The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-29
Quiet Restored by DIR. Dickey, Who
Said He Did Not Believe Reelection
on Himself Was Intended.
ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES
TWO OF THE QUESTIONS ACTED ON
BEFORE FINAL ADJOURNMENT.
Action of United Presbyterian As
sembIy on the Creed Article Re-
lating to Secret Societies.

PHILADELPHIA. May 3S.-The one-hun-
dred-and-t thirteenth Presbyterian General
Assembly was dissolved at 6:15 o'clock to-
night by Moderator Minton after having
been in session for nearly two weeks, dur
ing which time many matters of the ut
most Importance to the church were consd-
cred Chief among these was the question
regarding the revision of the Confession
of Faith After discussion continuing
nearly four days this momentous subject
was referred to special committee or
twenty-one members who will make recon-
mendations as to the manner in which the
creed shall be revised and present them
to the next General Assembly which meets
in New York.
To-day for the first time since the As
sembly convened the equanlmity of the
commissioners was disturbed by the intro
duction of personalities. The trouble oc-
CURED during the discussion on the chair
manship Of the revision committee Rev.
]. d. Moffat suggested a change in the
minutes of yesterdays session so the rec
ords would show that new committee
had been appointed to revise the creed re-
gardless of the old committee, OF which
Rev. DIR. Charles A. Dickey, of this citA
was chairman. His suggestion was adopted,
and Rev. DR.. James Z. Moffat, of Cumber-
land. Md, moved that Moderator Minton
be elected chairman of the committee This
incensed the friends Of Dr. Dickey and al
though DR.. Moffat's motion prevailed, the
subject was revived later in the session by
Rev. DR.. S. ]. Nccolls. of st. Louis Dr.
Niccolls moved to reconsider the motion,
but as he had not been present during the
earlier debate he was declared out of or
der. The motion to reconsider was then re-
newed by Rev. w. d. Crockett, of Canton,
Pa, and many of the commissioners par
ticipated in the debate that followed. Real
iZing the delicacy of his position Moderator
Minton relinquished the chair TO Vice Mod
orator Pitcairn. The matter was finally ad-
Justed by DR.. Dickey. who advised the AS
semhly against reconsidering the motion,
saying he was confident there had been no
attempt 10 cast any reflections upon him,
but that the commissioners merely desired
to honor his successor as moderator. Dr.
Dicl.eys friends wanted the election of the
chslI nan to be made by the committee, in
which event II is conceded DR.. Dickey
would have been reelected The motion
however, was lost. There are still six mem
bers of the revision committee to be ap-
pointed, but Moderator Minton said to-day
he had not yet made any selection.
The closing hours of the Assembly were
devoted to routine matters. The report of
the committee on temperance urged min
in their district to the necessity for COM
pletion OF legislation now pending regard
ing the drink traffic in the islands of the
Pacific. The report also urges the gov
ernment to take effective action towards
the suppression of the liquor traffic in all
of our new possessions and indorses the
petition which "our foreign board and
many other American missionary societies
have sent the President asking that our
government shall initiate proposals to the
powers that shall lead, in connection with
the settlement of other Chinese difficulties,
TO the release of China from treaty obliga-
tions to tolerate the opium traffic, which
she has long desired to prohibit Con-
tinuing the report says: "Inasmuch as the
cigarette habit among the young people of
our country has reached such alarming
proportions to demand decisive action
on the part of the General Assembly. we
recommend that our permanent committee
be directed to call the attention of our
churches to this great evil and TO urge
them TO use their utmost endeavors to
counteract the same"
The committee on the Peoria plan of
electing standing committees approved the
system. In accordance with the resolution
offered yesterday by John III. Converse, of
this city, a special committee on evan
gelistic work was appointed.
In dissoiving the Assembly Moderator
Minton made an eloquent address, and be-
fore final benediction was pronounced the
commissioners sang the beautiful hymn,
''Blest Be the Tie That Binds"