The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-17

To-day.
PlTTsEuEGn, May l6.--At II o'clock
this morning tho one hundred aud
seventh general assembly Of the Presby.
terian church opened in the Third
church in this city. There were nearly
600 commissioners present when the
opening hour arrived, and it was
noticeable fact that this assembly Ia
composed almoas entirely OF young and
unknown mon.
The preliminary services wero begun
by prayer by DR.. Robert n. Adams. OF
Minneapolis. This was followed by
Scripture reading by DR.. William N.
Page, Of Leavenworth, Kas. After
music, DR.. George Norcross, Of Carlisle,
Pa, read a passage from tho Scripturcu,
followed by prayer by DR.. W. II.
Roberts, the stated clerk. The retiring
moderator. DR.. Samuel A. Mutchmore,
then delivered his sermon.
Commissioners from the west arc
raising an issue OF exciting importance.
Ihoy say that the trouble is the home
and foreign boards arc "honuycombed
with Briggsism" aud therefore the peo-
plo will not contribute. Some arc in
war paint and are even cunning for
secretaries and may demand recon.
struction OF tho boards. Should such
an issue be reached tho seminary con-
troll question will be put in the back
ground. The subject may come in con-
nectlon with the reports ol the standing
committees on tho homo and foreign
boards.
FIRST BUSINESS SESSION.
The first business session OF tho Pres
byterian General Assembly opened at
3 o'clock this afternoon with tho COM
mit.ee on commissioners report OF the
roll. Following this was the call for
nominations for moderator. Gen. Jamos
A. Beaver, ex-governor OF Penhsyl-
vauia, took the floor 10 nominate DR.,
Robert Russell Booth. OF New York.
He referred eloquently to tho historical
interest that attached to the Third
church and the part in the cementing OF
the church that DR.. Booth had taken
twenty-five Years ago. He said:
"We want man for moderator who
believes that tho scriptures teach what
man should believe. We want man
VINO believes in the government OF tho
Presbyterian church. and believes that
it should govern"
He then named Or. Booth for the
office. aud the nomination was greeted
with cheers.
Rev. Andrew 9. Zcnos, D. D., OF Chi
cago, seconded the nomination on be.
half OF the western contingent.
The western commissioners were de-
termined not to lie, the Office OF moder.
ator 80 without fight, aud DR.. Samuel
S. Cryor. OF Albert Lea. Minn., nomi-
mated General Robert n. Adams, of
Minneapolis. He referred TO General
Adams brilliant military record Gad to
his thirty years work in the church as
4 home missionary. dc was followed
by DR.. Clarence B. Backus, OF Kansas
City, who placed in nomination DR..
William n. Page, OF Leavenworth,
Kansas.
DIR. DooTlt ELECTED.
Dr. Backus entered plea for the
west in choosing OF moderator and
based his claim on this ground. Dr..
George c. Pollock, OF Litchfeld, Mimi,
aud Hon. E. L. White. Ii. D., OF
Columbus. O.. spoke in behalf OF DR..
Page and DR.. J. J. Lampe, OF New York,
pressed the claims OF Dr. Booth.
Nominations were then closed aud
1saac D. Fry, Of Cincinnati, aud H. T.
Nash, OF ST. Louis, were appointed
,ellers. The first ballot resulted as fol-
lows: Booth, 800; Page, l65; Adams,
S3: total 54S. IN
On motion tho election OF DR.. Booth
was mado unanimous and the new
moderator was called to the platform
and made pleasing address.
DR.. W. l. McEwan presented the
new moderator with n handsome gavel,
made from olive wood in Jerusalem.
and sent 10 the assembly bv Rev. Edwin
5. Wallace, Presbyterian minister
and United States consul ut Jerusalem.
Tho following assistant clerks were
thon appointed, after which the assem-
bly, adjourned until tomorrow:
Rev. William GreenouCh, OF Philadcl-
phia; Rev. John A. Ewalt, OF Colum-
bus; Rev. W. T. Craig, OF Los Angeles;
Rev. Charles l. Deacon, Of Cedar Rap
ids. Mich.
The firs. order of the day tomorrow
will be the presentation Of the report OF
tho assembly committee on conference
with theological seminaries. This ia
one OF tho most important questions to
come before tho assembly and tho re.
port is awaited with interest, The re-.
port OF the committee on Sabbath OBJ
scryancc will also DO presented ,o.mor-
row.
This evening tho Lords Supper was
celebrated ut the Third church.