section 1, that the word "creative" be 
 stricken out. 
 
 That Chapter YL, Section 4; Chapter VII., Sections 3, 
 4 and 5 ; Chapter VIII., Section 5 ; Chapter IX., Sections 1 
 and 2, be approved. 
 
 That Chapter IX., Section 3, be approved, with the follow- 
 ing insertion after " excuse," '' not only as transgressors of 
 Divine law, but as also guilty of resisting the Holy Spirit." 
 
 That Chapter IX., Sections 4 and 5; Chapter X., Section 3 ; 
 Chapter XL, Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4; Chapter XII., Sections 2, 
 3 and 4; Chapter XIII., Sections 1 and 3; Chapter XVI., 
 Section 1; Chapter XVIIL, Section 7; Chapter XXIIL, 
 Section 4; Chapter XXIV., Section 7; Chapter XXV., Sec 
 tion 3 ; Chapter XXVI., Section 3, and Chapter XXVII., Sec- 
 tion 6, be approved, with the elimination of the two lines 
 beginning with " so that ;" and — 
 
 That Chapter XXXI., Section 8, and (Chapter XXXIL, 
 
 Section 2, be approved. 
 
 John T. Oxtoby, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ST. CLAIRSVILLE. 92. 
 
 The Presbytery of St. Clairsville at its last regular meeting, 
 decided to take no action on the report of the Committee on 
 the Revision of the Confession of Faith. 
 
 George S. Hackett, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OP ST. LAWRENCE. 92. 
 
 The Committee presented its conclusions, which, after dis- 
 cussion and amendment wei-e adopted, and are as follows, viz : 
 
 1. That, while the Presbytery recognizes the ability and 
 fidelity of the Assembly s Committee on Revision, as it is pre- 
 sented in its report sent out for consideration, and approving 
 many changes suggested, it is not yet prepared to adopt it as a 
 substitute for the Old Confession. 
 
 2. Should the Revision prevail, we wish, in Chapter III., 
 new Section 3 (instead of 5) for the words " some of mankind " 
 should be inserted " a numVjer that no man can number." Let 
 
ST. LAWRENCE -ST. LOUIS. 189 
 
 Section 5 be omitted. And in new Chapter XII. (instead of 
 X) close Section 4 with the words '' bj^ Christ through the 
 Spirit," strike out all commencing with the word "however." 
 3. The Presbytery also renews its request that a brief 
 Evangelical Creed be prepared, consistent with the integrity 
 of the Westminster Confession and the historic interpretation 
 of it, voicing a consensus of the views of our Church for gen- 
 eral and practical use. l Merrill Miller, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP ST. LOUIS.* 
 
 Resolved^ That the Presbytery of St. Louis hereby expresses 
 its commendation of the wise and conservative work of the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision, as shown in the report 
 made to the Assembly last May. The changes suggested and 
 the addition of the two chapters, one '' On the Holy Spirit," 
 and the other " On the Gospel," do in the main meet with our 
 approval. In accordance with the request of the Committee, 
 we would, however, respectfully suggest the foUoAving as our 
 preference : 
 
 Chapter IV., Section 1, "six days of creation" rather than 
 " six creative days." 
 
 Chapter VIII. , Section 5, to read " hath fully satisfied the 
 divine nature " rather than " hath fully satisfied divine justice." 
 
 It is the sense of this Presbytery that the new chapter " On 
 the Holy spirit " should be condensed. 
 
 Chapter (IX.) X., " On Free Will," in Section 3, we prefer 
 the language " averse from " rather than " indisposed to." 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII., Section 3, this Presbytery, by a vote of 
 19 to 11, favored the language " all infants " rather than " elect 
 infants." In regard to that portion of the section referring to 
 the " incapables," it is the opinion of this presbytery that the 
 language of the revision is misleading. 
 
 Chapter (XXIV.) XXVL, "Of Marriage and Divorce," 
 this Presbytery prefers that Section 3 should read as ibllows : 
 " It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able 
 with judgment to give their consent, yet it is the duty of 
 
190 ST. LOUIS -ST. PAUL. 
 
 christians to marry only in the Lord ; and, therefore, such as 
 profess the true religion should not be unequally yoked with 
 unbelievers, hence should not marry with infidels or with 
 adherents of false religions." 
 
 And, further. Presbytery desires to express its confidence 
 in the wisdom of the Committee to copiplete the work which 
 has been so satisfactorily begun, invoking upon them a con- 
 tinuance of the directing and controlling influence of the 
 Holy Spirit. William J. Lee, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP ST. PAUL. 92. 
 
 The report of the General Assembly's Committee on Revis- 
 ion was taken up and approved with the following suggestions, 
 criticisms, and amendments : 
 
 1. That the term *• Holy Spirit " be used uniformly in the 
 revised Confession as descriptive of the third person of the 
 Trinity ; and that the term " condemnation " be used uniform- 
 ily in place of the term "damnation." 
 
 2. That Chapter IIL, Section 5, be remodeled. 
 
 3. That Chapter XV., Section 1, be retained without 
 change. 
 
 4. That the word " they" in Chapter XIL, Section 4, line 
 four, be stricken out. 
 
 5. That the chapters on the work of the Holy Spirit and 
 the Universal Offer of Salvation be recast and abbreviated as 
 much as is consistent with clearness and comprehensiveness. 
 
 6. That in Chapter XVIII. , Section 7, the original section 
 be retained. 
 
 The following resolution was adopted without debate by a 
 vote of nineteen to sixteen : 
 
 7. In view of the unsatisfactory character of many of the 
 proposed changes in the Confession, and the difficulties 
 connected therewith, this Presbytery believes it inexpedient 
 to attempt a modification of the original instrument, and 
 would prefer leaving it intact, and preparing a supplementary 
 statemenl. j^ q Robinson, Stated Clerk. 
 
SAN FRANCISCO TO SCHUYLER. 191 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SAN FRANCISCO.* 
 
 The following resolution respecting the report ol' the Assem- 
 bly's Committee on Eevision, was unanimously adopted : 
 
 The Presbytery of San Francisco refrain from otfering any 
 suggestions by way of criticism or amendment of the Report of 
 the General Assembly's Committee on Eevision. 
 
 We recognize the extreme ditiiculty of the tasl?: imposed 
 upon that Committee, and are devoutly thanlrful for the har- 
 mony which prevailed in their discussion of so many and such 
 difficult questions as those they were required to consider. 
 
 Trusting that the same Divine guidance will be vouchsafed 
 in the preparation of their final report, as has heretofore been 
 enjoyed, so that, on the one hand the Calvinistic system of 
 doctrine may in no respect be impaired, and, on the other, that 
 all reasonable demands for amendment of the Confession may 
 be met, we are content to commit the whole matter to the wise 
 direction of the Committee itself, without further suggestion 
 
 fi'o™ "''• Alexander J. Kerr, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SANTA FE. 93. 
 
 The Presbytery of Santa Fe has answered the question of 
 our General Assembly as to the Report of the Committee on 
 Revision, as follows : " The Report of the Committee on 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith is fairly satisfactory to us. 
 We prefer the form of the original in Chapter XII., Section 
 3. We seriously object to the omission of the word "elect" 
 from Chapter XVI., Section 1." y. S. Brush, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SCHUYLER. 94. 
 
 The Report of the Assembly's Committee, as a whole, 
 commends itself to our judgment, as in- a good and accept- 
 able degree, meeting the desire of the Church for a wise and 
 conservative revision of the Confession of Faith, in omitting 
 portions unnecessary to a full and fair statement of the system 
 of doctrine held by the Church, and misleading and repellant 
 in their effects. 
 
liCi SCHIYLER- SIOUX CITY. 
 
 In tlie new chapters, " Of the Work of the Holy Spirit," 
 and " Of the Universal Offer of the Gospel," there is an 
 improvement of the Confession greatly to be desired. While, 
 doubtless, some of our number would desire the work of 
 elimination along the line of preterition to be greater, and 
 some less, we are ready to accept the considerate and bal- 
 anced statement that is made in Section 4 of Chapter HI. 
 
 The only amendments which we would respectfully suggest 
 are as follows : 
 
 1. In Chapter IV, "Of Creation," Section 1, that the 
 revised statement be accepted as it reads, so far as to the 
 close of the sentence ending with the words, " all very good," 
 the remaining sentence to be omitted. 
 
 2. In Chapter (IX) X, "Of Free Will," that the revised 
 statement be accepted, except that in place of the word 
 "indisposed," the word "averse" be restored. 
 
 3. In Chapter XXVII, " Of the Church," Section 6, that 
 all be stricken out after the words, " the Lord Jesus Christ," 
 in the second line. 
 
 4. In Chapter XXXI, Section 2, that the revised state- 
 ment be accepted, except that the closing sentence, beginning 
 " So that Roman Catholic doctrine," etc., be stricken out. 
 
 Section 8 of Chapter XXXI, accepted. 
 
 All the other parts of the report of the Assembly's 
 Revision Committee, together with the amendments sug- 
 gested, meet with the cordial approval of this Presbytery. 
 
 John G. Rankin, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SIOUX CITY.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Sioux City adopts the following answer 
 to the Committee on the Revision of the Confession of Faith : 
 
 We approve, in the main, of the changes proposed by the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision. Yet there seems to us to 
 be some evidence of ^incompleteness, which throws our symbols 
 out of harmony and balance. We do, therefore, request that 
 more care be taken to harmonize the statements in each sec- 
 tion with the whole. Also, that where changes are made, the 
 language of Scripture be used, as far as possible, or that the 
 passage be cited on which the statements are based. 
 
 Harvey Hostetler. Stated Clerk. 
 
SOLOMON -SOUTHERN OREflON. 193 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SOLOMON. 94. 
 
 After as careful examination of said report as circumstances 
 would permit, we hereby signify our approval of the report of 
 the Committee on Revision, as in general judicious and in line 
 with the actual faith of our Church, as expounded from our 
 pulpits and held by our people. , 
 
 F. E. Thompson, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHERN OREGON.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Southern Oregon adopted the following 
 paper regarding the Report of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on the Revision of the Confession of Faith : 
 
 We recommend that the careful, conservative report of the 
 Assembly's committee on the Revision of the Confession of 
 Faith be approved by this Presbytery as a very much improved 
 statement of the system of doctrine taught in our time honored 
 standards. But in regard to Chapter XII., Section 3, we 
 suggest : 
 
 1. That there is not sufBcient warrant in Scripture for so 
 positive and definite a statement of the salvation of a class of 
 persons distinguished from the rest of mankind only by an 
 indefinite difference of age, or an equally indefinite possession 
 or lack of intellectual ability. 
 
 2. That if necessary to guard against the inference that 
 might be drawn from a preceding section, viz : that none can 
 be saved except through the hearing of the word, we suggest 
 that the following statement, or a similar one would be suffi- 
 cient : Other persons, who, during this life are incapable of 
 being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word are sub- 
 ject to the saving operation of the Holy Ghost, who worketh 
 when and where and how he pleaseth. 
 
 F. G. Strange, Stated Clerk. 
 
104 SOUTH FLORIDA- SPRINGFIELD. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SOUTH FLORIDA. 96. 
 
 The Presbytery of South Florida has before expressed, by 
 an entirely unanimous vote, its desire for a revision of the 
 Confession of Faith, which would go to the extent of an entire 
 new setting of the instrument. It is not, therefore, prepared 
 (o concur in the draft of revision by the Committee of the 
 (General Assembly, and sent to us for suggestions. It seems to 
 us too much like "patch-work," taking out and putting in, 
 and without much addition, either to its simplicity, or to com- 
 pleteness, or to attractiveness, in the eyes of those who should 
 be made to see the King in His beauty. AVe beg to refer 
 the committee again to our answer to the overture as originally 
 sent down, and to reiterate with emphasis, the expression of 
 our desire that the revision might go the length of a new 
 statement of the doctrines, making the mystery of the eternal 
 decrees of God less prominent, and His glorious grace in 
 Jesus Christ for the salvation of men much more prominent. 
 
 " God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten 
 Son that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but 
 have everlasting life." j h. Potter, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SPRINGFIELD.* 
 
 The following action was taken by the Presbytery of 
 Springfield with reference to the Report of the (Committee on 
 the Eevision of the Confession of Faith, to-wit : 
 
 "The Presbytery of Springfield, having been almost evenly 
 divided on the wisdom of attempting a revision of the West- 
 minster Confession of Faith, expresses its cordial acceptance 
 of the revision as formulated by the Assembly's Committee, 
 and approves the revision in general as the best practical 
 expression of the views of the Church at large." The Presby- 
 tery makes the following specific commendations and sugges- 
 tions of changes in the report of the Committee : 
 
 We give particular approval to the new Chapters IX. and 
 XI. on the Holy Spirit and the universal ofl'er of the Gospel; 
 
SPRINGFIELD. J 95 
 
 recommending, however, that the chapter on the Holy Spirit 
 be, where possible, compressed, and any language not war- 
 ranted by clear statements of Scripture be eliminated. 
 
 2. In Chapter IV., Section 1, orait the word " creative." 
 
 3. In Chapter XXIV., Section 7, omit " superstitious and 
 sinful." 
 
 4. Chapter XXVII., Section 6, omit the words in italics, 
 adding to the first clause, if thought desirable, some further 
 positive statement in elucidation. 
 
 5. In Chapter XXXI., Section 2, omit "Roman Catho- 
 lic " and " abominably." 
 
 6. Chapter XXXII., Section 2, omit entirely. 
 
 Reasons assigned by the Presbytery of Springfield for 
 criticizing the Report of the Committee on the Revision of 
 the Confession of Faith : 
 
 1. Chapter IV., Section 1. The qualification "creative" 
 is of the natui'e of commentary. The simple word of Genesis 
 first chapter, " day," is sufficient. 
 
 2. Chapter XXIV., Section 7. The word "snares" 
 unqualified sufficiently, expresses the doctrine stated. The 
 qualifying words, without adding to the positive statement, 
 cover an implied disparagement of the sincerity of large 
 Christian bodies, which is unnecessar}^ Some of the states 
 condemned as sinful snares, may, upon a fair interpretation of 
 some Scripture texts, be regarded as permissible. 
 
 3. Chapter XXVI,, Section 6. The positive statement of 
 Christian truth is sufficiently emphatic without going aside to 
 condemn the Pope of Rome by specific mention. The italics 
 being omitted, one single reference alone will be left, by 
 specific mention, to any body of Christians or heretics who 
 difli"er from us. 
 
 4. Chapter XXXI., Section 2. With the omission of 
 " Roman Catholic," the last specific mention of Christian 
 bodies will be stricken out. The doctrine of the sacrifice of 
 the Mass is shared by other Christian communions than the 
 Roman Catholic. 
 
lilfi SPRINGFIELD TO STOCTON. 
 
 The term '• abominably " is unnecessary to the force of the 
 statement and should be avoided where the interests of truth 
 can not be plainly shown to be subserved by its use. 
 
 5. Chapter XXXII., Section 2. The Scripture texts on 
 
 which the statement is based, to say the least, oiFer great 
 
 difficulty. The language might suggest to the unguarded a 
 
 conception of the ministerial function very like unto that , 
 
 which protestants repudiate. 
 
 Thos. D. Logan, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP STEUBEN. 97. 
 
 A committee consisting of Revs. Wm. Veenschoten, Edward 
 M. Deems, Duncan Cameron, Elders Scott Thatcher and Wm. 
 T. Bailey, appointed at the meeting of Presbytery on July S, 
 1891, reported as follows : 
 
 " We have carefully examined the Committee's report and 
 proposed changes in the Confession of Faith, and recommend 
 that it be approved by Presbytery." 
 
 The report was unanimously adopted. 
 
 M. N. Preston, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP STEUBENVILLE. 97. 
 
 The Presbytery of Steubenville, at its meeting the 26th of 
 August, 1891, adopted the following resolution touching the 
 Revision of the Confession of Faith : 
 
 We would recommend to the Assembly's Committee the 
 feasibility of making the article in the Confession of Faith. 
 Chapter I., Section S, on the " Inspiration of the Word," to 
 state that the Scriptures as given under the superintendence of 
 the Holy Spirit were infallible both in doctrine and expression. 
 
 B. M. Price, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP STOCKTON. 97. 
 
 The Presbytery of Stockton recommends that the Revision 
 Committee be instructed to prepare a short explanatory creed, 
 stating the belief of the Church in reference to the cardinal 
 doctrines, and allow the Westminster Confession to stand 
 
 '"^'*ic^^- G. W. Lyons, Staled Clerk. 
 
SYRACUSE. 197 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF SYRACUSE. 98. 
 
 The Presbytery of Syracuse, through repeated sessions, has 
 given an earnest consideration to the report of the General 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision of the Confession of Faith. 
 Its discussions have been marked by their spirit of prayerful - 
 ness and utmost Christian kindness, and the results as herein 
 expressed are to a large degree the unanimous judgment of the 
 Presbytery. , 
 
 We appreciate the great labors of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee, and we desire to give to it our hearty praise. It is not 
 in any captious spirit, but in accordance with the largeness of 
 the committee's invitation that we have subjected its report 
 " to consideration, criticism or amendment." In our sug- . 
 gestions of still further changes in the Confession, we would 
 find our warrant in the admission of the Assembly's Committee 
 that " some objectionable paragraphs have been left un- 
 touched." Surely the Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian 
 church, now that the work of I'evision is before us, should not 
 be allowed to find a completion with such acknowledged 
 deficiencies. 
 
