The Portland daily press., 1896-05-27
PRESBYTERIAN LEGISLATION.
Session of the General Assembly
Yesterday.

Saratoga, N. Y, May 26.-The Presby.
terian General Assembly opened this
morning with the report of Chairman
Booth of the committee on bills and over
lures. The most important bill before
the committee is the one in regard to the
Now York Prestytery, which disnbeyed
an order of last years assembly, in re-
celving students from the Union Thee
logical seminary. The committee deoid-
ed to refer the matter to the committee
on church polity.
DR.. John Davies, chairman OF this COM
mittee is from New York. His committee
refused to take up the bill. A similar
overture was received from the Long
Island Presbytery, protesting against the
assumption of power by the assembly and
declaring that the Presbytery would not
obey the order Of the General Assem- bly,
The Gerenal Assembly ordered that the
matter be referred to the judicial commit
tee. g. W. Birch stated that the clerk of
the New York Presbytery is the sec md
member of the judicial committee. Dis
cussion of the Hubbard propositions, re-
lating to mission houses have until
Thursday. A resolution was adopted re-
ferring tho whole matter to tho joint
committees of homo and foreign missions
anu liking Uno nOur IOT Inc discussion at
2. 80 p. NJ Thursday.
DIR. Mountford, chairman of the
judicial oomIr ittee, made a report assign
ing four cases to a special commission Tor
trial.
Rev. DR.. Kane of Indianapolis, chair
man of the home mission committee, read
his report Several speeches were made
ON the report. Many home missionaries
rose in the assem- bly,, during the debate
and lad tO hot w 70 ,,h
the board by controversies over its ad-
ministration. They declared that the
great burden of the harm resulting,
would fall upon them.
One Western preacher said that he was
supporting large family on 800 q year
and asked the assent bly, to direct the
secretaries to cut down their own salaries
and expenses. ~
His words were greeted with loud ap-
plause which continued more than
minute The recommendations were
adopted without division.
Chairman Kane's resolution proposed
radical changes in the distribution of the
funds Of the board. These were to the effect
that money for the home mission work
Were to be distributed according TO the
direction of tho Presbyte ries in whose
Jurisdiction the assisted churches were
located. Sums thus distribu ted were to
be determined by exchange of reports.
between the board and Presbyteries and
the apportionments recommended by
the Presbyteries were to be final, A
second resolution recommended was a
thorough scrutiny of the books and
methods Of the board of home missions.
1 A special committee to report to the
next assembly was recommended, consist
ing of three ministers and six elders to
confer with the board as to the methods
of administration, to examine the expen-
ditures, officers salaries and clerk hire.
examine books and accounts with the aid
of experts ascertain the cause of the
boards Indebtedness and recommend
measures to remove the debt and prevent
the recurrence of a deficit.
These recommendations were sub
mitted to the members of the hoard and
were heartily endorsed by them. The re-
election of the following trustees Of the
home board was recommended: Thomas
A. Nelson. p. D.. Of Brooklyn; James
Ludlow, D. D., of Orange. N. j.; John
l.. Spinning, D. D., of Orange, N, j.:
elders John Kennedy, of New York: n
f. Parsons Of New York; Henry q, Row
land, of New York, Charles e. Green of
Princeton.