The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15
order of Business and Some OF the
Important Questions 10 BE consid-
cred During the Session.
TOPICS FOR A CELEBRATION
THE CASE OF PROF. A. g. M'GIFTERT,
OF UNION SEMINARY.
Home and Syn0dicaI Missions ara
other observation-disclosures I'm the
Philippine Islands,


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WINONA LAKE, Ind. May 1.-THE Pres
byterian General Assembly will hold its
one-hundred-and-tenth arnual meeting sc
the Winona Assembly grounds at this place.
beginning on Thursday of next week, when
the Rev. DIR. Sheldon Jackson, the retiring
moderator. will preach the opening sermon.
The Rev. DR.. William Henry Roberts and
the Rev. DR.. William p. Moore, the clerks
of the assembly, are permanent COMMITTEES
on commissioners and they will meet the
same day at a. m. in the auditorium to
receive the credentials Of the commission
ers. Although the regular meetings do hot
begin until Thursday, there are advance
meetings in the interest of missions to be
held from to-day until the assembly begins.
Two conferences have been arranged. one
in the interest of the students volunteer
movement and the other under the direction
of the field secretary of the foreign board.
To the latter conference are invited all for
eign missionaries and candidates; all synodi-
cal and presbyterial charmen or members
Of foreign mission committees who may be
commissioners to the General Assembly, and
representatives of the woman's boards and
woman's synodical and presbyterial socie-
ties.
The order of business at the assembly is
as follows: On Thursday at II a. M. the
moderator will preach. After the sermon,
the formal constitution of the assembly
takes place. At 3 p. m. the roll will be
called and the new moderator elected. In
the evening the communion service Is held,
and the moderator and clerks prepare the
list OF the forty committees. On Friday
morning the thirteen special committees, a
legacy from the last assembly, will begin to
report. Usually the report Is read, and, IL
action can be taken without debate, the
matter is disposed of then; otherwise, tho
subject Is made special order for an hour
two or three days ahead. Reports, over
lures, memorials and other papers from
synods, presbyteries or individuals are first
handed to the stated clerk and then distrib-
uted to the proper committees The boards
of the church submit reports, which are
handed to the standing committee appointed
| to digest them and make suitable recon-
| mendations. The regular time allowed forN
| the report OF these committees varies from
one and half to two and half hours, but
| this time is often modified by exciting topics
| in the assembly or in the reports OF certain
| committees. In the days of heresy trials,
| a few years ago, the smaller boards were
| glad to have half an hour each. The several
| boards are taken up as follows: Saturday,
10 a. m ministerial relief: Monday 10 a. m.
| freedmen, 8 p. m, education; Tuesday, 10
a. M, home missions, 8 p. M, aid for col
leges and academies; Wednesday, 10 a. M.
foreign missions, p. M, publication and
Sabbath-school work; Thursday, p. M,
church erection, 1880 p M. benevolence;
| Friday, p. M, temperance.
In addition to these business meetings
there are several so-called popular meet
| ings, held in the evening, when no business
| is transacted, and where attendance by the
| commissioners is voluntary. They are: Fri
| day. Board of Publication and Sabbath
school work and the Sabbath school inter-
ests of the church; Saturday, Board Of Aid
for Colleges and Academies; Sunday aft
| ernoon, womans executive committee OF
home missions; Young Peoples work for
home and foreign missions; Monday Mis-
sions among the freedmen Tuesday. home
mission work; Wednesday, foreign mission
work; Friday, temperance
THE BIG CELEBRATION.
A committee was appointed last year to
prepare a programme for the proper cele-
bration of the Northumberland ftieth an
niversary of the adoption of the Westmn-
ster standards. The following persons were
named as the committee:
Ministers-Sheldon Jackson, William Fl.
| Roberts. William e. nd e. Jere Withers-
poon and S. w. Dana. iziders-George jun
kin, William c.. Gray, Stanton J. Peelle and
Darwin r. James. The anniversary exer-
cises will be held in the auditorium on
Thursday, May rs. There will be three ses-
sions morning, afternoon and evening.
portrait of Alexander Henderson will be
presented by DR.. w. C. Gray. Inc speakers,
with their subjects. are as follows:
!. The Rev. William Fl. Roberts, d. D.,
LII. D., Alexander Henderson.
2. The Rev. s. J. NiccolIs, d. d. LII.
p. The Civil and Religious Conditions OF
the Times of the Westminster Assembly"
3. The Rev. George Norcross. ID. D. The {
Story of the Westminster Assembly"
I Fnnd Rey j. p Roc M Iona p D. II
minister Confession and Catechisms."
Westminster PoIity and Worship
The Men of the Westminster Assembly
az z; The Rev. BENJAMIN l.. Agnew, d. g..
,h Ihe American Presbyterian Church and
s. The Hon. James A. Beaver eThs
Presbyterian Churches and the People
Churches and Education"
TO- The Rev. N. d. Hills. d. D., "The
Presbyterian Churches and the Young
II. The Rev. George l.. Spinning, b. D..
rhe Presbyterian Churches and Home
Y. Robert E. speer, THE Presbyterian
churches and Foreign Missions
THE MGIFFERT CASE.
Perhaps the most important measure TO
come before the assembly will be the her.
esy case of another Union Seminary profess
sor. DR.. A C. McGinert. OF that institu-
ton, published a book last winter which
has been severity criticised, but no action
has been taken by the New York Presby-
terry where naturally judicial proceedings
would begin The more conservative men
OF western Pennsylvania, however have
taken a step which is almost certain to
start another trial for heresy. The follow
ing paper was adopted by the Presbytery
of Pittsburg this month:
The Presbytery of Pittsburg, I'm session
May 3, 1898, feels with deer regret con-
strained to use the power belonging to 1t
10 condemn erroneous opinions which In
lure the purity and peace of the church.
Ihe occasion is furnished by volume Of
the international Theological Library, en-
titled, A History of Christianity In fhe
Apostolical Age, the author of which Is the
Rev. A. c. McGitfert, d. D., a member OF
the Presbytery OF New York. In this vol
une the New Testament Is very irreverent-
~ handled; no special supernatural guild
ance Is ascribed TO its sacred writer's tha
genuineness OF more than one-half of the
books composing 1t IL called in question: