The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-24
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
SUBJECT THAT WAS CONSIDERED BY
PRESBYTERIANS.
Resolution the Subject Adopted by
the General Assembly-COm-
mittee Reports.

NEW YORK, May 23-The Presbyterian
General Assembly resumed its sessions to-
day with a good attendance. and the mod
orator, Rev. DR.. Van Dyke. called up the
report of the special committee Sab
bath observance as the special order Of the
day. R. NJ Carethers. of Grand Rapids.
n. D., moved to strike out a part of the
report in which card parties on Sunday are
condemned. 1T would convey the idea that
the General Assembly of this church ap-
proved of card parties other days of the
week." said Mr.. Carethers The amend
ment was accepted
After the adoption of the Sabbath OBJ
servance report the moderator admins
tered a rebuke TO some commissioners who.
he said. were members of judicial COM
mission and yet could not be found when
called for. You are here to get through
with the work of the assembly" he said.
THAT is what the church sent you here
for. brethren, and not merely to have a
good time
The report of the standing committee
church erection was next called up. The
report, which was presented by the chair
man, Rev. DIR. a. c. Mcmillan of this city,
opens by saying that 35 per cent. OF all
churches established sooner or later cease
to exist, but that this is no reason to cease
to aid in building new ones. The report
commends the work of the board of church
erection during the year. The board COM
menced the year with 1893, 276, and spent
S20o,269 The board begins the coming year
with an empty treasury. and only contribu-
tons received after the annual report had
been completed enabled it to report no
debt. Two hundred and fifty-nine churches
were aided during the year to erect new
structures. The entire report, with its rec
concentrations, was adopted.
Judge Robert n. Wilson read the report
of the special committee on vacancies and
supplies.
The committee on vacancies and supplies
was divided, and minority report signed
by the Rev. Robert Sample, d. D., and the
Rev. DR.. Johnson, of the Mccormick Theo-
logical Seminary, Chicago. was presented.
The majority report was adopted and the
special committee reappointed
The committee on bills and overtures re-
ported adversely on the report of a COM
mittee asking that a protest be sent TO
Congress against the printing at public
pense of Thomas Jefferson's Life of
Christ. In spite of the action taken by
the committee on bills and overtures the
Assembly, by a vote of 2O5 to 1S9, decided
that the protest should be sent.
The Rev. George Dugan, of Troy, n. Y,
presented the report of the standing COM
mittee on benevolence, which reviews the
contributions given to the various branches
of the benevolent work of the Presbyterian
church OF the United States. 1t generally
finds fault with the small contributions.
The report was adopted.
The report of the committee on church
polity was next presented 1t states that
communication from the committee of the
General Association of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church had been received making
request for the appointment of a commit
tee of conference on marriage and divorce,
and that oVertures on the same subject
had been received from the Presbytrians
of Baltimore and Washington. The COM
mittee recommended the following:
Resolved, That in response to the frater-
nal request of the committee of the Prot
estant Episcopal Church the General AS
sembiy of the Presbyterian Church in the
United States appoint a committee of nine
five ministers and four elders-to confer
with the committee of the Protestant Epis
copal Church, and with similar committees
that may be appointed by other churches,
with view to securing some concerted
opinion and action by the churches OF
America relative to divorce and remarriage.
and SO to affect public opinion that uniform
legislation may be enacted by the state
that will conserve the family institution
and preserve the sanctity of the marriage
bond.
'Second-Relative to that part of the
overtures from the Presbyterians of Wash
ington and Baltimore which asks that con-
stitutional steps be taken to amend Chap
ter "a, Section s. of the Confession of Faith
that the clause and such willful deser
ton as can in no way be remedied by the
church or civil magistrates be stricken
out. The committee recommends no action
until the conference report is made.
'Third-That this General Assembly
viewing with sad apprehension the many
perils to family life in our time, the grow
ing ease and frequency of divorce upon
grounds trivial and unscriptural, urges
upon all our people the promotion OF
wider reverence for the marriage bond and
requires of all our ministers that they in
struct their people in public and private of
the sacredness of the marriage institution,
and that they exercise due diligence be-
fore the celebration of a marriage TO as
certain that there exist impediments
thereto as defined in our Confession of
Faith"
also recommended the creation of a new
presbytery in Porto Rico, and it was
passed.
Rev Dr. Marcus A. Brownson, chairman
of the special committee on the twentieth
century fund, then presented his report.
Rev. DIR. William Henry Roberts, stated
clerk of the General Assembly and treas
urer OF the twentieth century fund, re-
ported that the total receipts during the
last two years for the fund amounted TO
$1,652,SOl. In addition TO this Dr. Roberts
said that about one thousand churches had
paid off their mortgages and freed them
selves from debt. This was greeted with
great applause and vote of thanks was
given the committee.
The report of the committee on theolog-
ical seminaries, made by Rev. James f.
Riggs, of East Orange, n. J., regretted the
falling off in the number of theological
students and asked for increased contribu-
tons. Appended to the report a reso-
luton in which care is advised in the Sc
lection of professors for theological semi
naries in view of the restless spirit of
the times" In this connection the report
says: And in view of the assaults re-
Gently made on that which we regard as
the vital truth as TO the nature and in
spiration of the Scriptures, and particular
ly in view of the assaults on the integrity
and authority of the Old Testament we do
reaffirm the historic faith Of the church in
the oracles of God as the veracious record
of His dealings with men from the begin
ming Of human history. 1t is our mistaken
belief that these sacred books were written
by holy men of old. who spoke they
were moved by the Holy Spirit. and that
this fact has the solemn witness of the
apostles and of the Lord Jesus Christ him
self
At 5 o'clock an adjournment was taken
until o'clock tomorrow morning.
Southern MRfhOdiStS.