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THE ASSEMBLY AT BRISTOL.
(Continued from Page 11.)
inite to admit of reply. From Red River,
a negative reply to the overture that the
amount of pastor's salary be included in
congregational expenses. From East
Hanover, asking the Assembly to discourage
the use of the International
Graded Lesson, that a Pastoral Letter
be issued, as provided for above.
Coming South A'ext Year.
The following telegraphic message
was received: "Louisville, Ky., May 20,
1912. To the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in Session in Bristol,
Tenn.: The General Assembly in
session in Louisville, Ky., rejoices in
your cordial salutations and greets you
as brethren beloved. We have by a
unanimous vote decided to meet next
May at Atlanta, Ga. We accept your
welcome to come South. See Romans
1:8-12. Mark A. Matthews, Moderator;
"William H. Roberts, Stated Clerk."
The .Imliciul Case from Lon'siana.
The Judicial Committee reported recommending
to the Assembly that it
throw out the appeal of the Session of
Cafayette church, New Orleans, from
the action of the Synod of I^ouisiana,
for the three reasons that there was no
def'nite charge in the alleged complaint
of the session against the Presbytery of
New Orleans, that one court could not
complain against another court, and
that no law of the church had been
violated in the cases cited in the reason
attached to the complaint. After some
discussion, a member of the Committee
moved to Strike out its third reason
Much debate sprang up over the application
of the law concerning one cou:t
being forbidden to be in action against
another court, and kindred subjects.
Pending the discussion recess was
taken.
An Evening of Home Missions.
A more interesting Home Mission
evening has never been spent by the
Assembly. Dr. Morris arranged the
program. Dr. Reed, Chairman of the
Standing Committee of Home Missions,
presided. A great congregation filled
the spacious church, galleries and aisles
no less than the body of the house.
Short addresses were made, after the
reading and adoption of the report, by
Ruling Elder Sam Daly, a colored man
who is doing a fine work for his race
in Alabama, and who very humorously
attributed much of the hard times and
high prices of corn, and other such
tioubles, to "too much settin* down;"
nev. .vi. n. I'araais, evangelist among
the French in Louisiana; Dr. Skinner,
of the Texas-Mexican Industrial School;
Rev. Elias Trivino, a Mexican preacher;
Rev. E. Hodgkin, evangelist to the Indians;
Ruling Elder Nelson Wolfe, an
Indian; and Rev. W. E. Hudson and R.
E. Clark, evangelist and teacher, in
among the 3,034,774 people in the
Southern Higlands. The closing address,
on the mission work in general
was a most eloquent and moving call tc
work by Dr. J.. Lynn Bachman, of Tennessee,
who cried, "Give me these
mountains, and I'll give you the missionaries
for the world. The mountains
make men." He showed how Pennsylvania
gives one minister to the church
out of 2,226 communicants, while this
highland country here gives one out of
313.
Wednesday, the Sixth Day.
The splendor of the May weather
continues and the warmth of the Bristol
hospitality is unabated. The Assembly
was refreshed by last night's
fine Home Mission meeting. The devotional
exercises were conducted by
Dr. Skinner.
From the Foreign Mlsalon Report.
Dr. Kirk, of Baltimore, presented the
JOIN THE
1
THE PRESBYTEEI
report of the committee of Foregn Missions.
The report was at once received
and its recommendations adopted.
The latter were that the Assembly
recognize the Special Donation Fund
as a specific trust, to be specially secured
and conserved to meet the obligations
'thereon; that the Executive
Committee be directed to have prepared
a detailed statement showing the material
equipment of each mission station;
that the Committee include in its
annual report a financial statement from
each missilon treasurer; that the Committee
publish in the Missionary Survey
special and Individual gifts; that the
Assembly remind the original "Forward
Mnvwm^nt" Alilir/?h oa O f ni.AOAnj4
- w? WM.W vuu* VUVU lUUb LUO J/lCDCU l
"every member canvass" plan in no
way necessitates nor contemplates their
withdrawal from the "Forward Movement;"
that the grant of $200 to children
of missionaries at boarding school
in this country be extended to include
those also at school in foreign countries;
that all reinforcements possible
be sent.to the field, but that great care
be takeoi to ascertain the cost of every
kind, and this be made the basis on
which new missionaries be sent out,
id that such be sent only when the
amount has been secured on reliable
'edges over and above all previous
contributions; that the Executive Committee
be instructed to report annually
' e judgment of the relative needs and
the proportionate reinforcements rerequired
by the various fields; that the
Executive Committee be instructed to
fund the present debt, approximately
$100,000, if the way be clear; and that
Dr. M. D. Buckner be appointed on the
Executive Committee because of the
need of a practicing physician on that
Commlltte.
