The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-05-21
BURNING TOPICS
fhe General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church of
America
Has Some Very Important Ques-
tiOnS to Consider and
dispose o..
Union Theological in Particular,
and other Seminal'ieS in
General.

NEW YORK May 2l The l0Sth gen.
erai assembly of the Presbyterian church
of the Unncd States of America is to
begin its sessions AZ Saratoga at IL
O'Clock IL the morning The retiring
moderator the Rev Robert Russell
Booth. d d. of New York will preach
the opening sermon The scheduled
business Of the assembly l. the consider.
alton and furtherance of the benevolent
and missionary work of the denomina-
ton For this purpose. certain days
and hoursare set apart according to a
fixed schedule. The ministerial relief
is considered on the morning of Satur-
day, the third day of the session, the
freedman board and education on
Monday, home missions and colleges on
Tuesday, foreign missions and publica-
tion and Sabbath school work on
Wednesday, church erection and benev-
olence on Thursday and temperance on
Friday. On the evenings of these
days, special popular meetings are held
at which the same interests are con-
sidered in longer and more formal ad-
dresses. Interspersed among these reg.
ular orders is the consideration of other
incidental matters which have great i'll
terest to MANY who are outside. as well
as inside the church.
Young Peoples Societies.
Prominent among these this year is a
report to be submitted by committee
Of eleven. DR.. David r. Breed of Pitts
burg, chairman, to which was COM
mitted the consideration of THE whole
subject of young peoples societies
and their relation to the church. "
All attempts to anticipate this report.
which is regarded with widespread in
terest. have been unavailing, and it will
probably be carefully concealed until it
is ready to be presented to the assembly
An attempt has been made to agitate
for the restoration of Professor Henry
Preserved Smith. D. D.. formerly of
Lane Theological Seminary, who was
suspended from the ministry two years
ago on account of heretical teachings.
1t is reported that the conservatives
in his case by deposition. unless stop
is put to this movement, and it is said
that Professor Smith would prefer such
action rather than to remain longer
under suspension.
Union Theological Seminary.
Another burning question has regard
to the answer of the New York presby-
terry to the action ef the last assembly,
enjoining it from receiving under its
care with view to licensure. the stu.
dents from Union seminary. The
presbytery adopted resolution drawn
by DR.. John Hall, declaring that the
previous practice Of the presbytery had
been to receive all applicants who
could answer the requirements
laid down in the constitution of
the church, and announcing it's deter
mination to proceed in future according
to the same plan. There is 10 probabil.
ity that the assembly will recede from
its position, and it remains to be seen
how near it will regard this action of
the New York Presbytery as insubor
dination or contempt. Meantime. other
Presbyteries have been receiving and
licensing Union students as though
there had never been an injunction
placed upon the New York Presbytery
Relation Of Assembly to Seminaries.
Another report that will be awaited
with interest is one dealing with the
relations of the assembly to the theolog-
ical seminaries. It is claimed tt.at NO
attempt has been made to interfere with
the autonomy Of these institutions. but.
nevertheless. they have been shy Of en-.
tering into any closer relations with the
assembly, or of giving the assembly