Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-26
COMPLIANT 1B0UT CONGRESS-.
Presby terian Assembly Takes Exception to
sunday Sessions.

sunday Sessions.
PITTSBURG, May 25.-After the devotional
exercises of the general assembly led by
DR.. John c. Rankin of Baskng Ridge, N.
j., Moderator Booth announced the appoint
ment of Rev. r. L. McEwan, ID. D., pastor
of the Third church of Pittsburg, as chair
man Of the committee of twenty-five to have
charge of the matter Of collecting the ST.
900 900 fund.
The committee on bills and overtures re-
ported on a request for action upon COM
plant against congress because recently it
continued its sessions on Sunday The as
sembly advised the complainants to have
resort to petitions addressed to the congress
itself. Objection was made by Judge Wilson
OF Philadelphia to the statement of the
committee that no circumstance could ever
justify the congress in meeting on the Sab
bath, and the wording of the assembly's
delverance was changed to accord with this
objection
The report of the seminares' committee
was adopted without further debate and
without division. The committee on polity of
the church reported against a proposal for
manual for worship and service, action
having been requested by the presbytery of
Philadelphia.
Eighty-seven presbyteries had asked for
reduction of the assessment of the assembly
upon the churches from TO cents per
member, but the committee on bills and
overtures recommended mo answer" OBJ
lection was made to this answer, and it was
said the excess of assessment is necessary
and popular.
The answer of the committee was sent
back for the insertion of reasons upon motion
of DR.. w. ID. Sexton of Detroit, who said
that mo answer" was not respectful to the
eighty-seven presbyteries that had sent in
their petitions.
A scene of some confusion was caused by
the attempt OF John III. Dey, an elder from
the presbytery of Westchester, n. Y, to Sc
cure a reconsideration of the action by which
the boycott" of union seminaries was in
stituted. The church, he said, should be
| magnanimous in its action, and should have
regard to the unity of the church, avoiding
| the possibility Of the entrance of a wedge of
| division. The motion to reconsider was laid
on the table.
During the sessions of the assembly
| pamphlet has been circulated in which Dr.
Roberts of the Board of Home Missions
| stated that the receipts of the beard had
| fallen off 5000 during the month of March
! 1895, after the appearance of a pamphlet in
which the missionary boards were criticised
| for their action in purchasing a site in New
York and erecting building thereon at d
| cost of 81 .750 900,
Mr.. McDougall of Cincinnati, the author
| of the pamphlet, wrote a letter to Moderator
| Booth, in which he demanded that re-
| traction OF the statement be mdae by DR..
| Roberts. A portion Of the letter was read to
the assembly and the floor was given TO DR..
Roberts, who began to read paper protest.
| ing against the entry OF the letter of Mr..
| McDougall on the minutes of .he assembly,
| saying that its allegations were based on
| rumor and that they were carelessly drawn
and too sweeping in their implications, being
unwise and unsupported by facts
| motion was made TO table the matter,
but the moderator ruled there was nothing
to lay on the table, there being only ques-
tion OF privilege before the house. Before
this ruling there was chorus of questions,
| in the midst Of which Elder George e.
Steery Of New York mounted the steps Of
the platform. He attempted to speak, but
was unable to be heard on account OF the
! noise. The moderator inteTfered in his be-
half using his gavel and saying in loud
| voice:
"You shall hear Elder Steery."
When at last he was heard he said thai
! Mr.. McDougall had told him the connection
| Of his pamphlet with the falling off in con-
| tributions was false, since no copies went out
before the LIST OF April.
Just here Dr. Roberts stepped to the front
! of the platform, waving copy of the pamph-
let above his head, shouting This was in
my hand on the 25th OF March"
Another commissioner had stated that he
received a copy mailed from Cincinnati as
early the middle of March, If not caller
Governor Beaver now took a hand in the
fray, moving that there be no record OF
! either letter reply or discussion placed or
the minutes of the assembly. This action
was taken after some remarks from the
hoor and the assembly adjourned until Mon
day morning. The clerk informed the as
sembly that the prospects were that final ad-
journment will be reached on Monday be
tween and 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
In the afternoon the assembly went for 9
carriage ride in Schenley park at the iEYita
tion of the committee Of arrangements,