 If the Confession of Faith is to be continued in anything like 
 its ancient form, we in all sincerity and strenuousness desire 
 that changes shall be made in it in' accordance with our criti- 
 cisms of the recommendations of the Assembly's committee 
 and of " objectionable paragraphs " in parts of the Confession 
 " left untouched " by it. 
 
 It will be observed that the Presbytery has sought to oblit- 
 erate from the Confession every statement which carries in it 
 by direct declaration or implication the doctrine of pretention. 
 It is doubted, and it is even denied by able scholars, that the 
 Holy Scriptures furnish ground for such an affirmation of God's 
 dealings with any of the children of men. In view of this 
 fact, as well as the conviction that no statement of the doctrine 
 can be other than abhorrent to the reason and the sensibilities 
 of a multitude of most earnest Christians, the Presbytery feels 
 impelled to ask that it be eliminated from a Christian Con- 
 fession. 
 
198 SYRACUSE. 
 
 Again, it is the desire of the Presbytery that so much of the 
 chapter on " The Eternal Decrees of God " remaining after all 
 changes shall be made in it, shall be placed at or near the end 
 of the Confession. Our reasons for this might be many. We 
 would mention only two or three. This chapter, however 
 modified, will present the severe aspects of the divine nature. 
 Coming so early in the Confession it gives a prominence to 
 these, such as is not pi-esented in the Gospel. We find another 
 reason for this change in the order of doctrines in the inspired 
 model, furnished in the Epistle to the Romans, which an- 
 nounces for its text, " The Gospel of Christ, the Power of God 
 Unto Salvation for Every One that Believeth," and clings fast 
 to that text until near the end of the eighth chapter, where 
 the doctrine of sovereign election is introduced, and that only 
 to silence a supposed objector. For these and other reasons 
 we recommend this important change in the order of the sub- 
 jects of the Confession. 
 
 But in submitting for the consideration of the Committee 
 on Revision these alterations in the Confession, we would, with 
 largest emphasis, express our supreme and unanimous desire 
 that the entire work of mutilating the ancient and sacred 
 Confession be arrested, and that the prayers and best wisdom 
 of the Presbyterian Church be devoted to the formulating of 
 a brief and simple statement of such truths as are the very 
 " fulness of the Gospel of Christ " to the lost human race. 
 This was the prayer of this Presbytery as expressed in our 
 first answer to the General Assembly's overture on this 
 subject. We said then that, " if the General Assembly were 
 presented with the various revisions of the old Confession 
 there would be only confusion in the work of harmonizing 
 them all." The history of these past two years has been the 
 fulfillment of this prediction. It both confirms our argument 
 and strengthens our hope for the laying aside with reverencing 
 hands the Westminister Confession in its " unimpaired 
 integrity," and the substituting therefor a short, clear Con- 
 fession better suited to the needs of God's Church to-day. 
 
 Notwithstanding our most urgent request put in clearest 
 terms for " a simpler confession, a more catholic creed, a more 
 
SYRACUSE. 191) 
 
 missionary symbol of our christian belief and duty," the Gen- 
 eral Assembly's Committee on Revision in its report of 1890 
 left out its list of "Presbyteries favoring a brief popular 
 creed," the Presbytery of Syracuse. 
 
 As this Presbytery again is " of one heart and one mind in 
 its affirmation of desire for a new creed," we would respect- 
 fully request that this supreme desire shall be kept in view in 
 the farther answer which now follows, to the General Assem- 
 bly's overture respecting the recommendations of its Special 
 Committee on the Revision of the Confession of Faith : 
 
 Chapter I. That, Chapter I., Section 5, of the report stand 
 approved. 
 
 Chapter III. That, in Chapter III., Section 1, remain 
 unchanged, but that Sections 2, 3 and 4 be stricken out. 
 
 That Section 5, as amended and numbered 3 in the report, 
 stand approved, with the omission of all that intervenes 
 between the words "grace and love" and the final clause 
 beginning " and all to the praise." 
 
 That Section 6 remain unchanged except by the omission 
 of its last sentence. 
 
 That Section 7 be omitted altogether, and not amended 
 as in Section 5 of the report; but that Section 8 remain un- 
 changed. 
 
 That Chapter III. be placed anywhere after Chapter XL, 
 at the discretion of the Committee. 
 
 Chapter IV. That, in Chapter IV., Section 1, of the report 
 stand approved, excepting the words " of nothing." 
 
 Chapter V. That, in Chapter V., of the Confession', Sec- 
 tion 6, be stricken out. 
 
 Chapter VI. That, in Chapter VI.. Section 4, of the report 
 stand approved. 
 
 Chapter VII. That, in Chapter VII., all of Section 3 of 
 the report, after the words " promising to give " be stricken 
 out and that the words " His Holy Spirit to them that ask 
 Him " be substituted for the part stricken out. 
 
 That Section 4 be stricken out as recommended in the 
 report. 
 
200 SYRACUSE. 
 
 That Section 5, being Section 4 of the report, be further 
 amended by substituting the word " believers " for the phrase 
 " the elect in faith." 
 
 Chapter VII. That Section 6, being Section 5 of the 
 report, be further amended by inserting the word '• in " before 
 the words " which though fewer," etc., and by substituting for 
 the words " this covenant" the words '• yet in them it." 
 
 Chapter VIII. That, in Chapter VIII., Section 5, of the 
 Confession, be amended by substituting the words " made 
 propitiation for the sins of the whole world " in place of the 
 words " fully satisfied the justice of the Father," and the word 
 '' secured " in place of the word " purchased " rather than as 
 in the report. 
 
 Chapter IX. That Chapter IX of the Report be approved ; 
 but that the title of the chapter be simplj^ " Of the Holy 
 Spirit;" that in section 2 the name "Holy Spirit" be substi- 
 tuted for the name " Holy Ghost," and in all other places 
 where the latter name occurs. 
 
 Chapter X. That in Chapter X of the Report, Section 2 
 be further amended by inserting the word " he " before the 
 words " is not able." 
 
 Chapter XI. That Chapter XI of the Report be approved ; 
 but that, in Section 2, the word " through " and " alone " (line' 
 4) be stricken out. 
 
 Chapter XII. That, in Chapter XII of the Report, Section 
 2 be amended so as to read as follows : " This eifectual call is 
 of God's free and special grace alone, whereby man, being 
 regenerated by the Holy Spirit, is enabled to answer God's 
 call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it." 
 
 That Section 3 of the Report be approved, but that Section 
 4 be altogether stricken out. 
 
 Chapter XIII. That, in Chapter XIII of the Report, Sec- 
 tion 1 be further amended by striking out the words " alone, 
 not by imputing," etc., " of Christ unto them." 
 
 That Section 3 be altogether stricken out. 
 
 Chapter XVI. That, in Chapter XVI. of the Report, Sec- 
 tion 1, as amended, be approved. 
 
SYRACUSE - TOPEKA. I'Ol 
 
 Chapter XVIII. That, in Chapter XVIII. of the Report, 
 Section 7, as amended, be approved. 
 
 Chapter XXIII. That, in Chapter XXIII. of the Report, 
 Section 4 be further amended by striking out the words, 
 '' except the sin unto death." 
 
 Chapter XXIV. That, in Chapter XXIV. of the Report, all 
 of Section 7 be stridden out, except the first complete sen- 
 tence, ending with the words " ability from God." 
 
 Chapter XXV. That, in Chapter XXV. of the Report, Sec- 
 tion 3, as amended, be approyed. 
 
 Chapter XXVI. That, in Chapter XXVI. of the Report, 
 all of Section 3 be stricken out, except the first complete sen- 
 tence euding with the words " only in the Lord." 
 
 Chapter XXVII. That in Chapter XXVII. of the Report, 
 Section 6, as amended, be approved. 
 
 Chapter XXXI. That, in Chapter XXXI. of the Report, 
 Section 2 be further amended by substituting the words, " in 
 direct contradiction of the true doctrine of," in place of the 
 words, "most abominably injurious to the doctrine of;" but 
 that Section 8, as amended, be approved. 
 
 Chapter XXXII. That, in Chapter XXXII. of the Report, 
 Section 2, as amended, be approved. 
 
 Alfred H. Fahnestock, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF TOPEKA.* 
 
 At a meeting of the Presbytery of Topeka held in the 
 month of October, A. D., 1891, in the city of Leavenworth, 
 Kansas, a special committee of five was appointed, consisting 
 of Ministers John W. Bailey, Franklin P. Berry and Andrew 
 H. Harshaw, and Elders Edward Russell and Joseph R. Silver, 
 who were directed to examine the report of the General 
 Assembly's Committee on the revision of the Westminster 
 Confession of Faith, and to recommend suitable action thereon 
 to the Presbytery. The committee presented their report, 
 which was very thoroughly discussed and in some particulars 
 
202 TOPEKA. 
 
 amended, and then adopted by the unanimous vote of the 
 Presbytery. The report as amended and adopted is as follows : 
 
 When the General Assembly, in 1889, sent down to the 
 Presbyteries under its care the question whether our Confes- 
 sion of Faith should be revised, and if revised what changes 
 ought to be made, the Presbytery of Topeka returned answer 
 that it preferred to have the Confession as a public document 
 remain unchanged ; but it would have the Assembly secure the 
 preparation of a shorter creed, which should express clearly 
 the present views of our Church on the cardinal doctrines of 
 Christianity. The majority of the Presbyteries, however, 
 favored a revision that should be embodied in the Confession. 
 A Committee appointed by the Assembly has made a revision, 
 which is now submitted to the Presbyteries for " consideration, 
 criticism, or amendments." Your Committee has proposed 
 some changes in the revision before us ; and also have ventured 
 to suggest a revision of some portions of the Confession not 
 touched by the Assembly's Committee. Knowing that a great 
 diversity of opinion exists on this subject of revision, and that 
 changes which would be accepted by one party would be re- 
 jected by another, we have felt bound to allow some state- 
 ments to remain which our own preferences would have altered 
 or rejected. It is proper to state that your Committee is 
 unanimous in the recommendations made in this report. In 
 our references to chapters and sections of the Confession we 
 give the numbers as they are given in the revision. Your 
 Committee recommends that the revised form of the Confes- 
 sion of Faith be approved, after it shall have been amended in 
 the following particulars, viz : 
 
 1. That in revised Chapter III, Section 4, the last sentence 
 be omitted, beginning with the words " Neither are any other 
 redeemed." 
 
 2. That in the same Chapter III., revised Section 5 be 
 wholly omitted. 
 
 3. That in revised Chapter IV., the last sentence of Sec- 
 tion 1 be omitted, beginning with the words '"The heavens 
 and the earth." 
 
TOPEKA TO TROY. 203 
 
 4. That in Chapter VI., Section 3, the words " the guilt of 
 this sin was imputed and" be omitted, and the word "was" 
 be inserted before the word "conveyed," so as to read "was 
 conveyed." 
 
 5. That in revised Chapter X., Section 3, the word " ability " 
 be omitted and the word " inclination " be substituted for it. 
 
 6. That in revised Chapter XII, Section 1, the words " and 
 those only," in the second line, be omitted. 
 
 Wm. N. Page, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF TRANSYLVANIA. 100. 
 
 The order of the day was taken up, and during the dis- 
 cussion the time of the session was extended thirty minutes. 
 After some discussion, the changes in Chaptei-s I and III were 
 approved; in Chapter IV, the old expression was preferred to 
 " the universe ; " and the addition of " creative " was disap- 
 proved. It was then " Resolved, That Presbytery, while 
 objecting to certain forms of expression suggested, and ap- 
 proving of others, does yet declare its satisfaction with the 
 progress in the work of revision up to the present status of 
 the question as presented by the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee. L. Eddy, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBl'TERY' OP TROY. 101. 
 
 [By request of Presbytery the reports are both printed.] 
 
 Majority report, adopted by 31 to 7. 
 
 Resolved, That this Presbytery expresses its cordial sym- 
 pathy with the spirit and aim of the General Assembly Com- 
 mittee's Report, and they willingly accept many of their 
 amendments. They especially welcome the attention given 
 in two new chapters to the offices of the Holy Spirit and the 
 universal offer of the Gospel; but recommend that they be 
 rewritten and rendered more Scriptural and also more com- 
 pact in phraseology. They would rejoice to see the work of 
 
204 TROY TO r'TICA. 
 
 revision on the lines laid down by the General Assembly 
 carried out to an issue satisfactory to the Church at large and 
 encourage accordingly. Should it appear, however, that this 
 issue is unattainable, this Presbytery would then suggest the 
 formation, under fresh instruction, of a new creed. 
 
 Minority report, lost by 7 to 31. 
 
 The Presbytery of Troy, having been requested to present 
 to the Assembly's Committee on Revision their judgment of 
 the Committee's work, adopts the following resolution : 
 
 Resolved^ That while we are in cordial sympathy with the 
 spirit an aim of the Committee's work, and would be willing 
 to accept many of their amendments, if offered as independ- 
 ent propositions, we are nevertheless of the opinion that the 
 difficulties already disclosed in the progress of their work are 
 such as to preclude the hopes 'of its successful completion. 
 
 And that it is, therefore, expedient for our Church to 
 relinquish the attempt to revise the old creed, and to form- 
 ulate a short evangelical statement of belief, which shall be 
 regarded as the creed of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Arthur H. Allen, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF UNION. 101. 
 
 The following is the action taken by Union Presbytery at 
 its session September 16, 1891, in regard to the Revision 
 Report sent down to the Presbyteries : 
 
 "This Presbytery expresses itself as satisfied with the 
 Report of the Committee, and does not make any criticisms 
 or ofi-er any amendments." ^ H. Lyle, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF UTICA. 102. 
 
 Presuming that the members of the Presbytery have care- 
 fully considered the report made by the Assembly's com- 
 mittee of 1890 to the Assembly of 1891, and have a copy of 
 that report for reference, the committee refrains from quoting 
 their report as a whole. They, however, remind the Presby- 
 tery that the Assembly of 1890, having decided unanimously 
 
UTICA. 205 
 
 that some revision of the confession should be undertal?;en, 
 committed the work of devising how to revise to a committee 
 of twenty-five, which was to report to the Assembly of 1891. 
 
 1. That committee accordingly reported, suggesting such 
 changes as they deemed advisable and within the limits im- 
 posed by the Assemby of 1890 ; their report, however, not to 
 be deemed final, but only tentative under the consideration of 
 the Presbyteries until December, 1891, and then to be re- 
 turned with the suggestions of the Presbyteries, to the Assem- 
 bly's committee for their future consideration, and final report 
 to the Assenibly of 1892. 
 
 2. The conditions imposed by the Assembly, that the 
 revision must not disturb the integrity of what is known as 
 the Reformed or Calvinistic system of doctrine, must of neces- 
 sity hold with the Presbyteries in consideration of the report. 
 
 3. Your committee understands that the Presbyteries are 
 not limited in their work to exactly the changes which the 
 Assembly's committee recommends, but is rather called upon 
 both to consider changes which they have proposed, and to 
 suggest any other changes which occur to them as important, 
 and at the same time allowed by the conditions imposed on 
 the Assembly's committee. Consequently your committee 
 has allowed the following principles to influence in revising : 
 1. The endeavor to make statements of doctrine that can be 
 safely and hopefully placed in the hands of the average in- 
 quirer as to Presbyterian doctrine ; hence, in cleary simple, 
 modern English. 2. To allow room for persons of difi'erent 
 qualities of mind to reason and adopt deductions that will be 
 real to them, not seeming to try to guard against every possi- 
 ble error in inference or logic. 3. To keep clear of all appear- 
 ance of the effort which Job condems. to " find out the 
 Almighty to perfection ; " as Daniel Webster suggested, that 
 finite creatures considering the ways of Him with whom a 
 thousand years are as one day, the past, present and future an 
 eternal now, need be very careful how they try to fit His plans 
 into limited time and space. 
 
20r) UTICA. 
 
