Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-06-15
pREsBl TERlANIsM.

An Interesting sketch of the 1i:th Gen-
eral Assembly by One Who
Was There.
The ll2th General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church met in the Comp
ton and Washington Ave. Church, st.
Louis, Mo-, May 18th, 1900.
The Assembly was composed of over
600 Commissioners, half Minister'S and
half Elders, on the basis of one Minis
ter and one Elder for each 30 ministers
or fraction of 30 in Presbytery. The
Black Hills Presbytery was represent
ed by the Rev. b. r. Pearson of Hot
Springs and Elder w. o. Jenkins, of
Edgemont.
The sessions of the Assembly were
opened with a sermon by the retiring
Moderator, Rev. r.. +. Sample, ID. ID.
of New York.
Three names were place in nomina-
ton for Moderator, and after a spirit
ed contest. Rev. DIR. Dickey was elect
ed.
The business of the assembly is pre-
pared for it by two sets of committees
knownas standing and special commit
tees. The regular business isreferred to
the standing committees and all other
business which cannot properly be as
signed to the standing committees is
referred to special committees appoint
ed for the purpose.
There were twelve special committees
appointed by the Assembly of '99 to
report at st. Louis, and these reports
were taken first. One of these reports
was on the method of appointing the
Standing committees. 1t grew out of
what is known as the Peoria Overture.
This overture proposed to take out of
the hands of the Moderator the ap-
pointment Of the standing committees
and to vest it in twenty two electing
sections of the general assembly. A
committee of seven was appointed by
the assembly of '99 to consider the
whole question and report to the next
assembly. a majority of six reported
in favor of the old system-and a
minority of one presented the system
known as the Peoria Overture-which
simply takes the appointment of the
standing committees out of .the hands
of the Moderator and vests it i'll tine
general assembly. After spirited
discussion the minority report was
carried by small majority.
Another special committee reported
favorably the Westchester Overture
This overture provides that only active
ministers shall vote in the Presbyteries
Ministers engaged in secular employ.
ments or in positions not under the
control of the Church and ministers
honorably retired are to be deprived
of the power to vote in the Presbyter-
les if this overture carries. The repor,
of this committee was adopted and the
overture will be sent down to th'
Presbyteries for their action.
Perhaps the chief interest of the as
sembly centered in the report of th'
standing committee on bills and over
lures on the question of Revision. Thir
ty-seven presbyteries had overturet
the assembly to take some action look
ing to a revision of the Confession o
Faith. The committee on bills ant
overtures recommended that committee
of fifteen be appointed by the Moderat
or to inquire into the whole question
invite suggestions from the Presbyter
les at their fall meetings and report tt
the next general assembly what actor
if any was desirable. The debate up
on this question of revision was tn
i. ablest and liveliest of all. Several abl
addresses were made in favor of II
action-but the conservative leader
wisely advocated the middle course @
inquiry and consultation-with tn
result that the Recommendation ap
pointing the committee was carried b
q large majority.
Another question which might hav
caused friction was the appeal of D.
Birch in the McGitfert Case.
TheJudiciary committee recommend
ed that the appeal be declared in orde
and the appellant be given leave t
withdraw his appeal and thus the fan
Gus McGiffert case was closed will
out debate and without division.
The election of Permanent Cler
to succeed the late DIR. Moore was a
Hot Snrino,