The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-21
CONTROL OF THE SEMINARIEs.
THE REPORT OF THE VISITING
COMMITTEE ADOPTED.

and Spirited, But no Modification
Made in the Report-The briggs
Men BADLY Beaten on Every Point.
Three Members of the Home Mis-
sions Heard to BE Turned Down
TO-day-UniOn Seminary Under the
Ran.
Pittsburg, Pa. May 2o-Seminary con-
troll carried the day to-day in the Pres
byterian general assembly. The report
of the visiting committee. which has been
charged with negotiations which the score
or less OF Preshyterlans divinity schools
Of the United States looking to changes In.
their fundamental laws such as would
bring their endowments and their facul-
ties under direct supervision OF the Pres
byterian church. was adopted by a vote
of iS2 to 9S without modification after
a prolonged and spirited debate that
equalled in power and burning interest
any ever held In a general assembly. The
report carries with it recommendation
that the seminary charters be changed
50 as TO give the church as represented
by the general assembly the standing OF
quasi-corporation having the power 10
appear In the courts of the states and 10
maintain proceedings to enforce the con-
troll over the teaching and funds of tho
institutions. BY this action of the gem
eral assembly the Presbyterian chruch
demonstrates its intention and its power
to claim its own and to care for its own
whether it be ina the theological seminary
or in the mission boards
This is the beginning only. Tomorrow
ana the day after and so on through this
Nyl Of
ecclesiastical interferences I'm the plans
Of private corporations and of friendly
eoterte IN the boards of the church
The home missions committee makes its
report at 10 O'Clock tomorrow. Tires
men whose terms expire as directors OF
the home board win be boldly turned down
by vote OF the assembly unless the COM
mittee takes warning and scratches their
names from the report before II reaches
the assembly. The men are obnoxious be-
cause they are Briggs men. There ars
others like them on the foreign board
and when their time comes of they will
go too. Some OF the men whose names are
TO be scratched are bankers. who have
been advancing money for many years to
the bankrupt boards. That makes no diff
ference to this assembly. The western
men say; II there are no bankers In
New York but Briggs men, send the mis-
sionary accounts TO us In the west. There
are banks In Chicago and Cincinnati that
are not run on doctrinal lines"
The outgoing directors of the home
board TO whom objection Is made are:
Thomas $. Hastings, d. d., president of
the faculty of Union Theological Semi
nary; John Crosby Brown, president OF
the directorate OF Union Theological sem
mary; Charles l.. Thompson. D. D., and
Davis b. lvisOn. These are all Briggs
men. Mr.. Ivison has declined to serve,
and In his stead the name of ". b. Cor
htFa NIL TN.l
mentioned. The others are named by the
secretaries according to custom as suita-
bic candidates, worthy of reelection by
the seminary
on Saturday evening the home mission
committee of the assembly held con-
ference with the secretaries Of the home
board and agreed to recommend the cam
didates named to the general assembly
when II should make It's report. The re-
port Is due tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock. But as soon as it became known
to the New York delegation that such was
the Intention efforts were made to work
a change in the report. Then II was that
the Gilman letter was sprung DR.. Has
tings and Elder Brown were the objects
Of attack, at first the ground of attack
being that these men were adherents of
Union Seminary, an institution in rebel
lion against the general assembly, and
their names could not DC expected to
or trust. But now Mr.. Thompson is in
cludod in the attack 1t is shown that
he is leader in the Presbyterian League,
a combination OF dsloyal and rebellioua
Presbyterians. The leaders of the assem-
bly, are determined that these men shall
not be chosen by this assembly to sit for
another term in the home missions board.
The following fraternal letter was sent
to the general assembly of the Presbyte-
rian church in the United States In ses-
sion at Dallas, Tex:
Dear brethren in the Lord Jesus Christi
The general assembly of the Presbyterian
sburoh in the United States of America
now holding It's quarter-centennial session
IS a reunited church In the city of Pitts
burg, Pa, recalls with cordial pleasure
md hearty appreciation your fraternaI let
.er addressed to this assembly in the year
1856, at the quarter centennial session OF
Eour body. With responsive appreciation
We extend to you our most cordial fra
ernal greetings We are brethren
having one ancestry and one faith.
We have ever rejoiced in your progress
md prosperity in the blessed service of
)ur Lord and Master Jesus Christ and
pray that His blessings NAV
,rown your labors in eyer increasing meas
ire.
We would stir up your pure minds by
way of remembrance touching the atti-
ude which we have steadily maintained
OF years toward lndL organic Reunion
which would make us one in fact as well as
n faith. While we do not purpose to press
his thought unduly upon your minds anu
learts, we do desire again to assure YOU
# our readiness to reciprocate any ad-
'ances which you may be led to make in
his direction, under the guidance of the
pirit of Christ, who prayed that we
night be one
We rejoice in that great opportunity
which God has given you to spread the
lessing of the gospel Of His son among
he freedmen Of the south; and we shall
lady cooperate in all feasible ways to
dvance the evangelization of these people.
May the Lord bless you and keep You.
lay the Lord make Hise face to shine
pom you, and be gracious unto you Nav
he Lord lift up His countenance upon you
nd give you peace.
In behalf of the assembly.
r. r. Booth Moderator.
w. II. Roberts, Stated Clerk,