The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-20
CIIURCHMEN ANDTHE CUP
THE PRESBYTERIANs TRY TO
DODGE THE ISSUE.

A Declaration That it Smacks of
Politics Made the Excuse - 1t was
Finally Turned over to a Committee
DIR. Woodrow to be Given a
Hearing.
BALTIMORE, May 19,-The General As
sembly of the Southern Presbyterian
| church assembled promptly at the APP
pointed hour this morning. The Committee
on the Sabbath made report, stating that
while in some States traffic trains are not
run on the Sa bbath, in others they are by
the law permitted TO run. The report OPP
poses Sunday excursions, and says a greater
effort should be made for the better OBJ
servance of the Christian Sabbath. The
report was referred.
"A motion to appoint q committee on tenn
perance was opposed.
Rev. DR.. Brooks said if the motion was to
appoint committee looking to prohibition,
hoped it would not be appointed. He
had no objection to temperance in the
moral sense, but he did not wish to see the
church engage i'll even seeming political
contests
The motion was opposed by others be-
cause the sub ect is connected with politics
and cannot be well separated
AN APPEAL FOR BRAVERY.
Rev. f. r. Washburn thought the gen
eral assembly should make an open declara-
tion on the question.
Judge Heiskell thought a committee
ought to be formed and its deliverance go
out on this question. In his own county
Presbyterian elder had made a canvass
against local option. He insisted that
something should be said by the assembly
to place the church right on this question
as it should on every other question. 1t
was sending sixty thousand young men
yearly to their grave and the church
should make deliverance to check the
evil of lntemperance.
Rev. DIR. Smoot offered an amendment
that cigars, tobacco and snuff be included
which was elected.
Rev. DIR. Brown offered a substitute that
committee be appointed on temperance,
with instructions to report at the meeting
of the general assembly in 1889 The sub
stltute was adopted.
TO MEET AT CHATTANOOGA.
The greeting of the Methodist Episcopal
General Conference, in session in New York,
was read and reply ordered. The ques-
ton of selecting the place for the next ses-
sion of the general assembly was taken up,
and Wilmington, n. c., and Chattanooga,
Tenn, were named. and Chattanooga
selected by vote of 70 to 6S
The judicial committee reported in favor
of hearing the complaint Of William G..
Russell against the Synod of South Caro-
lima, and with the consent of all parties to
try it by commission, the parties agreed.
and the report was adopted
A recess until s o'clock tonight was then
taken.
The assembly resumed business at 8
O'Clock. Rev. DR. Brown offered a resolu-
tion to be spread upon the minutes
in place of the action taken to-day on
temperance, directing that the committee
| to be appointed shall carefully consider
| and report to the next General Assembly
the best means to put a stop to the use of
| Intoxicating liquors, which is such grow
ing evil. Tho resolution was adopted.
THE SYNOD OF GEORGIA AND FLORIDA
An overture from the Synod of Georgia
and Florida, asking that the whole of the
| territory of Florida be included in that
| synod, was granted.
| Rev. DR.. King, of the Judicial Commit
tee, presented a report in relation to the
case of Rev. James Woodrow, d. D., and
recommended that the complainant be
| heard, as he was prevented by the provi-
dence of God, from prosecuting his com
plant against the synod of Georgia.
A minority report was offered as a sub
stitute for the majority report, declaring
that the complaint of DR.. Woodrow
was barred because he failed to
| present his complaint within the
time required by the law of the church.
Rev. NJ. w. Haling, of Cheraw, opposed
the minority report, declaring that only
technical objections had been advanced in
| it, while it was fact that DIR. Woodrow
was prevented, by the providence of God,
from prosecuting his complaint within a
reasonable time.
DIR. HILLS OPPOSITION
Rev. Dr. Hill opposed the minority re-
port, because all its technicalities were
aimed against the constitution of the church.
1t was not DR.. Woodrow personally, but
the church, and every member of the assem-
bly, who might be affected if the minority
report should be adopted
Rev. DR.. Brown said that to adopt the
minority report might work injustice 1t
could do no harm to hear the complaint,
while it might do injury not to hear it. He
would brush the technicalities aside to do
| justice.
The substitute was rejected and the
majority report was adopted.
| The complaint of DR.. Woodrow was made
the special order for the first hour of the
session on Monday next.
The session then adjourned until Monday.
| VAIN NAnDt1nrp