West·min·ster As·sem·bly See under Assembly.

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 As·sem·bly n.; pl. Assemblies
 1. A company of persons collected together in one place, and usually for some common purpose, esp. for deliberation and legislation, for worship, or for social entertainment.
 2. A collection of inanimate objects. [Obs.]
 3. Mil. A beat of the drum or sound of the bugle as a signal to troops to assemble.
 Note: ☞ In some of the United States, the legislature, or the popular branch of it, is called the Assembly, or the General Assembly. In the Presbyterian Church, the General Assembly is the highest ecclesiastical tribunal, composed of ministers and ruling elders delegated from each presbytery; as, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, or of Scotland.
 Assembly room, a room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing.
 Unlawful assembly Law, a meeting of three or more persons on a common plan, in such a way as to cause a reasonable apprehension that they will disturb the peace tumultuously.
 Westminster Assembly, a convocation, consisting chiefly of divines, which, by act of Parliament, assembled July 1, 1643, and remained in session some years. It framed the “Confession of Faith,” the “Larger Catechism,” and the “Shorter Catechism,” which are still received as authority by Presbyterians, and are substantially accepted by Congregationalists.
 Syn: -- See Assemblage.

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 Cat·e·chism n.
 1. A form of instruction by means of questions and answers.
 2. A book containing a summary of principles, especially of religious doctrine, reduced to the form of questions and answers.
    The Jews, even till this day, have their catechisms.   --Hooker.
 The Larger Catechism, The Shorter Catechism. See Westminster Assembly, under Assembly.

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 Con·fes·sion n.
 1. Acknowledgment; avowal, especially in a matter pertaining to one's self; the admission of a debt, obligation, or crime.
 With a crafty madness keeps aloof,
 When we would bring him on to some confession
 Of his true state.   --Shak.
 2. Acknowledgment of belief; profession of one's faith.
    With the mouth confession is made unto salvation.   --Rom. x. 10.
 3. Eccl. The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest in order to obtain sacramental absolution.
    Auricular confession . . . or the private and special confession of sins to a priest for the purpose of obtaining his absolution.   --Hallam.
 4. A formulary in which the articles of faith are comprised; a creed to be assented to or signed, as a preliminary to admission to membership of a church; a confession of faith.
 5. Law An admission by a party to whom an act is imputed, in relation to such act. A judicial confession settles the issue to which it applies; an extrajudical confession may be explained or rebutted.
 Confession and avoidance Law, a mode of pleading in which the party confesses the facts as stated by his adversary, but alleges some new matter by way of avoiding the legal effect claimed for them.
 Confession of faith, a formulary containing the articles of faith; a creed.
 General confession, the confession of sins made by a number of persons in common, as in public prayer.
 Westminster Confession. See Westminster Assembly, under Assembly.

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