Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-20
THE PRESBYTERIANS
General Assembly to Meet Tomor-
row at Saratoga.
MAY BRING UP PROF. SMITHS CASE
Attitude of the New York Pres
bytery to Be Considered.
UNION SEMINARY'S RIGHTS

NEW YORK, May 2O.-The one hundred
and eighth general assembly Of the Pres
byterian Church Of the United States Of
America will begin it's session at Saratoga
at IL O'clock tomorrow.
The retiring moderator, the Rev. Robert
Russell Booth. DID,, Of New York, will
preach the opening sermon. The scheduled
business of the assembly is the ,onSidera-
ton an. furtherance of the benevolent and
missionary work of the denomination. For
this purpose certain days and hours are
set apart according to a fixed schedule.
The ministerial relief is to be considered
on the morning Of Saturday, the third day
of the session, the freedman's board and
education on Monday. home missions and
aid for colleges on Tuesday, foreign mis-
sions and publication and Sabbath school
work on Wednesday, church election and
bencvolence on Thursday ard temperance
on Friday. On the evening of these days
special popular meetings will be held. at
which the same interests will be consider
Ell in longer and more formal addresses.
1nterS-erS among these regular orders
is the consideration of other matters which
have great interest to many VINO are out
side as well as inside the church. Promi-
nent among these this year is a report 10
be submitted by committee of eleven, DR..
David X. Breed of Pittsburg, chairman, to
which was committed the consideration of
the whole subject of young peoples So
cletles and their relations to the church"
Prof. smiths Case.
An attempt has been made TO agitate for
the restoration of Professor Henry Pre-
served Smith, DID,, formerly of Lane The
illogical Seminary, who was suspended
from the ministry two years ago on ac-
count of heretical teaching. 1t is reported
that the conservatives have threatened to
compiste the process in his case by Gepo-
sition unless stop is put to this move
ment, and it is said that Professor Smith
would prefer such action rather than re-
main longer under suspension
In connection with Lane Seminary at
Cincinnati there will come before the as
sembly for acqTiescence or veto the re-
cent appointment of the Rev. Henry Good
win Smith of Freehold, N. j., to its chair
of systematic theology. Mr. Smith is re-
garded as hereditary theciogian his
grandfather having been DIR. VIM Allen,
president of Bowdoin College in the old
days, and his father the famous professor
of theology in Union Seminary in New
York twenty-five years ago.
New York Presbytcry's Attitude.
Another burning question has regard to
the answer of the New York presbytcry
to the action of the last assembly enjoin-
ing it from receiving under its care, with
view to licensure, students from Union
Seminary. The presbytery adopted a reso-
luton, drawn by DR.. John Hall. declaring
that the previous practice of the presby-
terry had been to receive all applicants who
could answer the requirements laid down
in the constitution of the church. and an
nouncing its determination to proceed IN
future according to the same plan.
There is no probability that the assembly
Will recede from its position and it remains
to be seen how it will regard this action of
the New York presbytery. Meantime other
presbyter!es have been receiving and
licensing union students as though there
had never been an injunction placed upon
New York presbytery.
Another report that will be awaited with
interest is one dealing with the relations
of the assembly to the theological semi
naries- 1t is claimed that no attempt has
been made to interfere with the autonomy
of these Institutions, but nevertheless, th,v
nave been shy of entering into any closer
relations with the assembly or of giving
the assembly power through a commission
to enforce any supposed rights in any court
OF law. Some of them have fatty refused
to consider the matter any further, and
others are still uncertain. But the move
ment pl omises to end in failure, except in
the cases of few minor seminar;es The
report will be heard with interest and The
attempt to persuade the reluctant semnar
boards of directors will probably continue
another year.
Union Seminary Rights
Last year lawyer addressed the assem-
bly, on the subject of Union Seminary and
said that when 1t terminated its relations
with the assembly it "stole" its endoy
ments away from the Presbyterian Church.
He was instrumental in having adopted the
following resolution, and was promptly
placed on the committee having the mai
ter in charge:
Resolved, That the committee of con-
ference with the theological seHiinaries be
requested to inquire into and report to the
neXt general assembly as to the rights of
the Presbyterian Church in the United
States of America in the property now held
by the Union Theological Seminary of the
city of New York, and to recommend what
measures should be taken to enforce said
rights"
The report Of this committee is also held
secret, and its contents have not yet leaked
out, but 1t is reported on good authority
that the committee has not been idle in its
investigation.
Many otter matters of interest will fully
occupy the ten or twelve days of the as
sembly,s session, though in the absence of
such causes as those of Drs. Briggs and
Smith the body ought to be able to adj
journ even before the usual time-noon of
the second Tuesday.
Next Moderator.
Talk as to the next moderator is already
rife. but most of the electioneering and
caucusing will be done, as usual, on the
train that brings the large delegations
from the west. The home missionary in
terest seems likely to center upon DR..
Thomas L. Sexton of Seward, Neb, the
well-known synodical missionary of the
state of Nebraska. 1t will not be the first
time that the home missionaries have die
tated a moderator for the assembly. The
straightout conservative party seems to be
divided, but the majority of that vote
would probably go to DR.. David R. Breed
of Pittsburg, rather than to DR.. Frank c.
Montford or cincinnati. DR.. John L.
Withrow Of Chicago is also mentioned.
THE CARLISLE SPEECH.