Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-11
General Assembly Will Havs a Busy
Session at New York.
IMPORTANT our sTIoNS TO Be DECIDED
Greed Revision Holds Most Interest,
but h Matters Connected
with Church work VIII
Get Attention.

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The experience Of Walton's disciple will
be repeated, 1t is feared, in the case Of some
of the commissioner to the Presbyterian
General Assembly, which meets in this city
next week. II the present program Of de-
bate and entertainment goes through with
out a hitch, visitors will scarcely know
whether they are performing a duty to the
church or enjoying a vacation. Real and
lasting Impressions will be made upon those
who attend the formal meetings of the as
sembly In the Fifth Avenue church. The
sermon by DR.. Henry c. Minton will never
be forgotten by those who hear IT; the ex-
element of the hour given to the election
Of a moderator will enliven many a home
and social circle as the experiences are re-
lated to interested hearer; the stirring re-
ports and addresses on the work of the
eight boards Of church will bear fruit in
many a prayer meeting, Sunday school and
church service during the year to come.
Incidents related here will be repeated in
every state and territory on the continent
and many of them will cross the sea as the
missionaries return to their lonely fields in
heather lands; the creed revision discussion
Will mark an epoch in many a life, as min
listers and elders not accustomed to the
heavy clash Of arguments and the delicate
play of repartee, listen to the debate on this
important issue.
Some Entertainment Features
But human nature being what 1t is, 1t is
safe to say that the social features con-
nected with the coming assembly will not
leave a feeting impression. Not to speak
OF meeting In the metropolis of the coun-
try. being entertained for the most part in
finely aDDOintpd hnfa1o fbara Mill ~ 1900
tions and excursions sufficient to satisfy a
mai simply on pleasure bent. Beginning
with Friday, the day after the opening, the
fine rooms of the Home and Foreign boards
In the Presbyterian building are to be in
spected freely, and a committee of ladies
will see that nc. one is a stranger after he
enters the building. Everything In and
about the headquarters Of the boards will
be shown. except the mortgage Of two or
three hundred thousand dollars still resting
upon the building; the strangers will find
no debts hanging about the boards, and the
mortgage debt on the building has been
materially reduced during the last year.
On Saturday, at noon, luncheon will be
served In the American Tract society build
ing; 1t is not probable that many of the
commissioners have ever taken their din
ner twenty-four stories above the street.
From the Tract building, near the city hall.
the commissioner and their friends will go
to the New York university, ten or twelve
miles distant. 1t is understood that Miss
Helen M. Gould will assist Chancellor Mac
Cracker In the reception Of the visitors. A
boat race on the Harlem, a ball game on
the campus and an inspection of the Hall
OF Fame are among the rival attractions.
The second Saturday the commissioners
Will Welt Drfnnaf1n a@l - A.
Monday will go up the Hudson on one of
the Albany Day Line boats. The great re-
ception of the week will be that rendered
by the Presbyterian union at the Waldorf
Astoria. Every commissioner and secretary
and member of the various boards and their
wives will be the guests Of the union. Ex-
tensive as Is the great hotel, 1t will be
taxed to its utmost capacity that night.
Boldt says that he can handle 1000 per-J
sons easily and the number Of guests will
be limited to that figure.
Candidates for Moderator.
Who will be moderator? This is the
that concerns vitality a half dozen
and interests as many hundred.
Pennsylvania starts the ball with two men.
both from the western part Of the state,
Moffat of Washington and Jeffer- |
son college and DR.. Richard s. Holmes Of
Ptttsburg. New York has two or three, ac-
as one counts, DR.. Wilson Pharner.
In the presbytery where he votes, or the
one In which he works. He still retains
his membership in the Westchester presby-
terry, where he did a splendid work for more
than a generation. Now, at the age of
four-score years, he Is the assistant pastor
OF one OF the largest churches in New Jer-
sey and is known and loved the wide world
round, having visited every mission field
abroad and spoken in behalf of missions.
and foreign, In every state in the
union.
DR.. John Dixon, one Of the most loyable |
of men, has unconsciously disturbed, the
plans which friends of a popular commits
sioner were making in his behalf. Owing
to official duties connected with the Board
of Home Missions, Of which he is the as
sistant secretary, DR.. Dixon was absent
when the presbytery OF New Brunswick
elected its commissioners and selected him
as one OF them. Feeling that his duties in
connection with the centennial would pre-
vent his attendance as a member of the
body he decided to send his commission
back. Prof. Henry Van Dyke, being his
alternate, would naturally receive the com
mission. Friends of DR.. Van Dyke at once
suggested his name as one of the candidates
and this led to a story wholly false, but
extremely annoying, to the effect that DR..
Dixon, a conservative, had surrendered his
commission in order to let a liberal secure
it, No one who knows DR.. Dixon believes
for a moment that he is capable of an &C.
clesiastical bargain, but nevertheless this
charge was made. II is understood now
that DR.. Dixon will answer that charge by
accepting the appointment OF the presby-
terry and qualifying as a commissioner. DR..
Van Dyke. in the meantime, drops out OF
the race for the chief honor.
Omaha Has a Candidate.
Other names mentioned are those of DR..
Howard Dufheld of this city and DR.. David
r. Kerr of Omaha. Both of these gentle-
men have excellent backing and II either is
elected no mistake will be made. There is
a strong local pressure in favor of Rev. DR..
d. stuart Dodge, president OF the Board Of
Home Missions. This is to be mission year
and mission work at home and abroad will
occupy a large share Of the assembly
practically three days out Of the ten work.
ing days.
President Roosevelt is to honor the as
sembly by coming here to attend the Home
Missions rally In Carnegie hall, May 20.
and TO make one OF the chief addresses on
that occasion. When the ecumenical con-
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