 4. Accordinglj', your committee, having at two sessions 
 gone througli with the entire Confession, recommends the 
 approval of the report of the Assembly's committee, with the 
 following suggestions : 
 
 a. That in Chapter II., Sections 1 and 2, the word " most " 
 he dropped wlierever it is used as a modifier of divine 'attri- 
 butes, e. g.^ " most holy," " most pure spirit," '' most absolute," 
 " most sovereign," etc. This is recommended because : 1. 
 Such modifying is borrowed from idioms of foreign tongues, 
 and is not in harmony with usage in pure modern English. 2. 
 According to the genius of pure English such modifying as 
 " most free " and " most absolute," etc., weakens rather than 
 strengthens the basis idea. 
 
 l. That in Chapter II., Section 1, in the description of God, 
 the expression " without body, parts, or passions," be dropped, 
 because nobody knows that to be so. If it refers only to the 
 physical, then we might add the word " physical " as an 
 adjective ; but that God has a spiritual body is fairly inferable 
 from the fact that He must hide Himself from the eyes of 
 Moses, and that Jesus took to himself a body after the resur- 
 rection. That God is without passion, in the broad sense of 
 being impassible, without feeling, nobody can prove or wants 
 to believe. 
 
 c. That in Chapter III., Sections 2, 3, I, .5, 6 and 7 be 
 omitted. This your committee recommends on the ground 
 that all which follows Section 1, as essential to the integrity of 
 the Eeformed or Calvinistic system, lies in logical potentiality 
 in Section 1 ; and that the minute and detailed drawing out in 
 the sections which we propose to omit, puts too much limita- 
 tion on the rightful liberty of individual thinking, and so occa- 
 sions unnecessary difficulties. But your committee, on the 
 basis of striking out the six sections as above, recommends the 
 adoption of the following to become Section 2 : " God, who is 
 rich in mercy, infinitely wise and sovereign, and self-moved in 
 all that He does, hath, before the foundation of the world, ac- 
 cording to the eternal purpose and secret counsel and good 
 pleasure of His will, particularly chosen and unchangeably 
 
UTICA. 207 
 
 predestinated many of mankind unto eternal life in Jesus 
 Christ, of His free grace and love, and unto the praise and 
 glorjj^ thereof." 
 
 The following to become Section 3 : " God's eternal decree 
 hindereth no one from accepting Christ as he is freely offered 
 to us in the Gospel, nor ought it be so construed as to con- 
 tradict the declaration of Scripture, that Christ is the propita- 
 tion for the sins of the world, and that God is not willing that 
 any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 
 
 The following to become Section 4 : " The rest of mankind, 
 God, according to the unsearchable counsel of His will, 
 whereby He extended or withholdeth mercy as He chooseth, 
 hath ordained to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise 
 of His glorious justice, yet so as thereby neither is limitation 
 put upon the offer of salvation to all upon condition of faith 
 in Jesus Christ, nor is restraint laid upon the freedom of any 
 one to hinder his acceptance of this offer." 
 
 That Section 8 become Section 5, and the clause be omitted 
 which begins with the words " that men attending " and ends 
 with the words " eternal election." 
 
 d. In Chapter V., Section 6, the Committee recommends 
 that the expression " doth blind and harden " be omitted, and 
 that the whole section read as follows : " There are wicked 
 and ungodly men from whom God, as a righteous .judge, and 
 for former sins doth withhold His grace, whereby," etc., to the 
 end of the section. 
 
 e. In Chapter VI., Section 4, the Committee recommends 
 that the section as revised by the Assembly's Committee be 
 changed to read as follows: "From this original corruption, 
 whereby we are indisposed to spiritural good and inclined to 
 evil, proceed all actual transgressions," &c., to the end of that 
 section as they have it. 
 
 This change is proposed because the word and expressions, 
 which we propose to omit, seem to us too minute and exact an 
 unfolding of the truth which, what we leave, expresses in terms 
 that are general, yet sufficiently exact. 
 
^08 UTICA- VINCENNES. 
 
 / In Chapter VII., Section 3, change so that the last three 
 lines will read, " and promising to give unto all His Holy 
 Spirit," and there end. 
 
 g. In Chapter VIII., Section 8, change the first clause so 
 that it will read, " to all those who accept the purchased 
 redemption, He doth," etc., to the end ot the section. 
 
 h. In Chapter XII.. Section 2, change so as to read : " This 
 effectual call is of God's free grace alone, and through the 
 Holy Spirit, by whom man being quickened and renewed is 
 enabled to answer this call and to embrace the grace offered 
 and conveyed in it." 
 
 Change Section 3, as revised by the Committee, so as to 
 read : "All persons who from birth to death," etc., to the end 
 of the section. 
 
 Change Section 4, as revised by the Committee, so as to 
 read : " Other persons though they may be called by," etc., 
 to the end. 
 
 i. In Chapter XXVII., Section 6, omit all except : 
 "There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus 
 Christ." That necessarily cuts off all else that is specified. 
 
 j. The Presbytery, while adopting the foregoing report of 
 its Committee on Revision and approving of the changes 
 recommended in that report, also desire to express its convic- 
 tion that whether the work of i-evision of the Confession be 
 accomplished or not, there shoilld be prepared under the direc- 
 tion of the General Assembly, a new, short, comprehensive, 
 and devotional creed for general circulation and use among 
 our churches, and we hereby overture the General Assembly 
 to appoint a committee to prepare such a creed. 
 
 Henry M. Dodd, Permanent Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF VINCENNES. 103. 
 
 The Presbytery of Vincennes is gratified that the Committee 
 on Revision, in its work, has in no legitimate sense impaired 
 the validity of the Calvinistic system, and that they have 
 labored faithfully, and as we believe with fair success, to bring 
 the standard of our Church into better and more extended har- 
 mony with the word of God, and the spirit and preaching of 
 
VINCBNNRS- WALLA WALLA. 209 
 
 the Presbyterian Church and pulpit. This Presbytery ap- 
 proves of the changes made in the Confession, and hereby ex- 
 presses its especial satisfaction with the added chapters on 
 " The Work on the Holy Spirit " and on '■ The Universal Offer 
 of the Gospel." 
 
 This Presbytery asks for the omission of Section 5 of Chap- 
 ter III. (as revised), so as to exclude any Supralapsarian men- 
 tion of fore-ordination to everlasting death ; also that at this 
 point, or some other in this work of revision, there be placed 
 a more full, pointed and explicit declaration of the responsi- 
 bility and duty of all men under the provisions and offers of 
 the Gospel. 
 
 This Presbytery submits the following : 
 
 1. In Chapter III., Section 4 (as revised), strike out the last 
 sentence, beginning with " Neither " and ending with " only." 
 
 2. In Chapter III., Section 3 (as revised), strike out the 
 word " without " and substitute the words " not because of." 
 
 3. In Chapter VII., Section 3 (as revised), strike out the 
 words " are ordained unto life " and substitute the word "ask." 
 
 4. In Chapter VIII., Section 5 (as revised), strike out the 
 words " whom the Father hath given unto him " and substitute 
 the words " who shall believe in Him." 
 
 It will thus be seen that the work of revision has not 
 accomplished all that we could have wished ; yet we rejoice at 
 what has been done, and are thankful to the Great Head of 
 the Church that it has been performed with such unity of 
 feeling and action : and that He will bless it to the hai-mony 
 and edification of His Church and to the furtherance of the 
 Gospel of His grace, is the desire and prayer of this Presbytery. 
 
 Blackford Condit, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF WALLA WALLA.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Walla Walla, having carefully con- 
 sidered your Report, would answer as follows : 
 
 1. That if the Confession is to be changed, we favor the 
 alterations made by the Committee, as better expressing the 
 present faith of the Chui-ch than the old form of statement. 
 
210 WALLA WALLA -WASHINGTON. 
 
 2. That as a Presbytery we would favor further changes 
 in the way of softening the statements of the Confession con- 
 cerning the decrees, human inability, and native depravity. 
 
 3. We would greatly prefer to let the standards remain as 
 they are, and liave formulated a much shorter creed, emphasiz- 
 ing not only the fundamentals in which all Evangelical 
 Churches agree, but the essential points of the Calvinistic 
 System, without the elaborations and logical inferences of the 
 same. 
 
 4. We heartily approve of the new chapters on " The 
 Work of the Holy Spirit" and " Of the Universal Offer of the 
 Gospel," if expressed in briefer form. 
 
 Seth Cook, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF WASHINGTON.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Washington pi-oposes to the Committee 
 on Revision, the following changes in their report : 
 
 In Chapter III., Section 3, instead of " some," in line 4, 
 put, '• a multitude which no man can number." 
 
 Chapter IIJ., Section 5, change so as to read : " The rest of 
 mankind God chose according to the unsearchable counsel of 
 His own will, whereby He extendeth or withholdeth mercy as 
 He chooseth, to deal with according to the principles of His 
 justice, whereby they are ordained to dishonor and wrath for 
 their sin, to the praise of His glorious righteousness, yet so 
 as," etc. 
 
 (Chapter lY., Section 1, drop the last sentence beginning 
 " The heavens and the earth." 
 
 Chapter IX. is approved, with recommendation to simplify 
 and condense. 
 
 Chapter XI. is approved, with recommendation to simplify 
 and condense. 
 
 Chapter XII., Section 3, insert " elect " before " persons " in 
 line 1. Strike out the words " from birth to death," in line 2. 
 
 In Section 4, the same chapter, strike out the word "they " 
 from line 4. 
 
 Chapter XXXII. , Section 2, strike out the words " to retain 
 and remit sins." 
 
 All other parts of the Report were approved. 
 
 Henry Woods, Stated Clerk. 
 
WASHINGTON CITY. 211 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP WASHINGTON CITY. 103. 
 
 In compliance with the request of the Committee of the 
 General Assembly on Revision, the Presbytery of Washington 
 City submits the following recommendations, viz. : 
 
 That in Chapter I, Section 5, the words " the truthfulness 
 of the history, the faithful witness of prophecy and miracle," 
 be transposed so as to immediately follow the word " church " 
 in the second line. 
 
 In Chapter III, Section 1 (old), to insert, after the word 
 '•ordain" the words "or'hath permitted." 
 
 To omit Sections 3 and 4 (old) of the same chapter. 
 To omit the last sentence of Section 6 of same chapter, 
 beginning '■ neither are any other redeemed." etc. 
 
 To strike out of Section 3, Chapter III, (new), the word 
 " some " and insert the words, " a great multitude of mankind 
 that none can number." 
 
 To omit from the same section the word " mere" in line 6. 
 
 To omit Section 5 of the same chapter (new). 
 
 To omit all following the word "create," in Section 1 of 
 
 Chapter IV, and insert the following words : " The Heavens 
 
 and the earth, and all things therein, whether visible or 
 
 invisible, and all veiy good." 
 
 To omit, in Section 4, Chapter VI, the word "disabled," 
 also, to insert after "many," in the last line, the word "per- 
 sonal." 
 
 To concur in the recommendations of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee for the revision of Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Chapter 
 VII ; not to concur in the committee's proposed revision of 
 Section 5 of Chapter VIII. 
 
 It changes Section 3 of Chapter IX (old), so as to read: 
 " Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath lost ability of will 
 for any spiritual good accompanying salvation ; so that as a 
 natural man indisposed to that good, and dead in sin, he is not 
 able by his own strength to regenerate himself, and for regen- 
 eration is dependent upon the offered grace of God. Yet 
 inasmuch as that grace is offered freely to all, his full responsi- 
 bility as a free moral agent is in no wise impaired." 
 
•21'_> WASIIINHTON CITY. 
 
 To change the word " convert," in Section 4 of the same 
 chapter, into " regenerates." 
 
 It approves the new Chapter IX., entitled, " Of the Work 
 of the Holy Spirit," with the request, if possible, to con- 
 dense it. 
 
 It approves the new Chapter XI., with the recommendation 
 that the word '' Universal " in its title, be stricken out, and 
 that, if practicable, the chapter be condensed. In Section 1 
 of Chapter XII (new), omit the words, " and those only." 
 
 It approves of Section 2 of Chapter XII. (new). 
 
 It appi'oves the 3d section of the same chapter, with the 
 exception of the word " all," before infants. 
 
 It approves the 4th section of the same chapter, with the 
 exception of the words after "• Spirit,'" line 5. 
 
 It approves Section 1 of Chapter XIII. (new),* as recom- 
 mended by the Assembly's Committee. 
 
 It disapproves of the recommendation of the Assembly's 
 Committee of Section 3 of the same chapter. 
 
 To approve the proposed revision of Chapter XVI. (new). 
 
 To substitute for " damnation " in Section 4 of Chapter XV. 
 (old), the word " condemnation," in lines 2 and 3. 
 
 To approve the proposed revision of the Assembly's Com- 
 mittee of Section 7 of Chapter XVIII. (new). 
 
 To substitute for the word " damnation," in Section 1 of 
 Chapter XX. (old), the word "destruction." 
 
 To approve the proposed revision of Section 4 of Chapter 
 XXIII. ( new) ; Section 7, Chapter XXIV. ; Section 3, Chapter 
 XXV.; Section 3, XXVI.; andof Section 6, Chapter XXVII. 
 
 To substitute the word -'dishonoring" for the words 
 "abominably injurious," in section 2 of Chapter XXXI (new), 
 and with this change to approve the proposed revision. 
 
 To approve the proposed revision of Section 8 of Chapter 
 XXXI (new), and of Section 2, Chapter XXXII. 
 
 B. F. BiTTiNfiEE, Stated Clerk. 
 
WATERLOO TO WESTUUESTKR. 213 
 
 1 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF WATERLOO. 104. 
 
 The Presbytery of Waterloo, at the fall meeting at Water- 
 loo, Iowa, October 8, 1891, adopted the Eeport of the Com- 
 mittee of the General Assembly on Revision, in full. 
 
 William Bryant, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF WELLSBOROUGH.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Wellsborough desires to express their 
 gratitude to the Committee on Revision for the consideration 
 of the convictions of their brethren, and for loyalty to the 
 truth shown in their work, as well as for the ability with which 
 that work has been done ; and their approval of the report as 
 a whole. 
 
 We, hcfWever, recommend that Section 5, of Chapter III., 
 and Sections 3 and 4, of Chapter XII., instead of being 
 revised, be omitted, as containing doctrines not explicitly 
 taught in the Sacred Scriptures ; and that instead of the pro- 
 posed revision. Section 1, of Chapter IV., of the Confession, 
 be left to stand as it is. 
 
 A. C. Shaw. Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF WESTCHESTER. 105. 
 
 The Committee to which was referred the Report of the 
 General Assembly's Committee on Revision, presented a 
 report, which was accepted and, after amendment, adopted. 
 It is as follows : 
 
 Your Committee recommend that the Presbytery express 
 its approval of the Report of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on the Revision of the Confession of Faith, with the 
 following suggestions : 
 
 1. That in Chapter III., Section 3, "some of mankind" be 
 omitted, and "a multitude whom no man can number" be 
 substituted for it. 
 
 2. That Chapter III., Section 5, be omitted. 
 
214 WEST(;HESTER- WEST JERSEY. 
 
 3. That for Chapter XII., Section 3, the following be sub- 
 stituted : " Infants dying in infancy, and others incapable of 
 being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word, are not 
 thereby shut out from the benelits of redemption, but rather, 
 that being included in the electing grace of God, they are 
 regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who 
 worketh when and where, and how He pleaseth." 
 
 W. J. Armstrong, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF WEST JERSEY. 105. , 
 
 The following suggestions, criticisms and amendments to 
 the report of the Assembly's Revision Committee were adopted 
 by the Presbytery of West Jersey, September 30, 1891 : 
 
 1. That the words added in Chapter I., Section 5, follow 
 immediately the words, " by the testimony of the church," so 
 as to make the first sentence of the section read : " We may 
 be moved and induced by the testimony of the church, by the 
 truthfulness of the sacred history, and by the faithful witness 
 of prophecy and miracle." 
 
 2. Chapter III., Section 5. The antithetic clauses intro- 
 duced by " yet so as thereby " we regard as illogical, confusing 
 and unnecessary; but we do not formally object to them. 
 
 3. Chapter IV., Section 1. We recommend the following 
 amendment in place of the one offered in the revision report : 
 That the words "or make of nothing" be stricken out; that 
 the words " heaven and the earth " be substituted for " world " 
 and that the word " creative " be substituted before " days," so 
 that the section shall read : " It pleased God the Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eter- 
 nal power, wisdom and goodness, in the beginning to create 
 the heaven and the earth, and all things therein, whether visi- 
 ble or invisible, in the' space of six creative days, and all very 
 good." 
 
 4. Chapter VI., Section 4. We recommend that the 
 amendment offered in the revision report, " nevertheless, the 
 Providence of God," etc., be stricken out; and that the other 
 amendments of the section be approved. 
 
WEST JERSEY. 215 
 
 5. Chapter III., Section 3. We recommend the excision of 
 the interpolated words, " by His word and Spirit." 
 
 In Section 5 we recommend a grammatical change, so that 
 it shall read, '■ Christ, the substance, being exhibited," etc. 
 
 6. Chapter IX. (New.) We recommend: 1. That the 
 title be changed so as to read, " The Person and Work of the 
 Holy Spirit." 2. That the clause in Section 3, "enlightening 
 their minds concerning divine things, quickening their con- 
 sciences, and drawing them by his grace," be omitted. 3. That 
 the works attributed to the Holy Spirit in Chapter IV., 1 ; 
 VII., 5 ; VIII., 2 ; XXXIL, 3, be added to this chapter in their 
 appropriate places. 
 
 7. Chapter (X.) XII. We recommend that Section 2 be 
 restored to its u^revised form. 
 
 8. Chapter (XL) XIII. We recommend that the words 
 omitted in Section 1, " they have not of themselves, it," be 
 restored. 
 
 9. Chapter (XIV.) XVI. We recommend the restoration 
 of the words " the elect " in place of the substituted words, 
 " sinners." 
 
 10. Chapter (XXII.) XXIV. We recommend that Sec- 
 tion 3 be amended by striking out the words, " it is a sin to 
 refuse an oath," etc., and substituting for them the words, " it 
 is a duty to take an oath," etc. 
 
