The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-29
The GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Professor Smith Declines to Send
Any Communication to
the Meeting.

SARATOGA, N. Y. May 3S.-The
Presbyterian general assembly entered
upon the beginning of the end of its
business today. Report of several
committees relating to routine matters
only were rushed through with little
debate On motion Of DIR Birch com
mlttee was appointed to answer the
Auburn protest in the matter of semi
nary control.
Several cases befor5 the judicial COM
mittee from remote Presbyteriss and of
local interest only, were disposed Of
DR.. Duffield, of New York, read
letter from Miss Rachel Lsnox Ken
nedy, of New York. relating to the ac-
tion of the assembly in approving the
now Presbyterian House The letter
stated that the sale Of the Lsnox mis-.
sion was, in her opinion. unjust and
unwise, but expressed the hope that
the cause of missions would not suffer
by reason of the agitation of the sub
jsct which the Lenox family had
caused.
DR.. McCook reported the result of
the conference held with Professor
Smith. He stated that the committee
had called upon Professor Smith at his
hotel in this village. To the committee
Professor Smith extended his cordial
appreciation of the kindly motive of
the assembly. but answered that he
was no. prepared to send any com.
munication to the assembly. He pre-
ferred to leave his case in the hands of
the church. The report was approved.
The committee on church eo-opera-
tion and comfy, of which Charles l.
Thompson, D D.. of New York, is
chairman. and which has been engaged
for ten years in efforts to establish n
corporation between denominations in
the conduct Of hom, missions, was or
dered discharged Uy the general assem-
bly,. This was done on the recommen-
dation of the committee on church
polity, to which the matter was re.
ferred. Hereafter the negotiations will
be carried on by the board of home
missions The report was adopted un-
animously.
The finance committees report Of the
accounts of Stated Clerk VIII Roberts
was approved. This shows balance
on hand OF $S4 OIL, from which the ex
penses Of the year must be met Last
year the disbursements were S4S, 266.
The total amount of principal In tne
hands of the assembly trustees 10 $546.-
154
The special committee on the duties
of the stated clerk recommended an in
crease Of his salary to $1,000 per an
mum. This salary is to begin on Sep
tember 80, 1894 Permanent quarters
for the stated clerk are to be arranged
for at Philadelphia
Stated Clerk Roberts is the professor
VINO was turned out of the Lane semi
nary on account Of his conservative
views on the Briggs case.
The assembly was plunged into a
fierce political debate over the follow
ing resolution from the report of the
committee on temperance:
mo political party has the right to
expect the support Of Christian men
which does not stand committed
against the license system
The Eastern commissioners moved to
strike this clause from the report.
They said this committed the church
to the Prohibition party.
The motion to strike IL out was laid
on the table and the report with this
clause was adopted.
A number of commissioners asked to
have their names put on record as in
dissent to the political portion Of the
report.