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*6 THE
Proceeding
Fourth Day?Monday Morning.
The proceedings of Monday morning
were printed last week from a telegraphic
report. To this we now add some
details.
Alter the devotional exercises, led by
Rev. B. B. Knapp, the Minutes were
read- and approved, and the telegram
from the Northern General Assembly was
received.
A message of sympathy was received
from the Methodist Episcopal Church,
through its Board of Missions, in the
case of the accusations against our own
African missionaries, Messrs. Morrison
and Sheppard.
Whereas, it has come to our attention .that
two missionaries, Messrs. Morrison and Sheppard,
representatives of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States in the Congo
Free State' have been cited to trial by the
Belgian Government for certain exposures of
tilleged cruelties practiced 011 the untlves;
And
ii iii-n-un, im- qumiuua lurumni are ui general
concern, affecting the rights and privileges
of missionaries in all lands in their relation
to the people among whom they labor;
and
Whereas, the alleged statements that "have
given offense to the Belgian authorities are
matters of common report from many reliable
sources, including that of American consuls;
therefore be it
Resolved by this Board, That we join in a
protest against any such effort to silence the
righteous and proper criticism of missionaries
against wrongs and cruelties practiced ou the
people they serve, as long as such protests
arc based on established facts.
Resolved further. That in such cases the
dictates of civilization should guarantee to
the accused persons the fullest opportunity to
establish the truth of their assertions nnd the
Justice of their criticisms.
Resolved. That this Board urge upon the
authorities at Washington that they look into
this question and use nil proper endeavor to
see that nothing short of exact Justice lie
accorded these worthy citizens of our country.
and that their work lie not needlessly
hindered.
A commission was appointed to try
the complaint of Rev. W. H. Mills vs. the
*jjnuu ui ouuu \_aroiina. Ministers, K.
M. Hall, chairman, T. S. Knox, W. J. Caldwell,
J. H. Henderlite. T. H. Watklns,
"T. C. Croker, P. C. Irwin, C. E. Robertson,
P. L. Bruce, C. D Gllkeson, M. W. Doggett,
F. W. Thompson, Clyde Johnson, x-..
Li. Wilson; Elders, J. P. Carmlchael, R.
T. Dunlap, vj. M. Hanna, R. L. J. Smith,
it. w. McDonald, Thos. L Tate, B. F.
Hunt. W. T. Williams, J. R. Forgey, J. W.
Butler, M. E. Gilmore, W. F. Murphy, G.
B. Pattersbn.
This complaint concerns the question of
receiving into the Church in Africa or
China, a man who while an idolater, had
married two wives The commission did
not sustain the complaint; nine members
dissenting.
Another Commission was appointed to
try the complaint of W. H. Sorey and J.
B. Long vs. the Presbytery of Eastern
Texas. Ministers, W. H. Fraser, chair
man, rxaiiK u. nartman, u. 1. Staoy, J.
E. Wylle, JJ. B. Knapp, Luther Link, F.
K. Sims, L. Humphreys, H. W. Burwell,
Wm. A. Holle, Newton Smith, F, M. Eversole,
W. M. Walsh, A. G. Wardlaw; Elders.
Jno. T. Owen, W. M. Elliott, Job Going,
T. E. Hammock, H. K. White, P. Pelham,
Chas. C. Fox, J. B. Chambers, Henry Gln der,
S. M. Vaughn, J. B. Gracey, H. H.
Lewis, E. G. Richard.
?
Y
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT1
of General
It. questioned the right of a Presbytery
to dismiss a church to another denomination.
The decision of the Commission is
iiraL in iiiv iiiitnur 01 me complaint of H.
Sorey and J. B. Long vs. the Presbytery
of Eastern Texas, the commission sustain
the complaint for the following reason:
A Presbytery has the constitutional right
to dismiss a church to another Presbytery,
and when the Presbytery of Eastern
Texas dismissed the Jacksonville church
to the Presbytery of Trinity, LT. S. A., and
received notice of its reception and enrollment
irom the stated clerk of TrinityPresbytery,
U. S. A., the said church became
a member of the Trinity Presbytery,
U. S. A., and passed from the jurisdiction
of the Eastern Texas Presbytery.
The effect of this judgment is that the
church of Jacksonville is and has been
since the acceptance of its letters by the
Presbytery of Trinity, U. S A., a member
of the Trinity Presbytery, U. S. A., and
therefore, not within the jurisdiction of
the Presbytery of Eastern Texas.
The committee ad interim, appointed to
formulate a law as to Church property,
and also to devise a plan for securina
the property of our educational institutions
so as to guarantee donors that
their donations will, not pass out of the
control of the Church, requested the Assembly
to give to the committee additional
time. The committee believe they
can, within the next year, submit a plan
on both subjects which will meet the approval
of the Church.
'i ne request was granted.
The overture from Abingdon Presbytery
relative to the founding of a Calvin
Memorial University was referred to the
committee on schools and colleges.
A telegraphic message was received
from the Cumberland Presbyterian Assembly,
extending their greetings and referring
to I John 4:1, "Believe not every
spirit, but try the spirits whether they
A rftnlv to tho ta1 ???*?
? vw vi*v .ivicgi am tU liiC ri CBI"
dent, relative to tbe trial of Messrs. Morrison
and Sheppard, was read as follows:
Washington. I). C.. May 24, 1000.
W. A. Alexander, Stated Clerk of General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church, U. S.,
Savannah. Georgia.
