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II E General Assembly meets on the 18th
at Charleston, W. Va. This is always an
important gathering of the representatives of
the Chruch. After having attended many meet
ings of the Assembly and many other gather
ings of men, we have no hesitation in saying
that the General Assembly works harder and
more faithfully during its entire session than
any other body that we know of. If any mein
Ikt of this Assembly, who for the first time
is attending such a meeting, thinks that he is
going on a pleasure trip just to have a good
time, he had better stay at home. The
daily session of the As
sembly usually extends
from 9:30 A. M. to
about 10 P. M., with
only brief recesses for
lunch and dinner. Con.'
mittee meetings must be
held ordinarily when
the body is not in ses
sion. Close attention is
jziven to all matters of
importance brought be
fore the Assembly and
usually full time is
friven for their consid
eration. That mistakes
are sometimes made is
inevitable, because the
members are human.
But not as many mis
takes are made as is
sometimes charged.
S o nV e t i m e s some
of the members of the
churches think that a
certain action ought to
lie taken and criticize
the Assembly for not
?loing so. It may be
'hat in the full discus
sion of the matter im
|> o r t a n t facts are
brought out, which were
not known by the cri
tics, and these decided
the action of the As
sembly. It is against
'he policy and practice
?f our Church to in
struct its commissions
?'i any subject. They
ar? sent as choice free
'"en, to consider all
phases of all subjects
bought to their atten
' ion, and then to vote on
the questions involved
according to their en
lightened judgment
MANY important matters will occupy the
attention of this Assembly. The report
?f the Committee on Closer Relations with other
Churches will no doubt awaken interest. Be
cause it seemed impossible to find any plan upon
^hich the churches concerned would unite, the
committee will recommend that the matter be
topped. Another important matter in the
Wds of an ad interim committee is the prop
osition to change the constitution of the Gen
oral Assembly, so as to elect the commissioners
for two years, instead of for one as at present.
What the report of the committee will be is not
known. But all over the Church the matter is
attracting attention and the sentiment in favor
of the change is widespread. The Northern
Assembly adopted the plan last year and sent
it down to their Presbyteries. Another item
of great interest is the Equipment Fund Pro
gram adopted by the last Assembly. This pro
posed to raise $5,000,000 for the better equip
ment of the work of the Church, especially in
home and foreign mission fields. Several over
The miserable village, Sebatieb onee Herod's proud capital, Hebaste, and once the famous
city of Mamaria. (Peregrine Papers, i>age 3.)
tures have l>een sent up to the Assembly by the
Presbyteries asking that this plan be dropped for
the present. There will be many other matters
to be attended to that will require the conse
crated wisdom of the commissioners.
P HE -ASS E M BL Y meetings have several
times been held the day l>efore the Assem
bly opens, to consider some of the great depart
ments of the Church's work. Last year at St.
Louis there was a gathering that day to con
sider the subject of Evangelism. This will also
be the subject for the meeting 011 Wednesday,
the day before the Assembly meets. This Con
ference will be under the charge of the Assem
bly's Executive Committee of Home Missions.
It is desired that as many of the commissioners
as possible shall attend the Conference, but an
invitation is given to any others who wish to at
tend. Addresses will be made by Rev. Dr. Clias.
L. Goodell, of New York, 011 "The Supreme
Task of the Church" ; Rev. Dr. J. S. Lyons, of
Atlanta, on "Our Church at its Whole Task'' ;
Rev. Dr. Win. Crowe, of St. Louis, 011 "Re
sponsibility of Church
Officers"; Rev. Dr. T.
\V. Sloan, of Greene
ville, S. on "How to
Enlist a Congregation
in Effective Soul-W in
ning" ; Rev. Dr. C. IT.
"Williamson, of .Mem
phis, on "Keeping at it
Through the Year";
Kev. Dr. A. S. John
son, of Charlotte, X. C.,
on "IIow to Develop
ami Maintain a Pas
sion for Souls"; Kev.
Dr. J. F. Ilardie, of
Houston, Tex., 011 "A
Minister and His Own
Soul." lion. William
Jennings Krvan has
lieen asked to address
the Conference Wednes
day evening, and it. is
hoped that he will ac
cept the invitation.
COMMISSION KRS
going, to the (ten
oral Assembly this year
may look forward to
some very pleasant ex
periences. It does not
often occur that all who
go will travel over the
same railroad. B u t
whether they travel east
or west they will find
that t h e ( 'hesapeake
ami Ohio will not only
provide a comfortable
trip, but it will take
them through l>eautiful
scenery of mountains,
rivers and very fine
farming, mining and
manufacturing sections.
Charleston is so well
up in the mountains
that there is no proba
bility of the intense heat which the Assem
bly has sometimes l>een called upon to endure
in other places. These conditions ought to help
the commissioners in do?ng their work.
Great questions concerning the great matters
of the kingdom of Christ will occupy mind ami
heart and a thorough consecration to the work
commit teed to them will be needed, and when
given will do much to advance the interests of
the Church, and its work.