Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-06
THE CLOSING DAY
Presbyterian Alliance Nearing the
End of Its Labors.
THE TOPICS UNDER DISCUSSION
Marriage and Diyorce and the
Liquor Traffic Discussed.
NI1CGInA1 a u
MISSION WORK OF CHURCH

The last days session of the Pan-Presby-
terrain alliance was begun this morning in
| the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church. For ten days the delegates have
been together and the time of parting
draws near, it is but natural that there
should be expressions of regret over the
prospective severance OF the pleasant reia-
tons "A number of the delegates left yes
terday for their homes and more will leave
today.
The general secretary, Rev. DIR. Mathews,
who was the first nonresident member of
the alliance to reach the city, will be among
the last to leave. He will go to New York
Saturday. and will sail once for his
home in London. DR.. Mathews has been
connected with the alliance since its or
ganization, and his sterling character, as
we'll his executive ability, has given him
strong hold upon the affection and esteem
of all the delegates There Is only one
opinion heard in regard to the general sec
rotary, and that is of confidence in
him personally and officially
While the delegates have invariably been
slow in coming to the opening session of
each day. this characteristic was more
ticeable this morning than on any pre-
vious occasion during the meeting of the
alliance In fact at the hour for begin
ming the session. which was 10 O'Clock,
there were very few present. The devo-
tiona1 exercises were conducted by Rev.
DR.. King of Waco. Tex, and were at
tended by only a small number of dele
gates and practically no representatives
from the public. The latter fact. however,
may be accounted for by the rain. which
was falling heavily at the time. 1t was
remarked that this meeting of the alliance
had been favored with unusually fine
weather and that the only heavy fall of
rain occurred on the last day of the ses-
sion. Owing to the cool. bracing weather
yy,f hoe hpar no fal tr,rn IF ha ma n
days, the delegates were able to attend the
meetings and transact business with COM
fort, and they will no doubt go away i'm
pressed with the splendid fall weather with
which the people of Washington are
blessed.
Report of Business Committee.
After the minutes of yesterdays session
had been read and approved the business
committee, through Rev. DR.. Kerr. the
chairman. made a report. list of officers
was submitted. including the members of
the executive commission. The only change
in the officers was the substitution of the
name of Rev. DR.. Caven as president in
place of Rev. DR.. Lang, the retiring pres
ident.
In view of the fact that the churches of
the alliance had already expressed them
selves in regard to Mormonism. the report
stated that it was deemed unnecessary to
committee reported favorably resolution
recommending that the Bible be used in
all periods of instruction in schools of
learning. All the recommendations of the
committee were adopted
A further resolution was reported by the
committee that the alliance views with
alarm the great number of divorces grant
ed by the courts on unscriptural grounds,
and that the alliance asserts that marriage
should only be dissolved the grounds
laid down in the Scriptures.
Rev. DR.. Laws of South Carolina sug
gested that the grounds given for divorce
in the Bible should be stated in the resolu-
ton, and he read from the confession of
faith to show that adultery and willful de-
sertion were these causes.
Objection was made to the use of the
words ''willful desertion," their mean
ing was liable to misconstruction, and it
was also said that if the resolutions spe-
officially mentioned the causes as desired.
then the alliance would sanction
egess of the Bible about which there was
dispute.
Rev. DIR. Johnston of Canada protested
against the proposed change in the COM
mittee's resolution, for he said the churches
in the alliance did bot agree the Bible
exegesis and would never agree
1t was further said that it would be bet
ter to let the resolution go with the
preston ''urscriptural grounds" and let
each church decide for itself what are the
scriptural grounds for divorce.
Moves Amendment.
Rev. DIR. Lowrie of Philadelphia thought
there should be change made in the pa
at ha Yesterday he