 11. Chapter (XXVIII.) XXX. We recommend that Sec- 
 tion 1 be amended so that instead of the words " admission 
 of the party baptized into " shall be substituted the words, 
 " recognition of the party baptized as a member of." 
 
 12. Chapter (XXIX.) XXXI. We recommend that Sec- 
 tion 1 be amended by substituting the words •' till he come 
 again," in place of the words "unto the end of the world." 
 
 We recommend, finally, that in view of the momentous 
 interests involved in the work of the General Assembly's Com- 
 mittee on Kevision, the committee delay their final report 
 until the General Assembly of 1893, if it appear that their 
 work may be furthered thereby. 
 
 The other items in the report of the Assembly's Revision 
 Committee, not here mentioned, were not objected to by the 
 Presbytery. Henry Eeeves, Stated Clerk. 
 
216 WESTMINSTER. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP WESTMINSTER.* 
 
 Resolved. That the Presbytery of Westminster make the 
 following suggestions to the General Assembly's Committee 
 on Revision : 
 
 1. Wishing men to see how permanent is the truth and how 
 equal to the requirements of all ages is the spiritual faith of 
 the Church, desiring that this " ancient landmark " should not 
 be removed, and this old survey of the domain of Biblical 
 truth obliterated, and anxious that our children should know 
 how rich was the spiritual estate of their fathers, we feel that 
 the Westminster Confession, as a remarkable historic docu- 
 ment, remarkable in its evidence of the permanence of revealed 
 religion and the Christian harmony of all ages, and of the 
 abiding power of great principles, should be preserved in its 
 entirety. 
 
 2. But, should this not be the will of the Church, we sug- 
 gest that only such changes as explication and correction 
 imperatively call for be made. While we do not consider 
 that the Committee have, by the changes made, in any way 
 affected the integrity of the system, we do not feel that all of 
 them are required. 
 
 3. And we earnestly desire that the historic continuity of 
 the truth be not impaired. And if the same truth has a diflfer- 
 ent aspect with a wider application, and different conceptions 
 for a changed condition in the Church's conflict with error are 
 required, we would like to see indicated in the form of the 
 revised version how slight and really superficial, is the devia- 
 tion of the new from the old. 
 
 4. With reference to the changes already suggested by the 
 Committee, we would make the following suggestions in 
 detail. The main principle of these suggestions is that to 
 popularize the Confession would require more radical changes, 
 to serve its present use requires less. 
 
 Chapter III, Section 3. Presbytery recommends the Gen- 
 eral Assemby's C ommittee to recognize the Angels as 
 
WESTMINSTER TO WINNEBAliO. 'Ill 
 
 subjects of God's decree, and requests them to incorporate 
 Section 3, Chapter III., in their report. (On this request a 
 standing vote was taken — 21 ayes and 6 noes). 
 
 Chapter III., Section 7. The change ''not to elect" does 
 not seem to us either explication or correction. 
 
 Presbytery then resolved that all further discussion as to 
 the Report of the General Assembly's Committee on Revision 
 rest here. ^ ^ Cairnes, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTEKY OF WILLAMETTE.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Willamette at. its late meeting voted to 
 approve the report of the General Assembly's Committee on 
 Revision of the Confession of Paith. 
 
 Elbert N. Condit, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF WINNEBAGO. 107. 
 
 The Presbytery of Winnebago voted to approve the work 
 of the Committee with the following exceptions : 
 
 1. In regard to Chapter III., the following resolution was 
 passed : 
 
 '•Resolved, That while this Presbytery prefers the chapter 
 as revised to its original form, yet we respectfully refer the 
 same back to the General Assembly's Committee with the 
 request that it be rewritten, and that its statements regarding 
 God's decrees be, when possible, couched in the language of 
 Scripture." 
 
 2. The Presbytery recommends that in Chapter XII., Sec- 
 tion 3, the word " mentally" be inserted before "incapable." 
 
 3. That in Chapter XXXI., Section 2, the word " abomi- 
 nably " be stricken out. „. , , r., , 
 
 Henry L. Brown, Stated Clerk. 
 
21 S WINONA -WOOSTER. 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OP WINONA. 108. 
 
 The following was the action of Winona Presbytery on the 
 revision question : 
 
 Whereas, There is a great difference of opinion as to what 
 should be revised in our Confession, and 
 
 Whereas, There is a reverence for our Confession in its old 
 form as an historic monument, therefore 
 
 Resolved, That it is the judgment of this Presbytery that 
 no revision of the Confession of Faith is advisable at present, 
 but that we favor a short didactic and Christocentric creed I'or 
 general use. L H. Mitchell, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF WOOSTER.* 
 
 The Presbytery of Wooster held an adjourned meeting on 
 September 28, 1891, for the special purpose of hearing and 
 acting upon a report from a Committee appointed at the 
 regular meeting of Presbytery, held on September 16, to study 
 the Assembly Committee's Report on Revision. 
 
 The following are the suggestions and recommendations as 
 adopted : — 
 
 1. In Chapter I., Section 5, the addition of the Assembly's 
 Committee is approved. But we think it would be well to 
 transpose and make it read, " We may be moved and induced 
 by the testimony of the Church, the truthfulness of the 
 history, and the faithful witness of prophecy and miracle, to a 
 high and reverent esteem for the Holy Scripture; and the 
 heavenliness of the matter," etc. 
 
 2. In Chapter I., Section 8, we think that the words " kept 
 pure" should be modified by "substantially," or, "in all 
 essential points." 
 
 3. In Chapter III., Section 5, instead of " was pleased " 
 we would prefer " saw fit." 
 
 4. In<Chapter VI., Section 4, insert the word " personal" 
 between " manv " and " social." 
 
AVOOSTEE. 219 
 
 5. In Chapter VII., Section 3, after the words " promising 
 to give," instead of the words " unto all those that are 
 ordained unto life," insert the words " unto them that ask 
 Him-" 
 
 6. Chapter IX. We think the title should be " Of the 
 Holy Spirit and His Work." While we are glad to find the 
 important part of revealed truth which relates to the work of 
 the Holy Spirit distinctly set forth in new chapter, yet we 
 think that the fact that man may resist and grieve the Spirit ; 
 that they are warned not to quench the Spirit ; and that these 
 warnings are addressed primarily to Christians, should be 
 brought out distinctly and fully. There does not seem to be 
 any reference to the fact that religion may languish, the 
 Church suffer great loss, and the unconverted continue in a 
 state of self-satisfaction of security, and be undisturbed in 
 their sinfulness and peril, because Christians fail to secure for 
 themselves and others that larger measure of the Spirit's 
 ipfluences which is promised in answer to prayer. If a 
 brighter and better future is before the Church of God, and 
 before the world, which is now so full of wickedness, the 
 Scriptures teach us that it depends upon the Church's laying 
 hold on the Lord God by prayer, and securing the unspeakable 
 blessings of revived religion, through the mighty power of the 
 Eternal Spirit. We believe this, and it is the faith of all 
 evangelical Christians at this day, and we think that it should 
 be brought out clearly and strongly in the new chapter on the 
 " Holy Spirit and His Work." 
 
 7. Chapter X. In a chapter devoted to the subject of 
 Yi-ee Will, we think that there should be a much more clear 
 and explicit statement of man's free agency and responsi- 
 bility than there is. 
 
 8. Chapter XII., Section 3. We would prefer the follow- 
 ing reading : " Infants dying in infancy, and other persons 
 who, from birth to death, are mentally incapable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the Word, are, we believe, 
 redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit, who 
 worketh," etc. 
 
220 WOOSTER -YADKIN. 
 
 9. Chapter XII., Section 4. Strike out the word " they," 
 in line 4, to make the sentence grammatically correct. 
 
 10. Chapter XXVII. , Section 6. By all means let the pro- 
 test against the enormous pretensions of the Roman Hierarchy 
 stand in the words of the Assembly's Committee on Revision. 
 
 11. Chapter XXXIL, Section 2. Let it read, "To these 
 officers is committed ministerial and declarative power " * * * 
 " to shut the Kingdom of Heaven," etc. 
 
 With the exceptions implied in these suggestions and 
 
 recommendations. Presbytery voted approval of the Report of 
 
 the Assemblv's Committee. 
 
 T. K. Davis, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE PRESBYTBay OF YADKIN.* 
 
 The Yadkin Presbytery at its annual meeting at Mount 
 Airy, N. C, April 15, 1890, answered the overture on revision 
 in the negative, since which time a great deal has been said 
 and done ; but the Presbytery of Yadkin finds no reasons for 
 changing its former action. 
 
 1. The Presbytery is of the opinion that the many com- 
 mentaries and expositions on the Confession of Paith make it 
 plain to be understood ; that the Confession of Paith contains 
 nothing that is not taught in the Holy Scriptures. . 
 
 2. The Presbytery is further of the opinion that it is im- 
 possible to so revise the Confession that there will be no 
 objectionable features to the eye of the critics outside of our 
 Church. 
 
 3. From a long and loyal attachment to that venerable 
 document of our beloved Church, it is not willing and thinks 
 it unsafe, to begin to unravel the Confession of Faith. Not 
 forgetful of the hard and faithful work of the Committee, it 
 still feels called upon to humbly ask that the Confession of 
 Faith be left unrevised. 
 
 S. F. Wentz, Stated Clerk. 
 
ZANESVILLE-BENICIA. 221 
 
 THE PRESBYTERY OF ZANESVILLE. 109. 
 
 The report of the General Assembly's Committee was 
 approved with the following exceptions and amendments: 
 
 Chapter III.. Of God's Decree. That Section 3 of the old 
 text be retained, and so amended that the last clause shall 
 read, " and the rest are left to perish in their sins." 
 
 That Section 3, of the Committee's report, be numbered 
 Section 4. 
 
 That Section 6, of the Confession, be numbered Section 5. 
 
 That Section 7, of the Confession, be retained in place of 
 Section 5, of the Committee's report, and numbered Section 6. 
 
 That Section 8, of the Confession, be numbered Section 7. 
 
 Chapter IV., Of Creation. That the old text be retained. 
 
 Chapter IX., of the report. In Section 2 substitute the 
 word "Spirit" for "Ghost." In Section 5, that the words 
 " shall cover the earth and at last " be omitted. 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII., Of Effectual Calling. That Section 3, 
 of the. report, be amended to read : "All elect persons, who 
 from birth to death, are incapable of being outwardly called 
 by the ministry of the word," &c. 
 
 Chapter (XIV.) XVI., Of Saving Faith. That the old text 
 be retained. 
 
 Chapter XXXI. , Of the Lord's Supper. That the words 
 "for sin" in the last line of Section 2 be stricken out. 
 
 Faris Brown, Stated Clerk. 
 
 THE presbytery OF BENICIA. 15. 
 
 This Presbytery, having duly considered the Report of the 
 Assembly's Committee on Revision, desire to record our high 
 appreciation of the faithful and efficient manner in which the 
 Committee has done its work ; and we regard the issue of 
 their labor as a fair, honest and conservative attempt to meet 
 the requirements of the various parties in the church, who 
 desire changes in the Confession of Faith ; but we are now 
 
222 BENICIA. 
 
 persuaded by the result, that revision made on the lines pro- 
 posed, will never reach satisfactory and permanent results. 
 This conviction is based upon the following among many 
 reasons that might be given : 
 
 1. Such revision will sadly mar the consistency and 
 integrity of the great historical documents which are the 
 symbols of our faith. 
 
 2. Such revision will be only a compromise, at best, that 
 will never be thoroughly satisfactory to either revisionist or 
 anti-revisionist in our Church, as a final settlement of the 
 questions at issue. 
 
 3. Such revision, instead of making the Creed of the 
 Church plainer, and briefer, and less definite in detail, while 
 more comprehensive in statement, is only adding to its length, 
 and multiplying definitions of doctrines, which are not essen- 
 tial to our theological system, or to soundness in Gospel teach- 
 ing, and thereby curtailing instead of enlarging the limits of 
 our religious liberty. 
 
 We, as a Presbytery, do, therefore, record our deliverance 
 in favor of a re-statement of the fundamental doctrines of our 
 Church made in brief form, and in such a way as to be easily 
 understood by our people, and could be read in our worshiping 
 service and readily and unreservedly subscribed to by all the 
 office-bearers in our Church; and accomplishing this object we 
 would ad\dse that the members of the committee endeavor to 
 incorporate nothing in the new Creed about which they, them- 
 selves, are not unanimous. 
 
 W. H. Darden, Stated Clerk. 
 
 [ The report of Benicia was not received until December 9, 
 when a large part of the reports were already set up. — Sec] 
 
Tabulated Statement. 
 
 The following Presbyteries express approval without criti- 
 cisms : 
 
 Arizona, Bloomington, Central Dakota, Champlain, Chero- 
 kee Nation, Columbus, Crawfordsville, Dakota, Genessee, 
 Highland, Holston, Lake Superior, McClelland, Mahoning, 
 Monroe, Muncie, Neosho, North Texas, Otsego, Palmyra, Phil- 
 adelphia North, San Francisco, Solomon, Steuben, Union, 
 Waterloo, Wilamette. 
 
 The following Presbyteries approved, with exceptions stated, 
 or amendments proposed, or criticisms offered : 
 
 Alton, Athens, Austin, Baltimore, Bellefontaine, Biiig- 
 hampton, Bismarck, Black Hills, Blairsville, Boston, Boulder, 
 Brooklyn, Buffalo, Butler, Cairo, Carlisle, Cayuga, Cedar Rap- 
 ids, Chemung, Chickasaw, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Choctaw, 
 Cleveland, Columbia, Council Bluffs, Dayton, Denver, Des 
 Moines, Detroit, Dubuque, Duluth, Ebenezer, Elizabeth, Em- 
 poria, Erie, Fargo, Flint, Fort Dodge, Fort Wayne, Freeport, 
 Geneva, Grand Rapids, Gunnison, Hudson, Huron, Indianap- 
 olis, Iowa City, Jersey City, Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Kearney, 
 Kittanning, Lackawanna, Lansing, Lehigh, Lima, Logansport, 
 Long Island, Los Angeles, Louisville, Lyons, Mankato, Marion, 
 Mattoon, Maumee, Milwaukee, Monmouth, Monroe, Morris and 
 Orange, Nebraska City, New Albany, Newark, New Bruns- 
 wick, Newton, New York, Niagara, Olympia, Omaha, Ottawa, 
 Ozark, Pembina, Petoskey, Philadelphia Central, Pittsburg, 
 Platte, Portland, Portsmouth, Redstone, Rochester, Rock 
 River, Saginaw, St. Lawrence, St. Louis, St. Paul, Santa Fe, 
 Schuyler, Sioux City, Southern Oregon, Springfield, Steuben- 
 ville, Syracuse, Transylvania, Troy, Vincennes, Washington, 
 Washington City, Wellsborough, Westchester, Westminster, 
 Winnebago, Wooster, Zanesville. 
 
•22-i TABULATED STATEMENT. 
 
 The following Presbyteries ask that the work of Eevision 
 be discontinued : (The figures refer to the page above.) 
 
 Albany, i ; Allegheny, 5 ; Benicia, 221 ; Chester, 32 ; Chi- 
 cago, 41 ; Clarion, 50 ; Cleveland, 51; East Oregon, 67; Larned, 
 103; Nassau, 133; North River, 156; Osborne, 162; Puget 
 Sound, 181 ; Winona, 218 ; Yadkin, 220. 
 
 The following Presbyteries disapprove the lieport : 
 Chester, 32 ; Montana, 130 ; South Florida, 194. 
 
 The following Presbyteries ask for a new formula of doc- 
 trine, under various designations and for various uses. Some 
 in addition to the Confession as it is, or as it shall be when 
 revised, and some as a substitute or alternate standard. See 
 under the several Presbyteries : 
 
 Albany, 4 ; Benicia, 221 ; Binghamton, 11 ; Bismarck, 12 ; 
 Cayuga, 25 ; Chemung, 31 ; Chester, 32 ; Chicago, 41 ; Chicka- 
 saw, 42 ; Chippewa, 43 ; Choctaw, 48 ; Clarion, 50 ; Cleveland, 
 51 ; Denver, 54 ; Detroit, 56 ; Fargo, 71 ; Fort Dodge 74 ; Free- 
 port, 79 ; Geneva, 80 ; Lyons, 117 ; Mattoon, 120 ; Milwaukee, 
 121 : Montana, 130 ; Oakland, 159 ; Pembina, 164 ; Petoskey, 
 167 ; Philadelphia North, 169 ; Portland, 179 ; Red River, 181 ; 
 St. Lawrence, 188 ; St. Paul, 190 ; Stockton, 196 ; Syracuse, 197 ; 
 Troy, 203 ; Utica, 204. 
 
 No report has been received from the Presbyteries of 
 Aberdeen, Alaska, Allahabad, Birmingham, Canton, Catawba, 
 Chili, Corisco, Fairfield, Furrukhabad, Hastings, Kingston, 
 Kohlapur, La Crosse, Lahore, Lodiana, Mexico, Muscogee, New 
 Castle, Ningpo, North Laos, Oroomiah, Osborne, Peking, 
 Pueblo, Rio Grande, Sacramento, San Jose, Shanghai, Shan- 
 tung. Shenango, Siam, South Dakota, Southern Virginia, 
 Spokane, Trinity, Utah, AVestern Africa, West Virginia, White 
 River, White Water, Wood River, Zacatecas. 
 
