The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-23
BE A STIR
IN ASSEMBLY
Important Presbyterian De-
partments May Combine.
DIR. PHILIPS is CHOSEN
Committee of Publication Want Him
for Their Secretaryto Succeed Or.
Hazen, Deceased-LveIy Dis
cussion Likely Over Matter.
DIR. PHILIPS is CHOSEN
Committee Of Publication Want Him

| ia.
Not a little stir has boon created In To-
cal Presbyterian circles by the announce
| ment of the decision of the Executive
Committee of Publication. which has us
General Assembly now. in session a,
Lexington, the combination Of two OF the
most important general Offices IN the
Church.
thing for a committee to make such q
recommendation at all and this fact Is
the subject for comment. a promlnent
Richmond minister said YESTERDAY t had
never before known 1t to be done. n
the second place, there is powerful
opposition to the proposed combination
and this also is a theme for discu ISIS l.
Signs are appearing Of big night II
the matter gets squarely before the body
and there will probably be lively .,i &c de-
bate. The rejection Of the reeom n J0id
Is far from unanimous upon the SUBJECT
is freely. predicted BY many; I'M,
SUCCESSOR TO DIR. 1HAIlSN.
ton of the election Of a successor to
the late James Is. Hazen.. d. p, secre-
tary of publication. who died shortly AZ
ter the last Assembly met Lo, Slhee Inc
Publication House. has been , conducte E
under the supervision Of the Rev. a: l.:
Phillips. D. D., general suPerihtetnns,m. !,
Church q in the South This Sunday.school
work by the way is not conducted ny
special committee but Is governed py tie
publication Committee, j.,
For some time past there has been. IN
and out Of the committee, discussion
over the action of the assembly Win
reference to DR.. HaZen's successor. Ihen
ton to elect no new man at all. but TO to
combine the two offices Of Sunday school
superintendent and publication secretary
and put Dr.. Phillips In the new position.
A. 1ava1Opa6 n vigorous OD-
bounds. Not that there was any per-
sona ght on Dr. P En- Ppsph as beeS
eminently successful In, the Sunday.school
work, and there was decided objection to
any plan which might take him away
suit, 1t was held, If the offices were com,
bined. AS publication secretary he would
be confined to the office; as Sunday-school
superintendent he must be constantly IN
the field. 1t was manfestly impossible
Meanwhile the committee had itself
Of T. opinion had developed. This division,
1t is understood, still exists, but there is
not expected to be q minority report The
majority were In favor of the comblna-
tion, and they will recommend 1t, naming
DR. Phillips for the united office. In the
summary of the report Of the. committee
there Is conta ined the following. clause:
ing year, amongst other things the com
mittee recommends that DR.. A. L. Phil
lips be elected secretary of publication
and be continued as general slIperintend-
ent of Sundayschools and Young Peo-
Pies Societies.: that 1t be authorized to
elect an editor when the way opens; that
II be directed to apportlon $4,000 for pub
llcalon among the Presbyteries.
LIVELY DEBATE EXPECTED.
the next development will be when the
report Is submitted to the assembly, which
conVenes to-day In Lexington. Many In
dlcatlons point to n big debate. So far
as can be ascertained, practically all OF
the local ministers outside the committee
are opposed to the recommendations And
N many other plans in the church there
is n similar objection. Formal overtlires
against the change will be pre-
scented by the synod of North Carolina,
and the Presbyterles OF West Hanover
others, IT Will be imposs!ble to ignorc
these oVertures. The laws OF the church
form. ~ 80 ''''o
Whether or not the recommendation
VIII pc favorably acted upon in the face
Of this opposition Is a question. A local
IresbYterian minister discussing the mat
IsnT yesterIay predicted its rejection by
! he assembly. One of the CHIEF arg,lments
~ favor of the change. he said Vas thai
y would Get rid of one saiaried officer
BUT the recommendation for an editor
VINO VIII have to be paid offsets. at least
~ part, this advantage VYhateyer hnn
pens, the report, If 1t gets on the Gonr
OF ne assembly, Is calculated to create
a big discussion, - o'0"'o