Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-17
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Meeting Of the Presby terrain Legis.
lative and Judicial Body.
DR.. +. ". HINlII WRITES OF IT.
Will BE 500 Delegates Present From
the 23s Preabyteries of the Church
Meeting 10 Be Held in
st. Louis

Meeting 10 Be Held in
st. Louis.
The converting of the general assem-
bly, of the Presbyterian church in the
United States of America at st. Louis,
May IL, is fact of the greatest in
terest to the large body of commune
cants, numbering about 100000, of
that organization, and to that still
larger body of those who adhere to
and sympathize with the Presbyterian
system of faith and government. And
this because it is the gathering of the
most representative body of that
church, and it's functions are of the
most important character. The gem
eral assembly is both legislative and
judicial body; it exercises not only
the supreme function in legislation,
but is also the final court of appeal,
in all judicial cases that by proper and
constitutional procedure reach that
court. Strictly representative in char
acter, being composed of equal mum
bers of ministers and laymen, and e&-
ercising it's high functions, well defiu
ed within constitutional limits, it is
beyond question the most notable &C.
clesiastical event of the Presbyterian
year, and hence the interest of this
present gathering.
The assembly will number in dele
gates from the various 23S presbyter-
les of the church, something over six
hundred; added to this will be the
various prominent officials of the
church and large body of visiting
ministers, drawn thither by the gener-
al interest of the occasion or by spe-
cial calls, SO that there will be nearer
900 in attendance upon the assembly.
The sessions will be he'd in the Wash
ington and Compton avenue Presbyter-
ian church, known as the scene of the
labors of that devoted man, not long
since summoned to rest, namely the
Rev. DR.. James II. Brooks. The name
of the present pastor is the Rev.
Frank Sneed, ID. ID. The church is
commodious and will be thoroly equip
ped for the business of the assembly.
with committee rooms, postotfice, teie-
phone and telegraph service, and all
that is needed by a modern assem-
bly,.
The opening of the assembly will
take place on Thursday morning, the
18th inst, when the Rev. r. f. Sam
pie, d. D., of New York, the retiring
moderator, will preach the modera-
tors sermon. On Thursday afternoon,
interest will center in the election of
the new moderator. This event is
watched with keen interest, as the
general tone OF the assembly may Of
ten be judged from the personality of
the new moderator. Several names
have been suggested as possibilities,
notably those of the Rev. DIR. Vim. Me-
Kibben, of Cincinnati,, and the Rev.
DR.. w. AcEwan, of Pittsburg. This
assembly presents points of unique in
terest in that in addition to the usual
transactions with reference to the mis-
sionary enterprises of the church and
general business, some three special
questions will probably be enter
tanned.
One is the appeal Of the Rev. DR..
Burch from the action of the presby-
terry Of New York in its adjustment
of the McGiffert case. The personal
features of the case have passed away
with the retirement of DR.. McGiffert
from the church. Nevertheless the
appeal must appear in due form, since
the defendant in the case is the pres
bytery of New York. Some knotty
questions of constitutional procedure
are involved, but there is no reason to
doubt a speedy and satisfactory set
Element of this matter.
The question of the revision of the
~ ,icto faccinn Of Raft n will
be revived by the presence of num-
Der OF overtures from the Presbyteries
asking that the assembly take action
in the matter. These overtnres come,
probably, in two or three forms, one
simply asking that the present docu-
ment be revised in certain matters of
phraseology and diction, without any
thought of change in the system OF
doctrine; second asking that a sup
Elementary statement be issued to be
used as a. brief and modern and handy
symbol for practical use, without,
however. touching the present confess
sion or impairing its place in the
church as part of it's constitutions;
a third asking that the present con-
fession be entirely laid aside and a
new creed prepared something like
that produced by the English Presby-
terrain church in recent days. Again, the
last section may properly be divided
into two parties, one desiring that in
such restatement, the system of doc
trine called Calvinism be duly set forth
without Impairment or confusion, and
the other, and most radical element,
desiring that the system itself be dis
carded and a statement OF some in
definite and general character be is
sued as the expression of the faith of
the church. This, in brief, is the sit
uation. There is large section of the
church opposed to any revision move
ment at this time, not because of a
deep rooted antipathy to revision it.
self, and of moderate character, but
because they do not deem this an ex-
pedient time to enter upon that en-
terprise. This body will be represent
ed in the assembly, and will have to
be reckoned with. The moderate re-
visionists, body of men thor
oily attached to the system, but
anxious for the removal of
verbal infelicities that lead to erron-
eous representation on the part of