Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-19
THE NEW MODERATOR.

49,
THE NEW MODERATOR.
missioners. All the members of the assembly
had printed lists of the members, the same as
that from which the clerk read /, and they fol-
lowed the clerk in the r:adng Whenever a
page was turned there was a general rustling
Of paper throughout the house.
At the close of the reading Of the roll some
time was consumed in making additions to the
list OF names OF members who had Just handed
in their commissions
sPEECHMAKINa FAVORED.
The moderator then announced that the next
business in order was the nomination Of
moderator.
DIR. Harsha Of Chicago moved that the NOM
nations be made without any speschmaking.
DIR. Herrick johnson Of Chicago said he
| understood that at the last assembly such o rule
was adopted and members had to vote in the
dark many of them. to the fitness of the
| candidates. He believed that speeches briefly
indicating the qualifications Of the men named
| would serve to enlighten the body.
DR.. Harsha suggested that he made the
motion in the interest Of time, Us they had
much business before them.
DR.. Shepherd of Philadelphia opposed the
motion, saying that there nothing over
which they should consider more carefully
than the selection of moderator.
Dr.. Cunningham also opposed the motion.
and said that he had heard several commits
| sioners say they had been approached in the in
| terest OF one or two candidates and they de-
| sired information. He said they could not use
their time to better advantage than in learning
Of the qualifications Of candidates.
The motion was put and the moderator was
unable to decide it on viva voce vote. A
standing vote was called for. and there was no
doubt that the motion was lost, and it was so
declared.
REV. DIR. DIcKEY THE FIRST NOMINEE.
DIR. Herrick johnson then took the platform
and said he desired to nominate man noted
for his urbanity, Christian courtesy and abso-
lutte fairness, a man whom no partisanship
could blind to the duty before him, man Of
conservative views, and whose loyalty to the
standards OF the church was unchal-
lenged He believed they should have in the
moderator's chair man of conservative
views. They had had in the moderator's chair
In recent years men they had delighted to
honor In connection with the institutions of the
church. He believed that the time had come
for return to the pastorate. He believed that
in view Of the fact that in the questions to
| come before the assembly one of their beloved
institutions was involved. it was best to elect
moderator who would have to pass on such
matters-a man not connected with any insti-
tuition. He therefore placed in nomination
Rev. DR.. Charles A. Dickey of Philadelphia
Rev. DR.. Angler of Boston seconded the nom-
lnatlon il short speech.
DIR. BAKER NAMED.
Rev. DR.. Leftwich Of Baltimore next took
the platform. He said his candidate was not
| 80 obscure nor his merits unrecognized as to
require any speech from him. He referred to
Rev. George D. Baker. the pastor Of the old
First Church OF Philadelphia.
DR.. X. r. Booth Of New York, seconded DR..
Bakers nomination. He made longer speech
than DR.. LeftNich. He eulogized DR.. Baker as
unusually well qualified for the Office.
NOMINATED REV. W. @. CRAIG.
Mr.. Thomas McDougall Of Cincinnati, Law
CO mmissioner, then arose. The hour had come,
he said. Who was the man for the hour? When
was 1t. he asked, that a man upon being honored
by being called to the chair Of a seminary was
disqualified for the Office of moderator. They
wanted a cool, fair man, a loyal Presbyterian.
quick in his decisions, thorough In
his rulings. Who that man who had
proved his loyalty by much work as pastor
who was leading tbs future ministry of the
church in the direction by which this republic
was to be saved "a man who had no entangle-
ments with eastern institutions; man who was
in the forefront for ability and conservation.
He named as this man Rev. Willis G. Craig,
ID, of Chicago, member Of the synod Of
Iowa.
Rev. DIR. Harsha seconded the nomination
with an eloquent speech. He referred to the
fact that they had honored men in the east and
south. The great empire Of the north
west, however, had never been honored
by this body by the selection Of
a moderator. Those who knew DR.. Craig
| were aware that there was no man who would
make better moderator. He was an impair
| t'al man, and no man would suffer under his
| rulings. During his remarks DIR. Harsha said
| that man when elected as moderator
did not represent a seminary. but the church.
lie sketched rapidly the great work which had
been done in Chicago under DR.. Craig's direc-
/ of n1tt- oil II
was doing work, he said, that no pastor on
this continent doing today. Here was a
man. he said, who they thought was pre-emi-
nently fitted for the Office for which they named
| him.
REV. DR.. STEWART NAMED.
Few. Alexander Adair OF the walla Walla
presbytery, synod of Washington, next came
| forward to make nomination. He said he
| represented the great northwest and the man
| he wished to name was: First. home mission
worker; in the next place he combined
in himself the functions of pastor
was at the head of Young
and vigorous college. He was entirely disen-
tangled from all the matters to which reference
had been made in connection with eastern in
| stltu'ions. lie was man emiEently qualified
to stand side by side with the distinguished men
who have graced the chair of moderator He
placed in nomination Rev. DR.. Calvin W. Stew
art OF Washington, president Of Whitworth
| College.
Rev. W. H. Cornett of Spokane prcsbytery
seconded the nomination of DIR. Stewart, urg-
| ing his qualifications moderator
| Rev. Dr. S. j. Niccolls of st. Louis spoke.
seconding the nomination of DR.. Dickey.
| Rev. DIR. Roberts. the stated clerk, moved
| that the nominations be closed
Rev. Matthew Gaffncy of Lyons presbytery
said he did not want the nominations to close.
He made spirited speech. He said he had hoped
that they would spend the whole afternoon on
this matter. He said they had heard much
about what candidates were not and did not
know and he wanted to know if the amount of
knowledge a man had disqualified him. We're
they to have as moderator a man who was
qualified for service on a jury? Were men who
knew anything of matters coming before the
body and who had opinions to be disqualified?
DB. DIcKEY wIrHDRAws.
Rev. DR.. Dickey then came forward to the