Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-18
OMAHA ANDDUBUgUE AGREED
Only Two Schools Accept the Proposals
Made by the General Assembly,
OTHER SsMlNARlES DO NOT WANT CHANGE
Lengthy Report Presented to tho General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
and tho appointment of Another
Committee Advised.

P1TTSBURG, May 17.-The PRESBYTERIAN
general assembly surpassed itself this yeSr
in bringing important business quickly to the
front. 1t is unusual for a matter OF such
widespread interest as the control OF the
denominatonal seminaries to come to the
fore within twenty-four hours OF the delivery
Of the opening sermons The questions at
issue have not yet been decided. but the dis
cussion has begun, and it is to be continued
tomorrow without interruption until the end
is reached. The report was read this morning
and an Interval Of three or four hours given
for its perusal and digestion. In the after
noon an hour and half was given to debate.
Three speakers took part in 1t and at the
close an attempt was made to set aside a
time for the decisive vote, but It was not
adopted. Its effect would have been to limit
the time of each speaker to ten minutes.
Tomorrow the debate will wax hot and the
fur will fly. The opening speech will be
made by Hon. E. E. White Of Columbus, o.,
the newly elected president of the directory
Of Lane seminary at Cincinnati, which re-
jected the attempts of the general assembly
to gain control Of its funds for the purposes
of the church.
DR.. w. l.. Mowan Of Pittsburg, for the COM
mittee on arrangements, delivered an address
Of welcome, in which he spoke Of the synod
OF Pennsylvania being the largest in the
church and alluded to the fact that 1t has
more members, sends out more missionaries
and contributes more money for their support
than any other Presbyterian synod. He then
presented the moderator with the gavel made
from wood from the holy land.
Moderator Booth then responded respecting
the gavel with a pleasing address. The rest
OF the session was then taken up and the
standing committees were announced as far
as they have been made up. When the report
OF the committee on seminary control, ap-
pointed by the general assembly Of 1894, was
announced every commissioner was in his saat
and there was great interest manifested, as no
one was given an idea beforehand as to the
nature OF the report. The report was read by
the stated clerk.
REPORT ON SEMINARY CONTROL.
The committee was constituted as follows:
Ministers; M, RS, William G, Young, d, p; Sam
D. B.; Aiexander q. wilson 5.' D. D.; william VILLAIN
John B35ts5 pE6S B B b GegFge & Fssion % s@ks ss5
MoPougaii sSmHel A, Bonner, IsJe John Jones J. Me
Charles Geddes and John Heebner. t'u1iis During
the year Judge David Wills of Gettysburg
Pa, died. The committee held two meetings,
one at Plttsburg. Pa, May IA and i5,
1895. BY subcommittees it has held confer
with the Princeton boards; two with the Nc
G1s TqSwRs; ssn R36nrT:o Ag6Srn Western, Lane Dan
universities. Immediately after-the meeting
Of the committee at Saratoga, 1t addressed
a letter, through Its chairman. to each OF
its seminaries, and the answers received
are appended to this report,
At the said conferences the committee
in expressing the meaning and effect of the
recommendations, said that "A" (Which is
as as follows; & That all Of their funds and
tions of existing or specified trusts shall
be declared to be held by them in trust for
Of America, for the purposes of theological
education, according to the standards of
said church. and that no part of the funds
tion in thu, doctrines set forth, in the Stand
United States OF America), involved no
change OF title, trust, ownership, manage
ment or disposition of the property held by
title, ownership or power on the general as
sembly directly or indirectly. or to its
management or interference in any way d.
rectiy or indirectly, with any of the said
s he ss on mat IT f%Py nr S
and property We're held by the respective
civil CORE spondents holding the same, and
corporations We're held by by them aneGtrd and them
than for theological education according to
the standards Of the Presbyterian church
In the United States of America
T@l-Et loIN of OFFICIALS.
AS to ''B (Which is as follows: That the
election of trustees, directors. or commis-
sioners, or whatever the bodies governing
shall be subject to the approval of the next
election shall take effect until approved by
the general assembly; failure of the general
assembly to which said elections are re-
ported for approval to act thereon shall be
committee stated that substantially the
powers here sought to be conferred on the
gn general assembly are now possessed by i
the adoption of "B" simply made plain by
charter provision and effective by charter
power the right Of the general assembly to
protect what she thus possesses.
AS TO &c" (Which is as follows: That the
election, appointment or transfer of all pro-
fessors and teachers in all seminaries shall
be submitted to the succeeding general as
semby for its approval, and that no such
effect, nor shall any professor or teacher be
inducted into Office. until his election, ap-
polntment or transfer shall have been APP
proved by the said general assembly; fall
ure, OF the, general assembly, to which the
said elections, appointments or transfers
are reported for approval, to act thereon,
shall be regarded as approval thereof, and
that all OF said professors and teachers shall
standing of the Presbyterian church in the
United States), the committee stated that
this was in substance and in effect what. is
formed that two questions as to the legality
Of the agreement OF 1870 had been raised
make the agreement, and the other as to
the powers Of the general assembly, which
is not a legal entity to make any such
agreement.
RELATING TO HERESY.
AS to I'D" (Which is as follows: That in
event OF violation Of any of the terms OF
said amendments, or the misuse or diversion
OF the funds or property held by them, then
the general assembly shall be empowered
to provide against such violation OF the
provisions of said charters and for the en-
forcement of the same, and for the protec-
tion OF the trusts In which said property
and funds are held, In such manner, and
in the name OF such person or corporation
as II may direct by resolution, certified by
It's clerk, in any civil court having jurlsdc-
tion over the corporations where charters
are SO amended), your committee stated
that this conveys no title In the property,
and vests no trust In the general assembly;
that II does not empower the assembly d.
rectly or indirectly to interfere with the
title to or management use and disposition
OF the funds and property of the respective
seminaries. In the case OF heretlcal teach-
Ing on the part Of any professor no valid
action could be taken by the general assem-
bly, until that teaching had been adJudged
our church; and In case OF the violation
OF charter, no sufficient remedy exists In
the independent action Of the civil author
ity, which hns the ritht to Interfere, but
which cannot be compelled to do so.
OMAHA AND DUBUQUE ACCEPTED.
In view OF the answer OF the seminaries an