Changes or Amendments Desired. 
 
 Chapter I. Of the Holy Scripture. 
 
 Section 1. Omit "so far" (line 2) and "as to leave men 
 inexcusable" (line 3). Jersey City. 
 
 Omit "they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of 
 God and of His will which are necessary to salvation. There- 
 fore." Bismarck. 
 
 Section 2. Make the last clause a new section (3); adding, 
 " and are therefore to be reverently received by all as the in- 
 fallible word of God, or the true utterances of the Holy Ghost, 
 of most certain credit, and profitable to instruct and make the 
 man of God perfect." Neiu Brunswick. 
 
 As above, as far as " Holy Ghost," and then add, " and 
 therefore authoritative in all matters pertaining to faith and 
 life." Fargo, p. 72. 
 
 Section 5. Transpose the added words. Austin., Detroit., 
 Fargo, Monmouth, Washington City, West Jersey, Wooster. 
 
 Omit the words inserted. Carlisle, Indiana'polis, Long 
 Island, Newark, New York, Philadelphia Central. 
 
 Omit "the truthfulness of the history." Lima. 
 
 Omit " the efficacy of the doctrine," and read " and the 
 truthfulness of the history, the faithful witness of miracles 
 wrought and prophesies fulfilled, the efliciency in regeneration 
 of individuals, nations and races, the heavenliness of the mat- 
 ter, the majesty," etc. Kansas City. 
 
 Read "the truthfulness of its history, the fulfilment of its 
 prophesies, and the miracles by which it has been attested, as 
 well as the heavenliness," etc. Hudson. 
 
 Insert after "authority thereof is" (line 12), "from the 
 character and work of the Savior and." Lima. 
 
226 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Section 8. Make Section 8 state 'that the Scriptures, as 
 given under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit, were in- 
 fallible, both in doctrine and expression/ Steubenville. 
 
 Qualify "pure" (line 6) by "substantially," or "in all 
 essential points." Wooster. 
 
 Omit "singular" (line .5), and put "singularly pure" 
 (line H). Lima. 
 
 Chapter II. Of God and the Holy Trinity. 
 
 Section 1. Omit "without body, parts or passions (line 3); 
 also "most" as a modifier (lines 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10). Utioa. 
 Section 2. Omit "most" (lines 7, 12). Utica. 
 
 Chapter III. Of God's Eternal Decree. 
 
 Criticisms on the chapter. All changes unsatisfactory. 
 Allegheny., Carlisle, Chester., Omaha. 
 
 Put Chapter III. anywhere after Chapter XI. Syracuse. 
 
 Drop all negative references to the eternal decree. Logans- 
 port. 
 
 Eliminate all expressions of God's fore-ordination, for 
 the good pleasure of His will, of any to dishonor and wrath. 
 Emporia., Fort Dodge. 
 
 Review and give clear statement of the election ac- 
 cording to grace, guarding against the appearance of teaching 
 that God creates men for the purpose of ordaining them to 
 eternal death. Kittanning. 
 
 Opposes the formulation of the doctrine of preterition 
 in any shape in the Confession. Newark, p. 137. 
 
 Omit all reference to sovereign preterition. New York., 
 p. 152 ; Syracuse^ p. 197. 
 
 Give the actual facts of God's eternal decree, as re- 
 vealed in the Scriptures. Kalamazoo. 
 
 Rewrite and state in terms of Scripture. Winnebago., 
 p. 217. 
 
 State clearly evangelical Calvinism and emphasize the 
 love of God. Lima. 
 
 Express so as to convey the truth that God's elect are a 
 great number, Nev} York. 
 
CHANGES OK AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 227 
 
 Section 1 . Eead (line 3), "yet neither is God thereby the 
 author, etc." Grand Rapids. 
 
 After "ordain" (line 2) insert "by absolute or permissive 
 decree." Marion. 
 
 After " ordain " insert " or hath permitted." Washinqton 
 City. 
 
 Omit " ordain " and insert " determine to do, and to permit 
 or suffer to be done." Lim,a. 
 
 After "pass" (line 3) add "including in His decree the 
 free acts of His creatures, and appointing unto all men and 
 angels their portion, as it hath pleased Him in time and in 
 eternity ^ yet so as," etc. Monmouth. 
 
 Retain the old, and for the rest of the chapter substitute, 
 " The decrees are to be so interpreted as to put no limitation 
 on the sufficiency of the salvation of Christ for the whole 
 world, or on the offer of this salvation to all men, or on 
 the willingness of God to save all who repent and believe." 
 Olympia. 
 
 Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Omit and substitute. Utica., 
 
 p. 206 ; Olympia. p. 159 ; 2, 3 and 4. Strilie out. Syracuse^ 
 p. 199. 
 
 Section 2. Omit. Binghamton., Geneva., Grand Rapids., 
 Kalamazoo^ Lima., Morris and Orange., Utica. 
 
 Recast. Remove any appearance that God acted arbi- 
 trarily or in disuse of His foreknowledge. Newark. 
 
 Sections 3 and 4 (old). Elision approved. Blairsville, 
 Cedar Rapids, Geneva, Lehigh, Long Lsland, Morris and 
 Orange, Syracuse, Washington City. Disapproved. Peoria. 
 
 Substitute for, Lima, p. 109; for 3 (old), New Brunsioick, 
 p. lJb5. 
 
 Section 3. Retain old, and read, last clause, "and the 
 rest are left to perish in their sins." Zanesville. 
 
 Section 3 (new). 
 
 For " some of marifiind " put " a great number," " a multi- 
 tude whom no man can number," " a vast multitude," and like 
 expressions. Alton, Austin, Binghamton, Brooklyn, Cairo, 
 Cayuga, Chemung, ChilUcothe, Cincinnati, Denver, Duluth, 
 
228 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Fargo^ Fort Wayne, Geneva, Gunnison, Indianapolis, Jersey 
 City, Lackawanna, La7isiiig, Lehigh, Lima, Louisville, Lyons, 
 Monmouth, 3/orris and Orange, Nebraska City, Newark, New 
 York, Peoria, Philadelphia Central, Rochester, St. Lawrence, 
 Washington, Washington City, Westchester. 
 
 After " unto life some of mankind " add, " a great multitude 
 which no man can number." Pittsburgh. 
 
 " Hath predestinated unto life a certain multitude of man- 
 kind which no man can number," etc. Redstone. 
 
 For '' secret counsel and good pleasure," etc., read, " the 
 secret counsel of His infinite wisdom." Strike out " or any 
 other thing in the creature." Alton. 
 
 Omit " without thereunto." Attach to the 
 
 last clause, the clause in Section 5 beginning " yet so," etc. 
 Omit all the rest of Section 5. Omit "mere" (line 5). Freeport. 
 
 Omit all after "love" (line 6) ; substitute, from Section 5, 
 " yet so as," etc., and omit Section 5. Louisville. 
 
 Omit all after "love." Chickasaw, Geneva, Gunnison, 
 Lima, Newark. 
 
 Omit all after " love " to " and all to the the praise," etc. 
 Syracuse. 
 
 Add to Section 3 the words " yet so as," etc., in Section 5, 
 and strike out Section 5. Portsmouth. 
 
 Insert after "God" (line 1) "who is rich in mercy.'' 
 Newark. 
 
 Insert " for the manifestation of His glory." Huntingdon. 
 
 Omit all after "love" (line 6) and annex the last three 
 lines of Section 5, " yet so," etc. Choctaw. 
 
 After " predestinated " insert " in Christ." Detroit. 
 
 Strike out Section 3. Ottawa. 
 
 For " without " (line 7) put " not because of." Cincinnati, 
 Cleveland, Vincennes. 
 
 For " without " put " not on account of." Ehenezer. 
 
 Before "conditions" (line 9) put "meritorious." Lehigh. 
 
 Omit "without any . . . thereunto; and all." Read 
 " God . . . hath . . . chosen them in Christ unto everlasting 
 glory, out of His mere free grace and love, to His eternal 
 praise." Niagara. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 229 
 
 After " without " insert " being moved thereto by." Grand 
 Rapids. 
 
 For " and good pleasure of His will '" substitute " of His 
 infinite wisdom." Chemung. 
 
 Omit " mere " (line 6). Freeport, Washington City. 
 
 Strike out " particularly and unchangeably." Lyons, 
 Newark. 
 
 Substitute for Section 3 : "By the decree of God, and for 
 the manifestation of His glory, some out of the corrupt race of 
 man, are predestinated unto everlasting life, and the rest are 
 left to perish in their sins." Neio Brunswick. 
 
 Substitute for Sections 3 and 5. Hudson., p. 88. 
 
 Eecognize the angels as subjects of God's decree. West- 
 minster. 
 
 Incorporate Section 3 (old) in the report. Westminster. 
 
 Restore Section 7 (old), and make as a separate section to 
 precede Section 3: "God's eternal decree hindereth no one 
 from accepting Christ, as he is freely offered to us in the 
 Gospel ; nor ought it to be so construed as to contradict the 
 declarations of Scripture that Christ is the propitiation for 
 the sins of the whole world, and that God is not willing that 
 any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 
 Huron, cf. Jersey City, p. 95 ; Mihoaukee,^. 121. 
 
 Section 4 (old 6). Combine Sections 4 and 5, to become 
 Section 3. Geneva, p. 81. 
 
 Strike out the last sentence, " Neither are any others," etc. 
 Binghamton, Boulder, Cayuga, Cincinnati.. Detroit, Fargo, 
 Fort Wayne, Geneva, Huron, Indianapolis, Jersey City, 
 Lima, Logansport, Mattoon, p. 120; Maumee, Milwaukee, 
 Nehraska City, Newark, New York, Ottawa, Ozark, Rochester, 
 Syracuse, Topeka, Vincennes, Washington City. 
 
 Section 5 (old 7). Strike out Section 5. Alton, Austin, 
 Bellefontaine, Binghamton, Boulder, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Eliza- 
 beth, Em,poria, Fort Dodge, Indianapolis, Lackawanna, Lima, 
 Logansport, Long Island, Los Angeles, Lyons, Madison, 
 Maumee, Morris and Orange, Newark, Neiv York, Ottawa, 
 Petoskey, Portland, St. Lawrence, Syracuse, Topeka, Vin- 
 cennes, Washington City, Wellshorough, Westchester. 
 
230 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS BESIKED. 
 
 Strike out Section 5, or retain ''pass by'' instead of "not 
 to elect." Cleveland. 
 
 Strike out Section 5, as far as " limitation "( line 6), and 
 add the rest to Section 4, after the word " salvation." Oeneva. 
 
 Add the clause " Yet so as," etc., to Section 3, and strike 
 out Section 5. Choctaw, Freeport, Lehigh, Louisville, Ports- 
 mouth. (See above, on Section 3). 
 
 Remodel. Chillicothe, St. Paul. 
 
 Substitute for " was pleased," " saw fit." Fargo, Mon- 
 mouth, Wooster. 
 
 For " was pleased," " determined." Chemung. 
 
 For "ordain," "leave." Duluth, Mankato. 
 
 For " to dishonor and wrath," " to everlasting death." 
 Platte. 
 
 For " not to elect," etc., " to pass by and." Blairsville, 
 Huiitiugdon, p. 91 ; Newton. 
 
 Put, instead of the revision, " yet there is thereby no limi- 
 tation," etc. Grand Rapids. 
 
 Omit " not to elect unto everlasting life, but " and " them." 
 CiiicliDiati, Council Bluffs, Fort Wayjie, Kearney, Milwaukee, 
 North'>tmberland. 
 
 For " the offer of salvation to all," read, " the offer to all 
 men of salvation." Northumberland. 
 
 Omit " was pleased " and " not to elect unto everlasting 
 life, but to," etc. Ehenezer. 
 
 Read, " The rest of mankind God ordained to dishonor and 
 wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice." Bis- 
 marck, G annison. 
 
 Omit " yet so as thereby," etc., ad finem, Mankato, Peoria, 
 West Jersey. 
 
 Restore Section 7 (old), but omit "for the glory of His 
 sovereign power over His creatures." Blairsville. 
 
 Insert " sovereign " before " will " (line 2) ; " and to ordain " 
 (line 4) ; and " through faith " (line 7). Huntingdon, p. 90. 
 
 Insert after "pleaseth" (line 3), "to pass by; yet so as 
 thereby," etc. Chickasaw. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 231 
 
 Insert after '' will " (line 2) " whereby, in the exercise of 
 His sovereign dominion over His creatures, He extendeth to, 
 or withholdeth from fallen man His sovereign mercy as He 
 pleaseth, not to elect," etc., ad finem. Pittsburgh, p. 172. 
 
 Object to " not to elect," etc. Westminster. 
 
 After "whereby" (line 2) insert "in the exercise of His 
 sovereign dominion over His creatures." After "life" (line 4) 
 insert " and these being hindered by the wickedness of their 
 hearts from accepting the offers of His grace in the Gospel 
 remain under condemnation for their sins, to the praise," etc. 
 Redstone. 
 
 Between "is" and "any" (line 6) insert "it to be inferred 
 that the number of those is large, in comparison with the num- 
 ber of the elect, nor is " etc. Jirie. 
 
 Substitutes. All others having the unlimited offer of salva- 
 tion made to them upon condition of faith in Christ, and 
 upon whose freedom no restraint is laid to hinder their accept- 
 ance of such offer, if they do not accept the offer and believe 
 in Jesus Christ, shall not see life, but the wrath of God 
 abideth on them. Saginaw. 
 
 God's eternal decree hindereth no one from accepting 
 Christ, as He is freely offered to us in the Gospel ; nor ought 
 it to be so construed as to contradict the declarations of the 
 Scripture that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the 
 whole world, and that God is not willing that any should 
 perish, but that all should come to repentance. Flint. 
 
 The doctrine of God's sovereign election is to be received 
 and interpreted in harmony with the truth that He is not 
 willing that any should perish, but that all should come to 
 repentance ; that He has given His Son to be the propitiation 
 for the sins of the whole world ; and that whosoever cometh 
 unto Him shall not be cast out, but whosoever will not come 
 shall perish. 2, Pet. ii. 9; 1, John, ii. 2; John, vi. 37; John, 
 V. 40 ; Matt, xxiii. 37. New York. 
 
 The decrees of God concerning mankind are to be so con- 
 strued as to be in harmony with these declarations of Scripture, 
 viz. ; That Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole 
 
232 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 world; that God is not willing that any should perish, but 
 that all should come to repentance and live; and that God so 
 loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who- 
 soever believeth on Him would not perish, but have everlast- 
 ing life. Detroit, Rochester. 
 
 For '' was pleased " put " saw fit "; for " as He pleaseth " 
 read "as seemeth right in His sight" (to ordain, etc.); yet 
 hath He no pleasure in their condemnation, and hath pro- 
 vided that, in the preaching of the Gospel of His Son, pardon 
 shall be freely ofl'ered in His name to all men alike. Mon- 
 mouth. 
 
 The rest of mankind, God chose, according to the unsearch- 
 able counsel of His own will, whereby He extendeth or with- 
 holdeth merc}^ as He chooseth, to deal with according to the 
 principles of His justice ; whereby they are ordained to dis- 
 honor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious 
 righteousness ; yet so as, etc. Washington. 
 
 The rest of mankind God ordained to dishonor and wrath for 
 their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice. Bismarck. 
 
 In the eternal purpose and unsearchable counsel of His 
 sovereign will, God hath fully included, also, all those of man- 
 kind who shall finally be punished for their sins. But this 
 truth is to be so understood as to be in harmony with the 
 declarations of Scripture, that Christ is the propitiation for 
 the world, and that God is not willing that any should perish, 
 but would have all come to repentance and live. Eternal life 
 is through Christ freely ofl'ered to all ; and as none obtain it, 
 who, by their own fault, finally neglect or refuse God's offer as 
 made to them, so none fail of it save those who thus neglect 
 or refuse. Cayuga. 
 
 God's eternal decree hindereth no one from accepting Christ, 
 as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel. Nor ought it be so 
 construed as to contradict the declarations of Scripture, that 
 Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the world, and that 
 God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should 
 come to repentance. Cedar Rapids. 
 
 Let Section 5 become Section 3, and be amended so as 
 to read thus, " God, before the foundation of the world was 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 233 
 
 laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose and the 
 secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath predestinated 
 of mankind unto life a great multitude whom no man can 
 number, and hath particularly and unchangeably chosen them 
 in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace 
 and love. Geneva. 
 
 Let Sections 4 and 5, with certain omissions, become 
 Section 3, and read as follows : " As God hath appointed the 
 elect unto glory, so hath He, by the eternal and most free 
 purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. 
 Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are 
 redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ 
 by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted and 
 sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation. 
 There is, however, no limitation put upon the offer of salvation 
 to all upon condition of faith in Christ ; nor is restraint laid 
 upon the freedom of any one to hinder his acceptance of this 
 offer." Geneva. 
 
