Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-19

like committee from the Northern As-
sembly. The last mentioned overture was
referred TO a special committee Oh one
member from each SYNOD. Inere was
also presented an overture iroin tne F'er
bytery OF Augusta concerning the case
of Rev lanes woodrow, who. by letter.
was transferred from the Augusta TO the
Charleston Presbytery. The charleston
presbytery rejected him The question is
a constitutional one. as TO whether ne Is
entitled 10 the privilege OF membership
in the Augusta Presbytery until he has
formally returned his letter.
The assembly knocked out memorial
or the National Christian League Tor the
promotion OF social purity anent w. e.
- Rreckinridge almost before II had
gotten before the body. II came under
the head of overtures from other bodies.
and prayer that the assembly should re-
cognize In Breckinridge an enemy or
the Church, the home, the state ana
society at large. on motion OF Rev. &.
T. KYLE. the memorial was tabled i'm
mediately. Its purport was uhuerstood
without its being read through.
Among the fifty overtures was one from
the Memphis Preshytery asking that the
invalid-fund be made larger; from Lexing-
ton Presbytery. TO declare unconsiitu-
tional the action Of the last assembly
providing for ordination Of American min
isters in foreign fields by other than
Presbyterian bodies.
Northern Prcsbyferians.
SARATOGA, y. Y, May ls.-The OPEN
ing devotional service Of the Presbyterian
General Assembly was led by Elder Will
liam X. Worrall. OF New York. As usual,
on the morning after the election of a
new moderator, the main interest was
felt I'm the committees to be appointed to
attend 10 the details Of the assembly's S
work The chairmanship OF the COM
mitiee on bills and overtures goes by
custom to the retiring moderator. DR..
willis G.. Craig. The committee second
In order Is that on judicial business, and
the leading unsuccessful candidate for
the modoratOrship Is always named for
this post. II came as surprise that
Dr. Arthur J. Brown was passed by. and
Or Gardner named for this important
and difficult post. Or. Marquis, Of Chi
cago. was placed Ia charge or the com
mittee on Church Policy. Or. Holmes,
OF Pittsburg. presidcs over the interest
Of education, and Dr. Fox. Of Brooklyn.
will present the subject of ministerial
relief. Elder Franklin L. Sheppard will
have again, for the third time, charge
of mileage. and Elder James Yereance.
Of New York. OF finance. Other chair
men and committees are to be named
later, according to new rule Of the
body.
Dr Joseph T. Smith read the report
OF the special committee on Church unity.
This is the committee which has bee
conducting negotiations with the Episco-
paIian Church and other denominations
looking to reciprocity arrangement be-
tween all churches Last year the House
Of bishops sent to a committee headed by
bishop Cleveland Coke. OF Western New
York. a proposed amendment 10 the canon
law Of the Episcopaiian Church. whereby
all Presbyterian ministers could be- recog-
niZed by the Episcopal bishops as stand
ing on the same basis Of apostolic sue
cession with themselves. Nothing has
been heard of this proposal since, and Or.
Smiths committee confined its recon-
mendations to a confederation Of all the
churches in the United States having a
PRESBYTERIAN form Of government. These
include the United Presbyterian Church.
the Dutch Reformed Church. and others,
eight in ali. The committee recommended
"A large ecclesiastical assembly made up
OF representatives Of all these churches.
and exercising advisory powers over the
field. but not interfering with the organic
integrity Of each.
Dr. Samuel j. Nichols. of st. Louis,
read a dissent from the proposed ccclesi-
astical assembly or council. Dr. Charles
l.. Thompson. of New York, spoke I'm sup
port Of the federation plan proposed.