The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-17
THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEM-
BLY,.
WANAMAkER A CANDIDATE
FOR THE POSITION OF MODERATOR,
HERETOFORE HELD ONLY BY
MINISTER'S.
HARRISON DECLINES THE HONOR.
The One Hundred and Ninth Annual
Assembly to Begin at WinOna,
Ind, May 20.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May l6.-The
109th assembly Of the Presbyterian
church in the United States will meet
at Winona assembly grounds, Eagle
lake, Kosciusko county, Ind, on May
20, 1897, and will probably continue in
session until May 81. The assembly
will be composed Of about 600 dele
gates, one-haf of them ministers and
the other half ruling elders. The dele
gates are elected by ecclesiastical
bodies called presbyteries and come
from every portion Of the country. The
Presbyterian church represented by
this general assembly is the only one
which has ministers and churches in
every state in the Union, and by the
statistics of 1895 consisted of 1873 con-
gregations, 6,942 ministers and 943,716
members. The contributions for con-
gregational expenses for the year 1895
were 10,413, 1856, and the contributions
for missionary and other benevolent
purposes So, 643,23 The foreign mission
work of the Presbyterian church is con-
Quoted in fifteen different countries. Its
missionary and benevolent work in the
United States is carried on by agents
called boards. These boards are eight
in number, three of them located in
New York city, namely, the boards of
home missions, foreign missions and
church erection; three located in the
city of Philadelphia, namely, pubhca-
ton and Sabbath school work, educa-
ton and ministerial relief; one, the
board of missions for freedmen, at
Pittsburg, and one, the board of aid for
colleges and academies, at Chicago.
The boards located in New York &C.
cupy what is known as the Presby-
terrain building, corner Of Twentieth
street and Fifth avenue, and those To-
Gated in Philadelphia will soon remove
from their present quarters at 1884
Chestnut street to the Witherspoon
building, corner of Walnut and Juniper
streets.
The 109th assembly will be opened at
II a. M. on May 20, with a sermon
by the retiring moderator, Rev. John L.
Withrow, D. D., pastor Of the Third
Presbyterian church, Chicago. Among
the delegates are found ex-PresideuE
Harrison, Mr.. John Wanamaker ana
other able and influential Iaymen.
Among the ministers appear Rev. Shell
don Jackson, D. D., Rev. Henry c. Min
ton, D. D. professor in the Presbyterian
1uCOlOSlCdl SCIullldIy dI SdA
co; the Rev. Robert F. Sample, D. D..
pastor of the West Twenty-third Street
Presbyterian Church, New York city;
from Philadelphia, the Rev. Drs. John
Mcintosh, S. w. Dana and J. G. Bolton
and others. The business Of the as
sembly will consist Of two main lines
of work:
First-The consideration of the annual re-
ports of the eight boards above referred to.
This portion of the business will take up
the sessions of five days. 80 30
Second-The consideration of the reports Of
special committees. The most important Of
which are the following:
First-Committee ON the powers of assembly
and presbytery in the care and Hcensure Of
candidates.
Second-Committee on voters at the election
of pastors and other church officials.
Third-Committee on conferences with the
board of home missions.
Fourth-Committee on the Presbytery build
ing New York city.
Fifth-Committee on methods of manage
ment OF church temperatures
The reports of these several COM
mittees have not yet been made public
and it is not the usage to give them to
the press prior to the meeting of the
assembly.
With regard to the moderatorship of
this new assembly, it is stated that the
candidates for the office thus far an
nounced are Rev. Henry c. Minton,
u. L.. Ban L TduClSCOs hSF. IlODGIl T.
Sample, D. D., New York; Rev. Sheldon
Jackson and Mr.. John Wanamaker. of
Philadelphia. A number of gentlemen
have thought of nominating EXPIRES
ident Harrison, but he has declined the
honor, on the ground that he could not
give the necessary time to the duties of
the Office. In connection with the mod
eratorship, it is of interest to know that
layman has never vent filled the posi-
layman has never yet filled the posi-
ton, and that there are many persons
who doubt if the constitution of the
Presbyterian church will permit any
other than a minister to occupy the
highest Office in the church.