 The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the 
 unsearchable counsel of His will, whereby He extendeth or 
 withholdeth mercy as He pleaseth, not to elect unto everlast- 
 ing life ; and them hath He ordained to dishonor and wrath 
 for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice ; yet hath He 
 no pleasure in the death of the wicked, nor is it His decree, 
 but the wickedness of their own hearts, which restraineth and 
 hindereth them from accepting the free offer of His grace 
 made in the Gospel. New Brunswick. 
 
 God's eternal decree hindereth no one from accepting 
 Christ as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel ; nor ought it 
 to be so construed as to contradict the declarations of 
 Scripture that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the 
 world, and that God is not willing that any should perish, but 
 that all should come to repentance. Jersey City. 
 
 Section 6 (8 old). Strike out. Lima, Rochester. 
 
 Omit from the words " that men attending," etc., to the 
 words " eternal election." Utica. 
 
 Remain' unchanged. Syracuse. 
 
 Make Section 6, Section 4. Geneva^ Morris and Orange. 
 
234 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Chapter IV. Of Creation. 
 
 Section 1 . Prefer the old. Binghamton^ Bismarch^ 
 Brooklyn^ Buffalo, Cleveland, Ebenezer, Erie, Hudson, Hunt- 
 ingdon, Jersey City, Kansas City, Kittanning, Lehigh, Long 
 Island, Mankato, Morris and Orange, New Albany, New 
 Brunswick, Neivton, Peoria, Wellslorough, Zanesville. 
 
 Retain old, striking out " in the space of six days." Forts- 
 mouth; striking out "of nothing" and "in the space of six 
 days." Indianapolis. 
 
 Retain the old, striking out " or make of nothing." 
 Detroit. 
 
 Retain the old, striking out " in the beginning " and " in 
 the space of six days." Philadelphia Central. 
 
 Retain the old, striking out " or make of nothing " ; for 
 " world " put " heaven and earth," and insert " creative " before 
 days. West Jersey. 
 
 Refer back for improved phraseology. Baltimore, Cincinnati. 
 
 For " universe " restore " world," and strike out " creative." 
 Transylvania. 
 
 Strike out " of nothing, the universe," and substitute " the 
 heavens and the earth," and omit last sentence. Lima, New 
 York, Washington City. 
 
 Strike out " creative." Austin, Boulder, Carlisle, Council 
 Bluffs, Denver, Lackawanna, Monmouth, Omaha, Platte, 
 Saginaw, Springfield. 
 
 Strike out " of nothing." Austin, Fort Wayne, Indian- 
 apolis, Monmouth, New York, Olympia, Rochester, Syracuse, 
 Washington City. 
 
 Strike out " the heavens." Chickasaw. 
 
 Strike out " the glory of." Monmouth, p. 124. 
 
 Strike out the last sentence. Bellefontaine, Boston, Chilli- 
 cothe, Des Moines, Fargo, Freeport, Grand Rapids, Lowa City, 
 Lima, Newark, New York, Pemhina, Pittsburg, Rochester, 
 Schuyler, Washington. 
 
 Omit the last sentence and insert after " invisible," " in six 
 creative days." Grand Rapids ; " in the space of six days." 
 Lowa City, Redstone. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 235 
 
 Insert " or make," as in the old. Nebraska City. 
 In line 1, read " God, the Son, and God, the Holy Ghost." 
 Platte. 
 
 Insert after " nothing," " the heavens and the earth, and all 
 things therein, making them in six creative days." Choctaw. 
 
 Substitute for " six creative days." " six days of creation." 
 St. Louis. 
 
 Substitute for "universe," "the world." Philadelphia 
 Central. 
 
 Substitute for " the universe," " the heavens and the earth." 
 
 Newarh. 
 
 " It pleased God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the 
 manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom and 
 goodness, in the beginning to create of nothing the heaven and 
 the earth and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, 
 in the space of six days, and all veiy good." Redstone. 
 
 After " beginning " read " to create of nothing all things, 
 whether visible or invisible, and all very good. In six daj^s 
 the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that they 
 contain." Blairsville. 
 
 Chapter V. Of Providence. 
 
 Section I. Insert after "creator of all things" the words 
 " and the father of all mankind." Lima. 
 
 Section 4. Omit fi-om "angels and men" (line 4). to 
 " yet so as " (line 8). Grand Rapids. 
 
 Section 6. Strike out. Syracuse. 
 
 Strike out "doth blind and harden" (line 2), and read, 
 "There are wicked and ungodly men from whom God, as a 
 righteous judge, and for former sins, doth withhold His grace, 
 whereby, etc., a(^;??tem. Utica. 
 
 Kead, "As for those wicked and ungodly men, who by per- 
 sistent continuance in sin have brought upon themselves 
 blindness and hardness of heart, God not only withholdeth," 
 etc. Cayuga. 
 
236 changes or amendments desired. 
 
 Chapter VI. Of the Fall of Man, op Sin, etc. 
 
 Section 1. For "seduced" (line 1) put "deceived." For 
 " order " ( line 4) put " overrule." Lima. 
 
 Strike out all after " to permit " (line 4). Cayuga. 
 
 Section 2. Strike out " and wholly defiled in all the facul- 
 ties and parts of soul and body." Cayuga, Rochester. 
 
 Strike out " wholly." Lima. 
 
 Section 3. Strike out "the guilt of this sin was imputed 
 and," insert " were " (was, are) before " conveyed." Rochester, 
 Topeha, Lima. 
 
 Strike out " the guilt," etc., read " they being the root of 
 all mankind, the same death in sin and corrupted nature 
 were," etc. Cayuga. 
 
 Strike out " the guilt of." Mankato. 
 
 Substitute " They being the root of all mankind, the guilt 
 of this sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and cor- 
 rupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from 
 them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption 
 all actual transgressions do proceed." Redstone. 
 
 Section 4. Strike out Section 4. Geneva, Redstone. 
 
 For the last sentence read " nevertheless, the providence of 
 God, and the common operations of His Spirit, repress much 
 evil in unregenerate men, and develope in them many social 
 and civil virtues." Belief ontaine'. 
 
 Omit "utterly" (line 2), and "wholly" (line 3). Cleve- 
 land. 
 
 Strike out the last sentence. Lndianapolis, New Albany. 
 New Brunswick, Lima^ Morris and Orange, Pittsburgh, West 
 Jersey. 
 
 Transfer the last sentence to Chapter XVIII. , Section 7, 
 Of Good Works. Fargo, Newton, Detroit, Lndianapolis, p. 93. 
 
 Read, " From this original corruption do proceed all actual 
 transgressions." Freeport, Jersey City, Peoria. 
 
 For "we" (line 1), read "men," and substitute for the 
 last sentence, p. 124. Monmouth. 
 
 Strike out " wholly inclined to evil " and " unregenerate." 
 Marion. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 237 
 
 For " made opposite," read " indisposed to and disabled 
 from." Grand Rapids. 
 
 Omit " utterly " ; read " indisposed to spiritual good and 
 inclined to evil, proceed," etc., adfinem. Utica. 
 
 Omit "all that is" (line 3); change "spiritually" to 
 " spiritual." Cincinnati. 
 
 Omit " disabled and made opposite to." Cayuga. 
 
 Insert " personal " before " social." Austin., Fargo., Marion^ 
 Newton., Wooster, Washington City. 
 
 Omit "disabled." BrooUyn, New York, Washington City. 
 
 Omit "and wholly inclined to evil" and "common" (line 
 5). Newark. 
 
 Omit " social and civil" (line 7). New York. 
 
 For the words " to all that is . . . evil," read, " to that 
 which is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to that which is 
 spiritually evil." Choctaw. 
 
 Insert " Word and " before " Providence." Council Bluffs. 
 
 Read " nevertheless, man in his fallen state possesses a 
 moral nature, and is capable of exercising many social and 
 civil virtues." Fort Wayne. 
 
 Harmonize with Chapter IX., Section 3. Los Angeles. 
 
 Section 5. Omit "both itself and." Cayuga. 
 
 Section 6. Omit "all" (miseries). Emporia. 
 Omit " both original and actual," and " bound over to the 
 wrath of God and curse of the law, and so." Cayuga. 
 
 Chapter VII. Op God's Covenant with Man. 
 
 Section 3. Omit "by His Word and Spirit." Baltimore, 
 Bismarck, Brooklyn, Carlisle, Detroit, Hudson, Los Angeles, 
 Monmouth, Morris and Orange, New Brunswick, Pittsburgh, 
 Bedstone, West Jersey. 
 
 Put " all " before " sinners " (line 4). Cayuga. 
 
 For " promising to give, unto all those that are ordained 
 unto life, His Holy Spirit," put " promising to give unto ail 
 those (them) that ask Him," etc. Binghamton, Cayuga, 
 Chickasaw, Rochester; "unto all those that ask Him," etc. 
 Vincennes; "unto them that ask Him," etc. Jersey City, 
 
238 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Wooster; " unto all those who ask Him in faith," etc. 
 Olympia; " promising to give unto all His Holy Spirit," 
 etc. Ctica. 
 
 For " promising to give," etc., ad fin.^ put " promising to 
 give His (the) Holj^ Spirit unto (to) them that ask Him." 
 Austin, Brooklyn, Geneva, Gunnisori, Syracuse. 
 
 Read, " off'ereth unto all men life and salvation, upon con- 
 dition that they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 Hudson. 
 
 Read, " off'ereth unto all men by His Word and Spirit, life," 
 etc., (as Hudson). Denver. 
 
 Put after "salvation" (line 5) "upon the sole condition 
 that they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 Duluth. 
 
 Strike out all after " saved " (line 6). Cedar Rapids, Fort 
 Wayne. 
 
 Section 4. For " the elect in faith," read " believers." 
 
 Syracuse. 
 
 Put " believers " (line 8) for " elect." Jersey City. 
 
 Restore "and is called the Old Testament." Carlisle, 
 Newton. 
 
 Section 5. Read (line 1) " being exhibited." West Jersey. 
 
 For " which " (line 5), read, " in which," and substitute for 
 " this covenant " the words " yet in them it." Syracuse. 
 
 Restore, (line 9) "and is called the New Testament." 
 Carlisle, Newton. 
 
 Chapter VIII. Of Christ, the Mediator. 
 
 Section 5. Restore " of His Father." Nev] Brunswick, 
 Washington City. 
 
 For " whom the Father hath given unto Him," read, " who 
 shall believe in Him." Vincennes. 
 
 For "purchased" (line 4), read, "provided." Chemung,. 
 Indianapolis. 
 
 For " purchased," read, " secured." Syracuse. 
 
 For " Divine justice," read, " the Divine nature." St. Louis. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 239 
 
 After "justice " (line 4) put " making atonement sufficient 
 for all mankind." Lima. 
 
 For "fully satisfied," etc., put "made propitiation for. the 
 sins of the whole world." Syracuse. 
 
 For "justice and purchased," etc., ad fin., put " thus made 
 propitiation for the sins of the whole world." Geneva. 
 
 Section 6. For "the elect" (line 4) put "believers." 
 Jersey City. 
 
 Section 8. Kead (line 1), "To all who come to Christ for 
 salvation, He doth," etc. Newark. 
 
 Read, " To all those whom the Father hath given to Him in 
 the covenant of redemption, Christ doth certainly and eifect- 
 ually apply and communicate," etc. Geneva. 
 
 Read (line 1), " To all those who accept the purchased 
 redemption, Christ (He) doth," etc. Cayuga., Utica. 
 
 " To all those who accept the purchased possession of 
 Christ, He doth," etc. Jersey City. 
 
 Chapter IX. Of the Work of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Approve the insertion of Chapters IX. and XL Boston, 
 Caytiga, Cedar Rapids., ChilUcothe, JElizahetJi., Fort Dodge., 
 Fort Wayne, Geneva, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Kittan- 
 ning, Lehigh, Milwaukee, Monroe, New Brunswick, New York, 
 Ottawa, Ozark, Pembina, Portsmouth, Redstone, St. Louis, 
 Schuyler, Springfield, Troy, Vincennes, Walla Walla, Washing- 
 ton City. 
 
 Amendments of title : " Of the Holy Spirit." Alton, 
 Austin, Binghamton, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Cayuga, Detroit, 
 Ebenezer, Indianapolis, Jersey City, Kittanning, Lackawanna, 
 Lehigh, Logansport, Marion, Morris and Orange, Newark, 
 New York, Peoria, Philadelphia Central, Pittsburgh, Syra- 
 cuse. 
 
 " Of the Holy Spirit and His Work." Hudson, Wooster. 
 
 " Of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit." West Jersey. 
 
 General criticisms on the chapter. Disapproved. Balti- 
 more, Chester, Clarion. 
 
240 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Condensation desired. Boulder^ ChilliGothe, Choctaw-, Hols- 
 ton, Lidianapolis^ Jersey Cit]h P- 96, Eittanning ., Lima, Long 
 Island, p. 113, Marion, New York, Nebraska City, Peoria^ 
 Platte, Redstone, p. 184, St. Paul, Spring-field, Walla Walla, 
 Washington, Washington City. 
 
 Revision of the form of statement desired. Dayton, Jersey 
 City, Long Island, Troy. 
 
 Recast Sections 2, 3, 4 and 5. Detroit, p. 57. Criticism and 
 substitute for Sections 3, 4 and 5. Pittsburgh, p. 173. 
 
 Revise the proof texts. Brooklyn. 
 
 • Section 1 . Combine Sections 1 and 2. Monmouth, p. 125. 
 
 For '"Trinity" (line 1) put "Godhead." Morris and Orange. 
 
 After " Trinity " insert " proceeding from the Father and 
 the Son." Detroit. 
 
 Section 2. Disapproved. ^Omaha. 
 
 Omit " in all things pertaining to life and salvation." 
 Carlisle. 
 
 For •' Holy Ghost" put " Holy Spirit," (and so elsewhere). 
 Morris and Orange, Syracuse, Zanesville. 
 
 Omit all after "Holy Ghost" (line 6). Brooklyn, p. 20, 
 Lima. 
 
 Add the substance of Section 5, and strike out Section 5. 
 Bedstone, p. 184. 
 
 Omit proof texts Heb. i. 1, 2. Philadelphia Central. 
 
 Section 3. Disapproved. Omaha. 
 
 More discriminating statement of the operations of common 
 grace desired. Huntingdon, p. 91, Redstone, p. 184. 
 
 Omit " the Lord and giver of life." Fort Wayne. 
 
 Omit " everywhere." Northumberland. 
 
 After " energy " (line 9) substitute, " The aroused attention, 
 the awakened conscience and the zeal for religion, often seen 
 even in unregenerate men, are His work; so that they who," 
 etc. Monmouth. 
 
 For " the unregenerate " (line 10) put " men." Morris and 
 Orange. 
 
 For " quickening " (line 11) put " arousing." Brooklyn. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 241 
 
 Omit from "enlightening" (line 10) to "grace" (line 12). 
 BlairsvlUe; same, and add the works of the Holy Spirit 
 enumerated in Chapter IV., Section 1 ; Chapter VIL, Section 
 5; VIII., Section 2, and Chapter XXXII., Section 3, to this 
 chapter in their proper place. West Jersey. 
 
 After " excuse " (line 13) insert " not only as transgressors of 
 the divine law, but as also," etc. Saginaiv. 
 
 Omit proof text, John i. 9. Philadelphia Central. 
 
 Criticism and substitute for Section 3. Pittshurgh, p. 173 f. 
 
 Section 4. For " sinners " (line 3) read " those whom the 
 Father hath given to Christ. Monmouth; "the elect." Los 
 Angeles., Omaha. 
 
 Omit " freeing them of sin and death" (lines 3, 4). 
 
 Morris and Orange. 
 
 Omit all after " faith " (line 6). Omaha. 
 
 For "sealed," etc., (lines 12 f.) put "and sealed unto the 
 day of redemption." Morris and Orange. 
 
 Objection to "all" (lines 9,10 and 11); also in Section 5 
 (line 5). Northumierland. 
 
 Objection to " leading them into all the truth." Lima. 
 
 Criticism and substitute for Section 4. Fort Wayne., p. 
 76 f., Pittsburgh, p. 173. 
 
 Omit proof text, 2 Cor. v. 5-17. Philadelphia Ce7itral. 
 For Col. iv. 12 put Eph. iv. 30. Morris and Orange. 
 
 Section 5. For "believers" (line 1) put "regenerated 
 persons." Kittanning. 
 
 Before " believers" (line 1), "ministers " (line 4), and in 
 place of " other" (line 5), insert "true." Omaha. 
 
 Transpose " increased and purified "; read, " until it shall 
 fill the whole earth"; for " a glorious Church," etc. (line 13), 
 put "holy, glorious, and complete." Monmouth. 
 
 Criticism and substitute for Section 5. Pittsburgh, p. 174. 
 
 Omit the last sentence. Fort Wayne, Morris and Orange. 
 
 Omit " shall cover the earth, and at last." Zanesville. 
 
 Strike out Section 5, and add its substance to Section 2. 
 Bedstone. 
 
 Criticism of proof-texts. Philadelphia Central, p. 169. 
 
242 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Chapter (IX.) X. Of Free Will. 
 
