The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-29
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
Strong Position Taken by the Gem
eral Assembly of the Southern
Presbyterian Church.

Lexington, Va, May 26.-The session
OF the Southern Presbyterian Assembly
his morning was addressed by Rev.
John Balloon Shea, Of New York, a
member Of the committee of the evan
gelistic movement in the Northern Pres
byterian assembly, in the interest Of
that cause
The o~vertures from the synods of
Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri, and
the P~resbyteries of Maryland, Brazos,
Fort Worth and Red river for closer re-
latiOns with the reformed church Of
America, were reported with the recon-
m~endation tina the assembly appoint a
committee of conference whenever the
reform church should indicate It's read
mess to receive the committee and the
report was adopted. DR.. J. r. Graham
was appointed delegate to lay the mat
ter before the reformed church.
Upon recommendation of the aud
iting committee the bequest of Miss
Stuart, of Alexandria, was placed to
the credit of the endowment fund for
ministerial relief. The request of the
Presbyterian Society of Philadelphia
for historical papers relating to the
assembly was agreed to.
kilograms of fraternal greetings were
received from the Cumberland Presby-
terrain assembly and the Northern Pres
byterian Assembly.
Upon the recommendation of the for
eign correspondence committee The
assembly declined to appoint an evan
gelistic committee for cooperation with
similar committees of the allied bodies
and declined to appoint a delegate to
the Joint. conference on divorce and
remarriage." Strong resolutions We're
adopted on the subject of marriage and
divorce.
The assembly then took a recess unit,
the afternoon.
At the afternoon session an address
on Christian education was delivered
by DR.. Thron H. Rice. of Atlanta. tc
one Of the largest congregations YET
assembled during the assembly.
The special committee appointed tt
consider the anti-saloon leagues commu
nication asking the assembly to senG
delegates to it's national convention mex
December in Washington. III a repor
expressed full sympathy for tn.
leagues object but said the assembl!
as a spiritual organization, which doe!
not affiliate with secular organizations
could not comply with the leagues re
quest without departing from an es
tabliShed practice, and hat there i
not sufficient reasOn for such a depar
: ture in this instance. The report wa
adopted.
The New Orleans Presbytery, in a.
overture to the assembly asked that II,
5 change be made in the confession o
faith. The assembly finally after
heated debate, participated in by a larg
number of the commissioners, neithe
adopted nor denied the overture.
The Pee Dee ~Presbytery submitted a.
overture that a list of all ministers re
ceiving a salary under 5000 be ascertain
, ed. The assembly recommended tina
this b. lone by the Presbyteries Of tn
assembly, and that steps be taken s
that an increase in salary may D
made
The P~resbytery of North Alabama i
an overture asked at what time baptis
q ed non-communicants had been droppe
: from church rolls, if ever. The assem-
bly, answered that there was no author
: ity for a time when they should be dis
missed and adopted a report that pres
bytaries instruct churches to keep roll
of baptized nOn-cOmmunicants and re
port to the presbyteries.
The committee on ministerial relic
= then made its report through the Rev
Henry Moore. The report showed niue
. reason for encouragement and said tina
the church was in accord with the time
and that aged ministers will be care
: for as they have not been in the pas
:. The section relative to changes of time
v of collections for this cause was refer
. red to the committee on systemati
4 beneficience.
y Tonight a popular meeting in the in
4 terest of frOeign missions was helc
:. Addresses were made by Rev. H. F
4 Williams, Of Nashville, editor Of "Th
Missionary" and DR.. S. H. Chester, {
Nashville, secretary of foreign missions
II The latter's address was illustrated b
views of foreign lands. showing the mis-
4 siOnary and his people in all phases.