Newspaper Page Text
The Presbyt
Vol. 96. No. 20.
the South
RICHMOND, t May 17, 1922.
OMITY questions have been up between
the Northern and Southern Assemblies
for a number of years. As the two churches
cover to a large extent the same territory, very
naturally there is a likelihood of there being
trouble, unless there is a distinct understand
ing on the subject. Some years ago the two
MORMONS arc very wise in their genera
tions. A young Mormon had just been
called by the church to go out as a missionary,
says the Christian Statesman, and his father
said, "It will be the making of George. The
missionary always converts himself." The
Mormon church is accustomed to send its young
do. They are given very litle instruction and
no opportunity is afforded them for exercising
and developing their gifts and strengthening
their faith. Suppose this were done in the case
of each young man and young woman in the
Church, what a wonderful difference it would
make in these young people and in the Church.
FIRST PRKSB1 TERIAX CHURCH, CH ARIjESTON, W. VA., WHERE THE AS SEMBLY MEETS.
Assemblies drew up and adopted a comity
agreement. This made provision for govern
ing each Church in its aggressive work, so that
it would not infringe upon the established rights
"I the other. Provision was also -made for the
>Htleinent of any disagreement that might arise
in this connection. In recent years three cases
friction arose in which the Southern Church
claimed that the Northern Church had violated
'In* Comity Agreement. One case was in New
"i leans, one in Springdale, Ark., and the other
in K1 Paso, Tex. These cases were brought
?" the attention of the Northern Assembly. It
sai<l that the contentions of the Southern
Church were well founded and directed the
-\<?rthem Synods and Presbyteries which were
? <"ncerned to correct their errors. After sev
fy'al years nothing had been done. Last year
matter came before the Southern Assembly
"tfaiii, and, at $s request, the Northern Assem
bly appointed a committee to 'confer again with
!l like eommittee from the Southern Assembly.
I hi'se committees have met and gone very thor
'"ighly into the matter. The Northern Com
mittee agreed that the complaints of the South
< Church were well founded, and that the
^'"'tliern Presbyteries and Synods involved
'la,l violated tlie Comity Agreement. They
Sill'l that their Assembly had taken action in
'I"' matter, but the Presbyteries and Synods<
'""I refused to obey the orders of the Assembly.
^<>w they are saying that the cases are fo old
""<t nothing can be done. It has been six years
s'iice the matter was first brought to the atten
f,?n of the Northern Assembly, and they have
^own old simply because that Assembly has
practically done nothing to correct. the evil
'"'"plained of, and no\V, as the highest court
that Church, ays it can do nothing to make
''ie lower courts carry out its instructions.
men out as missionaries. As they go they must
preach and defend the doctrines of their church.
They may have had little interest in them l>e
fore. but the more they are called upon to de
fend them, the stronger grows their belief in
them. It is said that the missionaries almost
invariable return from their two years of mis
sion work thoroughly continued in their faith.
Cannot the ? Christian Church learn a lesson
here? Too often it occurs that the young are
taken info the Church and then practically left
to themselves. They are not given anything to
REV. A. B. CURRY, D. P., Moderator.
|, lilt lift-lit" -\ I f
Tt should be the constant aim of the members
of the session, whom God has called to be over
seers over His flock, to study each of the vounjj
members and do just whatever can be done to
strengthen ami develop them. Great will be
the reward of such effort.
FRANCE, we are told, has determined to
start a campaign to educate the American
people to drink again, in the hope that she will
again find in this country the best market for
her wines and other liquors. We give France
fair warning that that will be a costly under
taking. Today the best American people are
strong friends of the French. But when the
people of this country find that France or any
other outside country is trying to undermine
the laws of this country, that country will find
that :t will prove a severe test of our friendship,
and the friendship of a great nation is worth
more than the dollars that might be secured
from the sale of its wine.
CLAMORING for the repeal of the prohibi
tion laws is quite common. One of the
most common grounds for this demand is the
claim that the laws do not accomplish the pro
hibition of the liquor traffic. It would be an
interesting study to see how many of those who
demand tlie repeal of these laws have themselves
loyally observed them. We commend this study
to our readers. We daresay that not one in a
hundred who make this demand is a keeper of
the laws. What would be thought if the thieves
of the country should unite in a demand for the
repeal of all laws against, robbery, because the
laws do not prevent robbery ?