 More explicit statement of man's freedom and responsi- 
 bility desired. Indianapolis^ Kittanning, Lansing, New York, 
 Portsmouth, Wooster. (See also under Section 1). 
 
 Recast Sections 1 and 3, to avoid apparent contradictions. 
 Cincinnati. 
 
 Section 1 . Substitute, " God hath endued the will of man 
 with that natural liberty which makes (constitutes P.) him a 
 free (om. P.) and responsible human being, and as such (so 
 that, L. P.) he is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity 
 of nature determined to do good or evil." Des Moines, Erie, 
 Lackawanna, Pittsburgh. 
 
 Substitute, " God has endued the will of man with that 
 natural liberty, that is neither forced, nor by any necessity of 
 nature determined to good or evil. Wherefore, man is, and 
 remains, a free moral agent, retaining full responsibility for 
 all his acts in his states, alike, of innocency, of sin, of grace 
 and glory.'' Marion, New Brunswick. 
 
 Section 2. For "it" (line 3) put "his innocency." 
 Cayuga. 
 
 Section 3. Criticism of Section 3. Des Moines, p. 55 ; 
 cf. Denver, p. 55. 
 
 Restore the old, unchanged. Buffalo, Mankato, West 
 Jersey. 
 
 Omit "wholly" (line 1), "all" (line 2), "any" (line 2), 
 "altogether" (line 3). Cleveland. Omit " wholly," " being 
 altogether." Washington City. 
 
 For " hath wholly," etc., put " being altogether indisposed 
 to any spiritual good accompanying salvation, and dead in sin, 
 is not able," etc. Geneva. 
 
 For " wholly," etc., put " not impaired his responsibility as 
 a free moral agent; yet hath he now no abilit.s ^f will," etc.; 
 read (line 4) " he is not able." Monmouth. 
 
 For " ability " (line 2) put " inclination." Fargo, Topeka. 
 
 For " ability of will " put " disposition." Pittsburgh. 
 
 Omit " ability of." Cayuga. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 243 
 
 Read (lines 2 to 5), ''hath wholly lost all ability of will to 
 convert himself," etc. Detroit; " by his own strength to con- 
 vert himself," etc. Indianapolis. 
 
 Omit " accompanying salvation." Pittsburgh. 
 
 For " indisposed to " restore " averse from." Baltimore, 
 Bismarck, Brooklyn, Carlisle, Cleveland, Duhuque, Btduth, 
 Huntingdon, Lehigh, Nebraska City, Omaha, Peoria, Pitts- 
 burgh, St. Louis, Schuyler. 
 
 For " indisposed " read '■ averse." Council Bluffs, Omaha, 
 p. 160. 
 
 Read (line 4), "he is not able." Syracuse. 
 
 For "convert" put "regenerate." Freeport,Washington 
 City. 
 
 For " or to prepare himself," etc., substitute " and for 
 regeneration is dependent upon the offered grace of God. Yet 
 inasmuch as that grace is offered freely to all, his full responsi- 
 bility as a free moral agent is in no wise impaired." Washing- 
 ton City. 
 
 Omit " or to prepare himself thereunto." Eochester. 
 
 Omit "is" (line 6), and insert after "agent" (line 7). 
 Choctaw. 
 
 After " yet " (line 6) insert " since the helpful grace of the 
 Holy Spirit accompanies the* offer of salvation, his responsi- 
 bility," etc. Jersey , City. 
 
 Omit the last sentence. Bedstone, Erie, Monmouth. 
 
 Substitute for the last sentence, " Yet this inability hath 
 not destroyed that liberty with which he is endowed." Pitts- 
 burgh. 
 
 Add to the last. sentence, " and God offers His Holy Spirit 
 to all men, to do for them what they cannot do for them- 
 selves." Fort Wayne. 
 
 Section 4. For " converts " put " regenerates." Wash- 
 ington City. 
 
 Section 5. Substitute, "in the state of glory only, man is 
 so confirmed in holiness that he perfectly and immutably wills 
 and does good alone." Jersey City. 
 
244 CHANGES OR AJfENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Chapter XI. Of the Universal Offer of the Gospel. 
 
 Amendments of title : " Of the Gospel." Austin^ Belle- 
 fontaine, Brooklyn^ Carlisle, Cayuga, Cedar Rapids, Cincin- 
 nati, Detroit, Hudson, Indianapolis, Jersey City, Kittanning, 
 Lackawanna, Lehigh, Logansport, Newark, New York, Omaha, 
 Pittsburgh, Redstone. 
 
 "Of the Offer of the Gospel." Ebenezer, Philadelphia 
 Central, Washington City. 
 
 " Of the Gospel Offer." Peoria. 
 
 General criticisms of the chapter. Disapprove. Baltimore, 
 Chester, Clarion. 
 
 Condensation and revision of expression desired. Blairs- 
 ville, Choctaw, Dayton, Indianapolis, Kittanning, New Bruns- 
 wick, New York, Pittsburgh, Platte, St. Paul, Troy, Walla 
 Walla, Washington, Washington City. 
 
 Rewrite and (perhaps) introduce under Chapter VII. 
 Marion. 
 
 Substitute, to be introduced in Chapter VII. Baltimore, 
 p. 9. 
 
 Recognize the missionary work of the Church. Port Dodge. 
 
 Section 1. After "offer" (line 5) insert "through the 
 Church." Redstone. 
 
 After " men " (line 5) insert " without distinction." Carlisle. 
 Substitute for Section 1. Monmouth, p. 126. 
 Strike out Section 1. Omaha. 
 
 Section 2. Omit "and His desire for the salvation of all 
 
 men" (line 2). Peoria. 
 
 Omit " through " and " alone " (line 4). Syracuse. 
 
 Read (line 4 f.), "believe in Him aud truly repent." Fort 
 Wayne. 
 
 For "invites" (line 6) put "beseeches." Monmouth. 
 Propriety of "entreating" (line 10), doubted. Northum- 
 berland. 
 
 Omit the last sentence. Pittsburgh, Redstone. 
 Substitute for Section 2. Omaha, p. 161. 
 
 Section 3. After " because " (line 6) insert, "in addition 
 to other sins." Monmouth. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIKED. 245 
 
 Omit the last sentence (lines 4-7). Jersey City. 
 
 Omit all but the first sentence, and join this to the second 
 sentence of the previous section. Blairsville. 
 
 Substitute for Section 3. Northumberland, p. 158. 
 
 Strike out Section 3. Omaha, Pittshurgh, Redstone. 
 
 Section 4. Omit " and ordinary " (line 3). Monmouth. 
 
 For "extension of the Kingdom of Christ" {sub fin.) put 
 " spread of the Gospel." Bellefontaine. 
 
 Omit last sentence, "It is, therefore," etc. Blairsville, 
 Detroit, Jersey City, Lima, Pittsburgh; cf. Long Lsland, p. 113. 
 
 Strike out Section 4. Redstone. 
 
 Chapter (X.) XII. Of Effectual Calling. 
 
 Disapproval in toto of revision of Chapter XII. Dubuque, 
 p. 60-63. 
 
 Section 1 . Omit " and those only " (lines 1, 2). Cayuga, 
 Cincinnati, Fargo, Geneva, Jersey City, Kittanning, Lima, 
 Newark, Neio York, Topeka, Washington City. 
 
 For "almighty power" (line 9) put "almighty grace." 
 Cayuga, Geneva. 
 
 Section 2. Restore the old unchanged. Los Angeles, New 
 Brunswick, Newark, West Jersey. 
 
 Omit " at all " (line 2). Choctaw. 
 
 For "in the act of" (line 3) put "in his"; read (line 4) 
 " renewed by the act of the Holy Spirit." Pittsburgh. 
 
 For "in the act of" put "in the Divine act of." Long 
 Island. 
 
 For " who is altogether passive," etc., put " who, in the act 
 of regeneration, being quickened and renewed by the Holy 
 Spirit, is enabled," etc. Brooklyn, Jersey City, Kittanning; 
 " who, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, is 
 enabled," etc. Alton, Binghamton, New York; " who is 
 quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, and enabled," 
 etc. Nebraska City; "who, although he can prepare him- 
 self for the act of regeneration, is altogether passive in 
 that act, wherein," etc. Rochester; " who, being altogether 
 passive therein, is quickened and renewed by the Jloly 
 Spirit, and is thereby enabled," etc. Fargo. 
 
246 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 For -'not from anything," etc., put "whereby man, being 
 regenerated by the Holy Spirit, is enabled," etc. Syracuse. 
 
 Strike out from " not " (line 2) to '' regeneration " (line 3) ; 
 for '• he " (line 4) put " man." Duluth. 
 
 After " alone " (line 2) put " and through the Holy Spirit, 
 by whom man, being quickened and renewed, is enabled to 
 answer this call, and to embrace," etc. Utica. 
 
 Strike out Section 2. Geneva. 
 
 Section 3. Restore the old unchanged. Santa Fe. 
 
 Retain the old Section omitting " elect." Mattoon; put- 
 ting " all" for "elect" (line 1), and omitting "elect " (line 4). 
 Duluth; putting "all" for "elect." Lehigh; putting for 
 " elect infants " the words " there is reason to hope and 
 believe that all infants," etc. Carlisle; " Through the elect- 
 ing love of God, infants," etc. Huntingdon. 
 
 General criticisms ; revision not satisfactory. Hudson, 
 Pittsburgh, p. 176 ; Pembina, p. 164. 
 
 Statement desired concerning elect persons who have not 
 been called by the ministry of the word. Cincinnati. 
 
 Modification or definition of the phrase " incapable of being 
 called," etc. Madison, Ottawa (see below), Rock River, St. 
 Louis. 
 
 Omit " all " before " infants." Butler, Ozark, Washington 
 City; and read " and other persons elect." Marion. 
 
 Omit " all " bis. Binghamton, Blairsville, Cairo, Indian- 
 apolis, New York, Platte, Wboster; and insert " elect." Fort 
 Wayne. 
 
 Omit "all" before "infants," and insert "elect" before 
 " persons." Baltimore, Butler, Cleveland, Kittanning. 
 
 Insert " elect " before " persons." Chickasaw, Detroit, 
 Pittsburgh, Redstone, Washington. 
 
 For " all other persons '" put " such other elect persons." 
 Fargo. 
 
 Read " All dying in infancy, and all who from birth to 
 death," etc. Morris and Orange; " Those who die in infancy," 
 Louisville; "All infants dying before coming to an age of 
 accountability," Omaha; "All persons dying in infancy, and 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 247 
 
 all others who," etc. Madison, Portsmouth; "All persons, 
 who from birth to death," etc. Utica; "All elect persons, 
 who," etc. Zanesville; "All other elect persons, who," etc. 
 Elizabeth; " Those elect persons, who," etc. Northumberland; 
 " Such of the elect as are," etc. Mankato; " Elect persons 
 who," etc. Long Islarid; " Other persons who during this 
 life," etc. South Oregon; "All elect persons, who are incap- 
 able of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word, 
 including infants dying in infancy," etc. Philadelphia Central; 
 "All persons chosen unto eternal life, that are incapable," 
 etc, Ebenezer. 
 
 Before " incapable " insert " mentally." Brooklyn, Butler, 
 Chillicothe, Indianapolis, Lyons, Peoria, Winnebago. 
 
 Omit "from birth to death." Baltimore, Detroit, Long 
 Island, New York, Pittsburgh, Platte, Bedstone, Washington. 
 
 After "word" (line 3) insert "are elect," Athens; "are 
 elected by God." Cincinnati. 
 
 Substitute for Section 3 : Infants dying in infancy, and all 
 other persons who, because of undeveloped or disordered 
 mental powers, have never in this life been capable of being 
 outwardly called by the ministry of the word, are redeemed 
 by Christ, and regenerated by the Spirit, who, etc. Boulder. 
 
 Those of the elect who die in infancy or before becoming 
 capable of being personally called by the ministry of the 
 word, are redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit, 
 who, etc. Ottawa. 
 
 Infants dying in infancy, are, according to the purpose of 
 grace, regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, 
 who, etc. Dubuque. 
 
 Other persons, who, during this life are incapable of being 
 outwardly called by the ministry of the word are subject to 
 the saving operation of the Holy Ghost, who, etc. Southern 
 
 Oregon. 
 
 All infants dying in infancy, being included in the electing 
 grace of God, are redeemed by Christ and regenerated by the 
 Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth. 
 So, also, are all other elect persons who are incapable of being 
 outwardly called by the ministry of the word. New Brxmawick. 
 
'24S CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIKED. 
 
 The salvation of those who die in infancy, and of all other 
 persons who from birth to death are incapable of being out- 
 wardly called by the ministry of the word, is secured in the 
 electing love of God, and the redemption purchased by Christ 
 {praem. and, Los Angeles) is applied to them by the Holy 
 Spirit, who, etc. Denver, Los Angeles. 
 
 No human being can be saved except by being redeemed 
 by Christ and regenerated by the Holy Ghost, who worketh 
 when, and where, and how He pleaseth ; and we have sufficient 
 reason to believe that all infants dying in infancy, and all 
 other persons who from birth to death are mentally incapable 
 of being outwardly called are thus saved. Kansas City. 
 
 Concerning infants dying in infancy, and all other persons 
 incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the 
 word, nothing in the Scriptures forbids the hope of their being 
 included in the redemption of Christ and the renewing of the 
 Holy Spirit, who, etc. Newark. 
 
 Infants dying in infancy, and other persons incapable of 
 being outwardly called by the ministry of the word, are not 
 thereby shut out from the benefits of redemption ; but rather, 
 being included in the electing grace of God, are regenerated 
 and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who," etc. Bingham- 
 ton. 
 
 Infants dying in infancy, and others incapable of being 
 outwardly called by the ministry of the word, are not thereby 
 shut out from the benefits of redemption ; but rather, that 
 being included in the electing grace of God, they are regen- 
 erated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who," etc. 
 West Chester. 
 
 Those who die in infancy, and others who are incapable of 
 being outwardly called by the ministry of the word, are not 
 thereby shut out from the electing grace of God, or from being 
 regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who 
 worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth ; and no 
 persons whatever fail of salvation except those who, by their 
 own fault, resist the Spirit. Cayuga. 
 
 It ought not, however, to be thought that infants dying in 
 infancy, or other persons incapable of being outwardly called 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 249 
 
 by the ministry of the word, are shut out from the benefits of 
 redemption ; but rather that they, being included in the elect- 
 ing grace of God, are regenerated and saved by Christ through 
 the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth. 
 Monmouth. 
 
 While the duty of proclaiming the Gospel to all men is 
 clear and imperative, and while the proclamation of the Gospel 
 is the ordinary means of salvation for all who are capable of 
 being called thereby, and, while it is certain that no one is 
 saved except through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and by the working of the Holy Spirit, yet it does not follow, 
 nor is it required to be held either, that any who die in infancy 
 are lost, or that God may not extend His mercy to those who 
 are beyond the reach of the ordinary means of salvation, as 
 may seem good in His sight. [From Section 3 of the Declara- 
 tory Statement attached to the new creed of the Presbyterian 
 Church of England.] Newton. 
 
 Substitute the above for Sections 3 and 4. Columbia. 
 
 Section 4. Restore the old omitting " although they " 
 (line 1); for "not professing " put "rejecting;" omit the last 
 sentence " and to assert." etc. Monmouth; omitting " and to 
 assert," etc. Huntingdon; omitting " much less can men," 
 etc., ad fin. Bismarck. 
 
 General criticism ; recast phraseology. Rochester, p. 186. 
 
 Omit "not elected" (line 1). Cedar Rapids., Choctaw, 
 Emporia, Fort Dodge, p. 74; Kittanning, Mankato, Ottawa. 
 
 For " not elected " put " not effectually called." Austin, 
 Chemung, Detroit, Fargo. 
 
 For " Others " put " Other persons." Duluth. 
 
 For " Others not elected " put " Other persons." Utica. 
 
 For " common " put " gracious." Cayuga. 
 
 For " some common " put " the gracious." Rochester. 
 
 Omit "yet" (line 3). Philadelphia Central. 
 
 For " inasmuch as " put " because." For^t Way^ie. 
 
 For " thejr never truly come to Christ " put " as they will 
 not come to Christ that they may have life." Cincinnati; 
 "inasmuch as they will not come to Christ." Chickasaw. 
 
250 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 For '■ cannot be saved " put " will not be saved." Black 
 Hills; " Remain unsaved." Lackawanna; "Are not saved." 
 Chickasaw, Peoria. 
 
 Omit " they " (line 4). Boston, Detroit, al. 
 
 Omit "however diligent men may be," etc., ad fin. Boston, 
 Cayuga, Cincinnati, Denver, Freeport, Hudson, Milwaukee, 
 Pittsburgh, St.Laivrence, Washington City. 
 
 Substitute for Section i : Others, who, although called by 
 the ministry of the word and drawn by the Holy Spirit, never 
 truly come to Christ, cannot be saved ; neither is there salva- 
 tion in any other way than by Christ through the Spirit, even 
 for such as are most diligent in framing their lives according 
 to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do pro- 
 fess. Newark. 
 
 Those persons who are called by the ministry of the word, 
 and yet resist the Holy Spirit, and never truly come to Christ, 
 cannot be saved ; neither is there salvation in any other way 
 than by Christ through the Spirit. New York. 
 
