Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-25

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May 24.-There was
a perceptible decrease in the attendance
at the Presbyterian general assembly
to-day. Some of the weightier matters
having been disposed of, number of
commissioners have left for their
homes. All of the principal reports
have been submitted and with the ex-
ception of the Peoria overture, which
occupied considerable time at the
morning session, the remaining bust
ness will be mainly routine. The Sec
ond order of business this forenoon
was the report of the standing commit
tee on the board of publication and
Sabbath school work.
Stated Clerk Roberts announced that
if the business in hand to-day can be
disposed of the assembly will adjourn
Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock.
Governor Mount, of Indiana, who
presided at the echo meeting of the
Ecumenical Council this evening, was
introduced and made a brief address.
At the conclusion of the religious
services at the opening of to-days ses-
SION, Rev. DR.. wallace Radcliffe, of
washington, d. c., resumed his vigor-
Gus speech against the Peoria overture
and In favor of the majority report of
the special committee on the method Of
appointment of standing committees of
the assembly, which was interrupted
last Monday. The majority report,
which is signed by six members of the
committee, provides for the appoint
ment of a committee of twenty-one to
assist the moderator in making I'D the
standing committee The minority re-
port is known as the Peoria overture.
Ehls overture, which has been adopted
by a number of the Presbyteries
throughout the United States, would
take from the moderator the power of
appointing committee by allowing the
committee to choose their successors
and elect their own chairman.
DR.. Radcliffe said that printed matter
had been circulated throughout the
churches which put mark of dishonor
upon the majority report. He said it was
untrue that the stated clerk practically
controlled the assembly in the method of
appointment. He objected to the Peoria
overture because it deprecated the parity
OF the constituency of the general as
sembly, in which he firmly believed
DR.. Radcliffe said the overture was a
diagram difficult to explain, but back of
the diagram stood the stated clerk He
said there was too much politics in the
overture. 1t was political in its origin
and political in method of operation The
assembly was a. legislative body and need
ed no political machinery. He would be
willing to have the whole thing tabled
and let the present method of appoint
ment go on.
Rev. DIR. Isaac A. Cornelison, chairman
of the special committee and champion of
the Peoria overture, followed DR.. Rad
ciiffe
Further discussion of the minority re-
port was postponed until Friday morning
and the second order of business was
taken up. Rev. Dr. Geo. f. Pentecost.
d. D., chairman of the standing commit
tee on the report of the board of publ
cation and Sabbath school work. present.
ed the report.
DIR. Pentecost spoke of the work of the
education board and pleaded for it's sup
port.
The report and recommendation of the
standing committees We're adopted
Recess was then taken until afternoon
AT the afternoon session the assembly
framed a memorial to Congress asking
that the Federal Constitution be so
amended as to specifically declare poly
gamy crime.