Evening star., 1901-05-20
Presbyterian General Assembly Gets
Down to Hard Work.
PROVISION FOR JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Committee on Pensions Recon-
mended Raising of $125,0o0.
AID FOR BIDDLE UNIVERSITY

PHILADELPHIA, May 20-With today 8
sessions the actual work of the Presbyte-
rian general assembly began. The report
of the revision committee having been
made the special order for Thursday and
thereafter until the question of revising
the confession OF faith is finally settled, a
change was made in the regular order, so
that reports Of special committees and
church boards might be submitted and act
ed upon before the assembly proceeded to
discuss revision.
Today's order provided for the report Of
the standing committee on missions for
freedom, the reports of the boards of min
isterial relief and education and Of the spe-
cal committee on the judicial commits
sions. This report is considered second In
Importance only to that Of the committee
on revision, as it recommends the creation
Of judicial commissions of presbyteries and
synods, and permanent judicial commits
sion from the membership Of the general
assemblies, to sit as a court of final appeal.
Changes Suggested In Report.
The report Of the committee on judicial
commissions suggests the following
changes in the book Of discipline:
Amy presbytery or synod may at any
time elect judicial commission Of not less
presbytery. and not less than nine min
listers and ruling elders for a synod and
may transmit to such commission any par
ticular judicial case for hearing and de-
termination"
The court of last resort for the hearing
and determination Of judicial cases shall
be styled "the permanent judicial commits
sion of the general assembly" and shall
be composed Of eight ministers and seven
ruling elders, who shall be elected by the
al he 1rQf r
teen persons shall be elected, five to serve
for one year. five for two years and five
for three years. and thereafter five persons
shall be elected annually to serve for three
years.
THE said permanent judicial commission
shall have the power to require the attend
ance of parties and witnesses, and shall
also have all the powers prescribed by and
conduct all its proceedings according to the
rules applicable to the trial Of judicial
class before the general assembly. All ap-
peals and references in judicial cases taken
to the general assembly may, if found to be
in order by the general assembly, be SUBJ
mitted to said permanent judicial commits
sion, which shall then hear and give final
judgments"
Endowment for Biddle University.
The committee recommended the endow-
ment of Bddle University, Charlotte, n. c.,
$3.50, 900 being the amount needed and that
the raising of the money be part of the
twentieth century fund movement. 1t was
recommended also that the first Sunday Of
December be set apart for contributions by
Sunday schools to the board of missions
for freedmen
The report was discussed by Rev. DIR. e.
p Cowan of Pittsburg, secretary Of the
board; Rev Dr. David ]. Sanders. secretary
of Biddle University; Rev Charles H. Trus-
ly, Chattanooga, and Rev. Dr. John A.
Savage. principal Of Albion Academy,
F'ranklinton, N c. The report was unani-
mously adopted
The report of the special committee on
Sabbath observance was read by Rev. Dr.
/. W. Hathaway of New York, secretary
of the American Sabbath Union. 1t was
unanimously adopted. The report included
resolutions protesting against ''se"en-day
Journalism" or the Sunday newspaper;
commencing Congress for conditioning the
appropriation of $1,000, ,0o0 to the Louisiana
purchase exposition to be held in ST. Louis
and protesting against the use of the
Lords day for business purposes and COM
mercial interests.
The report of the board of ministerial
relief was submitted to the convention and
the report of the standing committee on
relief was read by Rev. DIR. Henry f. Mott
of Elizabeth. n. j., chairman of the COM
Inittee.
Later on in the morning session all of
the board reports We're submitted to the
assembly.
To Raise 1925, 900.
The committee recommended that $125 900
be raised during the coming year for min
isterial pensions. The report was adopted.
The reports of the various boards Of the
church were laid before the assembly in a
bound volume of 500 pages. AS it was i'm
possible to consider them all in one day,
they were made special orders for sessions
to follow
Tomorrow the reports of the boards on
aid for colleges and church erection will be
discussed and the others will be taken up
later.
At 12:3O o'clock the assembly adjourned
until 2:30 this afternoon.
PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION