The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-29
That Threatened to EmbrOiI the As
sembIy in "a WrnnGIe Until OIL Was
Poured ON the Troubled Waters.
COLOR LINE ALSO DISCUSSED
AND WARM SPEECHES MADE by THE
NEGRO COMMISSIONERS.
Thanks Bestowed on the Managers of
WinOna Assembly Grounds for
Their Excellent Arrangements.


Special to the indianapolis Journal
WINONA PARK, Eagle Lage, Ind, May
2S.-The Presbyterian General Assembly
got into its working clothes in earnest to-
day and by holding a night session and
running under high pressure until late
hour completed it's business and adjourned
until next year The commissioners were
obviously anxious to complete the work
of the assembly and the proceedings of all
three sessions were orderly and business
like except for two slight interruptions.
Wine caused the first and color the second.
Deviation from the spirit of the daS, came
with the report of the committee tem-
perance, read by its chairman, Dr. Henry.
The disposition to rush things and adopt
the committees report without much dis
cusson was strongly objected to by the
temperance orators present, who claimed
the right to be heard, more especially in
view of the fact that the popular meeting
in the interest of temperance which was
scheduled for tonight had been done away
with to give place to the business session.
The report was finally adopted but the
spirit of conflict had been aroused and
burst forth more violently when DIR. Henry
submitted some supplementary resolutions
from four presbyteries regarding the use
of wine at a Princeton banquet-the same
banquet which has been so much exploited
both in the secular and religious press. The
committee deplored the affair in question,
but recommended that no action be taken,
as the assembly had no jurisdiction. Then
came the flood of eloquence The orators
would not be silenced and insisted on dis
cussing the liquor question from every
point of view Politics was dragged in 1t,
both the old parties were held up to scam
JaI no rtv Ia1ldnd and
womans rights had their representative.
Princeton itself was scored numerically
and when it was claimed that the assembly
had no proof that the scandalous performs
ance in question took place, T. +. Hill,
of Germantown, offered TO produce PROOF
in the shape of a menu card used at the
banquet. He was shouted down, however,
and the more conservative element had an
inning. They managed to show the assem-
bly, into what disrepute the Prohibitlonists
were bringing old and established
institution for an occurrence which was
not authorized by either it's faculty or
the main part of it's constituency, when
the assembly had no jurisdiction in the
matter. The advice of the conservatives
at length prevailed and DR.. Maxwells mo-
ton to table the whole matter of the sup
Elementary resolutions was carried.
At the night session the furry
came over the report OF the
An overture from the Synod of Texas asked
the transfer of a colored church from
white presbytery into one where black was
the predominant color. This brought up the
whole question of color and warm discuss
sion ensued in which many Of the colored
commissioners participated. DR. Logan
moved a substitute to the committees rec
ommendation to grant the request that the
overture be answered in the negative, and
after some further discussion the substi-
tute was adopted.
The question Of the election of an elder
to the chair of moderator came up in
the report of the committee on the rec
ords of synods Then the reports OF
the Synod Of New York came up for APP
proval. DIR. Young objected on the ground
that the New York Synod has an elder as
moderator. He argued the point ably on
constitutional grounds and offered an
amendment, but the commissioners were in
a hurry to get through and a motion to ta-
BILE the amendment carried and the record
was approved.
The last order of the day was the reading
of the resolutions of thanks which were
bestowed in reckless profusion. Every one.
from the moderator 10 tne uSnefS, was COM
mended for his services and the committee
on arrangements at Winona received special
favor General Manager S. c. Dickey made
neat speech in response. in which he
confessed the fear and trembling with
which he and his colleagues had awaited
the coming of the assembly, their gratif-
cation at the result and their thanks to the
commissioners for their forbearance in
criticism. 1t was just II 80 when Moderator
Jackson dissolved the assembly, to meet
next year at Winona