Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-16

nent in Proceedings.
The pastors and elders who attended
the meeting of Washington Presbytery
at New Cumberland, returned home yes
terday morning excepting Rev. Dr.
Cunningham and Rev. Jos. Speers. Rev.
Mr.. Speers went to PittsDurg at the ad-
iournment of Presbytery, and Rev. Or.
Cunningham is in Chicago.
The proceedings of the Presbytery
were very interesting and in some re-
spects notable. The first session con
yened on Tuesday afternoon at ~ 81
o'clock. Rev. Harry Nesbitt, the retir-
ing moderator delivered an eXcellenC
sermon. Rev. c. G. Williams, OF cross
Greek Pa. was elected moderator
and presided at the various sessions
Rev. Percy Garden, OF BurgettstoWh'
was elected writing clerk, ana Elder
James Paul, of Welsburg, reading CLERK
Six students Of the Western IheoIos-
zeal Seminary, at Allegheny, were eA-
amined as candidates for the ministry:
Each candidate preached sermon anu
were granted q license to preach.
The most interesting feature of the
session was over a report Of the COM
mittee on home mission and SabDath
school work, which was presented ny
Rev. Joseph Speers, Of Wheeling, ana
Rev. James SnOwden, OF washington
Pa. At the present time the home mis-
sion field is covered by both the home
and Sabbath school boards. The COM
rnittee recommended that an overture
no made to the General Assembly to be
ha,G AZ Winona Lake, Indiana, IN May,
10 the effect that the work OF these
two boards be combined in one ana that
il be nut under the sole management
Of the home board, and that it be made
responsible for the success OF the work
The principal argument for this recon-
mendaticn was that it would be a great
decrease in the vast expenses OF the
church. which is one Of the foremost
denominations in home missions. Inc
fact has been made plain and has been
largely dwelt upon by Presbyterian
clergymen and church papers that there
would have to be a curtailment OF eX-
penses in order to carry on the work
and that the only way to do this effec-
lively and successfully was TO drop OF
one board and thus save the large sal
aries paid to a number of members VINO
compose the board. Both Rev. Mr..
Speers and Rev. Mr.. Snowden strongly
urged the Presbytery to adopt the COM
mittee's report. Rev. Mr.. Speers, who
has had a number Of years experience
in home mission work, took the lead in
the matter and read an able paper set
ting forth the reasons on which the
General Assembly should be asked to
combine the boards. The adoption Of
the report was strongly opposed by
Rev. Ross Paden, Of Pigion Creek, Pa,
who has been a home missionary also
for a number of years, and by Rev.
Frank Fisher, of Claysville, Pa, and
others. The question was warmly de-
bated Tuesday afternoon and evening
and was continued until the session on
Wednesday afternoon.
received Of seasonal records OF
each church Of the Presbytery.
The reports all indicated the
churches to be in a good and fairly
prosperous condition. TIE election OF
the commissioners to the General As
sembly followed, and resulted in the
choice Of Rev. T. W. Young, of Pres
perity, and Rev. c. G. Allen of Holli-
days Cove. and Elders Paul, Of Wash
ington, and Mccormick, of HoOkars-
town. At II o'clock the PresbyteTy adj
iourned in honor of DR.. McLane, the
senior elder of the Presbyterian Church
at New Cumberland, whose death &C.
Cured last Sunday, and whose funeral
occurred at the hour of adjournment.
The members Of the Presbytery attend
ed the funeral in a body
The first part Of Wednesday after
Moons session was devoted to the final
debate on the home mission and Sabbath
school committees recommendations
for an overture 10 the General Assem-
bly,. The committees report was adopt
ed bv a large vote, and the matter will
be brought up before the General As
sembly by the commissioners elected.
Ifthe General Assembly adopts the sug-
gestions the Washington Presbytery
will be entitled to the honor Of bring
ing about this important change. The
young men applying for licenses to
preach were granted certificates and the
report of the examination of the ses-
sional records was approved. Rev. j.
J. Srodes. who had accepted a call to
Mt. Prospect, was received from Pitts
burg Presbytery, likewise Rev. Mr..
Thompson. who is the pastor-elect at
Waynesburg. A committee was APP
pointed by the Prasbytery to investi-
cate some disagreement existing at the
church at Unity, of which Rev. John
Miller is pastor The Presbytery adj
iourned at 4 p. m. ard home mission
rqIv was held Wednesday evening in the
First Presbyterian Church. A large
number of the delegates remained to
this meeting. and several ministers who
had had experience in the work, made
addresses. Among these were Rev.
Ross Paden. Rev. Jos. Speers and Rev.
r. r.. Bigger. Rev. Mr.. Speers spoke of
home mission work in the west and also
in the city Of New York. where he spent
several years Rev Mr.. Bigger's adj
dress was Of his experience and impress
sions of mission work in Chicago. The
delegates to the Presbytery from Wheel
ing we're: First Church, Rev. D. A.
Cunningham, D. D., pastor, and Elder
Robert White; Second Church. Rev.
los. Speers. pastor, and Elder Robert
Dalzell; Third Church, Rev. r. R. Big