The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-22
VERY MUCH LIKE CONGRESS.
LIVELY DEBATE IN THE PRESBTTE-
RAN GENER.1B ASSEMBLY.

I,dependent In tho Aaasnbly-DeneIt in
tho collections for Foreign Missions.
SARATOGA May 21.-After a dull morning
session, devoted to dreary discussion OF the
decrease In contributions to foreign missions,
the afternoon session OF the General Assembly
became lively, even before 1t opened. While
the delegates we're taking their soats copies OF
the Tndeprldent containing detailed reports Of
tho Assembly proceedings. we're distributed
among them. As the papers we're being passed
around. tho Rev. DR.. Bliss OF Newark shouted:
Mr. Moderator, l wish to enter protest
against the circulation OF this paper, contain
tug matter foreign to the subjects under con-
alteration in the body OF this house. II It has
to be circulated lot It be done in the lobby"
Tho Assembly is not In session ret
brother" said the Moderator. sweetly. and
everybody laughed. while DR.. Bliss. who Is not
in the habit Of being too previous sat down
discounted.
This episode had hardly ended when some
thing which suggested revision came before
the Assembly and created momentary excite
mont. This was report OF the Committee on
Bills and overtures, which, In reply to over
lures from presbyteries with regard to new
and condensed creed" proposed the following
~ the answer OF tho Assembly:
All overtures new and condensed creed shall be
referred to committee OF nine who sh all invite the
10 prepare short creed containing the essential Of the
Westminster Confession, TO be used as the common
creed of those churchss-not AZ substitute for the
creed Of any particular denomination, bnt to supple
mentt for the common work of the church especially
in mission deids-and shall report the next Assembly
for its confederation
Amodon to accept the report was seconded,
and tho Assembly was about to vote on the
motion. as was presumed favorably. whom OBJ
lection was made. and In order to avoid the
discussion, which seemed imminent, the COM
promise OF putting the report on the docket
with tomorrow morning named for its con-
eideration. was resorted to.
No sooner had this exciting topic been thus
avoided than what was expected to be the still
moro exciting one OF the charges Of misman-
agement against tho Board OF Publication was
taken up. AS had been arranged. the Rev. DR..
Agnew, Chairman OF the Business Com
nittae OF tho Board. which has been
made responsible for tho alleged mis-
MANAGEMENT was now heard in behalf of
himself and colleagues. He spoke for an hour
and twenty minutes. He began with tho
declaration that mlsapprehensions had arisen
from the investigating committee misundor-
standing it's duties, the books Of the PublioA-
tion Board. and the requisites for carrying on
the work OF investigation. 1t had failed to con-
fer with the Business Committee. as directed
ny tuo abSSmDly. IL udu dlso Tolubeu 10 kN0
the Business Committee the data Of the facts
In its possession. on which it intended to for
mulate its report, After telling how this
special committee had waited until the last
moment MOI before making tts investiGatiop : 81, 50
conference. 1t had to hurry over It's examina-
ton OF the books. thus falling into errors. he
said:
that they never saw better bookmaking. a.
These sH otesHd s6a Show
70 be mona at all. Mr.. Black: the superin.
ssvS s e. tR hS S a hs
could do So was n excluded from tho so.ealled
rhes SqS
which win do tho Board Of Publication more
tFop3 than it can recover from in genera
Dr.. AEnex went on to ask why the persons
Publication had not been named, and be
fsnnsylsspis PspsasiPs q pf r. rspo a acc:
CONDUCT he said: A A, man might I've 70 ne
manage q business successfully ii the. General
Assembly, was q! the tim time interfering with
II tho gen ene sap"f Hsse% T n the Pu6los
ton Board had, bought a quantity, Of
cheap SSSks Of Thh 1T had TO %beD S1
overruled, he declared, the Publication Board
dealt only In well-bound books. much better
was one reason they sometimes cost more.
After exhibiting specimens Of the books q the
cation Board. and making odious comparisons
between them he said:
II won't name these publishers. ! am not
here to assall them. am here to defend the
Board Of Publication. which has been 80 vii
He declared that the Publication Board well
coined investigation, and concluded with the
rather mixed metaphor which apparently had
n hn piFT1n IN n q
mittee II the war goes on. the longest pole
will knock down the most persimmons."
'. The Mod orator now announced that both
sides having been heard the revolutions of
turning the Whole subject over to COMMITTEES
OF seven with power to act. was before the
rick 5ebnson saS Is aeS
Q faint Of corruption on this Board OF Publlca-
snt notions as, to its mode Of MANAGEMENT.
The report has been heard with sorrow, and 1t
In continuing the discussion: i is also evi.
TO sass 6s the sss To-
Fssoiutioa On tRc arouad nat tho business
pected from them. the only thing TO bo done
take the place OF the Assembly. and hear the
reports when they were made.
D0NoI ODJeCllOub dRbluoL luO
OF such q committee were made on various
grounds, but they were oyerruled by the Mod
orator. but before Mr.. Graham's resolution |
was. acted on, at the suggestion of DR.. |
Booth. which DIR. AGnsw reiterated, Thomas
Ksa1 St hissso was TssSr he
q anal plea. He said that whom appointed on |
the committee be, believed the Publication |
Board TO be properly conducted, and he went
20 Philadolphia to see that Justice WAS done It
He changed his mind as to it's arrangement
when no got there: he couldn't help It To
show the way the Board did business the
sneaker asked a practical book binder IN the
and sticking for which the Board paid 75 cents
per 1000.
thousand" was the answer
Mr.. Kane asked similar question OF another
dealer. but the Moderator objected. He next |
proceeded to show that there were never any
real bids for the work ostensibly offered for
competition by tho Publication Board. One |
man got the JOB every time not because his
delphia dealers. knowing he had a pull. Knew
there vas no use in bidding against him. All
cut down his profits and incur his enmlty.