The times., 1899-10-05

AS the result Of the action Of the Pan
Presbyterian Alliance in refusing TO send
to its business committee resolution IA
voring the settlement Of the Briush-Boer
difficulty by arbitration. in its meeting on
Tuesday afternoon the Rev. P. G. J. Meir-
ing, delegate to the council from Jo-
haunesburg. South Africa, took the first
opportunity in the morning session yester-
day 10 present a letter containing his
withdrawal from the council. The request
was not complied with, and the action Of
DR.. Kerr, chairman OF the business COM
mittee in Formulating a conciliatory reso-
luton and securing its adoption by the
council. resulted in the withdrawal OF the
letter before its contents had been gener-
ally been made known to the members of
the council.
DR. Meiring took the ground that the
resolution offered by DR.. Cort, on the Gay
before and which had been so hotly con-
tested had no political significance what
ever II simply reaifirmed the sense of
the alliance that arbitration was the
proper way TO settle international difficult
ties, and made mention Of the TTansvaal
controversy simply as a case in point
South African delegate indicated, in his
letter TO the council, that the political sig
nificsnce which il was ciaimsd attached 10
the resolution had really been given IL in
the discussion which followed its pre-
sentation and that he considered the ac-
tion Of the English delegates in their un-
timely haste 10 have il suppressed with
out proper consideration as direct affront
10 his country, and that his withdrawal
na -fHf ha only horO-a ela
course for him to follow.
The occurrence Of Tuesday was freely
discussed among Individual members Of
the council yesterday The position taken
by those who opposed the resolution was
that if the council should go on record as
fsyoring international arbitration as the
proper means Of settlement between Eng
land and the Transvaal it would be prac-
tically a declaration en- the part Of the
council that the Transvaal was not de-
pendency OF Great Britain which was the
whole point CT difficulty between the two
countries. The resolution which the coun-
cu adopted yesterday, and which served 10
restore harmony. was as follows:
Resolved by the seventh general council Of
The Alliance of Reformed Churches holding the
Presbyterian system, TaGt IN Eiew ct The dis
tressing crisis now existing between Great Britain
and the TTansyaal. the caGrcil expresses is earnest
hope and prayer tissr q pe2ceful solution Of the
present diiHcultiCs may be reached
Few Of the delegates were aware OF what
was behind this resolution, IS ths letter Of
DT. Aeiring had been held UP without be-
ing laid before the council or referred 10
the business committee Dr. Kerr had PCS
session Of il, and had acquainted himself
with its contents. He had Immediately set
himself 10 the task OF finding a means 10
restore harmony. and the resolution which
orlrrarcF rF y Sc fgI
He first took it TO Dr. Meiring. who indi-
Gated his willingness to withdraw his re-
quest for dismissal If the resolution should
be adopted. The resolution was then Of
fered before the council and adopted with
out discussion OF opposition II is believed
by leaders in the council that the incident is
now fully closed. and that there is no
chance OF further political discussion dur
ing the present session CT TIE alliance.
The Business Committee Reports.
The business OF the morning was then
proceeded with. Rev. DR.. George S. Bishop.
OF Orange, n. J., occupying the chair.
The report OF The business committee.
which had held an extensive session car
lier IN the day, was received. Among the
recommendations was one for the adoption
OF shorter catechisn which received The
approval Of the council in the way of zp-
plause.
The report Of the committee on the work
on the European Continent was next made
by General Secretary Mathews. The EYsn-
gelic2l Church work was prominently
pointed out as different in the several
countries, whereas there should be q more
uniform system. Stress was also laid on
work in the missionary field in Austria,
where 1900 people had left the Catho-
tic Church. The report also noted the pros
peet OF the large number Of Americans who
would next year visit the Paris Exposi-
ton, and attend the Christian EndeavoI
meeting 10 be held in London.
Rev. James l. Good, OF Reaaing Pa
read a paper il which he urged that the
visiting Americans in Europe, instead ot
hunting up American churches 10 attend
on TIE Sabbath, or going sightseeing be
cause they cannot understand the foreigr
service, affiliate with the local churches
and thus learn more OF them. He sait
that the Church OF England was maxim,