The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-21
Wise Heads Prevent Passage of a
Resolution That would Expose
the Church's Folly.
THE INDIANA PLAN ADOPTED
THIS PERMITS sYNoDs TO HANDLE
HOME MISSIONARY FUNDS.
One of the Most Progressive Moves
Taken NY the Assembly in Years
May Unite Church Factions.
Special to the indianapolis journal.


WINONA PARK, Eagle Lake. Ind, May
2O.-Many Of the Presbyterian commission
ers here believe the Sabbath was made for
God alone and that one of the worst blum
ders President Mckinley could make would
be to permit battle on that day. A reso-
luton was passed to-day declaring that man
owes a perpetual obligation to the Sabbath
by law of God and following this came an
other resolution urging the President to per-
nit no unnecessary work by the army or
navy on Sunday during the present war. 1t
also called on Mr.. Mckinley to see that no
battles were begun on Sunday. To the
credit of the broad-minded ones IN the as
semby this resolution met with spirited OPP
position. 1t was loaded with amendments
until the Brethren intent on taking a hand
in the Spanish-American war were hardly
able to tell just what the resolution did
mean. One commissioner protested that the
assembly should not advertise its folly by
adopting the proposed resolution and it was
finally laid on the table,
The Indiana plan is Endorsed by the Pres
byterian General Assembly and the after
noon session was consumed in the discus
sion of the report of the committee of fif-
teen, as presented by DR.. j. Lindsay With
row, of Chicago, as chairman. Dr. With
row stated that the fear generally felt that
the action of the various synods which had
adopted the Indiana plan foreshadowed the
ultimate reputation of the authority of the
general board of New York, was without
foundation, as the report of the committee
simply means that the progress of the mis-
sion work at home demanded more liberty
In the handling of funds by synod when
The question was raised as to whether it
was the sense of the report that, since
synods were to be allowed to handle their
own funds. the same privilege was to ex-
tend to the presbyteries. This he thought
would tend to disintegrate the central char
acter of the work. Dr. Withrow responded
that a presbytery which desired to occupy
the position of being apart from its synod
certainly should be allowed to do so, but
it could hardly afford to take such position
in his opinion. Dr. A. N. Brakeman, of
New York, felt that in order to bring in
a report from each synod where the &c
clesiastical year ended in October, there
would necessarily need to be an auxiliary
report up to March 81 sent in to the Gen
eral Assembly, where the synodical plan
was in use. In reply Dr. Withrow stated
each synod should make an annual report
to the central body. regardless of the time
of the fiscal year which the report ends. All
that the committee desired was the passage
of the resolution that should recognize the
right Of the general board to expect an an
nual report from each synod as to what had
been done with its funds raised for home
mission work.
1fro,V 10 h. a.
CATION was not arrayed to any extent
against the Indiana plan" In
fact it was due to DR.. McCaugh-
eny, of Philadelphia, that the
spirit of discussion which was cropping out
in all parts of the house was checked He
said that in his opinion the report of the
committee was carefully compiled and could
not be improved ons and he moved the adop-
ton Of the report as read. DR.. Spencer, Of
Michigan, protested against the severance
of the relations between the presbyteries
and the general board in making the synods
the go-between. He regarded this as con-
trary to the cardinal principles of Presby-
terianism. Dr. Withrow responded by say
ing that instead of being revolutionary"
In its bearing the plan of the report was
evolutionary, and the protest died. The
matter of the 100000 building of the
Board of Home Missions at New York did
not come up for discussion to-day in the re-
port of the committee on home mission af-
fairs.
The feeling is general among the commits
sioners that during the present session some
step will be taken to effect a reunion Of
the Northern and Southern factions of the
Presbyterian Church. 1t has developed that
there is feeling favorable to this move in
both sections, and it is decided to do some
thing which will have the effect of ulti-
mately matchmaking the factions There
is little doubt that the inspiration for this
action came from the remarkable finale of
Governor Mounts address of yesterday,
which suggested the possibilities in this d.
recuon. FTaternal greetings were sent to
the Southern and Cumberland Presbyterian
Churches to-day.
The only jar that was felt during the
report of the committee on authorized pub
locations was to be read. The reports had
been printed In pamphlet form, and were
distributed to every commissioner in the
hall. The reports were long and generally
Well known as to their import, and mo-
ton was made to dispense with the reading
by the chairman. This motion was later
amended to allow the reports TO be read in
the form of an abstract. After a lengthy
Wrangle, in which there were a dozen men
on the floor at once clamoring for recogni-
ton, the Rev. McCaughey, of Philadelphia,
came to the rescue by stating that'i 1t was
not in the power of the assembly to take
action on a report that had not been pre-
scented to them formally. Moderator Rad
cliffe thought the point well taken and shut
off further discussion.
1t is stated that it is a sure thing now
will not lose his office. The step which will
be necessary to make the office term one
is that OF constitutional revision of the
assembly This no one seems wiling to
start, therefore IT is looked on as certain
that the office will continue to be life one.
DIR. Henry, of Oakland, Cal, asked that
the various presbyteries be allowed to ham
die their own home mission affairs, and DR..
Withrow stated that it was the purpose Of
the resolutions to allow such license and it
was now being assumed by such cities as
Chicago without protest. without further
discussion the resolutions upholding the In
diana plan were passed unanimously on
the first vote, and the committee was voted
the thanks of the entire assembly with
every mark of enthusiasm.
The Woman's board of home missions met
to-day In the MinnewaWan Inn under the
presiding care of Mrs. j. L. Kendall, or La
porte, who served in the absence OF Mrs.
Darwin X. James, of Brooklyn. The
womans board occupies the positlon OF an
eral Assembly which is the legislative body.
The work. OF the board is principally the
establishment of day boarding ana indus-
trial schools where the pubic SCHOOLS are
the secretary. Mrs C. p. Coulter. reported
the contribution of S45,11S to this work Miss
5. f. Lincoln. the treasurer, delghted all
present by making the announcement tnat
the board was free from DEBT. DuTlng tne
past year there has been collected S324, 434 .
There are now 113 schools operated by the
board, with 32s missionary teachers, accom-
modating 1888 pupils The field Inciudes Aias-
ka and Mexico the various lndian tribes
the Mormon settlements and the mountain
sections offs the South. In cOnuuctlng the
work seVera native eVangensts dIc eIil-
ployed by the board The board operates ~
twenty-nine synods, 200 presoyterles ano
1900 auxiliary societies. and is the largest
woman mission organization IN l5le worn
me evening session was deVoteu 70 Pup.
usar iisstlngs In the inIeIsSe s ~ York