The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-17
Each Comm sioner Presented with a
Handbook Containing Phil
adeIphia's Greeting.
PEORIA PLAN" TO BE TRIED
STORM OF PROTEST OVER AN AT.
TEMPT TO NULLIFY 1T.
Southern and Cumberland Presby.
terians-NIfssionary Societfes-Oth-
er Religious Gatherings.

| PHILADELPHIA, May 16-The Presby-
terian General Assembly which began its
| e-hundred-and-thrtee meeting here
to-day, disposed of two important matters
| during the afternoon session. Rev. Henry
| Collin Minton, ID. D., of San Anselmo, CAL,
was elected moderator, and by an emphatic
vote the assembly decided to accept The
Peoria plan" of choosing standing COM
| mittees, though effort was made to OBJ
| viate the system. Rev. DR.. Mintons only
| opponent was Rev. George T. Purves D.
D.. LII. D.. of New York, and OF the 613
votes cast DR.. Minton received 2S7 and DIR.
| Purves 276
The opening session of the General AS
| sembly was called to order by Rev. Dr.
| Charles A Dickey. the retiring moderator,
! at IL O'Clock in Calvary Presbyterian
Church, where all the business meetings
OF the assembly will be held. Of the $50
commissioners there were but few alb
sentees, and most of these will doubtless
arrive Tomorrow, having been unavoidably
| detained. The entire nave of the church
was occupied by the commissioners and the
galleries were crowded with spectators, a
| large number of them women. Calvary
| Chapel was given over to the various local
committees, who established headquarters
access of visiting delegates. The registra-
ton of commissioners began at $50 clock
this morning, and from that hour till con-
vening time DR.. w. II. Roberts was kept
busy receiving credentials.
| The opening hymn, 81 Love Thy Church
o God" was sung by the vast assemblage
| or delegates and spectators Within the
chancel with Rev. DR.. Dickey were Rev.
Ilv
Samuel Nicolls. of st. Louis; Rev. DR.. Her.
rick Johnson, OF Chicago; Rev. DR.. Roberts,
stated clerk; Rev. DIR. William b. Noble,
permanent clerk, and Rev. DR.. j. S. Par
| ham Jones, pastor of Calvary Church. Rev
DR.. Nicolls offered prayer. He made touch
| ing reference TO the illness of Mrs McKin-
| ley. Then came the sermon OF DR.. Dickey
who spoke for two hours on the coming of
| the kingdom of Christ. At the conclusion
of his sermon DR.. Dickey constituted the
assembly the commissioners standing dur
| ing the invocation.
ELECTION OF MODERATOR.
Recess was then taken till d. m, when
the roll of commissioners was called. Nom
nations for moderator were declared in
order, and Rev. DR.. w. c. Roberts, of DAN
vile, KY, placed the name of Rev. DR..
the nomination DIR. Roberts spoke in most
glowing terms of the qualifications and
capabilities of DR.. Purves. The nomination
was seconded by Rev. DR.. James K. Moffatt,
of Cumberland. Nd, and Rev. DR.. Herrick
Johnson, of Chicago.
Rev. Mnton was placed in nomination by
the Rev. Hugh X. Walker. ID. D., of Los
Angeles, Cal, who paid high tribute TO
81. IL. l.
for DR.. Minton's election also on the
grounds of justice and fair play, claiming
the West was entitled to the honor Of pre-
senting the moderator. as that high office
had in the history of the Presbyterian
Church been held by only three men west
of the Mississippi. President James d. Mof-
fatt, of Washington and Jefferson College.
in seconding pr Minton's nomination. said
Assembly should be made q continental
congress. Rev. DR.. Edgar P. HILL of Port
land. Ore, and Hon. F. 4, Roots. of Con-
nomination. No other candidates were
placed in the field and. the roll being
called, the vote resulted above stated
DR.. Minton was escorted to the pulpit by
DR.. Walker and DR.. Moffatt and made a
brief address. He said:
Fathers and Brethren-You will believe
me sincere when l say thank you with
confidence. ! am sure / do not underest-
mate its dignity, nor your generosity and
kindness. When remember that you must
have passed by the beloved and distin-
guished brother whose name was coupled
with mine must be pardoned for express
ing my genuine surprise at my election. I
thank you in the name OF California: In
the name OF home missions l bound
TO throw myself upon your indulgence. My
faults will be many and obvious In the
kingdom of the world they are greatest
who rule. In the kingdom of Christ great
est are they who serve and serve we'll /
hope the spirit of brotherly love will pre-
side over all deliberations"
A motion by Rev. DR.. Nicolls to non
concur in the Peoria plan" which places
the appointment OF standing committees
with the assembly instead of the modera-
tor and which was adopted by St. Louis
assembly raised storm of protest. AS this
is the first year of the plan the assembly
decided to give IL a trial and DR.. Nicolls's
motion was laid on the table BY the
Peoria plan" the church Is divided into
election districts, each Of which decides
who of its members shall be placed on the
lect their own chairman. leaving the mod
orator without authority in the matter
The committees will be selected to-mor-
row and presented TO the assembly on Sat
urday.
At the suggestion of the committee on
arrangements the assembly decided 10 meet
daily at a. m, 2:30 p. m. and D. m. There
was no business session tonight. the com
missicners participating in sacrament at
Calvary Church
AS each commissioner and alternate hand
ed I'm his certificate to-day he was given
q book issued by the Philadelphia COM
inittee on arrangements containing all the
information necessary to those attending
the assembly. The fy-leaf bears the fol-
lowing Inscriptions: 'l70l 1901. Philadelphia
welcomes the General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church in the United States
of America at the opening of the twentieth
century The Presbyterans OF the ciry I'm
which the General Presbytery u705). the
General SYNOD Q1ls) and the General As
sembly u7Ss) were organized tender cordial
greetings TO the representatives OF the
church I'm the two hundredfh year since the