 Others, who never truly come to Christ, although they may 
 be called by the ministry of the word, and have common 
 operations of the Spirit, cannot be saved ; neither is there 
 salvation in any other way than by Christ, through the Spirit. 
 Brooklyn. 
 
 For Columbia, see above, under Section 3. 
 
 Omit Section 4. Alton, Buffalo, ChilUcothe, Cleveland, 
 Geneva, Indianapolis, Jersey City, Lehigh, Lima, Morris and 
 Orange, Redstone, Syracuse, Wellshorough. 
 
 Chapter (XI.) XIII. Of Justification. 
 
 Section 1 . Restore the old unchanged. Bismarck, Carlisle, 
 West Jersey. 
 
 Omit "alone" (line 4) to "unto them" (line 9), reading 
 "for Christ's sake; they receiving," etc. Syracuse. 
 
 Section 3. Restore the old. Washitigton City. 
 Strike out Section 3. Syracuse. 
 
 Section 4. For "all the elect" (line 1) put "all who 
 would accept His grace." Cayuga; "all believers." New 
 York. 
 
 For " they are not " put " none are." Cayuga. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 251 
 
 Chapter (XIV.) XVI. Of Saving Faith. 
 
 Section 1 . Restore the old. Dubuque, Long Island, Los 
 Angeles, Neii} Brunswick, Omaha, Platte, Santa Fe, West 
 Jersey, Zanesville. 
 
 For " Spirit of Christ " put " Holy Spirit." Fort Wayne, 
 Peoria, Portsmouth. 
 
 Chapter (XV.) XVII. Op Repentance Unto Life. 
 
 Section 4. For "damnation" (lines 1 and 2) put "con- 
 demnation." Cayuga, Pes Moines, Lima, Newark, Washing- 
 ton City; in line 1 put "punishment," in line 3 "final con- 
 demnation." Dayton. 
 
 [Several other Pi-esbyteries request the substitution of 
 " condemnation," or equivalent expressions, for " damnation " 
 here and throughout the Confession.] 
 
 Chapter (XVI.) XVIII. Op Good Works. 
 
 Section 7. Restore the old unchanged. Puhuque, Omaha, 
 St. Paul. 
 
 Restore the old, omitting " for the matter of them " (line 
 1, f.), "are therefore sinful, and" (line 7) and "more" (line 
 9). Cincinnati; substituting "not free from sin" for "sin- 
 ful." Bismarck. 
 
 For " their " (line 3) put " the." Hudson, Lima. 
 
 For " and while their neglect," etc., put " and although the 
 neglect of such things would be sinful, and displeasing," etc. 
 Monmouth. 
 
 For "not free from sin" (line 8) restore "sinful. Balti- 
 more, Dubuque, p. 60; "not spiritually good." Lehigh, 
 Rochester. 
 
 For " they are, therefore, not free from sin " put " they can 
 not, therefore, be regarded as meriting salvation." Milwaukee; 
 " they are, therefore, insufficient and cannot be accepted of 
 God in place of faith in Jesus Christ." Geneva; "they are, 
 therefore, not accepted of God, to make a man meet to receive 
 grace from God." Olympia; " they are, therefore, imperfect 
 and cannot be accepted of God as perfect, or," etc. Kansas 
 
252 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 City; " they do not meet the requirements of the Divine law, 
 and hence cannot be pleaded as a ground of acceptance with 
 God." Hudson; " they are, therefore, in these respects defec- 
 tive, and cannot be accepted of God as fulfilling righteousness. 
 And yet the neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing 
 unto God." Newark. 
 
 Omit " are " (line 7), and " not free from sin, and." Jersey 
 City. 
 
 Omit " be accepted of God, or." New Brunswick. 
 
 After " cannot be accepted of God " insert, " as grounds of 
 salvation." Cayuga., Indianapolis., Los Angeles; " as meritor- 
 ious." Chickasaw. 
 
 Omit '• or make a man meet," etc. Indianapolis., Lehigh. 
 
 Add VI., -t, last sentence, as amended, to XVIII., 7. Fargo, 
 Newton. 
 
 Substitute for Section 7. Works done by unregenerated 
 men, although they may be things which God commands, and 
 of good use both to those who do them and to others, are yet 
 not free from sin, and cannot make the doer meet to receive 
 grace from God ; nevertheless neglect of such things is sinful 
 and displeasing unto God. Brooklyn. 
 
 Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter 
 of them they may be things which God commands, and of good 
 use both to themselves and others; yet because they proceed 
 not from a heart purified by faith ; nor are done in a right 
 manner, according to the word; nor to a right end, the 
 glory of God, are therefore in these respects, defective and 
 cannot be accepted of God as fulfilling righteousness. And yet 
 neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God. 
 Newark. 
 
 Although works done by unregenerate men may be such as 
 God commands, and be of good use to themselves and others; 
 and although, under His providence and as led by the common 
 operations of His Spirit, they may be restrained from much that 
 is evil, and evidence many personal, social and civil virtues, 
 yet because these works proceed not from a heart purified by 
 faith, nor are done in a right manner, according to the word ; 
 nor to a i-ight end, the glory of God ; they are not righteous. 
 
CHANGES OK AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 253 
 
 and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace 
 from God. And yet their neglect of them is more sinful and 
 displeasing to God. Fargo. 
 
 Chapter (XVII.) XIX. Of the Perseverance op the Saints. 
 
 Section 1 . For " can " (line 2) read " will." Cayuga. 
 
 Section 2. Read " This perseverance of the saints depends 
 upon the immutability," etc. Geneva; " upon the free and 
 unchangeable love," etc. Cayuga. 
 
 Chapter (XX.) XXII. Of Christian Liberty. 
 
 Section 1. For ''damnation" (line 1), read "condemna- 
 tion." Cayuga^ Des Moines., al.; "destruction." Washing- 
 ton City. [See on XVII., 4.J 
 
 Chapter (XXI.) XXIII. Of Religious Worship, Etc. 
 
 Section 4. Restore the old unchanged. Lehigh. 
 Restore the old, ending with " dead " (line 3.) Brooklyn., 
 Buffalo, Jersey City, New Brunswick, New York; For the 
 last clause putting, " nor for the sin unto death." Fort Wayne. 
 
 Omit "all" (line 2.) Geneva (p. 83, q. v.); Karisas City. 
 
 Omit •' except the sin unto death." Kansas City, Logans- 
 port, Rochester, Syracuse. 
 
 Omit " for the forgiveness of all sins except the sin unto 
 death." Binghamton. 
 
 Chapter (XXII.) XXIV. Of Lawful Oaths, Etc. 
 
 Section 3. For the last sentence put, " Yet it is a duty to 
 make oath or atfirmation touching anything," etc. Newarh 
 West Jersey (take an oath). 
 
 Omit the last sentence. Cayuga, Lima. 
 
 Section 7. Restore the old, unchanged. Bismarck, 3Ian- 
 kato, New York. 
 
 Read (line 4) " no promise of ability." Butler. 
 
 Omit or change "regular obedience" (line 6). Los Angeles, 
 p. 116. 
 
254 CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIEED. 
 
 For " superstitious and sinful" (line 8) put " dangerous" ; 
 for " may " (line 9) put " should." Cayuga. 
 
 Omit " superstitious and sinful." Springfield. 
 
 Revise the last sentence, to guard Christian liberty. New 
 Brunsvnck. 
 
 Omit the last sentence, " in which respects," etc. Bing- 
 hamton, Geneva, Jersey City., Lima., Syracuse. 
 
 Chapter (XXIII.) XXV. Op the Civil Magistrate. 
 
 Prepare a new section on the responsibilities of national 
 life, etc. Detroit, p. 58 ; Logansport, p. 112. 
 
 Section 3. For "power of the keys," etc. (line 3), put 
 " government of the Church." Monmouth. 
 
 After "good name" (line 17) put "and property"; after 
 "infidelity" (line 19 )- put, " either to practice immorality, or 
 to offer," etc. Cincinnati. 
 
 Omit Section 3. Indianapolis. 
 
 Chapter (XXIV.) XXVI. Of Marriage and Divorce. 
 
 Section 3. Restore the old, unchanged. Baltimore, 
 Carlisle. 
 
 After "Christians" (line 3) insert, "when marrying." 
 Choctaw. 
 
 After "should not" (line 4) read, "be unequally yoked 
 with unbelievers; hence, should not marry with infidels, or 
 with adherents of false religions." St. Louis. 
 
 For " infidels" put "the ungodly." Fargo; "those deny- 
 ing the Christian faith." Pemhina. 
 
 After " infidels " restore " Papists." Detroit, Huntingdon; 
 insert " with idolaters, or." New Brunswick. 
 
 After "consent" (line 2) insert, "save those who have 
 been divorced on other than Scriptural grounds." Peoria. 
 
 Add to the last sentence " or those unscripturally divorced." 
 Lehigh. 
 
 Section 6. Omit (line 4, f.) "or such wilful desertion as 
 can no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrate." 
 Jersey City, Kansas City; substitute for these words " or 
 such wilful desertion as implies it." Huron. 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 255 
 
 Chapter (XXV.) XXVII. Of the Church. 
 
 Section 1 . For " the elect " (line 2) put " those.'' Jersey 
 City; " the children of God." New York. 
 
 Section 2. For '-no ordinary possibility" (line 6) put 
 " ordinarily no promise." Lima. 
 
 For " out of which," etc., ad fin., put " with which it is the 
 duty of all believers, in ordinary circumstances, to be con- 
 nected." Cayuga. 
 
 Omit " out of which," etc., ad fin. Orand Rapids. 
 
 Section 3. Read, "Unto this Catholic visible Church, 
 Christ, Who is the only head of it, as well as of the Church 
 invisible, hath given," etc. Pittshurgh. 
 
 Section 5. Omit the second clause of the first sentence. 
 Cayuga. 
 
 Section 6. Restore the old, unchanged. Bismarch. 
 
 Restore the old as far as " thereof" (line 3). New Bruns- 
 wick. 
 
 For " Pope of Rome " put " any man." Kearney., Newark; 
 " any other man." Platte; " any other." Binghamton; " any 
 others." Marion; " any person whatever." Pembina. 
 
 After " the Pope of Rome " add, " or any other creature." 
 Baltimore. 
 
 Omit " universal " (line 3). Baltimore. 
 
 After " universal " insert, " or a like claim on the part of 
 any other." Lehigh. 
 
 Omit " or in fact " (line 4). Hudson. 
 
 For " the Pope of Rome . . . Church universal " put " of 
 any other to that position is without warrant, etc., and a 
 usurpation dishonoring to the name and authority of Jesus 
 Christ.'; Duluth. 
 
 Add to Section 6, '' the claim of any and all others besides 
 the Pope of Rome, making similiar assumptions of headship 
 over the Church should also be rebuked and opposed. Zos 
 Angeles. 
 
25(l CHANGES OR AMENnMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 Omit " and the claim of the Pope of Rome," etc., ad fin. 
 Brookhjiu Buffalo, Cleveland, Elizabeth, Erie, Freeport, 
 Geneva, Indianapolis, Jersey City, Long Island, Netv Albany, 
 Niagara, Petoskey, p. 167, Redstone, Schuyler, Springfield, p. 
 195, Utica. 
 
 Substitute for Section 6, " The only head of the Church in 
 heaven and on earth is the Lord Jesus Christ ; and the only 
 infallible law of the Church is the written word of God." 
 Lima. 
 
 Chapter (XXVII.) XXIX. Of the Sacraments. 
 
 Section 4. Omit the last clause, " neither of which," ad 
 ■fin em. Newark. 
 
 Chapter (XXVIII.) XXX. Of Baptism. 
 
 Section 1 . For " admission of the party baptized into the 
 visible Church " read, " recognition of the partyjbaptized, as a 
 member of," etc. West Jersey. 
 
 Omit " not only " (line 2) to " but also " (line 3). Bismarck. 
 
 Section 2. Omit "by a minister of the Gospel, lawfully 
 called thereunto." Newark. 
 
 Chapter (XXIX.) XXXI. Of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Section 1. For "unto the end of the world" put "unto 
 our Lord's coming." Dayton; " till He come again. West 
 Jersey. 
 
 Section 2. Restore the old. Omaha. 
 
 Omit " Roman Catholic." Duluth, Los Angeles, Pembina, 
 Redstone, Spring-field. 
 
 For " Roman Catholic " put " Romish." Detroit; " Papal." 
 Long Island. 
 
 Omit " Roman Catholic doctrine of the." Boston. 
 
 After " doctrine " (line 7) put " and celebration." Cincin- 
 nati. 
 
 For " the Roman Catholic doctrine," etc., put " the doctrine 
 of the sacrifice of the mass, by whomsoever held." Newark; 
 
CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 257 
 
 " the doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass, as held by Rom-an- 
 ists and others." Lehigh; " the so-called sacrifice of the mass, 
 as taught and practiced in the Church of Eome." New Brwis- 
 wick; " the Roman Catholic sacrifice of the mass, as they call 
 it." Monmouth, 2Iorris and Orange; "the so-called sacrifice 
 of the mass." Baltim.ore, Marion. 
 
 Omit "abominably." Black Hills, Huntingdon, Lima. 
 Marion, Monmo\t,th, Northumberland, Springfield, Syracuse, 
 Washington. 
 
 For " is most abominably injurious lo " put " is dishonoring 
 to," etc. Washington City; the same, and add after "sin," 
 " and injurious to the souls of men." Elenezer; " is grossly 
 disparaging to." Cayuga, Hudson; " is wholly subversive of." 
 Lehigh; " is abhorrent, and to be repudiated by all who accept 
 of," etc. Fargo; "is in direct contradiction of the true 
 doctrine of," etc. Syracuse. 
 
 Omit "for sin " (line 8). Huntingdon. Zanesville. 
 
 Restore " the alone propitation for the sins of the elect." 
 Huntingdon. 
 
 Omit " only " (line 3), and add after " same " (line 6), " this 
 sacrament is also a prophecy of Christ's second advent, and is 
 additionally a spiritual communication of himself to those who 
 worthily partake of the material emblems." Jersey City. 
 
 Omit the last sentence " so that the Roman Catholic doc- 
 trine," etc. Binghamton, Brooklyn, Chillicothe, Erie, Geneva, 
 Lndianapolis, Jersey City, Niagara, Ozark, Petoskey, Pitts- 
 hurgh, Saginaw, Schuyler. 
 
 Remove all other controversial references to the Roman 
 Catholic Church. Lndianapolis, p. 94, Petoskey, p. 167. 
 
 Section 3. Omit the last clause, " but to none," etc. Em- 
 poria. 
 
 Section 8. Before "ignorant" (lines 1 and 5) insert "spirit- 
 ually." Geneva; cf. Des Moines, p. 56. 
 
 Read (line 1) "wicked and spiritually ignorant," and (line 
 5) " ungodly and spiritually ignorant." Platte. 
 
 For " these holy mysteries " (line 9) put " this sacrament." 
 Ozark. 
 
258 CHANGES OB AMENDMENTS DESIRED. 
 
 < Chapter (XXX.) XXXII. Op Church Censures. 
 Omit Chapter XXXII. ^Springfield. 
 
 Section 1. Add (at the end) " to whom is committed the 
 government of the Church of God on earth," and omit Section 
 2. Hudson ; add " to these officers are committed the Iieys of 
 the visible kingdom of God on earth, to open and shut that 
 kingdom by the word and ministry of the Gospel, and by the 
 censures of the Church " ; and omit Section 2. Cayuga. 
 
 Section 2. A fnller statement of the nature oi' the keys 
 
 desired. Ginc'nmati. 
 
 Before "Kingdom of Heaven" (line 1) put "visible." 
 Choctaio. 
 
 For " Kingdom of Heaven " put '' Kingdom of God on 
 earth." Lima. 
 
 Read (line 1 f.) "to these officers is committed ministerial 
 and declarative power . . to shut the Kingdom of Heaven," 
 etc. Wooster; " to these officers God hath committed the govern- 
 ment of the (Church." Monmouth; " to these officers the keys 
 of the visible Kingdom of God on earth are committed," etc. 
 Geneva. 
 
 Omit " to retain and remit sins." Lehigh^ Lima. Pitts- 
 hurgh.1 Washingion. 
 
 For Section 2 substitute, " to these officers Christ has com- 
 mitted power to receive into the Church, and to inflict or remit 
 censures as occasion shall require." Brooklyn; " to these 
 officers are committed the ministry of the Gospel, the adminis- 
 tration of the ordinances, and the government of the Church." 
 Rochester. 
 
 Omit Section 2. Erie., Olympia; compare also Cayuga 
 and LLudson above, under Section 1. 
 
 Chapter (XXXIII.) XXXV. Op the Last Judgment. 
 
 Section 2. For "damnation" (line 3) put "condemna- 
 tion." Des Moines. 
 
 Omit "reprobate, who are" (line 4), and "be cast into 
 eternal torments, and" (line 8). Lima. 
 
 Several Presbyteries recommend the substitution of " Holy 
 Spirit " for " Holy Ghost " wherever it occurs in the Con- 
 fession.