The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-05-24
CHURCH ASSEMBLIES.
Northern Presbyterians at Saratoga and
the Southerners at Nashville.
THE NORTHERN PREsBYrERY.

THE NORTHERN PRESBYrERY.
SARATOGA, May 22.-The devotion
al services at the opening of the Pres
byterian general assembly was de-
voted to the subject of home missions
The committee ON bills and overtureI
presented partial report. An over,
| ture had been received from the pres.
bytery OF New Albany asking the
general assembly to memorable con.
gress to enact such regulations with
reference to the personal life of theil
members. The recommendation thai
| no action be taken upon the subject
was adopted by small vote. The
presbytery of Rochester had overtur-
cd the assembly saying that it "view.
ed with apprehension the attempt OF
the general assembly to make new
definitiOns of dogma by deliverance
and by judicial decision" and express.
ed the view that "no doctrinal state.
ment which is not explicitly contain
ed in the confession of faith and cate.
Chisms of the church is binding on our
office bearers"
In reply the following action was
taken: "The general assembly has
never undertaken to make new def
nitions of dogmas either by deliver
ance or judicial decision and we hope
that this detlnitisn of former assemb-
lies, repeated by this general assem-
bly,, will allay this apprehension of
our worthy brethren of this presby-
terry" , 3.s :ss.,s
In the brief time lett, therefore, for
the consideration of home missions,
DR.. Lowry, chairman of the commit
tee on confession and proof texts got
the floor, but he was unable to accom-
plish the adoption of his recOmmen-
datiOn on account of q difference of
opinion as to the best printed text of
the Engli Bible. The committee
either the best English edition or the
best edition OF the American Bible.
An impetuaus member wished to have
the American revision of 1881 IS
adopted, and the discussion which
followed caused the whole matter to
90 over as unfinished business. DR..
Brown of Portland, chairman of the
committee of the home missions, then
presented report on that subject.
The audience was large and
appreciative and the galleries full.
He spoke with emphasis and spirit,
paying special compliment to the
work of the women of the church,
Concluding he said that the church
must raise ST., 239 34l 40 during the
coming year in order to pay the pres
ent Indebtedness of the board and to
enable it to prosecute its work for the
u months. During the year 100000
has been received while a debt of
nearly $685. Is reported, due to a
falling off in legacies The woman's
missionary secretaries have cOntribut-
ed $268 900 Under commission from
the board are 1921 ministers and 66S
teachers.
The speech of the secretary repre-
sentipg the board, Lr. Mcmillan of
New York. Discussion by the mem
bers of the assembly continued most of
the remainder of the session. OppOsi-
ton to the projected new building for
the home and foreign mission boards
which is to be erected in New York at
a cost of nearly 500, 100000 was made
by Elder McDougall of Cincinnati.
The subject was specially considered
by the general assembly at 10 O'Clock
this morning.
The question of the theological
seminary control, so far as the general
assembly of the Presbyterian church is
is settled. BY a vote of
almost 4 to 1.-The report OF the majority
Of the committee that considered the
matter was adopted today. The re-
port provides for gaining the power
and right to approve the appoint
ments of professors and directors and
asks the directors of the seminaries to
declare trust in favor of the Presby-
terrain church, which the general as
sembly may enforce in the civil courts.
At the same time committee is pro.
vided which shall confer and advise
with the seminaries and seek to
gain their consent to the
plan. The report was
put through the assembly in spite OF
urg ent requests for delay and in the
face of protests of those who desired
that the constitutions affected might
be consulted. The ex.moderator, Dr.,
Craig, and the chairman of the COM
DR.. Young, were on the plat
form and Mr.. McDougall, the legal ad-
wiser OF the committee, was directly
in front of the moderator, watching
the progress of the debate very keenly
and INTERPRETING questions to the con-
fusion of sneakers on the other side
BY the Intervention of motion to ad-
iourn yesterday there had been no
time set for taking the vote, thus
leaving the time of the speakers I'M
limited. Not uutil late in the after.
noon was an hour set for this purpose
and then only after special sug-
estion from the platform. At one
point the moderator protested that his
was difficult post, with 20 of you
fellows calling at me at once" The
scenes of confusion were not equal to
those of yesterday but they were
marked. An episode during which he
was accused of foreshadowing the &C.
tion which he desired the assembly to
take was concluded by an explanation
that failed to explain.
The speaker said in closing that he
gave notice of a protest against the
action of the assembly. Several from
the floor called "Out of order; 10 action
has been taken" The moderator
remarked: "He'll be in order
presently" and explained after.
wards that the speaker would
have taken his seat and 80 would have