The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-18

one of the votes in his favor being that
Of DR.. Withrow.
This action of the Preshytery has re-
suited in a complaint and a protest
which may find for the case n place on
the calendar oi the general assembly.
Since the action at Chicago, DR.. With
rows vote has been the subject OF eX-
planation and an apology in the public
press. II was actuated with Il desire to
avoid contention" are his words. Il
recognized his lack OF technical train
ing, but his wish to be with us offset th
ing, but his wish to be with US offset the
errors | believed he would outgrow. |
thought it would do less harm to re-
ceive him than To create a contention In
the Presbytery over his reception"
Ii is this action and this explanation
of his action that Is the basis OF op-
position to Withrow ON the part Of the
leading conservatives. He would b. a
man pliahie in the hands of the crafty
liberals is the comment of Il c0nser-
vatiVe.
Dir MOETFORT'S CAUSE.
ur Frank {. Montfort. editor of the
Herald and Prcsbytcr, win stand as the
candidate of the western conserve
tiNCs. There is not the shadow of a
doubt ~ to what Or. M0ntfort would
do. were b. in the moderatOrS chair.
lie is a conservative of the conserva-
tiVcS. His name is enough to settle
the faintest suggestion of doubt on that
score. Personally, as editor of the
Herald and Presbyter his influence has
been constant and unceaSing Cn the
side of the old order of theological
belief and biblical study. He has been
through the thick of the fight 1T Gin
cnnati in the Smith case The New
York conservatives would he satisfied
to rest their trouble with Dr. Briggs
ana Union seminary in his hands, but
there is another conservative above the
horizon. Dr David X. Breed, of the
First church, Pittsburg. He stood as
a furlOrn hope of the conservatives of
two years ago and the almost solid
liberal delegation from Chicago in the
desperate fight on the theological SEM
mary Qucstiunat Saratoga.
DR.. Freed moreover, is a man of great
strength Of character ana fine persona!
appearance, afable, agreeable, and
popular. Being a pastor and not an
editor. would give him advantage of DR..
Montfurt in such a contest, for the min
listers of the Presbyterian church are
not fond OF their editors. One factor
in the contest is the strength of the
western home missionaries who come
in force 20 the assemblies. The candi-
dates fer moderator chosen by the lib
! eral side have been men of strong mis-
| siunary spirit, and this vote has been
cast usually on their side. With two
such men as DR.. Montfort and DR.. Breed
/ to divide the conservatives there is
much ground for the hupeful view of
| DR.. Withrows' chances indulged in by
| the liberals.
FINANCIAL QUESTION.
/ Equally important with the selection
/ of Il moderator will be consideration of
/ the low financial status of the great
! benevolent boards of the church. The
| home and foreign mission boards are
| practically bankrupt, and such has been
| their condition for two years. They
came before the assembly last year with
| the enormous debt of half million
| dollars. TO raise this sum the boards
! had to hypOtheCate every scrap of stocks
and bonds in their possession, the ac-
| cumulations from legacies of many
| years. Beyond this, their real estate
| possessions on Fifth avenue were
| weighted with heavy mortgages exc
| cuted to raise money to build the great
| Presbyterian palace on that thorough
| fare. \ grand committee was appoint
| ed to raise Il million dollar memoria
| fund for the benefit of the boards. This
| committee has been at work the past
! year and the result of it's labors will bC
! known. In all probability the boards
| bcdts are swollen fifty per cent Will,
the million dollar effort will be seer
/" have been Il failure. The theological
seminary control project also comes VI
again having been re-submtted to, tn,
seminary boards for/ further action
Such action has been taken and tn,
committee will assemble tomorrow il
| Saratoga, to digest and prepare n re-
] DOrl.