Some Miscellaneous Items.
The following were elected members
cf the Committee of Systematic Beneficence,
to fill vacancies occurring from
expiration of term or other causes;
Jas. I. Vance, with <L. E. MoNair as alternate;
W. R. Dobyns, E. F. Abbott
alternate; W. J. Martin, A. M. Scales
alternate; J. S. Munce, VV. S. Currell,
alternate; Wm. T. Hardie, J. A. Lyon,
Jr., alternate; John Stites, A. J. Alexander,
alternate R. O. Fllnn, A. A. Little,
alternate; S. J. Cassells to fill vacancy
caused by the death of J. L.
Dean.
On the recommendation of the Committee
of Foreign Correspondence, Rev.
W. W. Moore, D. D., was appointed as
the Assembly's commissioner to bear
its fraternal greetings to the Reformed
f hurch in America, and Rev. I. S. McElroy
to the Associate Reformed Synod
of the South. On an overture from
V estern District concerning steps looking
to union of our Church and the
Associate Reformed Synod, it was resolved
that it was unwise that any act:on
he taken at this time. The Stated
Clerk was directed to make a suitable
reply to a communication from the
National Protestant Church of Switzer1
nnri nYnroBflin-o' mir tunrm ?-?
and our abiding interest in this historic
Church.
The Assembly redommended that sesr.'ons
call their committees "The Beneficent
Committee," instead of "The
.Missionary Committee."
The Assembly, in response to a communication
from the Rev. W. F. Craft
and the 'National Reform Association,
resolved that no action be taken.
The Moderator completed the Committee
of Fifteen to write a "Brief Popular
Statement of the Doctrine of our
Church" by the appointment of the following
in addition to Drs. R. A. Webb,
Jas. I. Vance, E. C, Caldwell, and Hon,
W. B. Sommervllle and ex-Governor M.
Presbyterian Df
Of The South. * ^
AN OF THE SOUTH
F. Ansel, viz: Drs. R. C. Reed, T. H. Rice
W. R. Dobyns, George Summey, J. 45.
Lyons, and Hon. A. C. Howze, ex-Governor
R. B. Glenn, Mr. Oscar Newton,
Mr. H. E. Ravenel, and Professor J.
Lewis Howe.
Determined to Go Back.
By a vote of 73 to 100 the Assembly
"lost" a motion to set aside the following
paper, and then without a count
passed .It, viz: That overtures from the
Synod of Missouri and from the Presbyteries
of West Lexington and Central
Texas, asking that we re-enter into
formal relationship with the Federal
i ouncu 01 tee Churches of Christ in
America be answered in the affirmative;
that the Rev. W. S. Jacobs, D. D., be
elected our representative on the Executive
Committee, and that the moderator
cf the Assembly be empowered
to appoint delegates to the Quadrennial
to be held in Chicago in December, 1912.
Pending the adoption of this there was
a lively Jobrte, Drs. Reed and Webb
opposing the going back into this coni
tction, which Mas s?.vcied only last
year, and Drs. Vance and Munroe advocating
it.
Lafayette Church Session Case.
The Judicial Committee's report was
taken up and adopted, by a vote that
was practically unanimous, the follow
ing, as to the appeal of the sescion of
the Lafayette church of New Orleans
from the decision of the Synod of Louisiana
falling to sustain a complaint
of that session: "That tho appeal be
dismissed as the record of the case
shows on the face that the entire proceedings
in the case are irregular and
void for chat i the said session does
not complain of 'some decision' made
by the Presbytery of New Orleans, as
required by Sec. JX, Ch. XIII, RuleB
of Discipline, which defines a complaint
as a 'representation made to
a superior court against some decision
cf an inferior court'?but the session
m or pi V PAmtvloinc ( f>\ ?rT\V? ~
1**440. v 0/ X uv OC3DIU11 Ul
the I^afayette church complains to the
Synod of Louisiana against the Presbytery
of New Orleans? One church
court cannot complain to a superior
court against another church court.
Sec. IV, Ch. 13, limits the right: of
complaint to 'any member of the churoh
submitting to Its authority.' "
Later in the proceedings a memorial
to the Assembly was presented by Rev.
