The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-17
MEETING OF
ASSEMBL Y
.Presbyterians Gather This (
Week In Lexington.
MUCH BUSINESS ON HAND
Some oftheT Things WhichWilI Be Before
the Body-Complete Roll ofAssen,<.
bly-other Notes and
Gossip.

The forty~third General Assembly OF
the Presbyterian Church IL the United
States will meet at II o'clock Thursday
morning next In. the church at Lexington.
Va.
Tor many past days great preparations I
have been In progress for the entertain
ment OF the distinguished body, and now
ON the eve OF the meeting prospects are
bright for a most successful gathering.
The assembly is distinctly business-1ike 4
organization. and its attendance is strict
/ ly regulated by law, but apart from the
regularly appointed commissioners there
will be many visitors who, though having
no voice in affairs, will be Interested
spectators. The likelihood Is that from
day to day during the week, or more in
which the assembly will sit, the old town
Of Lexington already a denominational
stronghold. Will be alive with Presbyte-
rians and Presbyterianisnl,
Ss. THE MEETING PLACE.
The selection OF Lexington as the
gathering place of tho Presbyterian cause
is a most happy and appropriate one.5
For many reasons 1t is looked upon as
decidedly a Presbyterian center. sur
rounded by Presbyterian Influences,
AS point of historic interest Lexington
ranks among the first places n the State.
Here#is located the Washington and Lee
University. of which, Mt one time. Robert
p. Lee, the immortal Virginian, Fl was
the president. In the very church
where the body will sit, Stonewall
Jackson was in his lifetime a deacon,
and the place wherein the old days stood
the pew he occupied, is there marked.
Many other circumstances endear the old
town and its surroundings to Presbyte-
rians. DR.. James P. Smith, now editor of
the Central Presbyterian. chaplain in the
Stonewall Brigade during the war. prints
this week reminiscent article about
Lexington. His concluding paragraph
makes reference to Lee, FIe says
On happier errands we have come many
times to Lexington. We cannot forget the
thrill of pride and grateful admiration
OF our hero, when at the door OF the
college chapel one day. the greatest Of
Virglnians. General Robere e. Lee called /!
US by name. and spoke of the last time
we had met, just before the break up at \
Petersburg. College commencelnents, the
dedication OF the Jackson Hall OF the
" M. L., and the bridal OF n fair young +
friend, are all safely guarded and cher
ished in the chambers of memory 4.
THE ASSEMBLY. @
Tho Assembly Is the governing body
of the Presbyterian Church In the South.
1t is the great directing agency, and Is
the court Of final appeal In all matters
of doctrine and the like.
The work OF the body is managed
chiefly through series of executive
committees, elected each year. These
various committees and boards are as
follows: Executive Committee of For
eign Missions, Executive Committee of
Home Missions. Executive Committee OF
Publications, Executive Committee of
Education of Ministers, Executive Com
mittee of Colored Ivangelization. Execu-
tive Committee of Ministerial Relief.
Trustees OF the Assembly's Home and
School, Trustees of the Assembly, Amer
ican Bible Society, Permanent Committee
on Sabbath, and Superintendent OF Sum
dav-schools.
The line of work pursued by the AS
sembly is indicated by tho names OF
these committees Representation In the
bcdy Is from the Presbyteries. Each
Presbytery sends one minister and one
ruling elder except where II has more
than twenty-five ministers In its mem
hershp. In which case 1t sends two of
each.
TIIE BUSINESS,
This wear the opening sermon VIII be
preached by the retiring moderator, the
Rev. w. II. Hale, professor Of Systema-
| tic Theology In the Columbian Semi
nary The chief business will be this
! reception of reports from each of the
| committees homo missions, foreign mis-
sions, publications. ministerial education.
colored evangellzation, ministerial re-
lief, church and Christian education. and
the home and school, During the AS
sombly popular meetings will be held
and addresses will be made by the ablest
men available. Reports will he SUBJ
mttted from each OF the theological
seminaries-union. Mt Richmond; Colum-
bia, louisville. Clarksyille md Austin.
Considerable business will como over
from the last Assembly. Among these
matters will be the consideration of
nav "('atechiam on tha Church." which
has been preparing for some years. The
Presbyteries will send up their answers
as to whether or not the form OF govern
ment shall be amended SO that a thesis
written in Latin shall no longer ba re-
ouired OF candidates for license. Another
Interesting discussion Will be over the
question OF whether Or not oveTtIres
shall he made to the Dutch Reformed
Church In America In regard to union
between the two churches, which are