The President directs me to acknowledge
your telegram of May 21st. The Department
of State on May third cabled Its minister at
Krussels to ask postponement of the libel
suit against the American missionaries, Morrison
nnd Sheppard. and to renuest trial at some
more convenient point. The minister, however,
was Informed that according to ltelglan
law, the Belgian Government Is Incompetent
to order post|>onenient or transfer of civil
cnses In the Congo, nnd that the only authority
competent to postpone or transfer a
case to nnotlier Judicial district Is the court
Itself upon petition of defendants. The minister
was further Informed that Morrison nnd
Slieppnrd were already en-route to Is'opoldvllle
with their witnesses. The American
consul at Roma Is In clone touch with the
elf nntlnn anil In inofan/itod
prlntc Rood offices If necessary.
KNOX.
i ae following reply was sent:
Hon. i?. (', Kp?x. Secretary of State.
Dear Sir: 'rtils In to acknowledge the receipt
of your telegraphic reply of this morning
to the communication of th?? Cleneral Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church In the
United States to tue President on Mnv 24tii,
inching the matter of the missionaries, Mor
1
ri. June 2, 1909.
Assembly
rlson ami Sheppard. The General Assembly
direrU me to convey to^you nml to tils Excellency,
the President, Its thanks for your
active interest III behalf of these gentlemen
ntul to express the hope that you will continue
to use your good ottiees for their protection,
as their further needs tuny require.
Ke.qiei titilly,
W. A. ALKXANDEU, Stated Clerk.
Report of Permanent Committee on Evangelistic
Work.
Fathers and Brethren:
lu undertaking the work assigned It by the
Greensboro Assembly your Permanent Committee
of Kvnngelistlc Work found Itself embarrassed
in the very beginning of its task
by the liberality of the resolution calling for
its creation. This committee was appointed
"to organize and direct the distinctively
evangelistic work of our Church," under
which instruction, we were given authority
to tuke any step, execute any plan, which
might be Included in the idea of organization
and dlrectlou.
Your committee has striven earnestly to
show its appreciation of the confidence reposed
in it by giving the Church a faithful,
careful uud conservative administration of the
trust, conducting its work along lines which we"
believed the whole Church would approve.
We were aware of the fact mat in every
section of our Church, there was a growing
conviction that the time had come when evangelistic
effort, that of seeking the sulvatloii of
souls, should receive more emphusis, uud tlnlt
iu some parts of our territory this couviction
hud expressed itself iu a demand that our
Chureh lead out in an aggressive evangelistic
effort commensurate with her opportunity and
responsibility.
We were aware on the other hand of the
fact that as to the method according to which
this evangelistic effort was to be directed,
there was no unanimity of conviction, but
that every school of methods known to modern
evangelistic work had its advocates.
With these facts before us, we felt that our
tusk was largely educational aud Inspirational,
and that through the first year's work the
Chureh should be led up to the point where
she wou.d arise in her might, and place the
evangelist, and the work of the evaugclist,
where we believe God Intended it should be,
in the lea*.. We adopted a plan In which
no radical chauges were advocated, but which
was sutBclentluy elastic to lit into local conditions
and convictions. That plan is as
follows:
1. IN THE PASTORATE. We recognize
the pastorate as the most important office in
the church, and we believe ihat the pastor
holds the key to the situation. This being
true, we s^?.. seek to cultivate the evangelistic
spirit in every pastorate and thereby encourage
evungellstic preaching and effort.
2. IN THE PRESBYTERY, (a) Procure In
each Presbytery a Corresponding Member, who
shall be nominated by the chairman of the
Local Home Missions Committee of that
11... ?ami whn sliull vvni'L' ' miilor
directum "or the Local Home Missions Committee.
Tills Corresponding Member Is to represent
the Assembly's Committee in that
Presbytery.
(b) Hold evangelistic conferences wherever
the way may be clear, iu all the Presbyteries
and Synods within the bounds of our Church
this committee to do Its work through the
Corresponding Member.
(c) Seek to procure the election of one or
more evangelists in .every Presbytery, and
organize evangelistic campaigns to reach the
weakest churches through the appointment
of pnstors to conduct one or more ppeciul
series of services.
3. IN THE CHURCH AT LARGE, (a) Encourage,
and, where possible, organize evangelistic
campaigns In churches, simultaneous
evangelistic campaigns in cities. Presbyteries
and Synods.
(b) Recommend and disseminate literature
approved by the committee, Rev. C. R. Hemphill,
D.- D., being chairman of the Literature
Committee and the one to pass upon all literature
to be endorsed.
We feel that we have done our best service
~ ?ltA ll.nohetni-lna n ...T
It* intr UUUM II Iiinnifiii IHC a n OWJ ICI irn, auu
the way moat of the Corresponding Members
have taken np the work lead ns to expect
the best results from tnls part of the plan.
In the prosecution of the work as here out- .1
. llnede the committee solicited funds Trora Individuals,
receiving the sum of $4(V2.25, and
disbursed same ns shown by the report of the
trensurer, Mr. W. II. Raymond, hereto attached,
nnd -marked Appendix "A."
The first General Conference was held nt
Montrent, N. C., last August, when for three
dnys representative men from nil over our
Church gathered to discuss questions of vital
lm|>ortance to this work, ns can be ^seen by
reference to a copy of the progrnift hereto
attached.
Since this conference, onr main effort has