New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-19
INV rrrraRApH TO THE TRIBUNE,
COMMITTEES NAMED.


inc PRESBYTERIAN Church has been raised this
'sornoon by the report of the Committee on
aI',u,ool Summaries. appointed the result
,he Briggs controversy. Dr. W. Z. Young
o. u, o,rran. heads the majority in the COM
leo. and with him are associated Dr. Bartlett
Tosb,ngton; Dr. Baker. Of Philadelphia: DR..
,,.vnev. Of Baltimore; DR.. Dixon. OF Trenton; Dr.
,.,. If Newark: Dr. Mutchmore. the Modera-
-. ny Wilson. Of Iowa; and Elders Samuel A
W. and Thomas McDougall DR.. Blayney,
..rsver signs the report with dissent the
Ho"s -,,, renort is signed by w. C. Gray, Editor
:, orhe Inte.ior'; Dr. w. f. Moore, the perma-
VI VI, clerk Of the General Assembly, and three
',,.rs-John II. Osborne, James JOY and Henry
NJ Knox
rra majority report-the conservative view
...~,s with the assumption that the Presbyterian
rs,r.h desires a direct control over the theologi-
", Summaries. and that ii should extend over
~. nroperty and the teaching of the several in
.'.,.,ons The majority recognizes the fact that
,-hatsyer change is recommended in existing
..hods should meet the hearty approval and
.,mmand the hearty cooperation OF the semi
..r,ss affected by it. and that whatever obliga-
tins exist in regard TO the seminaries In being
:. tho time Of the reunion in 1870, and whatever
ancultiss local or otherwise. may be found in
netting the suggested changes In the government
- such seminaries the General Assembly should
-, he absolutely controlled in its action on this
ou.,mportant matter by reason thereof. And 1t
eynresses the hope that all the semnaries will.
ss soon as possible adopt a uniform plan. with
tho minimum Of effective control and the maxi
mum Of liberty to the various Summaries in the
management Of their affairs. Two fundamental
principles are set forth in the report in these
resoluons
Resolved That It IS the judgment Of this COM
mittee that the instruction given in the theologi-
cal semnaries Of the Presbyterian Church in the
limited States Of America should be under the
control and direction Of that Church.
Second. That all funds and property held for
the purpose Of theological instruction shall be
used only for theological education in the doc
trines set forth in the standards of the Presby-
terrain Church in the United States of America"
Resolutions embodying these principles were
recommended to-day in the twenty page PAM
phlet submitted by the majority. DR.. Young.
the chairman. asked Dr. w. H. Roberts. the
Stated Clerk, to read the report.
OPPOSING DIRECT ASSEMBLY CONTROL.
Then came the minority report, read by DR..
Moore In the latter the question of direct AS
sembly control was discussed at length. starting
with the Assembly minutes of 1928. The memo
rial calling for direct control was submitted TO
three Princeton professors Dr. Archibald Alex
ander Dr. Samuel Miller and DR.. Charles Hodge,
and they decided that 1t would be highly in
exped!ent to adopt the course proposed by the
memoralists" namely, entire uniformity in
the government and course of study in the theo-
logical schools Of our Church" The action OF the
General Assembly at the time OF the reunion was
also discussed the conclusion then being that
"a body so large as the General Assembly, and
composed Of men resident, most OF them, at so
great distance from the several seminaries Is not
so competent arrange Tor tneir interests and
usefulness as those having local and personal
interests in them"
The conclusion Of the minority to-day was that
the seminaries should fill their chairs with min
isters under control of and subject TO the dis
cipine OF the courts OF the church who will
submit to such control, and that, II there be
anything lacking in the charter of any seminary
by which its property might be ahenated from
advancing Presbyterian theological instruction.
such seminary should be advised 10 strengthen
the charter at that point so as to prevent fur
Their alienation.
The reports were made the special order for
tomorrow morning at 10 O'clock when II IS ex-
pected that the great debate Of the Assembly VIII
take place 1t is understood that. while the
present action IS brought about by the attitude
OF Union Seminary, in New-York, Princeton
Seminary at least, and perhaps others. will OBJ
ject 10 the proposed plan Of Assembly control
as formulated by the majority committee. Dr.
Young and Mr.. McDougall, among others. will
champion the cause Of the Assembly control,
and DR.. Moore will speak for the minority.
DISCUSSING CHURCH UNITY
Church unity in several phases came before the
Assembly to-day. and the long discussion Of the
forenoon ended in referring one branch OF the
subject to another committee and ordering
other part printed. to be discussed later on.
Dr. Charles L. Thompson, OF New York, made
report in behalf Of cooperation on home mission
fields between the Presbyterian Church North
and such other denominations as would join in
such plan. Already the Congregationalists
and the Southern Presbyterians have reached
plan which DIT. Thompson thinks highly credit
able 10 all concerned. and he hopes the time Will
soon come when many more will join in the COM
pact, which Is simply that fraternity and not
personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT, should be the motive
OF the workers on the frontier II the Presby-
terrain Church gets foOthold first, the other de-
nominations should stay away. II there are al
ready two or three churches and it is possible
to combine the congregations and provide for the
united church pastor from one OF the three,
this should be done. In word, fairness. and
not greed, should be the principle underlying the
work OF the church.
DR.. Thompson's report was attacked by West
ern men with a herceness which savored less OF
fairness than Of zeal. and that untempered with
sndllty Just before the close or the nOur the eN-
Moderator, In a speech Of tremendous power, won
back the Assembly but not sufficiently 10 prevent
a reference Of the report to the Committee on
Church Polity.
PROPOSED PLAN OF FEDERATION
Along the line Of the coming millennium DR..
Joseph 7. Smith. Of Baltimore. presented a plan
Of federation between eight churches holding the
Presbyterian system. which met recently in Phil
saephia. and which have sent to their respective
oodes form Of agreement providing for a fed
sIai council II is not proposed by this plan to
unite unite the several Presbyterian families into one.
uul rather to provide some working basis upon
s.hich they can all work together while holding
~ s Individual rights and powers In the
S'efnoOn. DR.. Smith spoke again; this time upon
-loh with the Protestant Episcopal Church. a
~Ie pathetic address has seldom been heard in
PUBIC assembly. Himself an ex-ModeratOr,
No .al venerable form itself benediction, i'm
~, yusd with loving. gentle spirit and fired with
49,, ambition 10 see the day dawn when all the
r rvaIo can say: Il believe ia the Holy Catholic
s1,s rch,-the patriarch pleaded with ns brethren