Dr. J. C. Barr, pastor of the Lafayette
church, calling the Assembly's attention
to certain alleged "inequalities in
the printed minutes of the Synod of
Louisiana." The Memorial was referred
to the Committee on the Minutes of
Louisiana Synod. That committee ex
[uiMiicu iuc uio.ii.r;i uuu ieuomenaea znai
the Assembly approve the minutes and
take no action on the Memorial.
The Sinnott Case.
In answer to numerous memorialists,
the Synod of Virginia, and sundry PresbyteMies
for a re-bearing of the complaint
of (Rev. W. I. 'Sinnott against the
Presbytery of North Alabama, the Assembly,
or the Judicial Committee's
recommendtaion, adopted the following:
(.1) That the prayers of said memorial
and overtures be denied on the ground
that the case of W. I. Sinnott against
the 'Presbytery of North Alabama was
finally adjudicated by the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in
the United States, sitting in Lewisbure.
West Virginia, May, 1910, and tlie Judicial
deliverances of that Assembly are
not reviewable by a su/bsequent General
Assembly on memorial and overtures
to rehea*- the case decided tjy
the former court; and on the further
ground that the General' Assembly sitting
In Ijoulsvllle, Kentucky, May, 1911,
after consideration of the petition of
\NO CLU1
[May 29, 1912
Rev. W. I. Sinnott for a re-hearing of
said complaint, disallowed the petition
and denied its prayer for that "the
judicial deliverances of the General Assembly
of Lewisburg, West Virginia,
are not reviewable by a subsequent
General Assembly upon petition to rehear
the case decided by the former
court."
(2) That in response to the overtures
from sundry Presbyteries touching the
judgment of the General Assembly at
l^ewisburg, West Virginia, 1910, the
General Assembly re-afllrm its adherence
to our Confession.of Faith as set
forth in paragraph 4, chapter 31.
(3) That the General Assembly approve
and re-afllrm the deliverances of
the General Assemhlv at T.oiilRvllln
Kentucky, May, 1911, touching the petition
of the Rev. W. I. Sinnott for a
re-hearing of his complaint against the
Presbytery of North Alabama.
It then adopted the following resolution:
Resolved by the General Assembly,
sitting at Bristol, Tenn., May 21, 1912,
that in the matter of the memorial of
Sundry persons and overtures from the
Synod of Virgiinia and sundry Presbyteries,
asking for a re-opening of the
case of W. I. Sinnott vs. the Presbytery
of Xcrth Alabrixa, it approves the finding
of the Judicial Committee as to the
re-opening of said case, but feels that
this Assembly can with propriety express
the opiinlon that the reference In
the judgment of the Assembly at Lewisburg
to the "action, language find spirit
of the complaint" was unwise and appears
to have been informal. This As- H
sembly disclaims any intention to crlticifiA
Mia T-AWlinhiirc 4?somhlu a. Hie.
turb in any way its judgment.
On Theological Seminaries.
After reciting the condition of the
various seminaries, the Standing Committee's
report made recommendations
which were adopted, as follows: Approval
of the election of Rev. Dr. W. L.
Dingle in Union Seminary; commendation
of the efforts made to give instruction
in religious education and sociology;
approval of Kentucky Seminary's
effort to raise $100,000; the appointment
of a committee from the Ex- H
ecutive Committees to prepare a general
plan and the curriculum in outline for I
a training'school for lay workers, etc.;
approval of the holding, to meet the I
present need, of a series of conferences
on Systematic Beneficence; the refer- I
ence to the committee just named of an
overture from the Presbyterian Council I
of the City of Charlotte, N. C.
From the Home Mission Report.
In answer to overtures, certain formal
transfers In the case of the Albemarle
property were consented to, the continuance
of the efTort to raise a semi-centenniial
Building Fund of $100,000 was
directed, the calling upon the Laymen's
Movement to broaden the scope of its
activities so as to include the work
of Home Missions, the calling of a Home
Missionary-Convention, the observance of
"Home iMissrion Week" November 17-24,
the re-appointment of Rev. Dr. J. E.
Thacker as special evangelist and the
securing of two more general evangelists,
and the Incorporation in future
annual reports of certain itemized statements.
Assembly** Home and School.
After a most earnest debate, the report
of the Ad Interim Committee on
the Assembly's Home and School was
adopted, wllth Its recommendations. The
latter were as follows:
1. Since In the 18 years of Its existence
only 13 families have taken advantage
of the offer made hy Home and
School to furnish to missionaries while
on furlough a home and free board and
8 See Announcement
On Page 24